motro@uscvax.UUCP (Ami Motro) (08/17/85)
Recently, JU advised us "don't get a Technics CD Player".
The reasons (given in merciless detail) can be summarized as a misfortune
with a unit that he bought, and substantial delays in service.
It seems to me as a somewhat limited evidence for such harsh conclusions.
My own experience is that most brands fail more often than they should (even
"top brands" that you think wouldn't), and frequently service takes much too
long. To determine which brands fail more, and which companies give poor
service (and broadcast such unequivocal advice), requires more research than
JU has done.
The bottom line is that while I sympathize with JU (and understand his desire
to "punish" Technics), I think his conclusion and advice is very unfair (if
not irresponsible).
Needless to say, my only relationship to Mr. Matsushita is as a customer.
Ami Motrobrown@nicmad.UUCP (08/22/85)
In article <911@uscvax.UUCP> motro@usc-cse.UUCP (Ami Motro) writes: >Recently, JU advised us "don't get a Technics CD Player". >The reasons (given in merciless detail) can be summarized as a misfortune >with a unit that he bought, and substantial delays in service. > >It seems to me as a somewhat limited evidence for such harsh conclusions. > >My own experience is that most brands fail more often than they should (even >"top brands" that you think wouldn't), and frequently service takes much too >long. To determine which brands fail more, and which companies give poor >service (and broadcast such unequivocal advice), requires more research than >JU has done. > >The bottom line is that while I sympathize with JU (and understand his desire >to "punish" Technics), I think his conclusion and advice is very unfair (if >not irresponsible). I have to agree. I have the Technics SL-P8 and haven't had any trouble with it. As another illustration, I have the JVC HR-D725U and a friend has the same unit. I have had mine ALOT longer than he has and mine hasn't had a lick of trouble. Not so from his point of view. The first one he had, the tuner was bad and died shortly after he got it. He got a second unit, and he just got it back after the main bridge rectifier went out this last weekend. So, don't judge a piece of equipment by it's cover. >Needless to say, my only relationship to Mr. Matsushita is as a customer. Ditto! -- Mr. Video {seismo!uwvax!|!decvax|!ihnp4}!nicmad!brown
nz@wucs.UUCP (Neal Ziring) (08/26/85)
In article <911@uscvax.UUCP>, motro@uscvax.UUCP (Ami Motro) writes: > Recently, JU advised us "don't get a Technics CD Player". > The reasons (given in merciless detail) can be summarized as a misfortune > with a unit that he bought, and substantial delays in service. ... > It seems to me as a somewhat limited evidence for such harsh conclusions. ... > Ami Motro I agree. Considering the frequency with which components built by reputable companies break down (without abuse :-) buying a unit on the basis of its probable service time is a poor way to make a choice. (!Disclaimer: I have a Technics 'P7, which has NEVER given ANY trouble, several local records stores have technics too, and after months of many hours of play every day, theirs have NEVER given ANY trouble either.) I may be naive, but I like to buy stereo equipment based on how it sounds. As for CD players, I have never conducted a test sensitive (?) enough to tell one from another by ear.-- ======== ...nz (ECL - we're here to provide superior computing) Washington University Engineering Computer Laboratory "Now we'll see some proper action..." old style: ... ihnp4!wucs!nz new style: nz@wucs.UUCP
midkiff@uiucdcsb.Uiuc.ARPA (08/26/85)
The Chicago Tribune had an article about a year ago claiming that their audio editor had had some Technics repairs take several months, and that he knew of others who had the same problem. I own a Technics tape deck, and am happy with it, but I have never heard anything good about their service.
faiman@uiucdcsb.Uiuc.ARPA (08/27/85)
Chalk up one more vote against Technics repair service. When a cassette unit, that I've had for about four years, devoloped end-of-tape distortion problems, I took it to a local dealer who also ran a repair shop. The unit was in and out three times in as many months, as various transport parts were replaced at random, and still the problems persisted. When the guy eventually gave up, they did at least have the courtesy to refund my money. I then had the unit sent, through another dealer, to a repair facility in the Chicago area. After two months of silence, I began to telephone, and was given a variety of excuses for the delay, the most common being that "special" parts had to be ordered. The unit was eventually returned four months after I had taken it in. Accompanying the charge slip was the cryptic note: "Adjusted cassette mechanism - 1 1/2 hours. $30."
wjh@bonnie.UUCP (Bill Hery) (08/27/85)
> > Recently, JU advised us "don't get a Technics CD Player". > > The reasons (given in merciless detail) can be summarized as a misfortune > > with a unit that he bought, and substantial delays in service. > ... > > It seems to me as a somewhat limited evidence for such harsh conclusions. > ... > > I agree. Considering the frequency with which components built by reputable > companies break down (without abuse :-) buying a unit on the basis of its > probable service time is a poor way to make a choice. > I think 'probable service time' is an important consideration in selecting stereo eqiupment. Considering the cost and lost listening time (weeks or even months) of repairs, I would prefer to pay a premium to get high reliability components. The problem is knowing which are high reliability-- I know of nothing for stereo components coparable to the automobile frequency of repair reports that Consumer Reports publishes, and isolated incidents like the original posting are not sufficient basis for evaluation. Does anyone know of brand specific reliability data for stereo equipment? As an example of a highly reliable compopnent, in 1963 I bought a top of the line H H Scott integrated tube amp, which was used regularly until 1979 (an average of several hours a day), until I decided to upgrade; it is still used as the heart of a lightly used basement system. In all that time, I have not had to repair it, not even replacing a burned out tube; at about the 15 year mark, I replaced all the pra-eamp tubes on general prinipals. The only degradation in quality I have noticed over the years is a decrease in the S/N in the pre-amp section.