From: spam@spam.com   
      
   On Thu, 19 Aug 2010 02:08:42 +0000, Rachel @ Grant Fidelity   
    wrote:   
      
   >   
   >Some background information:   
   >   
   >Where is Charles's Cyber 211 from? - according to Charles, it was   
   >purchased from Opera in China by Charles' cousin (some important   
   >businessman with great relationship with Chinese government. He was   
   >treated like royalty at Opera - as per Charles) about 3-4 years ago. It   
   >was not purchased in USA. Opera even paid for shipping for Charles'   
   >cousin to send amp to USA. To date, I have never seen a sales receipt   
   >from Charles yet. I asked Opera if they recall such a sale -   
   >unfortunately they don't. There are many expats in Beijing who purchase   
   >high end audio from Opera throughout years - one important businessman   
   >with great relationship with Chinese government didn't get registered   
   >with Opera significantly.   
   >   
   >Here are some correspondence and dealings between Charles and Grant   
   >Fidelity:   
   >   
   >Oct 20, 2009 - Phone call from Charles - "I urgently need a pair of TJ   
   >211 for my coming audio society meeting because my other 211's failed.   
   >Please send it by UPS 3-day arrival."   
   >   
   >Oct 28, 2009 - email from Charles - "thank you for your prompt   
   >shipping... I want to change my Cyber 211 's cap from Auri to V-cap,   
   >need to know the direction"   
   >   
   >Oct 30, 2009 - email from Charles - "love the 211's... I need technical   
   >advice on installation of caps for my Cyber 211" (note the sequence here   
   >- tubes were used on the amp first, then the amp was modified)   
   >   
   >Oct 30, 2009 - Grant Fidelity provided technical support by contacting   
   >Opera Consonance.   
   >   
   >May 18, 2010 - Note this is about 7 months after the Oct 2009 tube   
   >purchase, email from Charles: "I don't see TJ mesh plate 211 on your   
   >website, why?" (note: Charles is referring the Carbon plate TJ 211 tubes   
   >as mesh plate here). Grant Fidelity responded: shipping damage for these   
   >large tubes are too costly for us and due to high factory cost, we had   
   >to discontinue them.   
   >   
   >May 19th, 2010: email from Charles: "Hard to believe actually... their   
   >other tubes seem to ship well. The tube has been pulled from the manfs'   
   >web site." - Grant Fidelity responded with the TJ Full Music website   
   >link - TJ Full Music 211 tube was listed there all the time.   
   >   
   >Charles further comments "an extra charge for a one year guarantee tells   
   >me something was up. At $500 a pair this should not be." - (my comments:   
   >- Does Charles shop at Best Buy at all? Extra charge for extended   
   >warranty is abnormal??? Plus which tube vendor is providing one year   
   >warranty for free??   
   >   
   >Charles further said "Now for me it could have been the tube that   
   >caiused the trannie meltdown."   
   >   
   >May 26th, 2010: email from Charles: "What I need to know is how much   
   >money does Consonance  want for two power trannies and two output   
   >trannies. Then I can make an economic decision.  It has already cost me   
   >money to repair the power caps that blew up previously.... The tube did   
   >not short or fail. It played in the other amp for 5 minutes with zero   
   >problem. Rachel, lets keep this simple.The price will determine my final   
   >reaction. Actually I feel there should be no charge for the trannies,   
   >just shipping. However I do not want to dispute anything at this time.   
   >So if the price is fair [ OEM or less] we will have zero issues.   
   >   
   >May 27th, 2010: Grant Fidelity provided quote for transformers to   
   >Charles.   
   >   
   >May 29th, 2010: email from Charles - "price (for transformers) are fair   
   >and appreciated. please proceed with order" but no payment received.   
   >   
   >May 31, 2010: email from Charles - "I didn't get the same Cyber 211 amp   
   >as what was reviewed by enjoythemusic.com in 2005 - the factory was   
   >misleading" - Grant Fidelity explained Chinese manufacturers reserve the   
   >right to make changes on certain parts based on availability etc or   
   >design change without notice. This is common on many North American or   
   >European brands too. (note: the amp was bought in China not by Charles   
   >himself. We don't know how the transaction was done and what   
   >communication was carried out about what type of parts or version was   
   >purchased. Typically Chinese manufacturers use less expensive parts for   
   >products sold in China. Plus, it appears that Charles would like to file   
   >a claim with Opera after 3-4 years of his indirect purchase with Opera -   
   >strange and too late)   
   >   
   >June 1st - June 4th: various phone calls from Charles - "I know lots of   
   >people in the industry in North America. I can make your business fail   
   >if I want... Opera should provide the transformers free of charge.."   
   >Grant Fidelity comment - "the transaction was done in China without our   
   >involvement. We cannot make decision on behalf of Opera but will let   
   >them know your demand"   
   >   
   >June 5th: email from Charles: "So your telling me that since I did not   
   >buy it from you but from the company you represent I must must deal   
   >directly with them. Is that not why you came into the picture? - (my   
   >comment: Grant Fidelity didn't come into the picture - it's Charles   
   >after sending emails making probably unreasonable demand but receive no   
   >answer from Opera, came to us to ask for help and we offered to help.   
   >Grant Fidelity is not liable for anything Charles have about his   
   >indirect purchase in China at least 3 years ago bypassing then USA   
   >distributor).   
   >   
   >June 5th, 2010: Grant Fidelity - discussed with Opera on the issue and   
   >suggested Opera and Charles split the cost of the two sets of   
   >transformers (note: it's not just for one monoblock, it's for both   
   >channel. Charles' communication with Grant Fidelity has led us to   
   >believe both channel were blown and melted.   
   >   
   >June 19th, 2010: Opera agreed to provide all transformers at 1/2 price   
   >as an one time exception to help out with the situation. It's not their   
   >warranty but they will help out due to high repair cost claimed by   
   >Charles.   
   >   
   >July 15th, 2010: Grant Fidelity advised Charles that all replacement   
   >transformers were sent out from China by FedEx to Charles. same day   
   >email from Charles: "The only creveat may be the TJ 211. It appears the   
   >tube was the culprit. Too  much voltage and a short. I had about 150   
   >hours on the tube . I will know the outcome when the repair is complete"   
   >(my comments: it appears very convenient to start attack TJ Full Music   
   >now when Opera has bent backwards to provide the transformers for next   
   >to nothing.)   
   >   
   >July 23rd, 2010: email from Charles: "No way I will put the TJ back   
   >until I know the condition. It worked for less than a month with low   
   >hours on it.  Not happy for $425/ pair. Secondly the cause for the   
   >trannie failures. I know I purchased them a while ago when the amp was   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)