[net.audio] Mr. Udell's hassles with Technics and Stereo Scene

rpjday@watrose.UUCP (rpjday) (11/02/85)

  It may be unfair to take someone's advice about "don't but brand X
because I hate it", but Mr. Udell seems to have a very strong, 
well-researched case here.  Do we or do we not let it affect our
choice of our next CD player?
  One solution is to take a reasonably complete summary of his
experiences to the store you are planning to purchase your player
from (maybe blank out Technics' name, just to be fair), and when
the question of service and warranty comes up, whip out your copy of
The Saga of Mr Udell, and ask them what they will do when this happens
to you.  One of the overwhelming reasons that local stores give for
buying from them as opposed to mail order is that they feel responsible
for your machine (since you probably paid more for it than if you had
mail ordered).  If they are just going to unload you to the manufacturer,
there's no point giving them that bonus.
  This approach seems to cover all the bases, but it's early Sat. morning,
I'm tired, and I'd appreciate any comments or flames on this approach.

					r. day
*** Insert cute closing ... ZZZZZZZ ...

keithe@tekgvs.UUCP (Keith Ericson) (11/05/85)

In article <7651@watrose.UUCP> rpjday@watrose.UUCP (rpjday) writes:
>
>  It may be unfair to take someone's advice about "don't but brand X
>because I hate it", but Mr. Udell seems to have a very strong, 
>well-researched case here.  Do we or do we not let it affect our
>choice of our next CD player?

Too late - I already *did* use his info and _passed_ on a possible
Technics CD purchase. I'm glad he took the time to let us know
about the problems. That's one of the best things in this newsgroup.
-- 
Keith Ericson  at TekLabs (resident factious factotum)
Tektronix, PO 500, MS 58-383     Beaverton OR 97077    (503)627-6042
uucp:[ucbvax|decvax|ihnp4|(and_many_others)]!tektronix!tekgvs!keithe
CSnet:keithe@tek                      ARPAnet: keithe.tek@rand-relay

pdg@ihdev.UUCP (P. D. Guthrie) (11/05/85)

>
>Too late - I already *did* use his info and _passed_ on a possible
>Technics CD purchase. I'm glad he took the time to let us know
>about the problems. That's one of the best things in this newsgroup.
>-- 

True, but I don't think that we should let one bad review make
(influence, yes) our decision. I have had the very same Technics CD for
about four months.  At first, I had a few problems with CD's not
playing, but I recently moved, and had to re-setup all my equipment. 
Now for my point - the Technics CD player (SPL2) has a laser-lock screw
that you set for shipping, and adjust before play.  Unless this is
*perfectly* adjusted, you will have problems.  All of my original
problems have completely disappeared, and it has been playing
beautifully for about a month.  I agree that the fine line that must be
acheived is maybe too much to ask of the normal user (I got there by
luck and much adjustment and I am too paranoid to ever touch it again -
not that I need to), but I would like to comment that there are some
very satisfied customers, and I think that the SPL2 is a fine piece of
equipment.
				Paul Guthrie
Ps,  I too was interested to hear about negative experiences and in case
I lucked out and got a good player by accident,  I will take great care
with Technics in general.