[rattlingblanketwoman]

Hello Bret Halford.

Thank you for the reply and feedback.

First, we would like to apologise if the whole resolution process is taking a much longer time than you expected. As we are not based in the same country, there is a time zone difference. Thank you for your understanding.

When you first sent us an e-mail yesterday, we could not open the video link and immediately requested for an approval on various platforms (e-mail, Head-Fi and Discord). Hours later, we received your e-mail again with the public link.

While we understand the inconveniences in taking a video to demonstrate the problem faced, we needed it to see if we could help address the problem online first.

We are not trying to defend ourselves, shying away from your problem. It is true that the Prestige units were measured and inspected beforehand. The FR graph was also attached in the e-mail to let you know that the earphones were functioning well before packaging and shipment. And as stated in the e-mail, we do take our Quality Control process very seriously and should something have happened despite the thorough process, we will definitely look into it.

Having watched the video, we still do not know the root cause of the issue. Therefore, we stated that a pre-paid DHL Express Shipping Label and RMA Form would be sent to you later today to retrieve the earphones back for inspection. If the earphones are found to have manufacturing issues, we will definitely do an exchange. Our team needed some time to generate the Shipping Label and RMA details, which is why we did not send it to you yesterday. Thank you for your understanding.

We would like to keep everything transparent, which is why the e-mail conversations have been attached below. However, your real name has been covered.

We will continue to do a follow-up of the issue via e-mail.

Thank you very much.

With Kind Regards,
Linsoul Team

I can't believe you're actually sharing a customer's emails publicly. Perhaps in a case where you are disproving libel or revealing inappropriate behavior, but this is literally ordinary support correspondence (showing great patience on the customer's side) that they sent to you with no expectation of having it broadcast.

Hard to stomach the "our QC is so perfect that we are no longer accountable for our product" stance either.

I've been a bit wary since at least 4 reviewers have very different graphs for their OG Oracle (any explanation for that?), but this is a strong blow against considering any expensive purchse of a new product from you.

 

[Dèng]

Hello everyone.

Thank you all for your feedback. We have noted everything and we will aim to do better.

With regards to Bret's case, we will continue to do a follow-up via e-mail.

Thank you very much.

With Kind Regards,
Linsoul Team

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

Hi Deng,

I must have missed the apology for shipping in this unacceptable product state, I'll reread your post and check... hmmm nope nothing. I do appreciate the tip, I'm actually familiar already with the Linsoul support process, as the one other product I ordered directly from you folks was also defective. I had hoped that was isolated to your accessories, but shipping an IEM DOA like this is just really bad QA.

I've already sent the email to your support including a link to the video clearly showing the issue that somehow was missed during your measurement and inspection. It wasn't a fun experience last night having to do an amateur video production (try swapping 2 pin connectors while filming with your cell phone in 1 hand!) when I was hoping to finally enjoy the $1300 USD IEM I bought from you.

I know the bulk of your experience is in more budget IEMs, but at the >$1K price point, product support expectations are thankfully much higher than this elsewhere in the industry. Your 'guilty until proven innocent' approach puts the onus of documenting your product failure entirely on your customers and it's most unwelcome as part of your product experience.

I hate having to jump through hoops to get service. List of songs come on Linsoul that's weak! People who are buying this IEM know what they are doing. Bad service I just bought 2 IEM from them and hope I never have a issue. Time to look elsewhere if I see kind of poor service from Linsoul.

 

[enz0pt]

This makes me feel kind skeptical, I just contacted now the support at linsoul, about loose drivers in the earcup.
Would like to know, what is checked to certify the product before shipping.
This was with the xenns mangird tea 2

 

[RIGATIO]

Hello everyone.

Thank you all for your feedback. We have noted everything and we will aim to do better.

With regards to Bret's case, we will continue to do a follow-up via e-mail.

Thank you very much.

With Kind Regards,
Linsoul Team

We all hope so. If you improve your customer service and make life easier for us, you will rock.

 

[jp11801]

Hello everyone.

Thank you all for your feedback. We have noted everything and we will aim to do better.

With regards to Bret's case, we will continue to do a follow-up via e-mail.

Thank you very much.

With Kind Regards,
Linsoul Team

Is there a reason you don't just ship a new unit to customers with defects and include a prepaid return slip.

 

[aaf evo]

Is there a reason you don't just ship a new unit to customers with defects and include a prepaid return slip.

This is what I don’t get. Who cares about how the IEM measured beforehand? The man clearly proved it’s broken right now, take care of it and stop sending graphs like it matters. No one is doubting it once worked, the issue is that it no longer does. Pretty ridiculous imo. Never seen anything like this from a CS perspective.

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

Is there a reason you don't just ship a new unit to customers with defects and include a prepaid return slip.

This would be what I believe the community would expect for proper service. Send a replacement IEM asap.

Linsoul are you really listening?

OpenHeart did that for me on a $15 IEM.

 

[thescientist]

Hello everyone.

Thank you all for your feedback. We have noted everything and we will aim to do better.

With regards to Bret's case, we will continue to do a follow-up via e-mail.

Thank you very much.

With Kind Regards,
Linsoul Team

If Linsoul wants to be better then this "we checked it once so any defects must be the customer's fault" attitude from the support needs to stop. There's so many reports of products arriving DOA from Linsoul that it's fairly obvious that items do arrive with defects. There's nothing wrong with product defects. Heck, I'd say that it's to be expected given the breadth of Linsoul's inventory and how far afield they ship. But the experience for the customer needs to be better when products arrive defective. The interaction with Bret isn't even the worst I've seen. I have a friend who showed me some emails between himself and Linsoul support where the Linsoul staff were downright accusatory.

While we're at it, maybe also get rid of the weird disclaimer about faceplates for some IEMs (e.g. the Prestige)? This makes it like Linsoul is giving themselves carte blanche to sell IEMs with cosmetic defects at full price. If communicating the variability is important to you guys then you should show a range of examples on the product page (e.g. as Dunu does for the SA6).

 

[nioh]

Wow so much drama for a brand new product that is defective rather than provide a replacement/refund as everyone else does. Posting customer emails in public, arguing about the authenticity of the defect given it’s a brand new product and an expensive one. I’m guessing warranty support is non-existent !

Earlier today I tried to order Prestige from Linsoul but Apple Pay did not go through (twice) due to an error in the transaction which looked like I was charged 4 times as I see 4 times declined in my transaction list.

Now I know I’ll never order anything expensive from here. I’d rather wait for our local reseller (NT Global) or better just stick to known brands even though they cost twice or thrice more.

 

[RIGATIO]

Linsoul step up or get the f**ck out. You need to provide a proper service to your products. There is no excuse.

 

[jsmiller58]

Linsoul step up or get the f**ck out. You need to provide a proper service to your products. There is no excuse.

That's a bit harsh, don't you think? In the end, the seller has their policies and as long as they comply with regulations they have their right to them. We, as consumers, have agency in that we can choose to buy from them or not...

Head-fi is full of threads that call out the challenges of buying from overseas / non-domestic sellers, from bogus tracking numbers to interminable delays to difficult warranty claims or to painful returns. None of this is new. We buy from them because the price is right or there simply is no other source for the products. But we don't have to, we could simply pass.

I have a lot of sympathy for consumers who have been burned. I just think some of the comments have gone over the top.

 

[ToneDeafMonk]

That's a bit harsh, don't you think? In the end, the seller has their policies and as long as they comply with regulations they have their right to them. We, as consumers, have agency in that we can choose to buy from them or not...

Head-fi is full of threads that call out the challenges of buying from overseas / non-domestic sellers, from bogus tracking numbers to interminable delays to difficult warranty claims or to painful returns. None of this is new. We buy from them because the price is right or there simply is no other source for the products. But we don't have to, we cold simply pass.

I have a lot of sympathy for consumers who have been burned. I just think some of the comments have gone over the top.

Agree 100% that last one was too harsh. Alot of ChiFi are much worse and QC is not solely one Company at fault. Linsoul has atleast tried to be engaging and responsive and have publicly noted to try and be better.

I think Linsoul and the reps deserve some credit and we as humans only learn from our mistakes not our wins generally.

 

[mykupyku]

it's not just about QC, everything can break down, but it's about after-sales service - I've heard and seen too many stories about the warranty in Linsoul - the pattern repeats itself and is simple: let's do everything in our store to make the customer not want the warranty - examples? the dynamics fell, then let the customer prove that it does not work, let him send measurements. the whole handset does not work - the client must have dropped it, or he was listening in mono, or the cable is bad, because it is impossible that it does not work, because it works on our measurements. you want a guarantee - send your measurements, your video and your passport and dozens of e-mails ... and if you don't publicize the case, then wait, stupid customer.

the warranty at Linsoul is on paper and in practice you never know. this is not a coincidence, this is the company's policy, and promises that it will be better also remain on paper.

of course we have a choice and it's very simple: no more Linsoul

 

[nioh]

it's not just about QC, everything can break down, but it's about after-sales service - I've heard and seen too many stories about the warranty in Linsoul - the pattern repeats itself and is simple: let's do everything in our store to make the customer not want the warranty - examples? the dynamics fell, then let the customer prove that it does not work, let him send measurements. the whole handset does not work - the client must have dropped it, or he was listening in mono, or the cable is bad, because it is impossible that it does not work, because it works on our measurements. you want a guarantee - send your measurements, your video and your passport and dozens of e-mails ... and if you don't publicize the case, then wait, stupid customer.

the warranty at Linsoul is on paper and in practice you never know. this is not a coincidence, this is the company's policy, and promises that it will be better also remain on paper.

of course we have a choice and it's very simple: no more Linsoul

This is what I was also talking about. Asking to send video proof of a defect is one thing while saying that ”we have a frequency graph for that serial number and it was fine before we shipped it” is another whole level which is just unacceptable.

Try to put yourself in the shoes of the consumer who paid $1300 + import taxes etc. and imagine the horror he has to go through to get the defective product replaced. Surely an experience like this puts people off from buying from such retailers or brands even. I would think 10 times now before buying a ThieAudio product or anything expensive from foreign sites no matter what the reviews say.