Short Comment about Bob Crites

Edriz

AK Member
I just want to mention that this is nothing bad about Bob or B&K. Just the opposite.

Anyway, I managed to pop yet another CT-125 tweeter. This time however it was my fault. Probably was the last time too as I explained to BOB.

Okay, heres the story. I was doing some recording yesterday on R2R and got to doing another record that was brand new. Boston~1st on 180g 1/2 speed master. Anyway, I decided that I may want to listen with out looking for it on Reel so I thought I'd record it simultaniously on Cassette and Reel at the same time. No big deal, I've done this before as I always monitor through the cassette deck anyway. Just set both decks on source and away we go. So at the end of recording I didn't make it to the R2R in time to stop it and had to rewind a bit.

I went to play back and I forgot to hit the Tape/Source on the R2R back to Tape and just clicked the Dub 2>1 button. When this happens and both decks are on source, an aweful very high pitch squeeeeeeeeeelllllll will be put out through the speakers and the result usually, especially if the volumn is turned up, will fry the tweeter. Well, you guessed it, I fried the tweeter. Okay...okay...you all can stop laughing now. Oh, and I see you over there on the floor, pick yourself up, it really wasn't all that funny. I was ****in mad.

This isn't the first time I did this. You see, the CT-125's replaced a perfectly good pair of original pair of Klipsch tweeters. I did have one CT-125 tweeter pop shortly after I installed them but I never did know why. It wasn't for the reason I just explained. I didn't have 2 decks at that time and ya really need 2 decks to do that. When I sent it to Bob he did say it had something to do with windings or something. Anyway, I put a Klipsch tweeter in while I was waiting for the CT-125 to be repaired and In the mean time, I did get a RT-707 and got that hooked up and that very day....yeah well, you guessed. POP, I did it. Thank God it was the Klipsch tweeter.

Well, now to make a long story shorter. I emailed Bob yesterday and explained what I had done and told him it was entirely my fault that the tweeter blew and this is the same tweeter that he already repaired, or as far as I know, he may have just replaced it. I asked him if it would be covered under warantee or if not if he would go ahead and fix it anyway and just tell me the cost and I would pay the damages.

Not even 1 hour later, i got an email from Bob saying to go ahead and ship it to him and it would be COVERED under warantee no problem.

Now, how many companies do you know that will do that. Most wantantees cover their products under manufacturer defects but never for custumer error or customer fault. Now, if that isn't just one more reason to do business with B&K I don't know what is.

And by the way, my Lascalas sound so much better using Bob's suggestion and going with the A/4500 Crossover and the CT-125 tweeters. I was going to use a different Crossover. Can't remember right off the top of my head but as Bob pointed out, this crossover will smooth out the harsness of thew Mid-driver and lower the frequency crossover point of the Mid and move that to the Tweeter. Really made a huge difference, sounds so very much better and as Bob also pointed out, saved me $70 in the process.

Now this is the owner of the company saving me $70. Great awesome products, an expert when it comes to Klipsch, saves ya money and the best customer service/warantee in the industry.

Beat that :thmbsp:
 
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Great little story there! Thanks for sharing.

I've been saving my pennies for a pair of CT-125s to put in my Heresys. You've given me an extra little incentive to get that ball rolling.
 
It warms the heart to know that there are still companies out there with this kind of customer-focused attitude, straight from the top. A lot of marketing gurus will talk about going the extra mile to make "raving fans" of customers, but rare is the person or company who will actually go far enough to do that. Sounds like Bob Crites is such a person. With that kind of customer service, he/they more than deserve every dollar he/they earn!

This is a good example, too, of why those gurus are right. Okay, maybe he "lost" a few bucks in the first instance, by treating you this way, instead of charging you for the repairs. But your satisfaction ensures that you'll continue doing business with him, and your posting about this here probably has a ripple effect; if it influences one or two readers to do business with him, who otherwise might not have, his "loss" was not a loss of income at all, but a good investment in future revenue.

Just another example of how the "golden rule", "Karma", etc... can really work, in the real world. Worth keeping in mind, the next time you deal with anyone: be more like Bob Crites! Besides, making people happy is its own reward, and fun, too! :yes:
 
I don't see how Bob Crites manages to give each and every customer such a high level of personal service, but he does!
My daily listening experience has been greatly enriched by Bob and his company.:yes:
 
I look forward to upgrading my KP-250s with his tweeters.... he has been nice to deal with by email, and I haven't even spent any cash yet!
 
From a purely "marketing" point of view this type of thread will generate WAY more revenue for B&K than the few bucks he could have made with the repair. I suspect the Crites know this fact very well.

Oh yea... I'm a B&K customer and a fan :)
 
Great little story there! Thanks for sharing.

I've been saving my pennies for a pair of CT-125s to put in my Heresys. You've given me an extra little incentive to get that ball rolling.

Go for it John Henry! Make sure you get the crossover mod to go with them. I love the CT-125s in my Heresy Is.
 
Whenever I see thread about Bob and his customer service I try to chime in as well. I emailed him a question on a Saturday night and got a response THAT night and it was a little late when I sent it. Great guy and awesome products! :thmbsp:
 
I just want to mention that this is nothing bad about Bob or B&K. Just the opposite.

Anyway, I managed to pop yet another CT-125 tweeter. This time however it was my fault. Probably was the last time too as I explained to BOB.

Okay, heres the story. I was doing some recording yesterday on R2R and got to doing another record that was brand new. Boston~1st on 180g 1/2 speed master. Anyway, I decided that I may want to listen with out looking for it on Reel so I thought I'd record it simultaniously on Cassette and Reel at the same time. No big deal, I've done this before as I always monitor through the cassette deck anyway. Just set both decks on source and away we go. So at the end of recording I didn't make it to the R2R in time to stop it and had to rewind a bit.

I went to play back and I forgot to hit the Tape/Source on the R2R back to Tape and just clicked the Dub 2>1 button. When this happens and both decks are on source, an aweful very high pitch squeeeeeeeeeelllllll will be put out through the speakers and the result usually, especially if the volumn is turned up, will fry the tweeter. Well, you guessed it, I fried the tweeter. Okay...okay...you all can stop laughing now. Oh, and I see you over there on the floor, pick yourself up, it really wasn't all that funny. I was ****in mad.

This isn't the first time I did this. You see, the CT-125's replaced a perfectly good pair of original pair of Klipsch tweeters. I did have one CT-125 tweeter pop shortly after I installed them but I never did know why. It wasn't for the reason I just explained. I didn't have 2 decks at that time and ya really need 2 decks to do that. When I sent it to Bob he did say it had something to do with windings or something. Anyway, I put a Klipsch tweeter in while I was waiting for the CT-125 to be repaired and In the mean time, I did get a RT-707 and got that hooked up and that very day....yeah well, you guessed. POP, I did it. Thank God it was the Klipsch tweeter.

Well, now to make a long story shorter. I emailed Bob yesterday and explained what I had done and told him it was entirely my fault that the tweeter blew and this is the same tweeter that he already repaired, or as far as I know, he may have just replaced it. I asked him if it would be covered under warantee or if not if he would go ahead and fix it anyway and just tell me the cost and I would pay the damages.

Not even 1 hour later, i got an email from Bob saying to go ahead and ship it to him and it would be COVERED under warantee no problem.

Now, how many companies do you know that will do that. Most wantantees cover their products under manufacturer defects but never for custumer error or customer fault. Now, if that isn't just one more reason to do business with B&K I don't know what is.

And by the way, my Lascalas sound so much better using Bob's suggestion and going with the A/4500 Crossover and the CT-125 tweeters. I was going to use a different Crossover. Can't remember right off the top of my head but as Bob pointed out, this crossover will smooth out the harsness of thew Mid-driver and lower the frequency crossover point of the Mid and move that to the Tweeter. Really made a huge difference, sounds so very much better and as Bob also pointed out, saved me $70 in the process.

Now this is the owner of the company saving me $70. Great awesome products, an expert when it comes to Klipsch, saves ya money and the best customer service/warantee in the industry.

Beat that :thmbsp:

I also think that your honesty goes along way as well. :yes:
 
I emailed him with a question without having ever bought something from him and he personally responded within 5 minutes!

Yep, very fast replies. I bought Heresy II x-overs and titanium tweeters and just today I was listening to a Modest Mouse dual disc and remarked to my wife about how pleased I was with the way my system sounded now (having Dewick restored McIntosh components helps greatly too...he is another gift to the audio world).

I am getting some LaScalas soon from my father-in-law and I will definitely be giving him some more of my business on the x-overs.
 
I also think that your honesty goes along way as well. :yes:

Well, if I'm nothing, I have always been honest. Lieing gets ya nowhere and sooner or later catches up to ya. Besides, Bob has been very good to me and soon I want to upgrade my woofers too. Never know if I may need his help again.
 
CT125 tweets changed my Cornwalls from something that couldn't play some things quite right to a very enjoyable speaker for pretty much everything I've thrown at them.
 
Doing business with Bob is a real pleasure. His CT-125's are in 5 or my 7 Klipsch speakers. His woofers are in my Khorns as well. Never had a problem and his service is fantastic.
 
Doing business with Bob is a real pleasure. His CT-125's are in 5 or my 7 Klipsch speakers. His woofers are in my Khorns as well. Never had a problem and his service is fantastic.

I'm thinking about adding his woofers to my Lascalas but he has 2 avalable. One is an exact copy which I can't see doing and the other has a cast aluminum frame. Thats supposed to be an improvement but doesn't quite fit properly and need to have the wood cutor either grind away about 1/16th of the frame for the woofer to fit.

I think I'd like to find someone tht has done it first to know exactly what has to be done before I attempt it.

Did you need to modify the woofers to get them to fit in the KHorns? I'm not sure of the KHorn construction but the Lascala has an access hole on the bottom of the cabinet to get to the woofer. I'm sure it wouln't take much for the woofer to get in there. Bob wouldn't design them that way.
 
The Crites Woofers were a drop in replacement for the Khorns. I did absolutely nothing but bolt them in. As far the La Scala, ask Bob. He will tell you what needs to be done. He has sold many to guys over on the Klipsch forum. I can't imagine it will need much, if any, modifications.

I will say that I did not find any perceptable difference between the stock woofers and the Crites replacements. The Tweeters are a whole other story.
 
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