[Corpdan]

Further to my thread about buying a reconditioned Rio Karma player from RDVM777 on ebay, I have some bad news.

I received the package today. Already, the bad signs were plentiful.

Unpadded envelope. Not good.


He paid $7.50 for postage, I paid $15.


Blemished screen. Also, the player is full of music.

The hard disk is NOT new, because it's full of country music. The dcreen has a dark spot on it that's visible at all times.

The super-scratched plastic. (not as described)


Burnt chinese power supply.

The CE logo is BS. It is completely burnt. Plugging it in, it emits a high-pitched sqeal.

Here is his auction description.

Quote:

ITEM DESCRIPTION This action is for a Rio Karma 20GB Rio Karma 20GB PLAYER *NEW HITACHI 20GB HD INSTALLED* . The player includes everything picture (Rio player, caring case, AC adapter, L/R audio cable 6 ft long to connect form back of dock for player or from the ear phone jack on top of player to any audio source to play player out threw, USB cable, sets of head phones, installation CD. Accesories, screws and all other parts for the rio karma are avalible for the player if need. Just e-mail me with what you need so i can quote you a price thanks. CONDITION Player is in great shape cosmeticly. 95% our to 100% darker gray in color with some wear. Also the FRONT PLASTIC VIEW SCREEN IS BRAND NEW WITH NO SCRATCHES FUNCTIONALITY Player functions like it should 100% and battery run time is 10 TO 12 hours.

Everything in red is FALSE.

-Hard drive is not new, as it is full of music.
-Front plastic is scratched to hell and not brand new
-Player does not function as it should. Trackstick is loose and only works some of the time, power button does not work, and jogwheel does not click down.
-Power adapter burnt out a minute after plugging it in
-Rio dock has a led burnt out. Maybe this is what caused the power supply to fry.... No idea of other features work.

I have sent the seller an email expressing my anger and I await a response and cortrection of this 'error'. These last 3 months were an Ebay DISASTER. Not ONE smooth transaction.

So, I will wait until this plays out.

Words cannot express the feeling of hatred I have for this seller and my complete disappointment. I was really looking forward to this player, adn I am extremely anmnoyed that nothing comes close in terms of features that I can buy new.

 

[The_X]

Wait and see what the seller does. If there's no response, file a complaint with PayPal and have someone reputable like Best Buy fill out the claim form once you get it, confirming the damage and the deviation from the item description.

It's a pain in the ass but you should be able to get your money back one way or the other. I'm sorry about the bad experiences though, I've definitely had my share too. Though paying $15 for $7.50 isn't uncommon and actually isn't bad at all. Their packaging was definitely unacceptable though.

 

[benriddell]

Can you let us know how the seller responds.
I also bought an identical unit off the same person and also had my doubts over the claims that he made but have no evidence to file any kind of complaint.
If there is any truth behind what you say then I would like to follow similar action!
Cheers, Benn

 

[Fallingwater]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corpdan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Also, the player is full of music.

This doesn't seem a bad thing to me.

Regardless, I too got my Karma from RDVM777. The player was as described and worked just fine, and I got a significant discount as well, but I had explicitly asked him if he reconditioned the Karmas with the newer Hitachi C4K60 or if he kept the older C4K40 hard disks. He told me the players had the C4K60, and yet when I opened mine it had a C4K40.

The disk gave me no trouble, but the clicky wheel eventually stopped clicking. This isn't the usual "broken wheel" problem in which the wheel doesn't spin right.
I was forced to rip the wheel off to access the workings of the click-switch, though, and it's still waiting for me to repair it.

In all honesty, the only thing I can complain about is the older drive. The wheel had no signs of ever having been tampered with, so it's almost certainly a natural failure.

Edit: mine also had music in it. I saved it and thanked him for it.

 

[swmtnbiker]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corpdan /img/forum/go_quote.gif He paid $7.50 for postage, I paid $15.

Sorry to hear about your bad experience, but here's an FYI regarding shipping charges on eBay. MANY sellers overcharge for shipping because eBay doesn't take a percentage of the shipping fee at the end of the auction. The Final Valuation Fee percentage is calculated only on the final sale price of the item. This isn't necessarily a rip-off - it's just a way for sellers to work the system and keep more of their money. You simply have to take this into account when you're bidding on or buying an item.

 

[Corpdan]

Hi, i understqand about the shipping. I just badly stated my point which was that he could have at least put in some plastic bags or newspaper or something to add some protection having received double the cost...

Anyway, response received, looks positive. He will send another player, dock, and power supply.

I will post our correspondance in full once the matter is resolved. So far, the seller is willing to do what it takes to make me happy.

We'll see.

 

[Corpdan]

hey guys,

Sorry for the dead time here.

Received a new Karma and two docks from the seller recently and have been putting them through their paces

Used the karma for a week and everything seems great.

Seller really came through, the claim was that the wrong player was shipped out the first time around by accident.

Also important to note, the power adapters I received were genuine RIO and not the made-in-chine BS I got the first time around.

 

[RubenNYC]

That's very good news. Enjoy your new best friend. My 3+ year-old Karma just bit the dust this Wednesday, and I miss her bitterly. :'(

 

[barqy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corpdan /img/forum/go_quote.gif hey guys, Sorry for the dead time here. Received a new Karma and two docks from the seller recently and have been putting them through their paces Used the karma for a week and everything seems great. Seller really came through, the claim was that the wrong player was shipped out the first time around by accident. Also important to note, the power adapters I received were genuine RIO and not the made-in-chine BS I got the first time around.

so you got to keep the other 'broken' player too?

sounds like a good deal

 

[Denim]

Glad this worked out for you.
You may want to edit the thread title. He made good and did not scam you.

 

[kramer5150]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denim /img/forum/go_quote.gif Glad this worked out for you. You may want to edit the thread title. He made good and did not scam you.

x2... it turned out to just be a case of poorly-represented item... Its not like he took your $$$ and bailed. If it were me I would still give him +++ feedback.

 

[Corpdan]

Did give a positive, and shipped out the old player back to him.

Now I find that I'm babying it. I have never experienced dap that came together so perfectly before

Great SQ
Network file transfer
great interface
crossfading flac and ogg
good form-factor
rca-out dock

etc etc

Truly the best there ever was.

Now, beacause it won't last forever, are there any comparable models out there?

 

[EFN]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corpdan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Did give a positive, and shipped out the old player back to him. Now I find that I'm babying it. I have never experienced dap that came together so perfectly before Great SQ Network file transfer great interface crossfading flac and ogg good form-factor rca-out dock etc etc Truly the best there ever was. Now, beacause it won't last forever, are there any comparable models out there?

Yes your woes aside, Rio Karma is a great DAP. Many of Karma's native function are only available on Rockboxxed DAPs. SQ is superb as well.

If you like Karma you will like zune as well because to my ears they shared the same sonic signature. Except that now I am running RWA iMod becuz I am a freak

 

[werdwerdus]

every time i hear more positive comments about the Rio Karma, it makes me so mad that the one I bought from Best Buy broke the first day I had it, I took it back the next day, and they told me it was discontinued

I ended getting a Creative Zen Jukebox or something and then eventually selling it for an Ipod 3G 40GB. This was way before Head-Fi but it would be great to have a nice portable source. Consider yourself lucky IMO.

 

[MrCookie989]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but this is somewhat on topic. Last week I bought a JBL Radial speaker system for my iPod on eBay. However, it hasn't shipped and the seller appeared to be having lots of complaints judging by their feedback. I tried to contact the seller and figure out what is going on, but the seller is no longer a member of eBay. I have to wait another day or two and register a complaint with eBay, but what I want to know is, will I see my money returned at all? If I am refunded, who does it...Paypal...eBay? I'm pretty green to the whole eBay thing so any help would be so great, you all seem to know a lot. Thanks a bunch!
-Aaron