Hi spl23, I appreciate you don’t work for Arcam but you have put their case very eloquently.
Unfortunately I don’t agree with you at all. Google Arcam cd / dvd tray problems and see how many people have had problems. I have a CD37 – great player but tray plays up now and then and I now dread when it screws up properly as I will have to fork out a small fortune (£336 is huge to me and mine)
Even the main dealer told me there are known problems with the Arcam tray mech’s. Assuming Arcam are a long term player then they should hold their hands up and say so – they would, I assume, keep plenty of stocks of the tray mechs to deal with future problems and they must also be extremely well practiced in sorting this problem out.
If Arcam used transports that cost £100 - £150 (the cost of parts you are suggesting) then I doubt there would be a problem on such a scale as there is. I’m not sure where you got that figure from? My DV139 tray problem was fixed, by Arcam, and I agree it was a while back but it’s the one thing that’s gone again. They must be using cheapo mech’s? They told me at the time 'there you are, you shouldn't have any more problems'.
Most electronics aren't even repairable any more anyway - if they break, you throw them in the bin and buy another one.
Sorry me old son, I don’t know what to say to that except to refer you to Aldous Huxley –brave new world.
Bear in mind that this is a DVD player that was originally released the best part of 10 years ago; we've had the next generation of disc players (BluRay) released and they are about to be rendered obsolete by 4k players. To be fair, what you have there is a long-obsolete product by any standards - it doesn't really make a difference how much it cost in the first place; it's had a decent lifespan, and you can't expect it to go on forever. Mechanical things break - that's just the way it is.
The player is an excellent DVD / CD and SACD machine – in fact I want it for the SACD multi-channel capabilities as much as anything else. Others may want 4K players or whatever but obsolete it is not – to me. Just because Arcam and others want to sell me another 2K latest bells and whistles do-da does not mean they can price repairs at such a level as to make it economically pointless.
Unless:
- Arcam see their customers as a cash crop
- Arcam no longer have facilities to provide decent customer service
- Arcam do not see their past products as legendry or classic – just obsolete.
Back when I spent lots of money on Arcam HiFi and AV systems the company seemed to me a bit different. Any time I contacted them I felt as I was talking to fellow audio enthusiasts, they made suggestions and were happy to help. Now it is more ‘clinical’ than anything else, everything must go through a dealer, and I understand the manufacturing of the new products is someplace like China?
I clear something up though - in my first post I did not make it clear that Arcam want £336. It was not 'lets see what's wrong then quote'. It was 'give us £336 - that's our minimum charge!'
I suspect you could be right re the small claims court BUT it is there for the small guy and anyway I can make Arcam come down and look me in the eye! I did say I didn't agree with you but your post has made me realize we should not just fold so I think I shall give it a go. I will let you know how I get on.
Cheers
Dave