£300 aluminium door-stop

[MajorFubar]

Typical. Just a measly five days out of its twelve-month warranty and my HRT Streamer II+ has gone faulty. The output from the right-hand channel is about 75% lower than from the left. To all the world it's as though a balance-control has been swung over, except there aren't any such controls, software or otherwise. I've tried various combinations of cables and computers and definitely isolated the DAC as the problem.

I bought it from http://www.analogueseduction.net. Hopefully they will agree that even though it is technically out of warranty, I don't deserve to own a £300 aluminium door-stop which I bought just 369 days ago.

I really did not expect it to go wrong. DACs are not exactly under electronic stress. I figured it should probably last decades, not one year.

 

[stevebrock]

Well have you contacted them yet? He does run the business from home so should be able to contact him! Technically your screwed!

 

[MattSPL]

If the warrenty wont cover you, i'd open it up and see if there is anything obviously wrong like a dry solder joint.

If you look at the 6 moons review, it looks easy enough to dismantle.

 

[bigboss]

If you bought it brand new, Sale of Goods Act should cover you even if it's out of warranty.

 

[busb]

I thought the statutory guarantee period in the EU was two years. A number of retailers have been successfully challenged on this. However, trying to find a definitive answer doesn't appear easy.

EDITED:

On further reading, it appears to be very much a grey area. This may (or may not help):

http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/bills/article-1677034/Two-year-warranty-EU-law.html

 

[stevebrock]

that's something then! Hopefully the distributor will look upon your case positively - I must say its extremely bad luck - best result is for them to replace it or repair. I wouldn't open it up until you hear from them.

if its bad news you will be in the market for a new DAC - anything you fancy?

 

[MajorFubar]

Well have you contacted them yet? He does run the business from home so should be able to contact him! Technically your screwed!

Thanks for the vote of confidence lol.

I have contacted him, he says if I return it with the receipt* he will attempt to contact the distributor in the hope they will see it my way. I've emailed him back asking for a return address.

*only I didn't get a receipt, the only thing I have is a PayPal statement proving proof of purchase from Analogue Seduction on 18 March 2012. It should be enough because it's indisputable, and in any case his own records should show he sold it to me on that day as well.

 

[MajorFubar]

If it's bad news then I won't be in the market for a new DAC. After ripping over 520 CDs to a 2TB drive it'll be back to a CD player for me. I don't have that kind of money, and besides, I can't keep throwing three hundred quid at things every twelve months then find myself screwed when they go faulty at 369 days old.

 

[stevebrock]

fair enough....out of interest what was your system?

 

[MajorFubar]

Mac Mini > HRT II+ > Marantz PM66mkII KI > Mission 794.

Sitting unused is a Marantz CD63mkII KI (which is suddenly about to find itself in service again) and a Thorens TD160 looking for a good cartridge.

 

[stevebrock]

Mac Mini > HRT II+ > Marantz PM66mkII KI > Mission 794.

Sitting unused is a Marantz CD63mkII KI (which is suddenly about to find itself in service again) and a Thorens TD160 looking for a good cartridge.

Any why not? Simply a superb CDP still

 

[Rich27]

Stick to your guns and pursue the retailer for some action. Warranty is over and above your statutory rights, your statutory rights in this case are the Sale of Goods Act. I would suggest that a premium piece of hifi only lasting 369 days is in no way fit for purpose and as such you are entitled to a repair or replacement (regardless of the warranty only being for one year).

 

[nopiano]

Crumbs, MF, that's really bad luck. But as others have said, I'm sure the supplier will try to help. And if not, it wouldn't be crazy to send it back to California for fixing given its tiny size. Realistically, they might throw it away and just give you a replacement at cost or gratis. Good PR, even if bit of a nuisance.

They have a Facebook page, and these often elicit helpful replies if you are nice (which I'm sure you will be!).

https://www.facebook.com/HighResTech

Good luck.

 

[stevebrock]

Stick to your guns and pursue the retailer for some action. Warranty is over and above your statutory rights, your statutory rights in this case are the Sale of Goods Act. I would suggest that a premium piece of hifi only lasting 369 days is in no way fit for purpose and as such you are entitled to a repair or replacement (regardless of the warranty only being for one year).

You have a point!

Lets wait and see what happens!

 

[steve_1979]

If it's bad news then I won't be in the market for a new DAC. After ripping over 520 CDs to a 2TB drive it'll be back to a CD player for me. I don't have that kind of money, and besides, I can't keep throwing three hundred quid at things every twelve months then find myself screwed when they go faulty at 369 days old.

Sorry to hear about your DAC, hope you get it sorted.

If you don't get it fixed it may be worth trying one of these instead. Clicky

It only costs £22 so won't break the bank and I'm sure that you'll be very suprised by how good the sound quality is even when compared to your £300 DAC.

 

[MajorFubar]

Thanks everyone.

I've been in liaison with a man called Billy Darby from Analogue Seductions. He has asked me to return it so he can send it back to HRT's distributor for analysis.

The only thing that worries me is he says really it's HRT's call, even though he's going to include a letter asking them to co-operate in the interest of good customer relations. I was of the opinion that my 'dispute' would be with him as the retailier, not HRT/their UK distributor. Probably where he's coming from is that if HRT just say no, then he, as a small business, can't afford to (or isn't prepared to) take the financial hit of sending me aother for nothing.

We'll see how this progresses. I've a funny feeling it's going to be a long haul. Somehow these things always are.

 

[Rich27]

Your contract is with the retailer, he will clearly need to deal with the manufacturer/distributor to try and resolve but at the end of the day it is down to him to sort this out to your satisfaction.

 

[Jame5]

Buck stops with the retailer regarding your statutory rights. He'll hope to pass it up the chain but you've got him on satisfactory quality - high end electronics should last a good number of years. You should make it clear to him that should he have no luck with the distributor then you're going after him on the basis of satisfactory quality. It's not 300 quid down the drain.

 

[stevebrock]

Like a previous poster said the 2 year eu warranty is a very grey area - the way I understand it that it's a year on which case the op is out of luck - but this 2 year thing is a get out and if it were me I would appealing on goods not fit for

purpose !

 

[AmigaNut]

Crumbs, MF, that's really bad luck. But as others have said, I'm sure the supplier will try to help. And if not, it wouldn't be crazy to send it back to California for fixing given its tiny size. Realistically, they might throw it away and just give you a replacement at cost or gratis. Good PR, even if bit of a nuisance.

They have a Facebook page, and these often elicit helpful replies if you are nice (which I'm sure you will be!).

https://www.facebook.com/HighResTech

Good luck.

I may be mistaken but I think US warranties are only 6 months or something silly like that.

AmigaNut

 

[Rich27]

The warranty period is totally irrelevant, a quality piece of electronic equipment should last several years and it would be a very straightforward small claims court job. Hopefully it shouldn't need to come to that if the retailer is reasonable in making good under the terms of the Sale of Goods Act!

 

[6th.replicant]

The Sale of Goods Act (SOGA) decrees that if a product - be it a DAC or a kettle - fails within six years of its purchase date, then it is "not fit for purpose".

Expiry of the manufacturer's warranty / guarantee is irrelevant because according to SOGA the retailer is resposible for the product that it sold - not the manufacturer.

SOGA allows the retailer one opportunity to repair the product; if this repair 'one-strike' fails, then the retailer must provide / supply the customer with a new replacement.

And, obviously, the customer pays now't :shame:

 

[DavieCee]

As it stands, it would appear the you have little to lose while a couple of companies have a reputation at stake.

Play it out whilst using a phono connection or the CD player.

 

[davidpr]

Stick to your guns and pursue the retailer for some action. Warranty is over and above your statutory rights, your statutory rights in this case are the Sale of Goods Act. I would suggest that a premium piece of hifi only lasting 369 days is in no way fit for purpose and as such you are entitled to a repair or replacement (regardless of the warranty only being for one year).

This is correct, read the Act online. You are protected and entitled to a repair at least.

 

[bigboss]

The Sale of Goods Act (SOGA) decrees that if a product - be it a DAC or a kettle - fails within six years of its purchase date, then it is "not fit for purpose".

Not exactly. It depends on the product, and whether you would expect it to last for 6 years. You cannot apply the 6-year SOGA limit to spark plugs for example.