Not happy with Klipsch service right now.

transmaster

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Sure wish I could edit the title I don't understand why my brain has trouble with Klipsch's spelling, sorry.

Accidentally damaged the LFE/Line in RCA jacks on my Klipsch RW-12II. Just needed the replacement RCA jack. Got a support ticket from Klipsch so I called them to see about the part. The text said that they indeed had it, It turned out that instead of the part to repair what I had they wanted to sell me a whole plate amp for $220 dollars. To get the part I would have to go to a dealer, I don't think so. I cannot even purchase a service manual for this speaker it is copyrighted and not available to the great unwashed. This is not the Klipsch that I remember 30 or so years ago.

Looking at Mousers right now and compared with what is installed right now I can get much a better quality RCA jacks for less the $5.00 dollars each.
I very much like Switchcraft so I ordered 10 rear mount RCA jacks, 2 to go and the other 8 for the parts stash. These are much better the the plastic things that where installed.
http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/393/3501FRX_CD-477576.pdf

3501FR.jpg
 
I would try to talk with someone else...some customer representatives don't understand or don't care to help (just got from the phone with AT&T for the 7th time to straighten out their problem)...hopefully someone else will be able to get you hooked up right...good luck,

Bill
 
I would try to talk with someone else...some customer representatives don't understand or don't care to help (just got from the phone with AT&T for the 7th time to straighten out their problem)...hopefully someone else will be able to get you hooked up right...good luck,

Bill

Considering that I deal with stuff along these lines it's possible that could be the case. More likely though, is it's against company policy to provide such info and most people want to keep their job these days.
 
It hardly matters now. What really irritated me more then anything else is they would not sell me a service manual. It is copyrighted not for the public bla-bla-bla. They could have had my money so instead I found the service manual on a Russian site. They wanted me to contact a service center. I looked all over the Klipsch site and I could not find a listing for service centers. Nore could I find anything that looked like an official Klipsch service center on online. I have tried to deal with service centers for other equipment I have and they don't want to sell you a part they want you to send it too them to get it fixed. The Switchcraft parts I purchased are far better quality wise then then the cheap plastic housed assembly that was installed. Switchcraft has been making quality RCA connectors since 1946, the year the RCA was marketed.
 
Now, get back in touch with Klipsch and tell them about the final outcome. ;) Let them know that you would have liked to do business with them but they made it impossible. :thumbsup:
 
I wonder how much things changed at Klipsch when the where purchased by Voxx. I can understand not selling discreet parts, but not selling service manuals ??? Of course Klipsch is not the only outfit that does this But I come from the Amateur Radio world where service manuals, service bulletins, and operators manuals are readily available online for rigs going back to the days of smoke signals. This is one of reasons why I am such a big fan of Polk Audio and have been since the late 1980's is their great customer service. Klipsch however, I think, makes better subwoofers.
 
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It turns out the plate amp on this Kilpsch has circuit boards that are virtually impossible to repair. Large sections of the boards are coated with a black potting compounded that is very difficult to remove. Was able to soften it with a heat gun on low setting once removed the damaged RCA Jack assembly is extremely hard to separate from the board. Once removed you are left with nothing to solder the new leads to. Basically the board is intended to be assembled once and is not really designed to be repaired. Now I have a decision, purchase a replacement plate Amp, $220 dollars from Klipsch or purchase a new subwoofer.
 
your subs amp was rated 275w rms according to specs, you could easily pick up a bash plate amp from PE. these are highly regarded and you can use it for other projects as well down the line, its a good $60 less than the one from klipsch, and the build quality on the bash is probably better.

http://www.parts-express.com/bash-300s-digital-subwoofer-plate-amplifier-300w-rms--300-750

I was looking for the Plate Amp's at Parts Express. Not sure about fitting one of the plates but looking at the innards on they these amp are sure laid out better the the Klipsch Bash Amp.
 
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I would love to use this plate amp from Parts Express but it will not fit the hole. I'll just purchase the Klipsch amp and be done with it. But I really want the get one of the Dayton Subwoofer kits. They are acoustic suspended speakers. I remember such speakers in the early days of subwoofers with enough power they could move the house on its foundation.
 
Plate Amp ordered total with postage $246 Dollars, will have it in the mail the end of next week. Talked with a tech service friend of mine and in order to work on this plate amp it would have required a rather specialized rework station costing $1000's of dollars. I can understand why Klipsch does not sell the parts for these amps. I am an experienced tech' but I don't have the tools. It is like an Automatic Transmission in a 1960's Cadillac I know how to overhaul one but in order to do it you need about $2000 dollars worth of specialized tooling to do the job right. Cheaper to pay someone else to do the job. I suspect that I would not have saved much money had I sent this amp in for repair given bench costs per hour.
 
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One final thing on this story my Soldapullt desoldering pump was totally useless pulling the solder off the board I was working on. A Hakko desoldering pump goes back on the want list.
 
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