supercables cookbook

[protos]

Does anyone know where I can purchase/acquire the above?

[rpell]

www.vacuumstate.com

[GrahamnDodder]

Be warned, I ordered this book over four months ago.

They charged my credit card immediately, but have not shipped and have not replied to any e-mail. They claim to be slow, but at what point do I just give up and consider myself defrauded?

Can anyone vouch for them?


TIA

GnD

p.s. I will relay my experiences (i.e. - if they ever respond, of if the book actually ever arrives) here.

[protos]

I received mine a full 1 YEAR later after my cc had been charged!
How is that for quick service?
AW claimed that the book was being reprinted.However when I received the book I see it is a cheap polygraph of handwritten notes and bad photos and plastic bound type that anybody can make at the local office print shop.
I have ordered the preamp book 7 MONTHS ago , cc charged immediately but no news yet.
Regarding value for money I would say that some may regard it as a rip-off.
The info on cables did give me the idea to try very thin magnet wire for interconnects and speaker cables which worked better than expected.Apart from the suggestion to use the obvious teflon tubing and a somewhat interesting crossbraiding technique for three wires around the teflon tubing for interconnects the rest is a bit of self promotion for AW's own silver foil diy cables which are quite expensive.
So overall I would say as a book the quality is very low and regarding the contents the information is of medium to low added value to what already exists on the web.I would say that I know of many well known expert diyers and even hi-fi component producers (eg Nelson Pass) that generously give this type of simple diy info free on the web without trying to sell it.
They are very appreciated.

[GrahamnDodder]

Thanks for the warning.

I have sternly requested a refund. The combination of no shipping and, more importantly, no responses to repeated e-mails -- four months after the fact -- push this from eccentric to fraudulent, IMO.

If they do not promptly refund my money (which they sure know how to take quickly, BTW!) I will file a fraud grievance with VISA against them.

Even if they are overworked, eccentric geniuses, this behavior is way over the line. If you are gonna be an a-hole about shipping (on correspondence, for that matter), don't take the money until you ship.

That is pretty simple.

I will post the results here.

[gilid]

I too bought the cookbook. It took a long time - approx 6 months to arrive. AW claimed that it was 'at the printers...'

As far as the content, there are some original ideas - howerver, there is self-promition as well. Though, when one considers all the ** in the cable 'industry', it is not too far out of line...

I also have his preamp books, which are a lot better, IMHO.

[GrahamnDodder]

FWIW, I am also in the position of having had my money taken by Mr. Wright.

After many months of no book, no returned e-mails, and finally no response to my disgusted (and very firm) request for a refund, I am ready to file fraud charges against him.

IMO, people should avoid vacuumstate.com at all costs. I believe it to be a fraudulent operation.

[GrahamnDodder]

Allen responds.

My response to him follows his to me.

---------

--- AW <AllenVSE@compuserve.com> wrote:
> David,
> I am replying to this, the first message you
> sent me, but am ignoring
> the following ones - OK?
>
> 1/ We shipped a book by conventional airmail (no
> tracking number) to the
> address given on your order:
>
> ((( Address deleted in this post ))))))
>
> on Friday 30th of Jan 2004 - 10 days after receiving
> your order.
>
> It has not been returned to us so the reason it has
> not been received by
> you is unknown to us.
>
> 2/ I have been overseas for the past 16 days and my
> email laptop quit on
> the second day away - hence the apprent ignoring of
> your emails.
>
> If you want the order cancelled I will do so
> immediatedly on your
> confirmation - or I will send you a secondbook via
> registered mail for
> which you will have to sign for - OK?
>
> But either way I will expect you to remove your
> "fraud' report...
>
> Allen (VSEI)

-------------------

And, My response back to him.

--------

Allen-

Please cancel my order.

I hope you will understand when I tell you that I am
not really sure what to think about the combination of
the sent book never arriving (nor having any
third-party record of being sent), you being out of
the country for 16 days and your laptop being out of
service.

In my experience reporting this to other people I have
received numerous e-mails from some of your other
customers describing legendary shipment delays (and
similar, coincidental reports for the reasons.)

Bearing that in mind, I will simply post your response
to me as follow-ups to my earlier reports and let
people draw the conclusions that they wish from my
experience. I believe that is fair.

I would suggest that if you are away from your
business in the future and do not have a working
computer, you may wish to either (a) have someone read
and answer your e-mail for you, or, (b) pop into one
of the ubiquitous cyber cafés and check it yourself.

For what it's worth, if I ran an internet-based
business, That is exactly what I would do in the
situation you described to me.

As far as your shipping choices, there is no reason to
go to the expense of registered mail when there are so
many less expensive shipping options that include a
tracking number, which benefits both parties, at
minimal expense.

I will post your response, and mine to you, at DIY
Audio and Audio Asylum. I will also post again, after
my card is credited, upon which I will consider the
matter closed.

Thank you for responding.