Lotta money little result

[TonyT]

Hi,
I own a set of ESL63 as well as a pair Quad 405 and 44 amps.
At one point some two years ago, one of the ESl kept failing
when volumelevels came upto say about 13 or 14 (on scale 24)
I went to the shop (#1) they were originaly bought and told them the problem.
"Leave m here, we'll fix it for you". (they wanted both although only one was faulty)
After SEVEN ! months, they had finished this repair, charged me 1,270 euro's.
They had been 'modified' so I was told.
After I got them home and connected them, the problem was still there !
I got in touch with the repairshop where the first shop had took them (#2) and
told them my complaint. "Please bring them to us again, we'll see what we can do".
After another month and after paying ANOTHER 570 euro I took them home again.
Just to find that still the ESL kept failing !!
Well, to shorten a long long story here, both amps have been at this repairshop as well.
(to check 'if the problem was in thém maybe', they told me)
this also cost me about 300 euro. (also were 'modified')
and after all this ? The very same old problem is still here !!
Now they have told me that this is a normal condition with ESL63.
"On the 44 the volumescale goes onto 24 but I can only play upto 14 ????", I asked.
"Yes Sir, you just gonna have to live with this fact I'm afraid", they told me.

My question to you guys here:
Do you think I have been ripped off ? (to me it sure does feel so)

Sorry for my first item here being such a sad song.

Greets,

TT

[CBS240]

Hmmm

So they claimed they fixed the problem of your complaint and charged you steeply for it....yet the problem wasn't fixed. At that point, you were ripped off. I would have not accepted the charges as what was done to the machine was not what you ordered. It seems like 1,270 euros is an awful lot of cash for a repair……especially over here were our dollar is waning.

[c2cthomas]

I would not be shy about contacting Quad directly Quad Hifi - Service

[TonyT]

Thanks for your replies boys.
Yes all in all I have now paid more than 2000 euro's and the set still feels not sound.
@Thomas: I have sent several e-mails to Quad UK (rob@iaguk.co.uk ) but never got reply. Not from them anyway, according to my postmaster the address is not in use.
@CBS240: This Company makes you pay in advance. You go and pick up your ESL there and before you can take them home with you, you have to pay.
Better still, when you bring your gear to them, they will search them for faults, and then they give you an estimate of the costs, if one decides not to go along with that price one has to pay them about a 150 euro anyway. The decision has to be made within a week or else your apparatus will be theirs to keep !!
The strangest way of treating your customers don't you think ???

Latest development in this case: Someone from firm #2 (Transtec) has contacted me.
He got an e-mail complaint from me that I had send to the UK headquarters and which was forwarded to China and finally came to him. (Did Quad UK receive my e-mail anyway ??? things are getting weirder and stranger with every contact I make)
This guy now wants to make an appointment with me to visit me at my home.
To check out the whole set and to see what can be done about this whole matter.
Of course I am very curious about his solution now.
At one hand I don't want to have anything more to do with this company, on the other hand I have paid so much money now that I insist that I'm going to get a good deal out of all this.

[c2cthomas]

Seems as if they are willing to try to get things set right. This sounds to be a complex situation and who knows what is really going on with the gear. I once serviced audio gear and going to a customers house (or job site) was a rare event (like 1 in 1000). If I were servicing your gear the 1st thing I would be looking for is multiple problems and resulting interaction(s). I would most likely bring an amplifier and interconnects that I knew worked and then test the speakers and go from there. Then there is always the chance that the technician is not capable or that the company is not all that concerned about customer service (that would be very foolish - but sometimes it does happen).

Good Luck with this TonyT. It will be interesting to see just how this works out.

[Capaciti]

Hi,

i dont know why this issue is so difficult to fix for them

The easiest way would be to set up measurement equipment and measure each speaker under exactly same conditions. Lets say 1 meter away from the mic. Its a miracle how people "try" to repair speakers without adequate equipment.

At once you would see the difference. Possibly they wont be able to fix the problem but at least you will know that the problem is still there and that the problem is related to the speaker or not.

Capaciti

[Kontra]

Buy measuring device Behringer and your tortures are stopped{terminated;discontinued}. Buy here: ebay.com for small money. At you tool measurings will appear. To you there and then will cease to take for a ride.

[a.wayne]

TT contact Arend -Jan, he is on the board here Quad ESL 57 repair and refurbishment : he repair's quads and might be of some help to you ...

[TonyT]

Thanx for the tip A.
I have just e-mailed him to ask for his opinion on this case.

Greets,

TT

[TonyT]

Well, the guy from TT came by and has listened to the set (not measured) and found it all to be OK.
Now this was something I had noticed myself too.
After I had picked up the 44 amp once a few weeks ago.
I just lifted/touched it and suddenly the ESL output increased to normal volume !!!
Ever since then all is absolutely fine !
The TT guy told me that inside the motherboard/print of the 44 amp there can be a fault which can
cause an output loss.
He called this “a cold solder”. “A known problem in the earlier series 44 amps” he said.
Now listening to the set I can’t hear anything wrong with it anymore, sounds great.

I finally got a specification of what was done at the very first ‘repair’ on the ESL too.


It says: (about the 12573) ‘Dustcover replaced, Top and Bottom elements replaced,
Control and sound test’.
2 Dustcover Repair kit
2 element assembly top and bottom
Service-rate.

and ( about the 12574) ’ Condensates on High-tension-print replaced,
Dustcover replaced, Control and sound test’.
14 capacitors 10nF-20/50% 2kV
2 Dustcover repair kit
Service rate.


Now my question to you is (of course)” do you think this is an 1,372,11€ repair ?”


Same months later the ESL 12573 was taken to the same company (TT) and had another repair !
This time this was specified as: ‘Delay-line replaced, Top mid element replaced, Full control’.
and I was charged 573,10€

Sure would like to hear your respected opinion on the matter.

Thanks, Greetings,

Ton