**MrSpeakers Mad Dog: Impressions and Discussion Thread**
Mar 25, 2014 at 5:39 PM Post #2,521 of 3,203
   this by far far the most unethical customer treatment in my book especially for a business that thrives on community feedback and really as i said unless u r in my position you will not understand  my feeling 

 
I cannot count how many times I've purchased something and shortly after a newer model came out, or there was an amazing sale, or the company stopped supporting it. This is normal. A company will announce a new product when they are ready. I've worked with MrSpeakers as a company on multiple occasions and Dan has been a real stand-up guy. I'm sorry that you feel cheated in this situation, but there was nothing wrong with the way MrSpeakers handled the announcement and release of the new MDP.
 
I recently ordered headphones internationally from Italy, and if the manufacturer were to release a newer version of the product I would not feel cheated in any way, as my model is still excellent. I have owned the MD 3.0 and know first hand that the MD 3.2 are excellent headphones. The MDP is not an upgrade to the 3.2, it's a whole new headphone.
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 5:59 PM Post #2,523 of 3,203
Some manufacturers give ample warning (HiFiMan, Oppo), some verging on ridiculous in fact (see parentheses) to the point that people get frustrated and mock them in print (check both threads).  Some choose to wait till they are ready for orders (MrSpeakers) before announcing. 
 
Dan has been consistent all along and for the long time followers you've all seen this with the exception of the changes in what I call partial upgrades (3.1 to 3.2).  The fact that he has allowed not only 14 day returns but low cost upgrades (when he didn't have to do that) shows he is customer service-centric. 
 
Sorry for you being in Israel and I can certainly feel your anger and pain and even can understand it.  But please, let Dan respond before you continue to make posts.  The man WILL answer. 
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 6:02 PM Post #2,524 of 3,203
  MrSpeakers i think u need to address this  

  to be honest i don't know what version it is I bought the one that said mad dog with alpha pads, so i don't care what it replaced so after i purchased it by few days i saw this mad dog pro come out. 
 
this is what i bought 
 
Mad Dog + Leather ALPHA Pads + Comfort StrapMD004

and paid for it 299 believe me if they gave me the hint the pro would come out after few days I would have paid the difference at once. Again I live in Israel and paid around 50 USD just taxes and if I want to ship it back it will cost me at least 60 USD 
 
man i am not happy end of story and i will not get over it

 
The unfortunate fact is every time we announce a new product, someone goes postal on us.  A year ago I had one person call me a liar and a thief and imply that if I ever set foot in his "town" his buddies in the union would teach me a lesson about customer service by beating me up.  Over ear pads, mind you.  Because of that experience this is the one and only comment I will make on this subject.  
 
You had options to purchase the $399 Balanced Mad Dog but you didn't (I assume that you feel the Pro is a better value than the Balanced was).  The product you purchased is not obsolete and is still selling very well, and obviously people enjoy it.  Had you purchased a Universal or Balanced headphone, in fact we would have taken care of you (we held orders and upgrades for several weeks before announcement to take care of those owners, for those who know this feel free to chime).
 
That said, I totally understand and empathize with how it feels when you buy a product, be it a headphone, amp, computer, or anything, and the next day, or week, or month a new product comes out you would rather have had.  But the reality is no matter when we announce, people who bought a week before we announced will still be mad, so it is literally impossible to solve this problem.
 
This is a big reason we offer upgrades (which I believe is quite rare, if not unique).  Should you want the Pro, or Alpha, you can upgrade to a Pro or Alpha for the cost of shipping and a nominal extra fee.  When we return, this is usually marked as a service item with a value equal to the upgrade, so at most any taxes are only paid on the price paid for the upgrade, which in some instances is below the tax threshold for imports (YMWV), not on the price of the phone, as you already paid taxes on that.
 
I understand this bothers you now.  I wish I had a way to introduce new products that was guaranteed to make everyone happy, but there is simply no timing that won't upset someone or be far to risky to our business (and an out of business MrSpeakers isn't much use to anyone), so we do the best we can.
 
I have tried to do something unique with our upgrade program and the level of access I provide on the forums because I really appreciate the support from the community.  I personally feel your headphone should be treated like an investment that gets more valuable over time, which is why we do what we do with upgrades instead of inducing you to sell a phone to buy an improved offering.   
 
Had you ordered the product that was obsoleted you would have been cared for, but you didn't.  We have a service to address this as affordably as is possible, I know it's not as compelling for overseas but I can't change the fact that shipping has a cost.  Should you wish to upgrade in the future the option is there, and we'll do our best to keep it affordable.  I understand that this may not work for you, but at least you have a choice.
 
Thanks for being a customer, and I hope that in the future if you choose an upgrade you'll come to regard your Mad Dog as a great investment.
 
Dan Clark Audio Make every day a fun day filled with music and friendship! Stay updated on Dan Clark Audio at their sponsor profile on Head-Fi.
 
@funCANS MrSpeakers https://danclarkaudio.com info@danclarkaudio.com
Mar 25, 2014 at 6:17 PM Post #2,525 of 3,203

 
 
   
The unfortunate fact is every time we announce a new product, someone goes postal on us.  A year ago I had one person call me a liar and a thief and imply that if I ever set foot in his "town" his buddies in the union would teach me a lesson about customer service by beating me up.  Over ear pads, mind you.  Because of that experience this is the one and only comment I will make on this subject.  
 

hey that was quick lol
 
I wouldnt have thanked you for being a customer thats for sure. I would have said tough luck buddy enjoy my work! lol nah jp I wouldnt have said that either. 
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 6:25 PM Post #2,526 of 3,203
   
The unfortunate fact is every time we announce a new product, someone goes postal on us.  A year ago I had one person call me a liar and a thief and imply that if I ever set foot in his "town" his buddies in the union would teach me a lesson about customer service by beating me up.  Over ear pads, mind you.  Because of that experience this is the one and only comment I will make on this subject.  
 
You had options to purchase the $399 Balanced Mad Dog but you didn't (I assume that you feel the Pro is a better value than the Balanced was).  The product you purchased is not obsolete and is still selling very well, and obviously people enjoy it.  Had you purchased a Universal or Balanced headphone, in fact we would have taken care of you (we held orders and upgrades for several weeks before announcement to take care of those owners, for those who know this feel free to chime).
 
That said, I totally understand and empathize with how it feels when you buy a product, be it a headphone, amp, computer, or anything, and the next day, or week, or month a new product comes out you would rather have had.  But the reality is no matter when we announce, people who bought a week before we announced will still be mad, so it is literally impossible to solve this problem.
 
This is a big reason we offer upgrades (which I believe is quite rare, if not unique).  Should you want the Pro, or Alpha, you can upgrade to a Pro or Alpha for the cost of shipping and a nominal extra fee.  When we return, this is usually marked as a service item with a value equal to the upgrade, so at most any taxes are only paid on the price paid for the upgrade, which in some instances is below the tax threshold for imports (YMWV), not on the price of the phone, as you already paid taxes on that.
 
I understand this bothers you now.  I wish I had a way to introduce new products that was guaranteed to make everyone happy, but there is simply no timing that won't upset someone or be far to risky to our business (and an out of business MrSpeakers isn't much use to anyone), so we do the best we can.
 
I have tried to do something unique with our upgrade program and the level of access I provide on the forums because I really appreciate the support from the community.  I personally feel your headphone should be treated like an investment that gets more valuable over time, which is why we do what we do with upgrades instead of inducing you to sell a phone to buy an improved offering.   
 
Had you ordered the product that was obsoleted you would have been cared for, but you didn't.  We have a service to address this as affordably as is possible, I know it's not as compelling for overseas but I can't change the fact that shipping has a cost.  Should you wish to upgrade in the future the option is there, and we'll do our best to keep it affordable.  I understand that this may not work for you, but at least you have a choice.
 
Thanks for being a customer, and I hope that in the future if you choose an upgrade you'll come to regard your Mad Dog as a great investment.

Well all I can do now is try to enjoy the headphone and I will pretend I never ran into this situation 
 
As all others said its a nice headphone so no matter what I will say nothing can change this situation as I simply won't pay for shipping and upgrading so I will forget this whole ordeal and move on
 
So Dan I am sorry if I poured my anger here and vented my frustrations publicly but I am the type that gets easily angry and calms downs easily too if I see my issue at least acknowledged and you did acknowledge it and so I am now in peace with my purchase
 
sorry for all the big fuss I caused here, and I lovvvvve the mad dog and to my ears they sound super pro. So I will call mine mad dog super pro :)
 
Mar 25, 2014 at 7:37 PM Post #2,527 of 3,203
My father knew of a company that bought a mainframe computer back in the 1980s. One week later, a new and improved model was announced. Not only was it faster, but it cost $10,000 less than the original.
 
Ever since my dad told me that story, I've kept purchases (especially technology-related ones) in perspective. Just sayin'. 
wink_face.gif
 
 
EDIT: Got the details of the story mixed up in original version of this post. Fixed now!
 
Mar 26, 2014 at 4:33 AM Post #2,529 of 3,203
Phew I'm glad we got that sorted out.  :)
 
I still have a question for anyone that's heard both the Mad Dogs and the NAD HP-50.  I'm torn between them.  Ultimately I'm looking for something to replace my M100s as a portable / transportable can (with a more balanced sound).  I know the Mad Dogs are pretty bulky to lug around, but I could live with that.  Any thoughts would be welcome.  :)
 
Mar 26, 2014 at 10:34 AM Post #2,530 of 3,203
Phew I'm glad we got that sorted out.  :)
 
I still have a question for anyone that's heard both the Mad Dogs and the NAD HP-50.  I'm torn between them.  Ultimately I'm looking for something to replace my M100s as a portable / transportable can (with a more balanced sound).  I know the Mad Dogs are pretty bulky to lug around, but I could live with that.  Any thoughts would be welcome.  :)

I heard both and while HP50 a lighter but Alpha Dogs have more balanced sound when driven by RWAK100 with boost off. I also had to use felt disk from treats kit to get sound I'm looking for
 
Mar 26, 2014 at 12:40 PM Post #2,531 of 3,203
This is a big reason we offer upgrades (which I believe is quite rare, if not unique).  Should you want the Pro, or Alpha, you can upgrade to a Pro or Alpha for the cost of shipping and a nominal extra fee.


I gotta say, outside of a fantastic sounding headphone, this reason alone is why I'll continue to support Mr. Speakers. I can't even think of another business off the top of my head that does this.
 
Mar 26, 2014 at 5:35 PM Post #2,532 of 3,203
I don't know if its me and i can't find it, but I can't find the Upgrade on the site for the Balanced/Universal Mad Dog to the Mad Dog Pro.  I finally got the cash to order it but can't find it... not sure if my eyes are playing tricks on me.  lol.  Hopefully it's still $60.  The new site design looks awesome though, really showcases the products. 
 
Mar 26, 2014 at 7:37 PM Post #2,533 of 3,203
  Phew I'm glad we got that sorted out.  :)
 
I still have a question for anyone that's heard both the Mad Dogs and the NAD HP-50.  I'm torn between them.  Ultimately I'm looking for something to replace my M100s as a portable / transportable can (with a more balanced sound).  I know the Mad Dogs are pretty bulky to lug around, but I could live with that.  Any thoughts would be welcome.  :)

 
I personally don't consider the Mad Dogs a portable headphone, the alpha pads bring the center of gravity of the cup assembly too far away from your head. In other words, when you turn your head, inertia makes the cups "swing" out, it's not the greatest for moving around. The isolation isn't bad, but I just don't think they were designed to be used anywhere other than sitting down. The NADs can fold flat, which is nice for tucking them away into a backpack, but the headband shape makes them look a little weird on your head. They're also tiny compared to the Mad Dogs - but what "portable" doesn't?
 
Sonically, they're both great neutral headphones, with the Mad Dogs lying a bit on the darker side of neutral and the NADs on the warmer side. Technically, the Mad Dogs beat the NADs in terms of soundstage, treble extension, speed, and accuracy, although only slightly on the last two. The NADs have a slight mid accentuation ( "n" shaped, you could say, but very slight) and don't extend as high in the trebles, although goes as low as the MDs and hits a little bit harder. You can't go wrong with the sound of either one, IMO, so pick the one that you think better fits your usage needs.
 
Mar 26, 2014 at 7:39 PM Post #2,534 of 3,203
I was curious if anyone knew how the Mad Dog Pros sounded vs the dt770 250ohm, I've had a chance to try out the Mad Dog 3.0 and dt770, and I found the 3.0 to be a bit lacking in the bass department but having really nice mids, while I enjoyed the bass of the dt770s, but wished the mids had been a bit more pronounced.  
 
I was wondering if the Pro's brought the Mad dog in line bass wise, which would make them perfect for my needs.
 

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