Sound HiFi and Dave Cawley...strange customer service.

[Marco]

In the interests of balance and fairness, I think DC's comments 'elsewhere' should be copied in here [in that respect I'm making an exception to the banning rule]:

As you can see I never mentioned Jelco at all with this customer, neither did I recommend a 309 for his 1200. But as it has been raised, I had several Jelco batches with faulty bearings and a well know turntable manufacturer bought 25 and every one needed the bearings adjusted. Enough was truly enough !

You can read exactly what I said as he also asked about ditching his SL1200 and going Nottingham Analogue, and that's why I told him I used a SME in my own system.

That particular customer emailed in with a SL-1200 fitted with an array of non-matching parts that even Marco would not agree on. Not one part was from me and I politely and realistically told him that I could not possibly comment. Clearly he did not like that.

This is what he said, note nothing was supplied or recommended by me, so how could I possibly comment !!

Chris' correspondence to Dave is shown below
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Hi.
I have a fully modified Technics SL-1210M5G:
- Isokinetik Silver Melody tonearm
- MCRU psu
- Isonoe feet and Techniboots
- Oyaide MJ-12+BR-one
- Mike New bearing

My question is about the MJ-12+BR-one butyl mat.

I am concidering a Mike New ETP platter, but to be honest I do think it is way too much to pay for a platter. And besides I really like what the MJ-12+BR-one did to the sound. I have used the Achromat 1200 before and that was also very good, but I find the Oyaide combo to be better in my setup.

Now I see there is a new butyl mat out there, the Oyaide BR-12. Is that mat an alternative to MJ-12 or is it an alternative to BR-one (under the MJ-12)?? I mean, would putting BR-12 UNDER the MJ-12 be an upgrade compared to the BR-1 sheet?

I'm not sure how good of an upgrade an ETP platter from Mike New would be,

but also for that amount of money alone+selling my fully modified 1210M5G would get me close to buying a Nottingham Hyperspace

.... And without ever hearing a Hyperspace (heard Nottingham AnnaLog at a hifi show once, and I still remember how impressed I was!), and

I will imagine the Hyperspace to be an overall better TT than a modified 1210?

Well, the question is about BR-12. Is MJ-12+BR-1 combo the best combo?

Kind regards
Chris
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What's your response to that, Chris? It does paint a slightly different picture, although based on (extensive) personal dealings with DC, I still stand by my previous comments.

Marco.

P.S I should add for the benefit of folks here that I know all about your current 'T/T conundrums' (including the possibility of you ditching your Techy), as we've already shared many PMs discussing the matter.

[CageyH]

And for complete balance, I have had nothing but good, professional service from Sound HiFi.
I have bought my Funk arm and Mk1 platter from DC and have no complaints about service, product recommendations or price.

[Marco]

Incidentally, for those with a short memory 'elsewhere'... At the beginning, when DC joined AoS, he was all over the place like a rash, promoting his wares, intent on brainwashing our members into believing that he was the 'primo Technics T/T guru', which unfortunately some fell for!

Examine the evidence here in the archives, and see how active DC was on this forum during the first year he joined, until others and I sussed what he was about and banned him....

The parallels, therefore, between him and MCRU are obvious: both are parasite salesmen, first and foremost, intent on nothing else but lining their own pockets - and both ripped off (or rather in the case of DC, tried to rip off) other people's designs [DC with Mike New's Technics bearing, and DB with Gaz's computer server], before being caught out and rightly banned for their unethical and disgraceful behaviour.

Those are the facts of the matter, plain and simple.

Marco.

[CageyH]

I don't see any similarities between DC's bearing and the Mike new one?
One is a bespoke design/build the other is a modified standard part.

[Ammonite Audio]

To be fair to DC, he is in business to do business and he clearly does well with SME; and there's nothing wrong with that. Neither is there any problem with running an audio dealership from home - how many dealers have had to give up High Street premises because of the fixed costs involved? I bought my SME 309 from DC and would happily do business with him again - he's every bit as passionate about what he does as any other dealer that I know; maybe a bit prickly sometimes (as I can testify) but only human. We audiophiles can be difficult customers, you know! Anyone who has heard DC's version of the SME 10 at shows, with SME arms and (lovely) Miyajima cartridges knows that he's not daft.

[Wakefield Turntables]

.

[Marco]

I don't see any similarities between DC's bearing and the Mike new one?
One is a bespoke design/build the other is a modified standard part.

It's a long story, Kevin. At first, DC tried to have the design of Mike's bearing directly copied in the UK, behind Mike's back when they were supposed 'business partners' (and I have documented proof of that).

However, when he discovered that the costs of producing them here were completely prohibitive of him making the type of profit margins he demands, he quickly gave up on the idea, but not before he was caught out with his shady shenanigans!

Then of course, still keen to get a slice of the 'Techy modification action', he produced his own bearing for the Techincs (under the Sound Hi-fi banner), which is simply a tarted up stock item, as unlike Mike, he doesn't have the engineering wherewithal to produce anything better - i.e bespoke designed from the ground up!

Marco.

[Marco]

To be fair to DC, he is in business to do business and he clearly does well with SME; and there's nothing wrong with that. Neither is there any problem with running an audio dealership from home - how many dealers have had to give up High Street premises because of the fixed costs involved? I bought my SME 309 from DC and would happily do business with him again - he's every bit as passionate about what he does as any other dealer that I know; maybe a bit prickly sometimes (as I can testify) but only human. We audiophiles can be difficult customers, you know! Anyone who has heard DC's version of the SME 10 at shows, with SME arms and (lovely) Miyajima cartridges knows that he's not daft.

That's fine, Hugo, but for me it doesn't excuse his rather insulting (or at the very least patronising/derogative) response to Chris about his (clearly carefully thought out and selected TO HIM) modified Techy being, I quote: "miss-matched components bought by mail order"!!

Now that's one sure way of getting a potential customer's back up, which is precisely why Chris reacted the way he did! And that type of dismissive arrogance (amongst many other things) is precisely what's wrong with DC.

As per usual, if it's not been 'blessed by him', it's no use!

Marco.

[aniki]

I've had one dealing with DC.
I wrote to him asking for some detailed information on his bearing and whether he thought it would address a certain issue I was having with what was a fairly standard deck at the time.
His reply, consisting of a few words was pretty much "If it was me I would put on an SME309". Say what now?!?!
-
I have a 309 (amongst others). Sure it's a great arm; bettered IMO by the arm I choose to use in my sig but the point is what the hell?
How on earth did that response relate?
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I can only assume DC makes a large profit margin on the 309 and is somewhat doubtful of the eficacy of his own bearing... Maybe!
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Truth is I don't really know. What I do know is that those who are able to respond with a friendly and professional attitude will get my business first, regardless of cost!

[Tarzan]

Can we put a line under this thread?