Spectral PR is AWFUL. Service Dept totally unhelpful.

dgw

Well-Known Member
Sep 10, 2014
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236
England UK.
I live in England UK. An Audiophile for many years, I have always admired SPECTRAL product. Now a chance has come up to buy a legacy Pre and Power Amp here. There is no Spectral Distributor or Dealer in the UK. They left this market some years ago. Both the dealer who is selling the preamp and the power amp, and I, have phoned Mark in the Spectral Service Dept to try and get the year of manufacture from the two serial numbers. You would think that was quite an easy thing to do. He refuses. He says it can only be done through a "dealer network". I explained there is NO dealer network so I am phoning instead of the non existent Spectral dealer. Can somebody else in the company give me the information? No he says, nobody can help me. HOW DISAPPOINTING. HOW ABSOLUTELY CRASS. HOW INCREDIBLY UNHELPFUL.
 

scouter

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Oct 30, 2012
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Sorry to hear! Spectral is a bit of an anomaly in its sales and support, but there is no denying they make a great product. Having owned Levinson, ARC, Melos, Classe, and PS Audio, I can attest to Spectral's great service here in the US. Unfortunately it sounds like a cavalier attitude does exist overseas. What is the product you are looking at?
 

es347

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Apr 20, 2010
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Good to hear. Another high end dipstick mfr I can cross off my list...
 

amirm

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Apr 2, 2010
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That's really strange. I can't imagine any reason they would behave that way. Let me see if my back channel works to get you the info...
 

dgw

Well-Known Member
Sep 10, 2014
36
0
236
England UK.
Sorry to hear! Spectral is a bit of an anomaly in its sales and support, but there is no denying they make a great product. Having owned Levinson, ARC, Melos, Classe, and PS Audio, I can attest to Spectral's great service here in the US. Unfortunately it sounds like a cavalier attitude does exist overseas. What is the product you are looking at?

It seems if they don't have a distributor and dealer network in a country, then that's it, end of story, they will not even speak to the end users who have their product. In 40 years of international business, I have never come across such an attitude. The USA manufacturers are always very helpful !

The items are :

DMA 150 Mark ii
DMC 30 S
 

dgw

Well-Known Member
Sep 10, 2014
36
0
236
England UK.
Yes, I found it unbelievable. I kept saying, " How can I get the information ?"
and he just kept on with " You have to go through a dealer network."
" But there is NO dealer network in the UK, that is why I am phoning you - instead of the dealer. "
"Sorry, I cannot help you. "

Items are
DMA 150 Mark ii serial number 1500450
DMC 30 S serial number 30386

It would be miraculous if you could get the year of manufacture !
I am going to write stiff letter to Keith Johnson - I have been collecting his RR LPs since the early 1980s and then his cds. Still have them, still play them. Have always considered Spectral at the top of my wish list.

Thank you very much !
 

audio.bill

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2013
547
79
340
Chicago suburbs
Items are
DMA 150 Mark ii serial number 1500450
DMC 30 S serial number 30386

It would be miraculous if you could get the year of manufacture !
I can't determine the exact year of manufacture from specific serial numbers, but according to an equipment guide the amp was from 2000 and the preamp from 2002. These may be the year each model was introduced and they could have been made for some additional time. I can't perform miracles but I hope this helps at least a little! :D
 

ack

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May 6, 2010
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You should direct the letter at Rick Fryer and refer to this thread. Your bigger problem is going to be getting them serviced. And if you contact the Dutch dealer you may have a chance at both.
 
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XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Sydney
What a complete joke Spectral is.

Forget the amps and look for something else. If anything went wrong with the Spectral amps, imagine the help you would get - NONE

The good thing is there is many great sounding amps to buy.
 

asindc

Well-Known Member
Sep 27, 2012
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Well, this certainly makes me less inclined to give Spectral my business, and I live in the U.S.
 

joeinid

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2011
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NY
+1 on both posts. ANY problem and it looks like you are on your own. Not a good place to be in, especially considering the high tech nature of their gear.


What a complete joke Spectral is.

Forget the amps and look for something else. If anything went wrong with the Spectral amps, imagine the help you would get - NONE

The good thing is there is many great sounding amps to buy.

Well, this certainly makes me less inclined to give Spectral my business, and I live in the U.S.
 

Elberoth

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Dec 15, 2012
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Now compare this to say darTZeel policy, where the gear is supported no matter where it was bought, how old is it and which ever owner you are. They will even give a full service history if you send them the serial #, not to mention manufacturing date.
 

joeinid

Well-Known Member
Mar 14, 2011
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Excellent point.

Herve has been great to me and my friends providing info and help.

Now compare this to say darTZeel policy, where the gear is supported no matter where it was bought, how old is it and which ever owner you are. They will even give a full service history if you send them the serial #, not to mention manufacturing date.
 

Peter Breuninger

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Jul 20, 2010
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Pass Labs is another company that would NEVER let this happen.
 

GuillaumeB

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Mar 10, 2014
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www.boyeraudio.com
I was actually interested in finding out more about Spectral. First of all their website is totally ancient! A throwback to the 1990s and almost the dawn of the internet.

Secondly as already mentioned on here there is no distributor in the UK! I made some enquiries and found out why... apparently historically dealers here had a nightmare getting hold of the stuff... and customers were often let down with delivery dates. In short the brand was just unpractical to work with and the distributor at the time just gave up. I don't have many more details than that.

On the flip side - yes very impressive equipment, so I'm told. That's why I wanted to hear it.

Guillaume
 

XV-1

Well-Known Member
May 24, 2010
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Now compare this to say darTZeel policy, where the gear is supported no matter where it was bought, how old is it and which ever owner you are. They will even give a full service history if you send them the serial #, not to mention manufacturing date.

conrad johnson is another example. they support every product they have ever made. They have sent me schematics and details for every product I have requested regardless if it was bought in country or out of country (used).

I have had equally great service from VPI, it just takes a bit longer to get a hold of them.
 

LL21

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Dec 26, 2010
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conrad johnson is another example. they support every product they have ever made. They have sent me schematics and details for every product I have requested regardless if it was bought in country or out of country (used)...

+1. I have owned CJ consecutively for just about 15 years now...4 pieces. All great and while I have fortunately never needed anything serviced, I have needed their help on schematics, voltage conversions, advice on potential problems (which turned out not to be the CJ)...and I have always gotten a same day answer, most typically when I called and spoke with Ed in Service (who I think has retired).
 

Mike Lavigne

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Apr 25, 2010
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Now compare this to say darTZeel policy, where the gear is supported no matter where it was bought, how old is it and which ever owner you are. They will even give a full service history if you send them the serial #, not to mention manufacturing date.

++++1.

Herve is the Man!
 

LL21

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2010
14,411
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Now compare this to say darTZeel policy, where the gear is supported no matter where it was bought, how old is it and which ever owner you are. They will even give a full service history if you send them the serial #, not to mention manufacturing date.

Gryphon fantastic in this regard...looked after me on 2nd hand pieces. Zanden as well.

Wilson distributor here also great on second hand...many of us have been well looked after.
 

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