Service experience with Audio Classics?

As it happens I'm planning on running up there tomorrow morning to pick up my own C32 and will be happy to see what I can find out.

Thank you Sir. for any intervention you might endeavor on my behalf..

That`s very kind of you, but shouldn't be something you should have to do on my behalf !! :dunno:

But, I`m grateful never the less, anyway 62caddy.
Take care Sir.

Most kind regards, OKB
 
Well, as often as I`ve communicated with Ryan over the years, he has not, this time. as in more recently for weeks( starting very early last month) responded back to my August of this year e-mail after he responded to my original e-mail about certain flat ribbon circuit board connectors for a Basterzied of mine Mac C32 that he said that he would check into about !!
All I wanted to know was :Yeah, or Neigh, can you help me, with this part, so I might move on, after giving A/C first chance !!

Kinda not very courteous in a business like manner for saying in a e-mail that you would look into my legitimate e-mail request and leave me hanging for well over 30 days !! WRONG !!
And with purchasing multiple pricey A/V items since 2000 from them !!

I am most confused, especially since 62caddy who live`s near and indicated that Ryan told him that he had the desired missing connectors by & posted in my request for help !! Nothing, from Ryan, not even to a follow up e-mail about the no response !!

You can flame me now for this un-complementary situation, if you wish, `cause I really don`t care !!

Not the way A/C was run when I used to call and talk to Frank Gow with my needs/purchases from A/C before he passed !!

I do miss them both(his father, and him).

Very disappointed I am, but won`t complain to Steve(the boss) about this situation.
I will instead, buy elsewhere, for my needs..


Regards. OKB

Bill, Did you pick up the phone and call? Sometimes email has a funny way of ending up in a spam filter. No fault of the intended recipient.

I have never had any issues with Ryan or anyone at AC. They rock.
 
Bill, Did you pick up the phone and call? Sometimes email has a funny way of ending up in a spam filter. No fault of the intended recipient.

I have never had any issues with Ryan or anyone at AC. They rock.

No worries anymore, Ryan contacted me today via e-mail, after 62caddy stopped by and reminded him of the lingering situation with me.
And all is good and heading to fruition..

Thanks for the concern and input x3workshop..

Take care Sir.

Warm regards, OKB
 
My experience with AC last year I think is very telling of just what kind of business they run. I had a problem in my C33 phono stage. So I drove it down to Vestal (3 hrs each way) and dropped it off. After about 4 weeks it was ready for pick up, so another 6 hour trip to get it, and another day used of my vacation. When I got the C33 back home something very odd happened. I was playing the turn table and when I went to clean the stylist I switched the pre amp to "tuner" so my cleaning the stylist would not blow my ears out, but the phono was coming out all of the imput selects position (aux, Tape 1,Tape 2, tuner etc.) on the C33. So I called Ryan and he sent me a UPS shipper label to send the unit back to his shop again for repair. He paid for the shipping so I wouldn't have to take another 2 vacation days to drop it off and pick it up again. Ryan even provided new boxes for my C33 on it's return trip back to my house because my old C33 box was in poor shape.
Of course the unit now sounds wonderful.

There was a bit of a non-responsiveness to me in our email correspondence I must say. He did write to me and say my C33 arrived intact, but that was the last time I heard from him. After a few weeks I got a message from UPS saying the package was on it's way to me. I was a bit nervous because my C33 was out of the house, but I had all the faith in the world Ryan and AC would make good, and they did of course and in spades.

It's all well and good when some company takes your money and delivers fine quality and service. But is something else entirely when something goes wrong, and they still stand by their company and service and make it all good again with no questions! I couldn't recommend any place more than AC and Ryan.
 
Well, as often as I`ve communicated with Ryan over the years, he has not, this time. as in more recently for weeks( starting very early last month) responded back to my August of this year e-mail after he responded to my original e-mail about certain flat ribbon circuit board connectors for a Basterzied of my Mac C32 that he said that he would check into about !!
All I wanted to know was :Yeah, or Neigh, can you help me, with this part, so I might move on, after giving A/C first chance !!

Kinda not very courteous in a business like manner for saying in a e-mail that you would look into my legitimate e-mail request and leave me hanging for well over 30 days !! WRONG !!
And with purchasing multiple pricey A/V items since 2000 from them !!

I am most confused, especially since 62caddy who live`s near and indicated that Ryan told him that he had the desired missing connectors by & posted in my request for help !! Nothing, from Ryan, not even to a follow up e-mail about the no response !!

You can flame me now for this un-complementary situation, if you wish, `cause I really don`t care !!

Not the way A/C was run when I used to call and talk to Frank Gow with my needs/purchases from A/C before he passed !!

I do miss them both(his father, and him).

Very disappointed I am, but won`t complain to Steve(the boss) about this situation.
I will instead, buy elsewhere, for my needs..


Regards. OKB


OK FOLKS, here is a most gratifying update concerning my earlier disappointment with A/C and Ryan`s not getting back to me for many weeks after e-mailing him my request to see if A/C could obtain two 6 position flat ribbon connectors that somebody in the past had removed from my personal Mac C 32...

Well it turned out he(Ryan) was confused about what I was looking for !!
And when Eric(62caddy) advised me recently that he was going to stop by A/C the next day to pickup his preamp and would look into the tardy situation for me and see what was going on..

The next day Eric PM`d me that Ryan was having difficulties finding my e-mails concerning this request of mine..
But when I checked my e-mail Ryan had found it, and in so many words indicated that he was still confused about what I desired from him to find, but once I re-explained to him he told me that he would check with his tech to see if any of these connectors that I so very much desired were available..

Anyway, I e-mail responded to him, that let me know if available and I would promptly call him withy my address and credit card # so he could ship them out to me..

Well he replied that they were already in the mail !! :eek:
I said what !! I need to pay for these very, very difficult to obtain connectors !! :confused:

Well being the great guy he is, both past & present, in my dealings with A/C, he said that he felt bad that he had let this request of mine linger way too long and was embarrassed that he had miss-read my e-mail communications..

Anyway, he said No charge.. :wtf: :crazy:

So when I opened a postal box today from A/C, and I opened up the little zipp-lock bag and looked at the brand spanking new connectors, and said to myself : well they look like what I need/want ?? I then plugged in the new replacement ribbon cable and, if fit perfectly !! Yes !!
Needless to say I was extremely happy as I could be, as I abhor jury rigging :no: any repairs, if at all possible..


So---Super kudos :thumbsup:, :thumbsup:, :thumbsup: to :bowdown:Ryan, :bowdown: 62 caddy(Eric) and :bowdown: Audio Classics for helping me to get the right parts to properly rework/repair my C 32 preamp..

Thanks again guys.. :banana::banana::banana:

One, most grateful and happy OKB :D
 
I don't know about Audio Classics in terms of service (I apologize in advance for thread crap), but I've bought several used pieces of McIntosh equipment from them (including a McIntosh PC-3 switching power strip and an MB-100 which I returned with no hassle due to the Internet Radio player not being able to decode certain Internet Radio stations).

This week, Ryan at Audio Classics dealt very fairly with me on my upgrade from the MP-100 phono preamp to the new MP-1100 vacuum tube phono preamp. My net cost for the upgrade (trade-in my MP-100 purchased new from Paragon about a year ago in Ann Arbor) to an MP-1100 vacuum tube preamp -- net cost to me -- $4500.

I have had good experiences with the McIntosh factory service department (vastly understaffed -- very helpful with phone support if you're persistent and speak directly to a technician -- very long waits for repair). One of their technicians was very helpful in giving me advice on fixing an MX-119 (he told me which IC chips that he had replaced in the past for a winter static problem similar to mine -- I was then able to dissassemble the MX-119 using the free service manual available at Berner's online and replace the two IC chips with guidance on desoldering the bad IC's that the service tech gave me which resulted in a perfect fix for my unit). I have never had to send any units to McIntosh's service department though.

McIntosh's parts department was also very helpful in providing me with service manuals (some of them are electronically distributed free of charge, some of them cost) and going the extra mile when I needed a part for my MT-5 turntable (the MT-5 product manager offered to send me the little cue-arm rubber friction tab that I needed, but which could not be purchased as a spare part, for free) .
 
Another huge AC fan here. I took the 9 hour round trip to have my 2205 repaired for a dead meter and to buy a Yamaha CR-1040 (garage duty) they were offering for sale for a reasonable $149. Ryan has always been a great help with my previous McIntosh repairs, but he outdid himself this time. I arrived and brought in the 2205 which he promptly took in the back, and retrieved the CR 1040, which was minty nice. He offered to take a quick look at the amp, and asked if I minded hanging out for a while. Well, it is NEVER a problem to spend an hour or two in their amazing listening rooms. An hour later the 2205 was repaired, with a complete re-bulb and a new glass face plate which I had purchased from AC last year. I purchased the Yamaha and Ryan told me there would be no charge for the repair work on the 2205 as I was a loyal customer!! That is just an amazing level of service and consideration, and typical of my experiences with Ryan and AC. Ryan gave me an amazingly fair offer for my 2205 and 2200 on trade for a 452. When I upgrade to a MC452 it will be purchased from AC for sure! Now to round up the cash......
 
All the guys, especially Ryan and Mike who I’ve worked with, are stellar.

Great to hear another great story.
 
Hoping to make a trip here some day after all the nice things people have said. It's about 4 hours from my door....would be a fun day trip!

jblnut
 
Just a heads up. I went to Terry Dewick's website and found that he is taking a three month vacation in Florida. Add that to his current three month work backlog and you wouldn't get a unit back until June or July. I would assume he isn't even accepting units since he's not home!.
 
Just a heads up. I went to Terry Dewick's website and found that he is taking a three month vacation in Florida. Add that to his current three month work backlog and you wouldn't get a unit back until June or July. I would assume he isn't even accepting units since he's not home!.

Yup. it's a long time to wait..but Terry is the man if you remain patient. Its amazing how much he does for so little..Im a customer until he fires me
 
Having dealt with Audio Classics since the late 1980s or early '90s, purchasing and selling equipment and having it serviced (they once cleaned up the face plate and connections and replaced bulbs and a worn AC cord on an old Mac amp of mine free of charge--while I waited), I have the absolute highest respect for those guys, especially Ryan and Steve. Brought in my MR78 for complete Richard Modafferi overhaul, and it turns out Richard had already done a partial service on if before I purchased it used from Stereo Exchange in 1990, so they only charged me for what he hadn't done the first time around, and they also built a new box for it that is better than the missing original. I would have never known Richard had already started the update, but he saw his handiwork and signature inside the unit. Big, big $ discount.)

Basically, Audio Classics is peopled by audio enthusiasts--not salespeople. You never feel like they are trying to sell you something, but, rather, that they share your interests. They are very understanding and patient, never pushy. They listen to your concerns and will suggest older, used, much less expensive equipment over new, if they think it would work best for YOU. On a few occasions, I've spent two consecutive days there auditioning equipment. They are extremely helpful and will calm your audiophile nerves--and encourage you to listen to gear out of your budget, just so that you can make a more informed choice. They understand that synergy in a system is essential. They've let me take equipment home and hear it in my own listening room for a couple of weeks, so that I can make the final decision.

In my experience, Customer Service at Audio Classics is unparalleled and first rate--not just for an audio store but for any business. If you visit, give yourself that extra time. Don't just drop your SO off at a mall for the afternoon; leave that person at home. Book a hotel (because you'll want to go back tomorrow), and call ahead so that they can get the gear you want to audition up and running (ask if they have your speakers/pre/amp/CDP/streamer etc. that you'll be using at home. They always drag out of storage and set up Klipschorns for me, since that's what I have). And make sure you also request a tour of the nearby McIntosh factory, which they'll set up for you. Love Audio Classics!
 
@Bushikan...welcome to AK.
wave.gif
 
here is another :rockon: for AC, I purchased a pair of mc30's from a fellow AKer and love them. When I bought them the seller said they were in good shape but needed servicing for peace of mind. After listing to them for a couple of months (they sound awesome with know problems) I decided to send them off along with my newly purchased c20. I first called Terry Dewick since close enough to drive to but he was 3 months back logged. I then called AC and they said they could turn them around in 4 weeks. the 30's had "no none issues" but the c20 had a loud hum and on off switch needed work. After about 3 weeks Ryan called to say they were ready. It wasn't cheap but I busted wanted good work. I want go into what all they did but they sound different units in a good way and I had them back in less than 4 weeks door to door. Ryan always took my call (I tried not to call often) and was good at explaining the repairs in layman terms.
 
My experience wasn't great.
Modafferri put an MX110 together for me.
It was sent to Toronto. Screws that were too long shorted touched the chassis and shorted a diode. Smoke came out of the amp.
Sent it back to AC for Modafferri to service. The screw was the culprit.
Amp comes back.
No bass.
Me and a friend DRIVE down to them.
Go to Modafferri at his house. He then discovers that he forgot to change two caps. This gives me back the bass.
Fast forward four years later when two of the filter caps (the cardboard one and the cap nearest the center) go bad.
(Oh and during this period the tuner starts to crackle when tuning in a station - tuning cap is dirty and I live in a place where the air is relatively clean and non smoking)
Service shop fixes caps...tells me that Modafferri didn't connect the fuse (and it's new thermistor). This isn't cool AT ALL.
With the help of Michael Samra we also look at the amp where it is found that Modafferri didn't update any components.
I bring this to the attention of AC this year and I get a pat "we will alert our service staff of your experience".
Nothing more.
Not even an apology for the awful service.

All this for $1999.99 USD.
They just get it running and out the door.

Still so angry because I remember telling them that the only reason I wanted to purchase from them was because they assured me that everything would be gone over for maximum safety. I didn't want this thing going up in flames with my then 2 year old and wife at risk.
This is just what they actually did.
 
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