[tjkurita]

I am trying to purchase a 5 ft. HD800S cable from them. Pricing is strange. The 5FT is the same cost as the 9FT on the website so I sent an email and called a couple of times. First email sent was 01/16/2019 and followed up with phone calls on the 22nd and today, the 24th. No response. Is this normal for them? Any known significant delays in their production or communication?

I purchased a cable from them years ago and am very happy with it so I would like another for my HD800S but if their service or quality has since dropped I will go with another company.

Has anyone communicated with them or purchased from them recently?

 

[project86]

I thought I heard they had folded some time in the past couple years. But the website is still up which makes me think someone is at least paying the bills to keep that hosted.... but honestly I would look elsewhere at this point. Even if they are around, the results you have experienced thus far are not very promising.

I would recommend another Audio Art which is a totally separate company, also around for a long time. They primarily focus on AC and interconnect cables but recently ventured into headphone territory. I own and very much enjoy their HPX-1SE which is just a stunning cable all around. They have a non-SE version as well for less money, haven't heard it but I'm sure it is nice too. You can get pretty much any headphone compatibility and whatever termination you want.

They also have a nifty adapter system - my HPX-1SE is for Audeze but the adapters plug in and allow it to work with Focal Clear/Elear/Elex. Very convenient and low profile.

 

[tjkurita]

Thanks for the reply. Those Audio Art cables look very nice. I have a feeling you are right about SAA, which is a real shame. There is some activity in the comments section of the site (such as it is). But nothing really. I remember seeing a discount code for new year's 2019 as well... I went with a custom Kimber cable for my HD800S. They take A LOT of heat for the price, but to be honest, they were the most timely of the bunch and they have the kind of cable I am looking for. I wasn't happy with ALO audio's build quality for some adapter cables (solder connections broke almost immediately) and Moon Audio couldn't sleeve a cable in nylon. Cardas was as expensive as Kimber and I did not like their ergonomics or the fiber sleeve for the Clear. Forza and Nord never replied to my inquiry emails. Brise Cables are backordered for a month. That was the extent of my cable search.

 

[project86]

Glad you found something that works for your needs.

The brands you listed are just a handful of the many out there... there are dozens more if you really go searching. So in my mind it makes zero sense to mess with anyone who doesn't respond relatively quickly to customer inquiries. SAA did make a mean HD600 cable way back in the day but that nostalgia only goes so far.

 

[fortunate son]

I am trying to purchase a 5 ft. HD800S cable from them. Pricing is strange. The 5FT is the same cost as the 9FT on the website so I sent an email and called a couple of times. First email sent was 01/16/2019 and followed up with phone calls on the 22nd and today, the 24th. No response. Is this normal for them? Any known significant delays in their production or communication?

I purchased a cable from them years ago and am very happy with it so I would like another for my HD800S but if their service or quality has since dropped I will go with another company.

Has anyone communicated with them or purchased from them recently?

I bought from them last month (July, 2019) and there were no delays in communication at all. They answered my emails in a matter of minutes and my order was shipped immediately and delivered only 3 days after I placed it. I have never had better customer service from anyone.

 

[Cho Worsh]

You wonder where these rumors of doom and gloom come from but Stefan Audio Art is very much alive and well. I just purchased some items from them last week and they filled my order quickly and responded to all emails promptly. Their products are highly recommended.

 

[project86]

OP got no replies after reaching out three separate times, both via email and phone. That doesn't inspire confidence. I've heard similar reports from others. But maybe just a glitch and all is back to normal? If so, that's good to hear.

 

[Cho Worsh]

OP got no replies after reaching out three separate times, both via email and phone. That doesn't inspire confidence. I've heard similar reports from others. But maybe just a glitch and all is back to normal? If so, that's good to hear.

I don't know what went wrong with the OP back in January. The OP also indicated that neither Forza nor Nord responded to emails. I have emailed Forza and Nord a number of times and have received immediate responses.

I recommend emailing stefanaudioart@yahoo.com if you are interested in their cables or modification services. If your experience is like mine, you will receive a prompt response from Luke Lavano the Sales Engineer for Stefan Audio Art or from the owner of the company. I have no affiliation with the company by the way, just a long time customer.

 

[tjkurita]

In the end, I never heard from SAA, Nord, or Forza. Who knows why? It wasn't a big deal to me then and it is even less of a big deal now. I definitely would have bought the SAA cable immediately if I had heard from them. I am glad to hear they are still going strong. It had/has been a long time since I browsed or posted on the forum, so I was not sure which cable companies were still around and which were not. I didn't know about any gloom and doom stories until it was mentioned, after which I searched their website for activity and ultimately made a different choice.

 

[azabu]

Their ribbon RCA interconnects are the best I've heard at any price point.

 

[fortunate son]

I had the StefanAudioArt modification (https://www.stefanaudioart.com/shop/stefan-audioart-hd650600580-modification/) done to my HD600 a few days ago. The improvement in sound and comfort is huge and it took only two days after I shipped the HD600 to them for SAA to do the mod and ship them back out to me.

A few months ago, I had the StefanAudioArt HD800 Ultra Modification done and I am fully satisfied with the sound of the HD800 for the first time.

On another pair of HD800, I tried the Anaxilus arts and crafts store materials mod and the so-called French mod (aka Dupont Resonator). After a lot of listening and comparison to another pair of unmodified HD800 with close to the same serial number I did not like what either of these mods did to the overall sound of the HD800. I considered both mods to be a decrement.

The SAA mod did just what I hoped to my HD800 (ameliorated the harshness without diminishing the spectacular headstage) and it only took SAA a couple of days to do the mod and ship the HD800 back out to me.

 

[devilboy]

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a Susvara from Stefan AudioArt. Via email, James told me that he is waiting on shipment and it would be shipped to my home. I sent an email asking status of the order and received no reply. I just called the phone number listed on the website and an automated answering machine came on.

I'm a little nervous because I did not pay full price and got a good deal on a new Susvara. It almost seemed too good to be true. I don't think I'm overreacting when I'm hoping this business is legitimate considering this is a $6,000 headphone.
I mean no ill towards the company in any way. I'm just a little concerned because I have been burned in the past and this was a significant amount of money to send. I have no past business with the company so I'm just trying to reach out and see if I'm good.

 

[project86]

Yuck, hope it turns out well for you. Best case scenario, it was just a lapse in communication, and the headphones do arrive to you. Worst case, they scam you and go silent.

How did you pay? Credit cards should offer protection, as should paypal unless you used the friends/family option (which would have been a really bad idea in this scenario). So hopefully if things go south you can be made whole regardless.

 

[skyhighct]

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a Susvara from Stefan AudioArt. Via email, James told me that he is waiting on shipment and it would be shipped to my home. I sent an email asking status of the order and received no reply. I just called the phone number listed on the website and an automated answering machine came on.

I'm a little nervous because I did not pay full price and got a good deal on a new Susvara. It almost seemed too good to be true. I don't think I'm overreacting when I'm hoping this business is legitimate considering this is a $6,000 headphone.
I mean no ill towards the company in any way. I'm just a little concerned because I have been burned in the past and this was a significant amount of money to send. I have no past business with the company so I'm just trying to reach out and see if I'm good.

I just received my Susvara from Stefan AudioArt. Very smooth communication (James). Susvara arrived sealed as promised. Ordered & paid 2/17, received 2/24. Great pricing too.

 

[devilboy]

I just received my Susvara from Stefan AudioArt. Very smooth communication (James). Susvara arrived sealed as promised. Ordered & paid 2/17, received 2/24. Great pricing too.

That's great. Congratulations.
I waited about 4 weeks and mine arrived with a non-functioning left channel.
During those four weeks I emailed James three times and received no reply.