volume motor noise feedback in speaker

[AcuDefTechGuy]

What about those who haven't experienced this? Should they get a refund or the upgrade? You want to penalize (and possibly kill) them for the problems caused by a parts supplier?

What is your suggestion to this fiasco?

 

[slipperybidness]

What about those who haven't experienced this? Should they get a refund or the upgrade? You want to penalize (and possibly kill) them for the problems caused by a parts supplier?

What about those who haven't experienced this?

YET.

We've seen enough failures that these are NOT Random failures, but ARE Systematic failures. Random failures are difficult to correct, systematic failures can be corrected.

1 missing piece of info--What is the failure rate?

To me, this is starting to seem like the infamous Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death failure, but surely not on that grand of a scale.

 

[Dkudo]

I'm more concerned about people like myself, the consumer than parasound, they are a big company and have the ability to correct the issue without killing them. I know in my line of work I don't get a break or a pass for not doing my job correctly, I have to make it right. So they may be getting bad parts but then why keep selling defective units with bad parts? Who loses? Both parasound and the consumer. I should have been given a full refund without any hassle instead of a dealer credit for going 3 months without the system I just bought. Now I'm in way deeper dollar wise than I ever planned to be and have an amplifier that doesn't match my preamp like I wanted. I'll be selling the a21 and getting a mcintosh amp to match my pre, hopefully that doesn't break by the time I can sell it. I'm not knocking the a21 so far it's a great amp at a great price, I just want my gear to match.

It seemed like parasound and my dealer didn't believe me on how bad this thing sounded so when I brought it to the dealer to get my "store credit" I said hook it up and you will see for yourself I'm not joking how bad this thing is, he didn't and just said that it's odd.

I thought by buying at an actual store I can walk into I'd get better service than shopping online, wrong! I won't buy another component from any store ever again. Online with 30 day returns only from this point forward, unless I buy used.

 

[highfigh]

What about those who haven't experienced this?

YET.

We've seen enough failures that these are NOT Random failures, but ARE Systematic failures. Random failures are difficult to correct, systematic failures can be corrected.

1 missing piece of info--What is the failure rate?

To me, this is starting to seem like the infamous Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death failure, but surely not on that grand of a scale.

That was a total failure, this is a bit of noise. However, and I thought I had posted it before, I had the problem with my P5 and it never happened during times when the relative humidity was high, only starting once the heating season had begun. Once it occurred, I found that it stopped if I selected an unused input and rotated the volume control a few times, quickly. This leads me to believe it's not a shielding issue and it was common in the past, but I don't remember anyone wigging out in the same way, even when it happened on a higher end piece. At that time, people were a bit more willing to accept that nothing is perfect and now, people want perfection AND rock bottom prices.

I told them I would monitor the problem and if they would allow, I could replace the control, myself. They insisted that it be replaced.

I just sent an e-mail to Parasound regarding this thread and will report anything I learn (or maybe they'll respond).

 

[highfigh]

So they may be getting bad parts but then why keep selling defective units with bad parts?

They tested many units with the replacement part and wouldn't intentionally ship defective units- it would cost far too much, in many ways.

 

[Dkudo]

This is more than a bit of noise. Of the 3 p5's I had it wasn't just the static issue, when they "fixed" it it sounded worse than the one that made noise with the volume pot. If my playstation 1 had a volume control it would have sounded better than what I experienced with the 3rd p5 that was sent to me. It was really that bad. I for one don't expect perfection from anything in this world and given its price at 1k I never expected anything more than a unit that functioned properly and sounded decent. It did neither. So suggesting people want more than what they pay for is absolutely wrong. Like I said my 20 year old HK reciever sounded like an accuphase by comparison.

I'm sure parasound is already aware of this thread and the other one that's over 10 pages long. I don't know what the right answer is here I just know I feel like i got screwed. P5 aside I still have the a21 that doesn't match my system and I'm going to have to take a loss on that now if I want it to match. Yup parasound sells other pre amps I could have gone for that would match but after dealing with this for 3 months I'm all set.

 

[highfigh]

This is more than a bit of noise. Of the 3 p5's I had it wasn't just the static issue, when they "fixed" it it sounded worse than the one that made noise with the volume pot. If my playstation 1 had a volume control it would have sounded better than what I experienced with the 3rd p5 that was sent to me. It was really that bad. I for one don't expect perfection from anything in this world and given its price at 1k I never expected anything more than a unit that functioned properly and sounded decent. It did neither. So suggesting people want more than what they pay for is absolutely wrong. Like I said my 20 year old HK reciever sounded like an accuphase by comparison.

I'm sure parasound is already aware of this thread and the other one that's over 10 pages long. I don't know what the right answer is here I just know I feel like i got screwed. P5 aside I still have the a21 that doesn't match my system and I'm going to have to take a loss on that now if I want it to match. Yup parasound sells other pre amps I could have gone for that would match but after dealing with this for 3 months I'm all set.

Is it possible that the dealer attempted to repair the problem and made it worse?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'm more concerned about people like myself, the consumer than parasound...

I think most consumers would agree with you.

I don't think many consumers would have the same patience.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

This is more than a bit of noise. Of the 3 p5's I had it wasn't just the static issue, when they "fixed" it it sounded worse than the one that made noise with the volume pot. If my playstation 1 had a volume control it would have sounded better than what I experienced with the 3rd p5 that was sent to me. It was really that bad.

Just make sure you only listen to your Parasound Halo P5 when it's raining and the humidity is 100%.

 

[Dkudo]

I wouldn't say the dealer made it worse, but I expected a refund not a store credit. I don't like to be locked into something I shouldn't be and that's how the credit made me feel and why I won't buy from any store again unless it's cables or something small. Since the p5 didn't work out I put the credit to an amplifier that matches the new preamp I bought wich leaves me with an a21 I now have to sell and take a hit on that as well. I understand dealers don't want to lose a sale, I get that but it really doesn't help them in the long run. This is probably the reason why brick and mortar stores are failing and online is the way to go.

 

[Dkudo]

Just make sure you only listen to your Parasound Halo P5 when it's raining and the humidity is 100%.

Yes! I mean what do you expect, perfection? Hold on guys, i need to switch inputs and crank my volume back and forth 16 times, jest a sec it sounds really good, honest!

 

[Dkudo]

Is it possible that the dealer attempted to repair the problem and made it worse?

No it was sent directly to parasound.

 

[TLS Guy]

What about those who haven't experienced this? Should they get a refund or the upgrade? You want to penalize (and possibly kill) them for the problems caused by a parts supplier?

I'm not so sure this is a bad parts issue.

As I said before, I think there was very likely a poor design choice here. As this situation has evolved I think it may be worse, in that there is misapplication of a component.

This is one very good reason why actually it is a good idea for firms to have the circuits of their gear readily available on line. The risk of someone stealing it is way over blown.

In the Quad hey day, Peter Walker had full circuits in the instruction books. He was only too pleased to discuss better ideas with his customers or anyone else. He was also happy to see people mod his circuits and see what they did with them.

I think if Parasound had the policy Quad used to, there is a very good chance one of their customers would have solved this problem for them by now.

This thread contains an awful lot of the elements of what is really wrong today.

It is similar to what the great editor G.K. Chesterton used to "If an editor has a good letters to the editor policy, at least half his newspaper will get written for him."

 

[slipperybidness]

In the Quad hey day, Peter Walker had full circuits in the instruction books. He was only too pleased to discuss better ideas with his customers or anyone else. He was also happy to see people mod his circuits and see what they did with them.

Now, that is the spirit of innovation! Nothing to hide here, come take a look, and tell me what I did wrong and how to improve it!

It takes an incredibly confident person to take that attitude in their endeavors.

This is the very heart of open source projects and community involvement. This is absolutely the best way to get innovation. And, the $ will follow, there have been social experiments that prove this.

 

[highfigh]

I wouldn't say the dealer made it worse, but I expected a refund not a store credit. I don't like to be locked into something I shouldn't be and that's how the credit made me feel and why I won't buy from any store again unless it's cables or something small. Since the p5 didn't work out I put the credit to an amplifier that matches the new preamp I bought wich leaves me with an a21 I now have to sell and take a hit on that as well. I understand dealers don't want to lose a sale, I get that but it really doesn't help them in the long run. This is probably the reason why brick and mortar stores are failing and online is the way to go.

Brick and mortar are failing because online sellers don't have to sell anything, they just write up/count items purchased on their site. Some have a few people who actually know about the equipment they sell, but many don't. Many of the online sellers don't even stock equipment, so there's no investment in inventory, interest to pay, facilities to support ($$$$) and other than the equipment, their largest cost is shipping.

 

[Dkudo]

Brick and mortar are failing because online sellers don't have to sell anything, they just write up/count items purchased on their site. Some have a few people who actually know about the equipment they sell, but many don't. Many of the online sellers don't even stock equipment, so there's no investment in inventory, interest to pay, facilities to support ($$$$) and other than the equipment, their largest cost is shipping.

Very true.

Online you might pay a couple hundred extra but being able to return something your not happy with is worth it if you want to find what your looking for, to me atleast. Lesson learned.

I haven't really shopped for audio gear in along time, 20 years. Alot has changed. I can't find a dealer around here that even has a decent reference system hooked up, mostly boxes of mid-fi gear piled up. 20 years ago I saw systems in stores I could only dream about and I could listen to it and get to take it home for a couple days if the dealer felt it was in my price range.

Just want to add even though parasound has taken a beating in this thread I would still buy there products, just not the p5. The a21 is excellent and I can't think of another amp for the price I'd take over it. Parasound is a company that has MANY great products, exceptional customer service, and one product that's not living up to the name for some people. Overall I'd say that's pretty darn good.

 

[highfigh]

Very true.

Online you might pay a couple hundred extra but being able to return something your not happy with is worth it if you want to find what your looking for, to me atleast. Lesson learned.

I haven't really shopped for audio gear in along time, 20 years. Alot has changed. I can't find a dealer around here that even has a decent reference system hooked up, mostly boxes of mid-fi gear piled up. 20 years ago I saw systems in stores I could only dream about and I could listen to it and get to take it home for a couple days if the dealer felt it was in my price range.

Just want to add even though parasound has taken a beating in this thread I would still buy there products, just not the p5. The a21 is excellent and I can't think of another amp for the price I'd take over it. Parasound is a company that has MANY great products, exceptional customer service, and one product that's not living up to the name for some people. Overall I'd say that's pretty darn good.

Returned goods (for any reason) can't legally be sold as new, so the price is discounted- I don't know what online sellers do about this, but if they already discount more heavily, they lose less on a percentage basis than a dealer with a higher overhead and keeping several pieces of demo equipment ties up inventory dollars. A reference system is the same- it's used to sell other equipment, but it doesn't generate profit on those dollars until and unless it's sold and then, it's at a discount.

The internet changed everything in retail and not all of it is for the better. Can most people go to a store to actually take time to listen to equipment? Not usually. Why? Because, once dealers began to use discounted price as their method of taking sales away from their competition, the feeding frenzy was in full swing and 'profit' became a dirty word ("go ahead and make money, just not on what I buy"). The high end dealers didn't suffer this fate as soon or to the extent as the mass-marketed low and mid-fi but it's hardly the same business it was. If a dealer can't make enough to keep a store open and staffed by good employees, they either close or change their business model. The dealers who have survived either sell other things (furniture, appliances, etc) as well as AV, became Custom Integrators (with an office instead of a store, trucks, installers and some kind of design/sales staff) or closed. It costs a lot of money to have a store- I looked into buying the assets and business of a store that closed about 1-1/2 years ago but when I saw how much overhead would be required (almost $150K/year just to stay open with the same rent, payroll, utility costs, insurance, etc WITHOUT paying myself a single penny), I immediately stopped thinking it was a good idea.

 

[slipperybidness]

Brick and mortar are failing because online sellers don't have to sell anything, they just write up/count items purchased on their site. Some have a few people who actually know about the equipment they sell, but many don't. Many of the online sellers don't even stock equipment, so there's no investment in inventory, interest to pay, facilities to support ($$$$) and other than the equipment, their largest cost is shipping.

Agreed.

But, there is no guarantee that the B&M people know about the equipment that they sell either! Granted, that trend tends to be worse at the big box stores. Then, you have the boutique shops that may steer you towards the gear with the highest profit margins. B&M or online, you really should be an educated consumer.

My main rule is that if I audition at B&M, then I buy from B&M even if the cost is higher. If I don't audition and go by online reviews and my gut feeling, then I order online.

 

[highfigh]

Agreed.

But, there is no guarantee that the B&M people know about the equipment that they sell either! Granted, that trend tends to be worse at the big box stores. Then, you have the boutique shops that may steer you towards the gear with the highest profit margins. B&M or online, you really should be an educated consumer.

My main rule is that if I audition at B&M, then I buy from B&M even if the cost is higher. If I don't audition and go by online reviews and my gut feeling, then I order online.

WRT big box stores, look at the way Beast Buy pays their salespeople and you'll see why they know little/nothing about the equipment- they stopped paying commission years ago and the shuffle people in and out of that department like management is playing Checkers. Then, there's the BS that's passed off as fact- when it's so easy to find online, many people will believe it.

 

[dxburbuja]

Hello folks, just came here googling for the same issue with the volume knob. Nothing to add, Parasound fault. Big fault. I'm from Argentina, member of the most important local forum, in touch with several dealers and users and waiting the third replacement of my Parasound HINT. There's no too much units here, but at least there's 2 more integrated amps waiting for a recall, also a few P5 and 2100 preamplifiers. And exactly the same issue. Appears to be some IC on the front board, from the preamp stage, maybe the one assigned to the volume knob, but IMHO, not the ALP itself.
I'll follow your updates on this thread.
Best regards.

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