Urgent Help Needed:Which New ES Model is Comparable to C555ES?

When I brought my 'JA555ES minidisc deck back to Bristol because they bashed it up the first time it was there, I saw cordless phones behind the counter awaiting repair. I immediately asked for the manger and said that his people must be able to distinguish a $1200 audio component that weighs 33 lbs. from a $50 cordless phone. Through the course of the discussion, the manager was clearly rattled and he said nothing intelligent. These people just don't get it. My minidisc deck was just another item that needed fixin'. n: n:

 

Can any of the SA-8260 owners tell me how many DACs per channel that it uses?

 

I got my 777 back just now and it looks OK. The service invoice says the connector for the digital outputs came off in transit. I have to go out soon. I'll test all functions this eve. Keith, your experience with the Bristol house of horror is one of the worst I've heard. I've heard an awful lot of similar ones on the various forums that I pop about to. There's definitely a pattern of abusive practices....

 

Perhaps we should consider launching an Internet-wide campaign informing people of the poor practices of Sony's Bristol service center and of Sony's policy towards 'honouring' their ES warranty.

 

I spoke too soon! So-ny neglected to return the removable power cord with the unit, ugh! I'm going by a friends repair shop and he's going to give me one. Sony is supposedly gonna get back to me about it in 48 hours, blunderful!

 

It will be a cold day in hell before I buy another Sony product. I've had too many bad experiences with both new products out of the box and repairs on lemons. They are all style and no substance in my eyes.

 

I never used to feel this way, but I am beginning to now. Between the quirky operation of the C555ES and it's ultimate death after just 2 years of use, the dead remote that my DA4ES arrived with which took Sony 2 months to replace and all the horror stories I am hearing about the Grand Wega RP LCD's, I don't think I have any confidence in them and their products any longer. If they can't even get a handle on the QC of their 'high end' product lines or faithfully honour their warranties, what is the use of supporting them as a consumer?

 

Well, I am thinking that my good experience getting my 555es serviced at the Bristol facility was really a stroke of luck. It does seem, sadly, that Sony's service has gone downhill fast.

Granted, I did not even expect to have to return a player with only six months of use on it to have the laser pickup replaced. My previous Sony player, a CDP601ES, still works fine after almost ten years. I did have to send that player in about two years after I bought it because of a problem with the carousel, but other than that, it has always worked flawlessly. When I sent that player in for repairs, it went to a Sony repair center in MA., which has since been closed.

I have noticed since I got the 555ES back from Bristol, that the changer and carousel mechanism is much quieter in operation. Also, the whirring noise of the disc spinning up when a CD or SADC is first loaded is not as loud as before the repair. The track to track access is also faster, but this is probably due to the new laser pickup. It's too bad that there is no indication on the invoice of who worked on my player. I am getting a gut feeling reading this post, as well as several who replied to my post, that my 555 will sooner or later be heading back to Bristol for one reason or another.
I would like to be able to tell them, "Have the same tech work on my player who handled it the last time".

 

Well, another day has gone by and I still have not heard from whomever it is that is supposed to 'contact me' concerning my player. If I do not hear from someone by 2:00 PM tomorrow, I am going to phone CS again and keep asking to get moved up a level until I get someone who can at the very least tell me what's what or (even better) has the authority to actually do something. I won't take no for an answer. It has been 2 months since they received my player and three weeks since the 'exchange' was supposed to have been made.

 

While I was out today Sony called and they're sending me a power cord, quick. My bud gave me one and the ole 777 is working purr-fectly again. Sony's customer service trys, but Bristol screws so many things up. It must be a big, rough production line outfit. Atleast that's how I picture it from the glimpses Keith has provided here and elsewhere. My stereo sounds so much happier thru the 777!

 

I'm glad to hear that everything has worked out for you. Unfortunately, I still have not had the situation with my C555ES resolved. I was initially told that I would be contacted in 48 hours although it has been 3 weeks since my 'exchange' was supposed to take place. When I called back after 48 hours had passed, I was told that someone would contact me by the end of the week. Well, here is the end of the week. I am giving them until 1:00 PM, then I am calling the Sony offices in NJ directly and demanding to speak to someone of authority. I no longer have any patience with their 'Customer Service' line. If I don't get any action there, I will call the Sony offices in Manhattan, and may even consider going down there in person if it comes to that.

 

Well, now I'm really P'ed!!!!!!! I was having a real good time playing my 777 last night till I put in garden variety CD. The ninnies did, indeed, fix the digital outputs but now the player won't play CD's out of it's analog outputs, ugh! The folks at the Bristol house of horrors are not qualified to repair Sony ES equipment. I'm gonna call the folks at Oade Brothers, from whom I purchased it, and ask for advice. Maybe they'll go to bat for me? I'm doubting I'll ever buy another piece of equipment from Sony ever. I don't see why I should let Bristol touch the unit again.

 

Doh! What complete idiots they are. Please let us know what Oade tells you. 2 years ago I bought my C555ES from them as well, and DA4ES A/V receiver from them about a year ago.

 

This thread is making me afraid to invest in any high end equipment...

 

Don't let Sony discourage you from buying High End equipment. They are just getting too Big for their britches. There are plenty of companies out there that back their products up with excellent customer service. Sony just seems to be going down a steep hill fast!

 

Don't be afraid. The majority of high-end manufactures stand behind the quality of their product 100%. 10 Years ago, the Sony ES line was built to very high standards of quality control, and they were very quick to resolve any problems, with minimal fuss. Unfortunately, it seems that Sony has begun to treat their ES line like all their other product lines - just any other mainstream consumer product. Their QC has tailed off tremendously, and their customer service division does not give the ES products and customers the added respect and vigilance that any high-end product deserves. Instead, they treat it like a problem with a 2-pound $99 Sony DVD player, as opposed to a 24 pound high-end, $1200 SACD player.

 

Doug Oade, of Oade Brothers, my dealer, is going to have a go at fixing my 777. I'm shipping it off to him next week. I got a survey postcard from Sony today and I've rated their service unacceptable and added a note of dissatifaction. If there is a next SACD player, it will proably be Marantz....

 

I just called the Sony main telephone number in New Jersey and asked to speak with either the ES Product Manager or the National Customer Service Manager. The receptionist informed me that she didn't have that information, only first and last names and extensions; so I asked her to put me through to anyone in a position of authority there and I was put through to the office of the president. I spoke with a gentleman by the name of Isom Smith, who looked up my information using the CS event ID #. He then started to give me the 'pro-rated' buy-back line when I cut him off and let him know in no uncertain terms that that is unacceptable under any circumstances. When he questioned me as to why, I informed him that it was still under a 5 year product warranty from Sony, and I barely had the component for 2 years. So he said that, then, a full refund would not be a problem, but he had to don some 'foot work' and find out exactly what was going on. That's when I asked him why they couldn't give me the XA9000ES, and he said that was a '$5000' player (it is actually only $3000) and it wouldn't be considered comparable. I then asked him why not, as the C555ES was the top of the line CD-Changer in their previous product line, so he told me he would have to do some work and find out about any 'other' players that may be available.

I know a full refund of the purchase price would 'technically' not cost me anything, in reality, because of when and where I purchased the player, it would cost me money to purchase a player of similar or better quality than the 555.

Anyway, Mr. Smith said he would call me back and let me know what was going on after giving me the direct telephone number for where he was. So here I wait, very impatiently, and still not very optimistic about the whole situation. At least I now have somewhat of a feeling that the matter is moving forward.

 

Rachael, I'm with you on that one. I think, if I can't get anymore than a refund of my purchase price, that I will be picking up the Marantz SA-8260 that was mentioned earlier in this thread. I will miss having the changer, but will be happy to see the tail-end of Sony and their poor quality control and horrid customer service once and for all. Sayonara Sony.

 

You guys are definitely confirming my very old suspicions/opinions...

Do not, under any circumstances ever by a carousel CDP. More things to break down.

GoldenBoy, is there perhaps a similarly priced single player ES in the Sony SACDP line that might satisfy you? I've heard no problems regarding their SCD-1 or the SACD-777, or is that Rachael Bees model?

 

The SCD-1, which was their original 'flagship' player, is stereo-only, and both the XA777ES and 777ES are also discontinued. The only stand-alone SACD/CD player that Sony has in their current product line is the XA9000ES.

 

Goldenboy, I have been reading this thread with the same vicarious interest that I watched the tv show Airline. Hearing about your efforts, your frustration, and how Sony keeps putting you off (and down) reminds me of similar experiences I have had trying to make people honor a contract or get an insurance company to pay for treatment. I'm glad you didn't give up and that you finally got someone in a position of authority.

 

Thanks for your words of support 22drow. I should point out that as of tonight, 6:47 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, Mr. Smith has not been in touch with me again. I left a message on his voice mail at 6:00. I guess that I will be ringing him up again bright and early Monday morning. I am giving it until Wednesday of next week for Sony to resolve the situation and then I am filing a formal complaint with the NY State Attorney General's Office (Elliot Spitzer), the State Consumer Protection Agency and the Better Business Bureau. I will also let them (Sony) know that I will be preparing to file a claim in small claims court and launch an online campaign to make all A/V Internet forum users know of their products' poor reliability and their fraudulent warranty claims as well as get in contact with all of the local networks and TechTV. TechTV loves to jump on stories like this.

 

The carousel mechanism in my Sony SCD-C333ES has not given me any trouble. I didn't really want a carousel model, and I've never put more than 1 disc in at any one time. It's clunky and noisy, but it's been problem free - and the unit was only $300. It's a bit quirky, but that's nothing to do with the carousel itself.

 

My player is the SCD-XA777ES, a single disc player. Sony's telephone services and such are generally adequate. The problem is the repair centers that are proably so, so production line and hurried. If Bristol had any effective quality control, they wouldn't of sent my unit back to me once, much less twice, without bothering to check ALL functions.

My other complaint is that when they sent me a return shipping label after the first botched repair, it limited the insurance liability to $100. That's absurd for an expensive piece of equipment like mine! Actually it's insulting. I didn't use it. I paid close to $50 for each trip to Bristol with shipping insurance for $1500. Now, I'll pay about the same to send it to Doug Oade. He said he's confident he can fix it. I really admire him and his dealership for doing this for me.

As for Sony, I'm going to complain to them. They'll never see my unit again unless there's a buy-back though. They'll proably never see my business again either. If a buy-back does happen to evolve, I'll be looking at Marantz and Music Hall.

Sony's ES warranty means squat without qualified repairs to back it up.