In the above time frame that the amp failed, I would be all over the dealer and only the dealer. Having been in the industry for many years, not once has a warranty issue for a client ever been refered directly to the manufacture. Anthems relationship with Pardigim has only been since 99. Id like to hear the whole story, and in the steam vent, as to why the dealer washed their hands of it. The comment about Canadians get their gear fixed for peanuts I do not understand; If the unit is under warranty why would they be paying to get the same fixed?
The dealer is who I took the problem to, first. I wanted to drive the amp up to his store and drop it off, so he could handle it. he told me to hold off on making the trip up there and that he would call Anthem/Paradigm.
He contacted Anthem/Paradigm and they told him the same nonsense, that I stated, earlier. I asked the dealer to call them back and get this situation straightened out....get my amp fixed.
Once again Anthem/Paradigm told him the same thing.
So I called Anthem/Paradigm and politely inquired as to how to go about getting my amp serviced or fixed. They told me the same cr*p.
I had a very loud noisey transformer, which not only hummed and buzzed audibley from the exterior of the amp's chassis. From both the left and right sides of the front of the amp. But it was loud through the speakers, too.
Furthermore, the amp kept clipping out horribly and the amp actually shut down completely.
The jackass at Anthem/Paradigm actually had the gall to tell me that the transformer noise was normal and that all amplifier's transformers make noise audible noise like that. Which of course of course is pure BS.
I told him this was in no way "normal" and "common". Even more so in a $2,000 amp.
The guy from Anthem/Paradigm stuck to his story and refused to replace my amp or offer any other option , than, for me to pay out the *** to have it shipped and looked at...by them.
I called the dealer back after trying four times by phone, to reach someone else at Anthem/Paradigm that would help me. Always the same jerks and the same "option".
The dealer told me there was nothing he could do and I would have to continue to take up with Anthem/Paradigm.
That was the last time I bought anything from that dealer and from Paradigm/Anthem. Never again.
There's nothing else to this incident.
I bought from an authorized dealer that I confirmed with Anthem/Paradigm, prior to even entering the dealer's store; that they were in fact......an authorized dealer.
I paid full price for a brand new Anthem MCA-50 (in black finish), which the dealer did NOT have in stock and had order from Anthem/Paradigm. So it took a few weeks for it to arrive at the dealer's store.
I was polite every step of the way and tried to use reason and their warranty as my weapons. They would have none of it. They refused to honor their warranty and I know for a fact that Canadiens get their gear serviced for practically nothing. They take it to their dealers and their dealers take care of it.
When this occured and I talked about on a few forums, I received several PMs from american owners of their gear, stating they also ran into the same BS with Anthem/Paradigml; when they needed service. I also received two PMs from Canadiens who owned their gear and said they'd did not have a problem with getting good customer service from Anthem/Paradigm and them honoring their warranty. But they wished me best of luck in getting the amp worked on.
Over the months that followed, I spoke to and exchanged correspondance with many people over this. People have had some interesting experiences with Anthem/Paradigm honoring their warranty.
There are no excuses for this type of customer treatment and refusal to honor a warranty.
