How unreliable is audio desk RCM ?

[audioblazer]

Bought the Audio Desk RCM despite having 2 other RCM , namely , Loricraft PRC4 & VPI 17f. It's so convenient that I cleaned every single LP I bought unlike previously. Unfortunately not very reliable . Within 1 month , it's spoiled & I need to send it back to Germany for repair . Took a long while to get it back , something like 2months. Recently after cleaning 3 LPs, I smelled smoke coming out for the machine & promptly informed my dealer about it who suggested I write in to Audio desk . After repeated attempts over 2 months + , all I get is silence . Meanwhile my dealer has been trying to get in touch with audio desk & received the same treatment .
Was wondering what happen & I decided to test the availability of Reiner , the owner of Audio desk by requesting to purchase 10 units of Audio desk . Guess what ? I received immediate response within 24 hours . Holy **** , what a shitty fellow. Anybody has problem getting their RCM service ? Pls advise . Somebody in Germany told me to take it to the tallest floor in my office & take aim & throw it into a dustbin!!!

 

[spiritofmusic]

Gosh, strong words. But I know how you must be feeling. There seem to be a whole string of sorry stories w/this unit. My advice - stick w/the Loricraft. 5 yrs in and no issues in my household.

 

[Elberoth]

It seems the only way to go is to buy one directly from Audio Desk, hire three students to work 24/7 to clean all your records, and returned the unit under the EU law before the 14 days period runs out.

Maybe not the most elegant solution, but if the product and company is shitty ...

 

[audioblazer]

Spirit, it's a big hassle to use Loricraft or the VPI . Looking to buy KL audio RCM . Hope it's not as unreliable .

 

[rockitman]

My ADS went back to Germany twice...once for the rollers not retracting from the record after cleaning, before the dry cycle and the last time for failed ultrasonic motors. It is still sealed in the box from the last repair. In the meantime while being serviced the last time I bought the KL Audio machine. It has performed flawlessly over the past 2 years. I cannot recommend the ADS system anymore. I may sell my current repaired ADS for a steal or hold onto for back up...cant decide.

 

[garylkoh]

Disclaimer: Peter Cheon, the manufacturer/designer of the KL Audio RCM is a friend of mine and I am also a manufacturer/designer.

I got a very early version of the KL Audio at a manufacturer's accommodation price about 18 months ago. After about 3 months, he had an improved design so he swapped the original one for a brand new one. 6 months after this, he had another useful upgrade and he swapped it again. So, I've had the current one for about 9 months. Absolutely no problems with the last two units. The first one had an under-specified part that overheated and shut down - but that was the first version, and he has swapped them out in the field.

I recommended the unit to many of my friends and I know of only one unlucky guy with problems. But, he bought it from a dealer, and it was fixed within a couple of weeks with free return shipping.

The local audio club has a unit that travels around the members - no reliability issues with that one either.

 

[garylkoh]

Oops.... it's 2015 - it's been over 3 years. Not 18 months. I just can't remember not having the KL Audio.

 

[audioblazer]

No matter how good is the product , if the service is shitty , it will be irrelevant sooner or later

 

[kleinbje]

I've cleaned over 600 records on my Audiodeske with most going for 3-5 "beep" cleaning cycles, with no issues other than a runny label on my Stairway Test Pressing, too much dead wax I guess. I feel it easily added a full grade to 80% of my records, conservative. So at 6-10$ a record I'll take it. Probably closer to 10 with water, lips, rollers, and solution.

 

[asiufy]

For the record, my old machine never had an issue, bought 2 years ago. I sold it to a friend, who has been using it since, again, without any problems.

 

[MadFloyd]

I think I am on my 4th or 5th unit.

I was one of the early adopters. I've been lucky in that the dealer who sold it to me replaced the unit each time. I've had drying fans fail, teh rollers refusing to disengage after cleaning, ultra-sonic failures (that I didn't even notice - Rockitman, what are the symptoms for that?) and a couple other things I can't recall.

The latest unit I've had for well over a year and cleaned a bazillion records. The only symptom is that sometimes one side of rollers doesn't engage with the LP and I have to give it a slight tap of encouragement...

 

[rockitman]

What are we to expect with ADS over the long term ? Plastic gear cogs, droplets on records after drying ? The guy is making out like a bandit. I have waited 2-3 mos for service in Germany. Quality control and or design is a brutal assault on what German tech and production usually provides for most products. Never once have I had to blot water droplets off the record with a KL..dry and static free.

 

[Frank750]

What are we to expect with ADS over the long term ? Plastic gear cogs, droplets on records after drying ? The guy is making out like a bandit. I have waited 2-3 mos for service in Germany. Quality control and or design is a brutal assault on what German tech and production usually provides for most products. Never once have I had to blot water droplets off the record with a KL..dry and static free.

I can beat that! My Audio Desk was sent back in August 2014 and I've yet to get it back. They are not even responding to my dealer. Anyone would be a fool to buy an Audio Desk. Bad quality, bad service, no communication.

 

[VT Skier]

I've had my AD for two years, purchased from Ethan at The Cable Co, which was the U.S. distributor at the time. And may be still.

Mine has been back to Ethan three times for service, and he's been great -- very patient and very helpful. It works well now, although records still come out with spots, so I just blot them dry.

If you're looking for perfection, this may not be the optimal choice, although I understand some owners have never had a problem. I wish I hadn't had to spend an extra $200 in return shipping charges to get the machine working properly, and it would be nice if every LP came out dry, but I'm fairly happy with mine. Of course I've never had another to compare it to.

 

[MadFloyd]

I've had my AD for two years, purchased from Ethan at The Cable Co, which was the U.S. distributor at the time. And may be still.

Mine has been back to Ethan three times for service, and he's been great -- very patient and very helpful. It works well now, although records still come out with spots, so I just blot them dry.

If you're looking for perfection, this may not be the optimal choice, although I understand some owners have never had a problem. I wish I hadn't had to spend an extra $200 in return shipping charges to get the machine working properly, and it would be nice if every LP came out dry, but I'm fairly happy with mine. Of course I've never had another to compare it to.

That's pretty much my situation - I also purchased from The Cable Co who have been great. I do have to blot the odd LP here and there (especially thinner ones).

 

[Loop4fun]

I purchased mine form The Cable Company two and a half years ago and never had an issue. I've replaced the rollers a couple of times and the blades once. I love the AD, but don't know which direction I will go if it needs repair, KLAudio or another AD. and keep the repaired unit as a spare.

 

[astrotoy]

My AD failed (motor burned out - smoke) about 3 months ago after cleaning about 6000 records over the past 3 years. It was out of warranty, but they provided a brand new replacement unit for about 1/3rd the retail cost. That unit has been working fine and has cleaned around 750 records so far. (I reclean all my records for my ripping project. Usually in batches of 25-40 in one day. Then I don't clean any for 2-4 days, since I average about 8-10 records ripped per day.) My dealer, Mr. Marutani, worked directly with the US distributor.

Larry

 

[audioblazer]

Product do fail occasion. The issue is , how prompt is the service . My issue is that ADS owner, Reiner responded to purchase enquiry but not service enquiry

I think I am on my 4th or 5th unit.

I was one of the early adopters. I've been lucky in that the dealer who sold it to me replaced the unit each time. I've had drying fans fail, teh rollers refusing to disengage after cleaning, ultra-sonic failures (that I didn't even notice - Rockitman, what are the symptoms for that?) and a couple other things I can't recall.

The latest unit I've had for well over a year and cleaned a bazillion records. The only symptom is that sometimes one side of rollers doesn't engage with the LP and I have to give it a slight tap of encouragement...

 

[astrotoy]

Product do fail occasion. The issue is , how prompt is the service . My issue is that ADS owner, Reiner responded to purchase enquiry but not service enquiry

+1

Larry

 

[cuntigh]

Here in Europe AD is far less expansive than KL so I hesitated a long time before choosing KL... Can't be more happy. KL is really great. I still have my Keith Monks and used it with enzyme cleaning AIVS. So I thought I knew what a clean record looked like...I realize what really is a clean record when I saw it after a 5 min in the KL.
I'll keep both machines and use the Monks as a pre clean because there is no filter in the KL and want to keep it as clean as possible. Yes I know...it seems Silly but they work differently.