Triode Electronics

[SA-12]

I need the collective advice from this fantastic community of ours. I have been doing business with Triode Electronics http://store.triodestore.com/ for several years problem free. Lets see I Bought a 2 pass power supply boards one with parts, I have purchased the complete DIY st35 amp kit, minus transformers, I have also purchased a couple cap boards for dynaco st70’s I think. However my biggest purchase to date is 2 complete MKIII amplifier kits with upgraded capacitors and a full compliment of JJ tubes. This was a major purchase for my hobby this year costing me close to 1800 Canadian dollars when it was all said and done. Shipping was like adding another amplifier kit.

I spent about 1450 United States dollars during the recession at their store, added to the many other transactions over the years. Well friends this deal fell apart in a big way. After I paid the money I was shipped a box with half of the kit components. I was shorted a chassis and many other small parts like the entire bias supply for both amps, and all my tubes for both amps, tube sockets and some nuts and bolts, rubber gromets and other peices. I was forced to wait over two months for the rest of the stuff to be sent and in the end I had to purchase again 2 JJ 12au7 tubes I was ripped off for and never shipped and one iec power socket along with the 680 ohm resistors used on the speaker binding posts. Long story short several months go buy, 2 packages and still not everything, even though I paid for everything. It took the threat of a creditcard chargeback to get the last package out to me, this is not acceptable.

Quite some time has passed now, the amps are done and allot of the severe anger has passed. I will never order from them again which is truly sad because I had such a good experience with them prior to this last purchase. Recently my house flooded out, I lost the documents for the driver component and build instructions. I have been trying for weeks to get Triode to respond with a copy in PDF for me. I also asked some basic questions like how can I open up the high frequency response, what caps or resistors if changed can help ECT, ECT.

No response from them, to add insult to injury with this order they now will not even provide any form of customer service/support to me, like I am the bad guy here. I did my part as a customer, and did it well for many years. I did not screw them like they screwed me. I just don’t get it. Did I mention I am still short two JJ 12au7 tubes that I paid for.

I guess my questions are then

1.Can members here who know these chaps well give them a talking to and

2.What would you do?

[SA-12]

BUMP

sorry guys I need some input on this one, going to do some bumps until I get some advice.

[SY]

No advice, sorry. But it's good that you're able to air your experience. It might help to send them a link to your post- diyAudio.com is the largest hobbyist site and reaches a large percentage of their customer and prospect base.

I've not done as much business as you with the post-Ned Carlson Triode, but what experience I've had (a few hundred bucks worth of tubes) was entirely positive.

[SA-12]

I did notice that service was great for along time (years) then poof overnite it went to the crapper. Can you please explain the post Ned Carlson thing?


To be honest I miss doing buisness with them, they provided me with products I needed (and still do need) and the customer service was great. I remember a year or was it a year and a half ago the CSR rep I dealt with all the time was leaving the company and he would not tell me why. It seemed like it was a natsy departure though. I think his name was Matt but I could be wrong.

what they "Triode" needs to do is make this problem right, at the very least send me my 12au7 tubes and answer some questions. Own up their faults with this transaction and say sorry. I would start buying products from them again if this happened.

[6f6]

I can't explain Triode Electronics post-Ned, but I will say this: they are basically a good operation. Since I live about thirty miles from them, I just go down to the shop to get what I need. I have bought many capacitors and recapped many old radios on account of them w/o having to wait for days for a package from AES or Radiodaze. The problem with them seems to be getting supply from their vendors. I always call ahead to see if they have what I need before I go down there; I would do that if I were to place a big order for something expensive. Triode tends to cater to the guitar amp crowd more than anything- you might reasonably expect them to have on hand a good stock of 6550s or 6L6s, but call ahead about the 300Bs.

[DigitalJunkie]

I haven't bought anything from them for a while,but "Uncle Ned" was always on top of things,and offered awesome customer service.. I've heard a couple stories of poor service "Post-Ned",but they always made it right pretty promptly. IIRC that was right after the switch,and it took them a bit to get things going smoothly.I think this is the first complaint I've heard since the switch.

[SA-12]

well it has taken a long time for me to get this upset to complain in the public. Like you people for the most part I have been very happy with them. This however has been a rough ride and it was a big purchase. I take exception to being ignored by them and hope that by bringing this to the surface as I have we can all move past this. I hope in the end I can trust them enough to start doing buisness with them again. I want to buy a st70 kit, and have wanted to for some time. Just need to see if they are going to do the right thing first.

My diy mood and interest has slipped due to this, just lost interest for several months. Just getting back into it now a little. I miss doing buisness with them

[SA-12]

I have received a reply from Triode Electronics, without getting into so much detail as email is somewhat private the ADMIN has shown some interest in resolving the issues. The tone was nasty but it was a reply, thats a start.

I miss dealing with Matt (god I hope that is his name)
I find it disturbing that extreme measures need to be taken to get results, like I said a couple weeks of no responces and now I get one tonight telling me my spam filter must be blocking them. Keep in mind it came directly into my inbox. I hope we can work past this as I like their products and it is costly for Canadians to shop over the boarder. Now we are getting some quality shops in Canada with tube kits and DIY supplies.

thought of a few more things I bought over the years, the st70 6au6 board and the ef86 board and a new quadcap for a st70. I guess after all that purchasing I expected to be treated different. Am I wrong here people?

[anatech]

Hi SA-12,
Just for chuckles, I did warranty for Counterpoint, and even see the odd SA-12 now and again.

Now, on to your experience. I got taken for almost $1K CDN in parts, a mix of tubes and capacitors mostly. Not Triode, but I feel your anger and resentment. I think that in your place, I'd be actively looking for another supplier or suppliers. Hold your purchases from Triode Electronics to only minor things you can't easily get elsewhere. That is unless they come clean and deal with you properly. At this point in time, some extra parts for your aggravation would be a cheap way for them to say they are sorry. Something useful of course.

What I don't understand is that a customer in good standing is allowed to swing in the breeze for their errors. How difficult is it to say "I'm sorry"? Having run a business for many years, I can say that it isn't hard to figure out who is honest and who is not. Especially during a change in company structure. They appear to be working very hard to lose good customers from what I have read here.

Let's hope that someone does come to their senses quickly. I agree with SY, send them a link to this thread. They need to hire a business manager too.

The last bit is totally beyond reason. They can see you have purchased these products before, they have records of this. So why on earth can't they send you the missing information via email, or even by post! Sounds like managers haven't a clue how to manage there. It's easier to send you the requested info than to debate it for pete's sake! Duh!

Good luck on this, Chris

[SA-12]

Hey Chris I think me and you have beat around the bush long enough, I am comming over to your place to learn from you and have you look at some counterpoint gear for me. Also I am still interested in that function generator you said you had "tube model" it just needed some work from you. It was a HP unit I think. Please PM me I live in Hamilton and would like to meet you finally.

Now back on topic I agree with your post 100%, I am glad parts conection has moved closer to us and now has a much easier pick up proceedure. They need to start stocking some tube kits, good ones that is. The tubestore is my first choice for tubes, just figured heck I am buying the kits why not just buy the tubes at the same time. Once bitten twice shy I guess. I will take your advise about small purchases from now on providing they make things right. It would be nice to have Triode contribute to this thread, I asked them to join. I would also like to make clear this is not a flame thread as I have been acused of starting one. For the most part I have all good experiences ,and allot of them, with Triode Electronics.