[IEATTEFLON]

I noticed that a lot of makers have a generous return policy. With all the talk about amp burn-in what do they do with returned amps? Is it resold as new? Do they sell a B-stock with returns?

 

[Sovkiller]

Are you really interested in find out? Well that is a very good and reasonable question, well, an honest dealer should sell them as "demos" or "B stock" most of the times being honest mens to loose a considerable amount of money on them (talking for personal experience here, not sure about other manufacturers, dealers). That is why I'm really against those extensive tryout periods in which the amp sometimes even deteriorate due to missuse and improper care...

IMO a week is more than enough to make up your mind, in a few days, you will like or not the amp, and period. To buy an amp to compare it with 3 more, orderd the same way, and then return 3 of them, or the whole 4 is indeed really sad and a no no in my book, I'm completelly against of the abuse of the generosity of the return policies, any...

 

[edisonwu]

Is it possible they refurbish them?

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sovkiller /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are you really interested in find out? Well that is a very good and reasonable question, well, an honest dealer should sell them as "demos" or "B stock" most of the times being honest mens to loose a considerable amount of money on them (talking for personal experience here, not sure about other manufacturers, dealers). That is why I'm really against those extensive tryout periods in which the amp sometimes even deteriorate due to missuse and improper care... IMO a week is more than enough to make up your mind, in a few days, you will like or not the amp, and period. To buy an amp to compare it with 3 more, orderd the same way, and then return 3 of them, or the whole 4 is indeed really sad and a no no in my book, I'm completelly against of the abuse of the generosity of the return policies, any...

I have to agree. When I see someone ordering 3 amps so they can try them out against each other I think this is unfair to the seller but they do offer the trial period. I have returned a few items but that was because they truly failed to live up to the idea of how they should perform.

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by edisonwu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Is it possible they refurbish them?

Sure and then they should state "refurbished" and sell for 10 to 20 percent less than a new amp that is untouched by the hot sweaty hands of audiophiles. :^)

 

[WilCox]

I purchased a Lehmann Black Cube Linear amp a little over a year ago. Two of the screws holding the case on were missing and the volume knob was somewhat off-center, as if the unit had been dropped. After auditioning for a few minutes, I noticed a faint low-level hum.

I was certain that his amp had been returned as defective and was not "factory fresh". The dealer, one of the larger high-end LP/CD/accessory internet dealers (not a sponsor of Head-Fi) denied that this amp was a return, and was a bit angry that I even suggested such a thing. He did refund my purchase price, however.

I would still like to get a hold of a "new" Black Cube Linear since that amp showed much promise, but I am skeptical about buying anything from that same dealer.

 

[recephasan]

I suspect one of my $500+ headphones to be a returned product. I will not name the dealer, or even give you my telephone number for you to call and tell me I'm a sucker, but I kept the cans nevertheless. Listening to them as we speak.

 

[jamato8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by recephasan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I suspect one of my $500+ headphones to be a returned product. I will not name the dealer, or even give you my telephone number for you to call and tell me I'm a sucker, but I kept the cans nevertheless. Listening to them as we speak.

No telephone number? What about snapping an image so we can look at them?

 

[smeggy]

Given how much stuff gets returned, I'm always astonished how little b-stock/refurb is available. Look at any number of sites and you'd be hard pressed to find any mention of it. Just read Head-Fi for a couple of days and you see a number of posts mentioning items having been returned. Makes you wonder...

 

[Dept_of_Alchemy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by smeggy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Given how much stuff gets returned, I'm always astonished how little b-stock/refurb is available. Look at any number of sites and you'd be hard pressed to find any mention of it. Just read Head-Fi for a couple of days and you see a number of posts mentioning items having been returned. Makes you wonder...

Yeah, makes you think twice before buying the refurb units, too. If it's common practice to sell most returned products as new...

 

[markmaxx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dept_of_Alchemy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yeah, makes you think twice before buying the refurb units, too. If it's common practice to sell most returned products as new...

I hear you but I buy most of my gear used as I can't tell my used HD 650 from the brand new HD 600 as most of the guys here take great care of there gear and keep all the original boxes etc.

Amp wise things like SR-71 are going to last a long time and if it is not scratched you would never know it is used or not. So a returned in perfect shape product such as an amp would save me the burn in time.

 

[c0mfortably_numb]

Makes you wonder about burn in claims as well, is the amp a person is reviewing indeed a brand new 0 hour unit, or is it a like new unit that someone else tested for 200 hours, decided against it and returned it.

I understand that there is little profit on amplifiers, and advertising amps as refurbished or B grade stock would only make the profit go down even more, but it would be nice to know what your purchasing,

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by c0mfortably_numb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Makes you wonder about burn in claims as well, is the amp a person is reviewing indeed a brand new 0 hour unit, or is it a like new unit that someone else tested for 200 hours, decided against it and returned it. I understand that there is little profit on amplifiers, and advertising amps as refurbished or B grade stock would only make the profit go down even more, but it would be nice to know what your purchasing,

I have ever wonder if the burn in is retained by the amp once completed, I mean to what extend a burn in makes sense if you stock one amp after already burned in for six month in a shelf, does it will require a new burn in process after that, what is exactly developed during burn in, that stays or not in the amp???

 

[c0mfortably_numb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sovkiller /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have ever wonder if the burn in is retained by the amp once completed, I mean to what extend a burn in makes sense if you stock one amp after already burned in for six month in a shelf, does it will require a new burn in process after that, what is exactly developed during burn in, that stays or not in the amp???

Well IMO, once a amp is burned in, it's burned in, the only time there would be a burn in period again is if something in the amp was changed IE: caps, op-amp, etc..

 

[Sovkiller]

Quote:

Originally Posted by c0mfortably_numb /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well IMO, once a amp is burned in, it's burned in, the only time there would be a burn in period again is if something in the amp was changed IE: caps, op-amp, etc..

What exactly burn in does? I mean that many of us believe in it, but I wouldl ike a more scientific explanation, I have heard that the caps need time for fully charge, and settle the flow, specially big ones, but after being 6 month in the self not sure if the cap will still be charged and if still will retain the state they obtain during the burn in....and about the other parameters I'm not sure neither to what extend they really need time to settle, probably they will change overtime with the heat, flow of current etc...but that will haoppen everytime you use them, but not just for using them 200 hours and keeping them in e shelf after...any other ideas???