[elrod-tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have to say that I don't agree with the "Only SP owners should comment" idea. I think that, if only SP owners were commenting, they would still be telling each other "It's all right, things will get better" because 90% of them haven't had any problems. I think the gradual movement towards "Maybe I should be doing something about this" was directly due to the non-SP owners screaming "What the %$^* are you guys thinking, you can't let him treat you like this!".

I don't disagree with this ENTIRELY, but I do believe that much of the movement by folks was because once Neil opened this thread, many others began to share their stories, and the scope of the problem became apparent.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying that there should be NO commentary from non-SinglePower customers. I'm just saying that, for the thread to be meaningful, there should be much more commentary from SinglePower customers than not. That commentary could be good, bad, or indifferent...but it's a lot more meaningful to hear that from someone with actual experience with the company in question.

Sometimes folks will pile on with the intent to stir it up. That's OK to an extent. When it becomes a bunch of non-customers bitching about a vendor, well, how much value is there in THAT?

That's what I meant to say.

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by elrod-tom /img/forum/go_quote.gif When it becomes a bunch of non-customers bitching about a vendor, well, how much value is there in THAT?

It has about as much value as someone who read about a jury trial in the paper commenting on whether the jury got the verdict right.

 

[Happy Camper]

How we are handling this as an open community says a lot about it's citizens. Having rock throwers stirring a delicate issue amongst ourselves don't show well. I believe the spirit of this post was needed and should be a tool to correct a problem in our community.

For those who have an axe to grind, flameboy of a rival amp team, think it obscene to spend the kind of money they cost, whatever the reason, to take the opportunity to kick both the vendor and the customers as stupid, foolish, lying, etc.... shows the only intent is to cause trouble.

Don't turn this into a VD thread. It's purpose is for the help of our members.

 

[immtbiker]

As stated, if 60% of his business is now from China, then there are two new options.
Stop making amps for China, and make amends to the people that were wronged here, and since there is still cash flow, then refund those who were damaged here and be done with it.
Maybe someone on here who is also on the Chinese forums, needs to alert new potential buyers over there, to what is going on over here. Pictures included.

I'm aghast at this cocky statement!

An educated consumer, is not his best customer (amended from a Sy Syms commercial).

 

[terriblepaulz]

I have been following this thread with some interest, but I have no "skin in the Game" (I am not a SP owner). I have been pretty impressed with how the community responded. Some customers were defrauded, and that information was reported to the community most in need of it. There seems to be a case that this information should have been brought to the attention of the community sooner but hindsight is 20/20.

The $64K question is whether any information was actively suppressed. There does not seem to be any evidence of this. A single SP owner failing to start a nuclear-bomb thread like this is understandable, esp. given that ridiculously long wait-times were the norm with SP (and are not unheard of in this community), and the legitimate fear that beefing Mikhail would move you to the "back of the line". I try to put myself in that head-fi'ers shoes, and any sense of a duty to the larger headphone community would be lost among my concern over a five-figure purchase.

 

[riceboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have to say that I don't agree with the "Only SP owners should comment" idea. I think that, if only SP owners were commenting, they would still be telling each other "It's all right, things will get better" because 90% of them haven't had any problems. I think the gradual movement towards "Maybe I should be doing something about this" was directly due to the non-SP owners screaming "What the %$^* are you guys thinking, you can't let him treat you like this!"

Earwicker7 are you saying that the comments from non-SP owners have helped these codependent SP owners (what it sounds like you are calling them) stand up and rise against being treated so poorly by Mikhail and SP?

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif they would still be telling each other "It's all right, things will get better" because 90% of them haven't had any problems.

So what you are saying here that they would support and enable each other codependence with SP?

Is that your reasoning why non SP owners should be commenting?

 

[olblueyez]

If Singlepower owners spent less time moaning about non Singlepower owners posting then you guys would get what you want. When you make "Who posts here" the topic of discussion then expect people take offence. Since this is a public forum, just look the other way, pretend like people who don't own SP amps don't exist and I'm positive you will like the results. Ignoring people is always the best way to shut them up.

 

[4N6]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif Ignoring people is always the best way to shut them up.

I may use this quote as my signature!

 

[MikeLa]

I ordered my amp Feb 2007 and received my first "it will be shipped next week" in April 2007. It started as an upgrade to my Supra, but I requested a loaner amp and for whatever reason Mikhail wasn't able to send me the loaner. So he decided to build a new amp and we agreed I would send him my Supra when I received the new amp. In April 2007 I paid Mikhail in full for the amp and in Aug 2007 I paid in full for his Qualia replacement headband.

I purchased my Supra in Feb 2006 and was never happy with the treble frequencies. The issue - for me - became more pronounced when I started using a new pair of Qualia's. The pre-amp channel became flacky a few months after I received it, and eventually stopped working. Then, Aug 08 the headphone left channel went dead, leaving the Supra unusable.

I've lost count of promised shipped dates and he has declined my most recent requests to refund my payment, stating in one of his rare email responses

"... We normally do not offer refunds on any of our amplifiers due to the custom nature of the products we produce...."

Just thought I would share.

 

[mbd2884]

Quote:

Originally Posted by olblueyez /img/forum/go_quote.gif If Singlepower owners spent less time moaning about non Singlepower owners posting then you guys would get what you want. When you make "Who posts here" the topic of discussion then expect people take offence. Since this is a public forum, just look the other way, pretend like people who don't own SP amps don't exist and I'm positive you will like the results. Ignoring people is always the best way to shut them up.

Well said and completely agree, even if I am the culprit for others. The ignore feature on this forum is a great thing. And doesn't bother me one bit if someone puts me on their ignore list either.

Thanks for sharing MikeLa, sorry to hear the Supra just crapped out and died within only two years.

 

[Icarium]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeLa /img/forum/go_quote.gif I ordered my amp Feb 2007 and received my first "it will be shipped next week" in April 2007. It started as an upgrade to my Supra, but I requested a loaner amp and for whatever reason Mikhail wasn't able to send me the loaner. So he decided to build a new amp and we agreed I would send him my Supra when I received the new amp. In April 2007 I paid Mikhail in full for the amp and in Aug 2007 I paid in full for his Qualia replacement headband. I purchased my Supra in Feb 2006 and was never happy with the treble frequencies. The issue - for me - became more pronounced when I started using a new pair of Qualia's. The pre-amp channel became flacky a few months after I received it, and eventually stopped working. Then, Aug 08 the headphone left channel went dead, leaving the Supra unusable. I've lost count of promised shipped dates and he has declined my most recent requests to refund my payment, stating in one of his rare email responses "... We normally do not offer refunds on any of our amplifiers due to the custom nature of the products we produce...." Just thought I would share.

Classic Mikhail. I wonder how his many Chinese customers deal with the shipping back and forth and the lying/delays in conjunction with the language barrier. Maybe they get the solid stuff. If they exist. I know that Yucheng fellow just received a sds-xlr... perhaps it's been rock solid.

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbd2884 /img/forum/go_quote.gif The ignore feature on this forum is a great thing. And doesn't bother me one bit if someone puts me on their ignore list either.

But it doesn't solve the problem that some people may be misled by comments that are inaccurate or ignorant, or portray a false picture of what has occurred. And some here may feel an obligation to others who read this forum to do what they can to make sure the thread is balanced, and that the truth is told, whatever it might be.

I mean, it seems a bit hypocritical to take Mikhail and/others to task for every act of misfeasance or malfeasance, and then to say, "well if I say something that is completely false or misleading about him or others, just put me on the ignore list."

I would think our goal should be to tell the truth about what Mikhail did or didn't do, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

 

[earwicker7]

Quote:

Originally Posted by riceboy /img/forum/go_quote.gif Earwicker7 are you saying that the comments from non-SP owners have helped these codependent SP owners (what it sounds like you are calling them) stand up and rise against being treated so poorly by Mikhail and SP? So what you are saying here that they would support and enable each other codependence with SP? Is that your reasoning why non SP owners should be commenting?

I would have said it in a more subtle manner, but yeah, that's basically my point. You don't have to go more than a few pages in to see it... the fear that publicly denouncing SP will lead to longer wait times, the fear of amps losing their resale value, the fear that your actions might have consequences that hurt Mikhail ("No one wants him to go out of business"), and especially the idea that "He'll change this time!" is textbook codependence.

In a normal setting, codependence is not brought up by family members, it is brought up by outsiders (psychologists, social workers, friends, etc.).

Obviously, not all SP owners behave like this, but it certainly isn't rare.

 

[PhilS]

Quote:

Originally Posted by earwicker7 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I would have said it in a more subtle manner, but yeah, that's basically my point. You don't have to go more than a few pages in to see it... the fear that publicly denouncing SP will lead to longer wait times, the fear of amps losing their resale value, the fear that your actions might have consequences that hurt Mikhail ("No one wants him to go out of business"), and especially the idea that "He'll change this time!" is textbook codependence. In a normal setting, codependence is not brought up by family members, it is brought up by outsiders (psychologists, social workers, friends, etc.). Obviously, not all SP owners behave like this, but it certainly isn't rare.

Oh give me an effin' break!!!!!

That's about the most ridiculous, or funniest (I'm not sure which, or maybe it's both) thing that I may have ever heard on this forum -- and it has a lot of competition. And I say that with all due respect and not to antagonize anyone. But please.

P.S. I thought riceboy was being facetious.

 

[Wodgy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilS /img/forum/go_quote.gif Oh give me an effin' break!!!!! That's about the most ridiculous, or funniest (I'm not sure which, or maybe it's both) thing that I may have ever heard on this forum -- and it has a lot of competition. And I say that with all due respect and not to antagonize anyone. But please. P.S. I thought riceboy was being facetious.

It's not codependence, but there is a psychological phenomenon at work. People who've forked over several thousand dollars to Mikhail find it difficult to accept that they've given their hard earned money over to the type of individual he is... an unethical businessman and sometimes fraudster. They literally just can't accept it. It's exactly the same reason why nearly all the people who bought the "RealityCheck" CD duplicator never gave up insisting that it really did what its manufacturer had said (patented special algorithms, etc.), even when the devices were proven to be unmodified, relabelled commercial CD duplicators.

Face it, for the most part the only people who are defending Mikhail are those who've given him money in the past.

I do feel sorry for his Asian "customers". It's a huge market of easy "marks" for Mikhail... people who will likely blame themselves for somehow miscommunicating (and who don't have easy access to the US justice system if/when they do realize they've been taken for a long ride). Until Mikhail is brought to justice or put out of business, he'll just keep on feeding off of his prey.