From: No.Spam@No.Where.com   
      
   "charles rollo"  wrote in message   
   news:charles.rollo.6b32138@audiobanter.com...   
   >   
   > Rachel @ Grant Fidelity;915784 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   
      
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