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I've been quiet about my VPI for a reason!

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melofelo said:
I admire your patience and I think VPI are to be congratulated on their attentive after sales service.
However..me being me..:D I will admit that if I opened a box containing a brand spanking new turntable and there was an issue with any of the moving parts beyond the installation of a belt and priming the bearing well with the supplied oil...it's going straight back to the manufacturer or retail outlet to be exchanged for one that passes Quality control when I first hit the on/off button.:yes:
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I have 30 days to ship it back to Elusive Disc for an exchange at my shipping expense. Or I could have VPI send an entire new blue plinth at their expense. If I am still am unhappy I will still be in the 30 day exchange period. I really can't lose by letting VPI make it right.
 
Jim Creek said:
I have 30 days to ship it back to Elusive Disc for an exchange at my shipping expense. Or I could have VPI send an entire new blue plinth at their expense. If I am still am unhappy I will still be in the 30 day exchange period. I really can't lose by letting VPI make it right.
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IMHO, if the new plinth doesn't fix this or if another problem arises within the return period, VPI should cover the cost of return shipping AND absorb the cost of express shipping you a brand new unit (not a factory re-fresh unit!). I would politely tell them that anything less will result in your giving them a thumbs-down on this forum.

While I expect the steps they're taking will restore your Traveler to good health, I agree with those who say VPI has not yet done anything for you that is all that praise-worthy. ..Simply offering to quickly fix what should not have been broken is a minimum expectation.

A few years ago I bought a Peachtree Audio Nova and during the first week I noticed buzzing from the right channel. I called Peachtree and they said, "Don't return it to the dealer... Here's our FedEx #, ship it back to us at our expense and we'll express ship you a new unit." ..I then asked, and they agreed, to cross-ship. ..I gave them a CC # to charge if they didn't get my unit back as promised. Within 2 days of speaking to Peachtree I had a brand new unit and they had the defective unit back.

To me, that is how this should have been handled.
 
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What can be said is, if we should be correct about it, the traveler has design issues and quality issues.
gusten
 
I would send it back, get my money back, and get something else, like a 1200 or something. I know a lot of people don't like 1200's, but you can put a 1200 in a cardboard box with no peanuts, ship it across the country, and the worst that would happen is that it will need a new tonearm and plastic cover, but it would still work.
 
Holy crap. Lets have a little perspective here folks. We have a sample size of ONE here. Anything made by man can have issues. That being said, both the manufacturer and the seller are stepping up and looking after it well. I don't know what more I could ask for than that.
 
Panotaker said:
I would send it back, get my money back, and get something else, like a 1200 or something. I know a lot of people don't like 1200's, but you can put a 1200 in a cardboard box with no peanuts, ship it across the country, and the worst that would happen is that it will need a new tonearm and plastic cover, but it would still work.
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Why don't you try it and see what happens. Be sure to include pictures.
 
Anecdotal case for sure... But a lesson 'should' be learned about praising something without ever using it (you know what thread I'm speaking of)
 
Frank Sol said:
Anecdotal case for sure... But a lesson 'should' be learned about praising something without ever using it (you know what thread I'm speaking of)
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I'm still going to praise this table. I know enough about its design and enough about the manufacturer and enough about the other table in question to do so, and nothing here has scared me off of the Traveler. You haven't heard it, but know enough to denigrate it apparently. As was said, it's a sample size of ONE. And according to this thread, the tonearm issue has been taken care of.

You know what the issue is here? It's a new table that's not a 1200. That's all this is about. If it were anything else, people would be "ah, what a shame! can't believe XX happened to such a beautiful example of audio history!".
 
I believe a qualified opinion about the Traveler, as with all other components, should come from long experience. What we can say so far, is it has design and quality issues. How well they are taken care of we know nothing about. Apparently some issues are well known by VPI.
gusten
 
gusten said:
I believe a qualified opinion about the Traveler, as with all other components, should come from long experience. What we can say so far, is it has design and quality issues. How well they are taken care of we know nothing about. Apparently some issues are well known by VPI.
gusten
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This discussion has a 'History' :D

It is now personal... Like a Sports rivalry
 
gusten said:
I believe a qualified opinion about the Traveler, as with all other components, should come from long experience. What we can say so far, is it has design and quality issues. How well they are taken care of we know nothing about. Apparently some issues are well known by VPI.
gusten
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For a forum with folks who routinely shove objectivity down your throat, I find it funny that statistics is so poorly understood. We have a sample of one. We know little, and what little we know, has been addressed.
 
I still would have returned it for another one . Just in case something else goes wrong down the road . And I am not saying you are a bad tech , but what if something else goes wrong , VPI could blame you since they know you have been working on it . I do not know this for sure , but you never know .

VPI should also pay for all shipping at this point as well .

One unit IS a small sample to denigrate a product .
 
JohnVF said:
For a forum with folks who routinely shove objectivity down your throat, I find it funny that statistics is so poorly understood. We have a sample of one. We know little, and what little we know, has been addressed.
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I don´t think You can have any opinion about what I know about statistics. What I meant was, we know nothing how this is going to be prevented to happen with other Travelers at VPI. Apparently this one was not tested in a final inspection.
gusten
 
If I were in the OP's shoes, I would have exchanged the defective turntable for a new one or returned it for a refund.

That said, even the best-run manufacturing companies will occasionally let a defective product slip out the factory door. In my opinion, the true measure of a company is how they work to satisfy the consumer who gets one of those rare defective products. By this measure, both VPI and the selling dealer are class operations that are doing whatever it takes to make this situation right.
 
gusten said:
I believe a qualified opinion about the Traveler, as with all other components, should come from long experience. What we can say so far, is it has design and quality issues. How well they are taken care of we know nothing about. Apparently some issues are well known by VPI.
gusten
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No, what we know is that ONE Traveller has issues. VPI has been making tables for decades, so I doubt they just turned stupid all of a sudden. Especially for a turntable that has such significance to the family.
 
Dr Tinear said:
If I were in the OP's shoes, I would have exchanged the defective turntable for a new one or returned it for a refund.

That said, even the best-run manufacturing companies will occasionally let a defective product slip out the factory door. In my opinion, the true measure of a company is how they work to satisfy the consumer who gets one of those rare defective products. By this measure, both VPI and the selling dealer are class operations that are doing whatever it takes to make this situation right.
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As you said, **** happens. Or words to that effect anyway. :)

Just for example, even some turntables that others consider to be paragons of quality construction don't leave the factory in perfect condition. One major supplier had to actually test every turntable and correct issues before selling it.

For instance:

KAB Quality Control Inspection
This is what makes our '1200 different from any others out there.
Before any upgrades, KAB performs a rigorous inspection and makes corrections as required to ensure that every Custom KAB 1200 performs correctly.

1. Tighten all case screws. Beleive it or not, it is often neccessary.
2. Install cartridge and test wiring for continuity.
3. Balance arm and test bearing friction vertical and lateral.
4. Full operational test.
5. Test platter for proper fit. The platter must not rock on the spindle shaft. KAB will re-machine the platter center hole to ensure a perfect fit. This is always the result of nicks inside the platter center hole. How they get there we do not know, but if they interfere with the proper fit of the platter we will correct it.
6. Test platter for flatness or planarity. KAB will replace a platter that exceeds + - 0.005" planarity as measured with a Mahr runout guage on the platter edge.
7. Check azimuth alignment of cartridge socket. Correct it neccessary.
8. Replace interconnect cable with low capacitance stock cable if required.
9. Remove silicone mold release film from rubber base along front and sides if present.

BTW, this is not meant as a shot at the 1200. Just an example that nothing leaves the factory perfect.
 
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