Rad
04-14-2009, 09:56 PM
A blissufl owner of a 400F unit (so far, that is), I recently discovered that my unit has been hit by the infamous "whining phantom power problem" - a high-pitched noise appearing when phantom power is on. Some internet searching revealed that this is a faulty design issue with some of the earlier batches only, but I discovering it only recently since it appears only in the control room outputs, and I wasn't using that particular channel.
The issue, according to an engineer in the Tape Op forum, is due to a faulty design of the DC-to-DC covertor producing the 48V for phantom. There is something in it that runs 6kHz, which is an audio-range frequency, and it bleeds into the rest of the system. In the meantime, 2 of my pots also failed while the unit's warranty expired :scared: .
I contacted Mackie asking them at least if I can get the part number for the pots, but the customer rep I talked to immediately recognized there was a bigger problem and offered me a a B-stock unit as a replacement (without me having asked for one). However, 2 weeks later I found that the guy to whom I talked no longer works there, and the new customer rep refused to honor the promise of a replacement, although I had it in writing.
So, I'm really wondering what my rights are. On the one hand, I sure recognize that the unit is out of warranty. But on the other, this is a known issue, and it is furthermore well known that the problem is faulty design, as opposed to "tear and wear" or a parts failure. In such cases, serious companies issue a recall and perform the repairs for free. (Most car companies will even perform free repairs on any car with a design flaw that is still on the road, regardless of the year of manufacturing.) Apparently, not so with Mackie. And while I can sure take my responsibility for repairs down the road, it really seems wrong for consumers to be left with the cost because someone at Mackie didn't design a component right.
What is your take on this? I'm wondering if I have any grounds to pursue this further, or is it really better to "invest" my Onyx into the trash bin?
The issue, according to an engineer in the Tape Op forum, is due to a faulty design of the DC-to-DC covertor producing the 48V for phantom. There is something in it that runs 6kHz, which is an audio-range frequency, and it bleeds into the rest of the system. In the meantime, 2 of my pots also failed while the unit's warranty expired :scared: .
I contacted Mackie asking them at least if I can get the part number for the pots, but the customer rep I talked to immediately recognized there was a bigger problem and offered me a a B-stock unit as a replacement (without me having asked for one). However, 2 weeks later I found that the guy to whom I talked no longer works there, and the new customer rep refused to honor the promise of a replacement, although I had it in writing.
So, I'm really wondering what my rights are. On the one hand, I sure recognize that the unit is out of warranty. But on the other, this is a known issue, and it is furthermore well known that the problem is faulty design, as opposed to "tear and wear" or a parts failure. In such cases, serious companies issue a recall and perform the repairs for free. (Most car companies will even perform free repairs on any car with a design flaw that is still on the road, regardless of the year of manufacturing.) Apparently, not so with Mackie. And while I can sure take my responsibility for repairs down the road, it really seems wrong for consumers to be left with the cost because someone at Mackie didn't design a component right.
What is your take on this? I'm wondering if I have any grounds to pursue this further, or is it really better to "invest" my Onyx into the trash bin?