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TC Electronics "Epic Fail"
- Thread starter jeliot
- Start date
- Mar 30, 2007
- 4,017
- 321
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Genzler Amplification/Spector Basses/Mojo Hand FX
Quick and simple
RH-450 died 6 months after purchase, sent in for repair. 2 months later and many excuses "receiving error, holidays, warehouse shutdown ect.....ect...." I still don't have my amp and do not even know where it is at this point.
DON"T BY ANYTHING FROM THIS COMPANY, CEO doesn't even have contact info anywhere , even my company's CEO makes his contact info avail and where the top electronics retailer in the Country.
HA HA Edit, WILL BE CHANGING MY SIG!!!!!!!!!
Send me a private message with your contact info, and I will see if there is anything I can do to help...I'm friends with the DFW area TC rep, and will get your info over to him...
I contacted GK directly when my second combo was delivered with broken protective corners and they sent me a whole new set right away. This helped me bypass the shipping of the combo, dealing with the retailer/repair man, etc…
Moral of the story is ALWAYS spend the few extra bucks for a replacement warranty. Something wrong, bring it back to the retailer and get a brand new unit. Two to three years (for an item like a 500 dollar head) is usually around 30-40 bucks.
Can’t understand why a manufacturer would delay in communicating with an unhappy customer these days unless they’re under water. Doesn’t pay. There can be a "snowballing" effect that can really do damage because of sites like this one.
Moral of the story is ALWAYS spend the few extra bucks for a replacement warranty. Something wrong, bring it back to the retailer and get a brand new unit. Two to three years (for an item like a 500 dollar head) is usually around 30-40 bucks.
Can’t understand why a manufacturer would delay in communicating with an unhappy customer these days unless they’re under water. Doesn’t pay. There can be a "snowballing" effect that can really do damage because of sites like this one.
Some companies are worry-free (Genz Benz comes to mind). Others like TC, at least in my experience, require a really good dealer if you have a problem. I made the mistake of buying from a dealer I didn't really know and ended up having to deal direct with TC on a warranty issue with my RH450. It took way more time and effort than I thought it should but was eventually resolved. In this marketplace there are lots of choices and I gig a lot so I need reliable and good CS. Ymmv.
Alot people complain about Ampeg since they moved shop to China and being owned by Loud, I can tell you with my very extensive dealings with them that the Ampeg team is very different. They have staff that actually plays the amps and doesn't read off scripts (AHEM Eden *COUGH*). Because they swapped out my Micro VR stack with a Portaflex stack I got the full 5 year warranty they offer on the VR on the Portaflex they swapped out. They didn't have to swap or give me the extra warranty, but they did.
Sorry, but I don't agree. Extended warranties are legalized gambling. I always bet on the product to keep working. Yes, I've been burned once or twice, but the money I saved in not getting extended warranties totally made up for it and then some.
Theyre cheap (warranties) so the pain is little while the pain of losing the gamble is GREAT. GC has more pull when it comes to dealing with manufacturers, and authorized repair shops have costs players good gigging money because they can take so long to fix stuff.
I paid 30 bucks for a 3-year replacement warranty for our compact PA, this covers all repairs like falling off the truck and beer spills. I also purchased one for my Ampeg PF-350! Hey, Ill be happy if I never use it but I dont have to worry about it breaking because I have it. 10 bucks a year for amp peace of mind.
I paid 30 bucks for a 3-year replacement warranty for our compact PA, this covers all repairs like falling off the truck and beer spills. I also purchased one for my Ampeg PF-350! Hey, Ill be happy if I never use it but I dont have to worry about it breaking because I have it. 10 bucks a year for amp peace of mind.
I totally agree. The cost is inherently designed to make the retailer money based on the small chance of a breakdown AFTER the manufacturer's warranty expires. If I chose a retailer's warranty on everything I bought it'd drive up the cost considerably......much better to deal with a rare failure IMHO.
BurningSkies
CRAZY BALDHEAD
- Feb 20, 2005
- 27,956
- 20,348
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Dingwall Guitars
Electronics that fail tend to do so very early in their useable lives...therefore if it doesn't go in the initial warranty period, its much less likely to fail later on.
Yes and if Jeliot bought one he wouldn't be going through the nightmare he's going through now.
It's worse for giggers who can't afford a second amp. Three weeks worth of gig money is a high price to pay chintzing out on a cheap warranty.
I forgot to mention, the GC salesman tossed in a set of DR strings for buying it so it really cost me 20 bucks.
It's worse for giggers who can't afford a second amp. Three weeks worth of gig money is a high price to pay chintzing out on a cheap warranty.
I forgot to mention, the GC salesman tossed in a set of DR strings for buying it so it really cost me 20 bucks.
If Jeliot had dealt with a company with tighter CS, he'd already be taken care of. That's like paying for something you should get anyway.
I had a problem with one of the drivers in my new Genz Benz NeoX212T a few weeks after getting it, I emailed Genz Benz and Jeff Genzler responded the same day with contact info for a repair shop about a 30 min drive from me.
I took the cab in the next day and they swapped out the driver right in front of me without even asking for my reciept or warranty!
Needless to say I am a huge fan of GB now.
Too bad all companies didn't operate this way...
I took the cab in the next day and they swapped out the driver right in front of me without even asking for my reciept or warranty!
Needless to say I am a huge fan of GB now.
Too bad all companies didn't operate this way...
But yet you bought a amp that sounded like poo and crackled.
So the Amp, Not the warranty or Customer service was the problem in the first place.
So who cares really, the point being dont buy a crap amp to start with.
My amp is 37 years old, it has never, I mean never has broken.
This is why I have not needed a new amp for a long long time.
as a purist, I would say everybody owning a modern light amp with these overheating non 2 ohm stable switch mode power supply garbage tanks.
Will be rather surprised when their switch mode supply goes by by in about 3 to 7 years. Crap thin boards, surface mount components and outdated parts non repairable. They just replace the board. If you cant get service now, where to you think you will be years from now.
Switch Mode power is for computers not amps. If you have been using a computer for more then 10 years I'm sure you all have replaced a crap power supply.
They die yes they die....and so do class D.
Sorry about your problems with TC and i'm sorry TC is having such a hard time. But I dont run the company, and I sure as heck wouldn't design such a crap amp.
Use to manage a National Sign company, we sold the most expensive sign you could buy. Why? quality for customers.
Having a bunch of broken signs all the way across the United States would be a service nightmare. I sell quality working signs, not broken cheap crap.
I spend time with my family, not fixing broken garbage
If you have an amp that's worked for 37 years without needing a single repair, congratulations because I'm sure I could find you examples of that amp that broke within the first year, whatever it is.
Owned TC Electronic amps for years and never had an issue. Sorry you are having trouble but for every negative thread you'll find positive ones 
And you can search on any amp manufacturer and find threads bashing them. Every Ampeg I have owned has been underpowered and unreliable. Doesnt mean they suck but no amp brand is perfect.
And you can search on any amp manufacturer and find threads bashing them. Every Ampeg I have owned has been underpowered and unreliable. Doesnt mean they suck but no amp brand is perfect.
It also depends on if the amp is gigged, toured, etc.
A 37 year old bass amp that is capable of playing out is likely damn heavy. No way I'm carrying that on 100+ gigs a year. Instead I have a pair of 6lb class D heads that cover any situation I need. If one fails I've got a backup. If/when they die I'll replace them. Plenty of old stuff that isn't reliable and requires service. Unless you use it as a doorstop
+ a big one.
A these little mini amps around here aren't even designed to be repaired or maintained. They're simply use it and throw it away....more disposable garbage, just what we need.
You're pretty close with your life expentancy estimates.
For those interested, read this, as well as the links contained within.
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And this should be a lesson to all. Amplifiers were not created by God and thus are not perfect. Always, always, always, have a back up plan if you consider yourself a pro. Could be a $100, 30 year old Peavey, doesn't matter, just have one.
- Feb 12, 2006
- 60,953
- 5
- 220,612
- Disclosures
- Development Engineer-Mesa Boogie, Development Engineer-Genzler (pedals), Product Support-Genz Benz
Will and BogeyBass, for the sake of accuracy for those reading this thread, I feel the need to correct your posts in a couple of critical areas.
1. The "little mini amps" are indeed repairable (not saying all brands, but certainly ours)and for most part the repairs are not difficult. We repair all of our products (none are disposable) and it rarely takes more than about a half-hour to repair any amp we make.
2. The life expectancy of these products is nowhere near 3-7 years. There are many class D and SMPS products that have been used successfully for 15 years or so. For example, I have a couple dozen QSC SMPS products that are close to 15 years old, have lots of hours on them, and have had not a single failure to date. Zero.
3. The Lenard Audio website is RIDDLED with inaccurate information and errors. Glaring errors any engineer knowledgable about this technology would catch in a second.
a. ALL SMPS/class D amps today are tested to and must conform with CE standards.
b. CE doesn't stand for "communication emissions"... good grief, it stands for Conformité Européenne
c. All SMPS/class D amps today are tested and must conform with FCC part 15 when sold in the USA
d. C-tick (it's not C-tic) is not the international standard for RFI, it's the standards only for Australia & New Zealand that cover RFI and safety regulations.
e. The complexity being described in SMPS has little to do with audio SMPS as most are not regulated and his descreption is for regulated SMPS only. He is taking computer SMPS principles and applying them to an unrelated area of pro audio.
4. We support, maintain and repair ALL of our "mini amp products" and SMP products, it's simple, easy and cost effective. I know that many (again, not all) other manufacturers do the same. QSC is one example, Crown is another.... and it's all done here in the U.S.A. too!
5. Repairing SMPS products is not a big deal if you understand how they work and have the proper tools and training. Most are quite simple and straight forward if you understand them.
6. Repairing class D is also not all that difficult, but because of the generally higher component density and the value that is brought to the table by highly integrated designs, it's often less expensive to replace the module when labor is considered. It's an economic decision by the repair depot rather than a technical one (assuming they understand how they work). Replacing the entire module is not all that expensive and labor is generally trivial (assuming the tech knows what they are doing).
Please consider that lumping all manufacturers into that inaccurate information is not in the best interest of maintaining a good knowledge base on TB.
1. The "little mini amps" are indeed repairable (not saying all brands, but certainly ours)and for most part the repairs are not difficult. We repair all of our products (none are disposable) and it rarely takes more than about a half-hour to repair any amp we make.
2. The life expectancy of these products is nowhere near 3-7 years. There are many class D and SMPS products that have been used successfully for 15 years or so. For example, I have a couple dozen QSC SMPS products that are close to 15 years old, have lots of hours on them, and have had not a single failure to date. Zero.
3. The Lenard Audio website is RIDDLED with inaccurate information and errors. Glaring errors any engineer knowledgable about this technology would catch in a second.
a. ALL SMPS/class D amps today are tested to and must conform with CE standards.
b. CE doesn't stand for "communication emissions"... good grief, it stands for Conformité Européenne
c. All SMPS/class D amps today are tested and must conform with FCC part 15 when sold in the USA
d. C-tick (it's not C-tic) is not the international standard for RFI, it's the standards only for Australia & New Zealand that cover RFI and safety regulations.
e. The complexity being described in SMPS has little to do with audio SMPS as most are not regulated and his descreption is for regulated SMPS only. He is taking computer SMPS principles and applying them to an unrelated area of pro audio.
4. We support, maintain and repair ALL of our "mini amp products" and SMP products, it's simple, easy and cost effective. I know that many (again, not all) other manufacturers do the same. QSC is one example, Crown is another.... and it's all done here in the U.S.A. too!
5. Repairing SMPS products is not a big deal if you understand how they work and have the proper tools and training. Most are quite simple and straight forward if you understand them.
6. Repairing class D is also not all that difficult, but because of the generally higher component density and the value that is brought to the table by highly integrated designs, it's often less expensive to replace the module when labor is considered. It's an economic decision by the repair depot rather than a technical one (assuming they understand how they work). Replacing the entire module is not all that expensive and labor is generally trivial (assuming the tech knows what they are doing).
Please consider that lumping all manufacturers into that inaccurate information is not in the best interest of maintaining a good knowledge base on TB.
