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I bought a pair of SR-009 headphones from Japan two years ago and the right channel is bad.
I have heard STAX USA will not repair out of warranty headphones bought in Japan.
Is this true? If so, do I have to send them back to STAX Japan?
Follow Ups:
Went back to the Stax Lambda Nova Signature headphones, with Stax SRM-T1S driver amp (RCA clear top tubes).
Got rid of the SR-009 issues: i.e. Bright "overly detailed" highs, and the need for expensive "picky" driver amps. Too large "unrealistic" imaging.
The LNS has better 3D imaging, and never sounds bright. More realistic, smoother, high frequencies. (after warm up)
Designed for the Stax founder.
Could not be happier! YMMV!
Suggested prices are setup so that dealers can realize some return for their investment (they spend significant dollars to create a brick and mortar presence, plus the infrastructure to provide post sales support). If you decide to buy gray market, and you do not pay the same price that includes the post sales support, you should not expect to receive the warranty coverage.
Dealer network pricing and warranty coverage policies are not unique to Stax or unique to the high-end stereo market. It is intended to maintain an infrastructure where buyers can receive support on an expensive purchase. Warranty support isn't free and sometimes it can be very expensive to the dealer.
You should not expect to receive the same warranty support as people who pay the legitimate dealer network pricing. Buying gray market can save you serious cash but it erodes the dealer network infrastructure and is a direct cause of brick and mortar stores closing their doors.
Stax USA is doing nothing other than trying to maintain a good dealer network. That does not include giving away warranty coverage to someone who did not pay for the support.
Ed
We don't shush around here!
Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof
We're talking NO SERVICE even out of warranty, or so the original poster seems to be saying.
This, in the face of a few indisputable facts about 'gray market' goods...
Were do they come from?
MANUFACTURERS!
Yes, manufacturer who knowingly and willingly dump large volumes of merchandise onto the laps of outside-of-US distributors at fire-sale prices knowing full well where that merchandise is likely to end up.
Grado chased a phono cartridge I purchased from 2Juki back to a distributor in Thailand who 2Juki financed to make HUGE purchases of audio gear from numerous manufacturers.
Did John Grado believe all of those cartridges he sold into Thailand were being consumed in the local market?
When I asked him he about blew a gasket!
So the manufacturers claim innocence in the face of evidence to the contrary and leave themselves no choice but to allow local distributors take every measure to protect themselves against gray market merchandise, including what we are seeing with STAX, I'm guessing.
Manufacturers are keen to sell their products and some of them are not as ethical as dealers hope they would be. Even the largest manufacturers are guilty of shady dealings but that doesn't justify labeling all manufacturers as companies who "dump" their products on the gray market.
I have owned several companies and during the life of one of these ventures I looked into becoming a dealer for a very large computer brand. The cost of becoming a dealer for this brand was not small but I decided to go ahead and invest the money.
It turned out that fortunately we were entering a bid on a government RFQ for some of this high-end computer equipment. We didn't win the bid and it wasn't because we asked too much for the gear. We found out that this same company who charged a large amount of cash to become a dealer under-bid us at the 11.5 hour. The manufacturer under-bid one of their dealers.
They wanted dealers to hand out tens of thousands of dollars (minimally) to represent their products, in a strict geographic area, but they turned around an undercut one of these dealers (me). This really sucked but I was fortunate and did not lose as much as I could have.
This made me very sensitive to the subject of dealer networks and companies who operate ethically or not. Dealer networks are important for products that may require expensive post-sales support.
The dealer network, if maintained the way that it should be, can be a very good thing for the buying public. Its the most effective way to create an effective post-sales support infrastructure. Without this infrastructure, its a tough sell for high-end products.
Buying products via the internet might be OK for chewing gum or mouthwash, but equipment that costs thousands of dollars requires a different approach. A buyer usually wants to see and hear the product, and the buyer wants someone to turn to when something goes wrong with that product.
Yes, the internet has severely hurt the brick and mortar stores, and has severely hurt dealer networks. Its a tough time for high-end stereo dealers. Many of them have gone to audition by appointment only and I don't blame them. Tire-kickers audition high-end gear and buy elsewhere all too often.
I understand saving a buck but don't ask why Stax will not provide support for product bought outside its valid dealer network. If you live in the USA they will check the serial number and provide support if you bought the product from a valid USA dealer. They are just trying to maintain a quality dealer network.
Ed
We don't shush around here!
Life is analog...digital is just samples thereof
I can confirm STAX USA will not repair out of warranty (or in warranty) STAX headphones originally sold in, or bought from Japan.They can tell from the serial number.
I will NEVER buy from STAX USA. They are pricks!
Elusive Disc also sells STAX products, usually cheaper than STAX USA.
I bought straight from Japan from PriceJapan for $1200 off.
PriceJapan's website says they can act as an agent for the STAX factory in Japan for IN, and OUT of warranty repairs. You ship to them, they ship to the Stax factory, then the factory ships to PriceJapan, and they ship back to you.
I Emailed PriceJapan for info Today.
Edits: 09/10/16
or both?
Will be fun to ask (in my usual LOUD voice) about this at their booth.
I have never been to RMAF.STAX USA hates the grey market, and burns "everyone" that legally bought the SR-009 in Japan.
How can they tell grey market, from legally bought in Japan and carried into the USA from the serial number??
Ask them that at RMAF!
Edits: 09/11/16
Many Japanese corporations have this same policy - Canon and Nikon to name just two. I don't buy gray market, but in the case of photo gear, I've been told the US branch will perform repairs if the unit is accompanied by an in-house receipt in yen from an authorized Japanese dealer. That covers tourist purchases. There are good reasons for all this, but the bottom line is that this is SOP for gray market goods.
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Buy Chinese. Bury freedom.
If you legally bought from a store in Toyo, and carried into the US, they would also refuse service! WTF!These Japanese companies sell to anyone. If they can not vent sellers that go grey market, it is their own fault!
Cannon and Seiko will service any product in the US regardless of where it was bought, and at what discount. Cameras and watches are sold all over the internet from US companies for cheap, and you can get, at worst, out of warrant repairs. There are many many dealers and non approved sources, that will repair any Nikon.
The STAX factory is the only place that can repair the SR-009. Why doesn't STAX send out spare electrostatic panels to dealers around the world, for easy swap out, and avoid the return to Japan! I guess they are not that smart!
They value the customer, STAX USA does not.
STAX USA has poor service even if you bought from them!
Edits: 09/12/16 09/12/16
You might be correct about Canon. I think their policy in this maybe isn't consistent. Sometimes they'll service it, sometimes not. I wholly agree with you about the issue of legitimate purchases on-site at foreign dealers. Stax should not have an issue with that. I wouldn't knowingly buy products from a company that treats customers this way.
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Buy Chinese. Bury freedom.
Have you asked Stax?
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Buy Chinese. Bury freedom.
One I will be sure to bring up while visiting the STAX room at the upcoming RMAF in Denver (Stax always has their own room as well as showing in the big CanJam room at RMAF).
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