etcetera
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2012
- Posts
- 4
- Likes
- 11
BUYER BEWARE
I read the great reviews of Ross Martin's DACs online and decided to buy from him. I loved the idea of buying a quality, handmade product from someone. I was so excited I had even asked him if he would autograph the top of my unit when I sent him the PayPal payment of $293.45 back on March 12, 2012.
To date, I have only spoken with him via email so if anyone is interested in the play by play I have no problem emailing anyone all 40 to 50 emails exchanged. Chronologically, here is what happened:
I purchased the Dual Bare Beast PCM1794 on March 12th, 2012 after talking with him via email for the better part of 5 days leading into March 12th. Every time I had a question he was prompt and cordial in his responses. He stated that it would take two weeks to complete my unit and send it out.
The unit did not come in two weeks. It took a month (April 13th) to get the first unit and honestly, that was okay. He hand makes these units and things happens...I get it. No sweat.
I opened the box on April 13th and it wasn't what I ordered. He had sent a single PCM1794 half rack, instead of the full rack "Dual" Bare Beast. I was let down but I emailed him and he apologized and asked me to return it.
He said he would refund my shipping charges. No problem.
I sent this first unit back that next day, April 14th, and paid $21.05 in shipping to him to Nebraska.
April 20th I receive the second unit and this one is wrong as well. It's a Dual Bare Beast this time but the headphone output is crackling at all volume levels and he didn't change one of the TOSLINK digital inputs on the unit to an AES input like he said he would. As well, he said he could make the wood sides removable and that he would machine me some removable rack ears. This was not done either. The fact that this wasn’t done for me wasn't a deal breaker but added with everything else it showed his lack of urgency to remedy the situation.
At this point he says I can keep this second unit until he makes me a new unit from scratch.
Almost another full month later, May 16th, I got an email message from him stating that he's finishing up the metal work and he would be done the following weekend. Mind you, he still hasn't refunded the $21.05 shipping charges from the first unit he sent me that was wrong a month earlier.
After he failed to send this next unit (a third unit) when he said he would, I decided I wanted out.
On June 5th, I sent him this email after shipping back the second wrong unit:
Ross,
I returned, via USPS, the unit you last sent me. Here is the Delivery Confirmation Number: 0311 2550 0003 9608 0157
I know you had said you were going to make me a new unit that would be what I ordered originally. However, I no longer need or want the unit. Do not send anything to me now other than a refund of $332.50. I came to this number by adding my original purchase amount ($293.45 on March 12th), the return shipping amount I paid on the first incorrect unit you sent ($21.05 on April 14th), and the amount I paid today to ship back to you the second incorrect unit you sent me ($18.00 on June 5th).
Please refund the money through PayPal.
As of this writing I have not heard back from him and although PayPal contacted him and he told their associate he would take care of me, he has not refunded one penny of my money or bothered to return any more of my emails.
PayPal said that it is now past 45 days so they cannot legally take it from his account (congratulations, Ross!). My credit card company has opened a case on the situation and if that doesn't bear fruit I will go to JAG and see what legal recourse I may have (I am a soldier in the Army).
I am going to copy and paste this message on the forums I was reading from when I decided to first purchase from him.
I hope my experience is of help to anyone considering a purchase from this guy.
Michael
I read the great reviews of Ross Martin's DACs online and decided to buy from him. I loved the idea of buying a quality, handmade product from someone. I was so excited I had even asked him if he would autograph the top of my unit when I sent him the PayPal payment of $293.45 back on March 12, 2012.
To date, I have only spoken with him via email so if anyone is interested in the play by play I have no problem emailing anyone all 40 to 50 emails exchanged. Chronologically, here is what happened:
I purchased the Dual Bare Beast PCM1794 on March 12th, 2012 after talking with him via email for the better part of 5 days leading into March 12th. Every time I had a question he was prompt and cordial in his responses. He stated that it would take two weeks to complete my unit and send it out.
The unit did not come in two weeks. It took a month (April 13th) to get the first unit and honestly, that was okay. He hand makes these units and things happens...I get it. No sweat.
I opened the box on April 13th and it wasn't what I ordered. He had sent a single PCM1794 half rack, instead of the full rack "Dual" Bare Beast. I was let down but I emailed him and he apologized and asked me to return it.
He said he would refund my shipping charges. No problem.
I sent this first unit back that next day, April 14th, and paid $21.05 in shipping to him to Nebraska.
April 20th I receive the second unit and this one is wrong as well. It's a Dual Bare Beast this time but the headphone output is crackling at all volume levels and he didn't change one of the TOSLINK digital inputs on the unit to an AES input like he said he would. As well, he said he could make the wood sides removable and that he would machine me some removable rack ears. This was not done either. The fact that this wasn’t done for me wasn't a deal breaker but added with everything else it showed his lack of urgency to remedy the situation.
At this point he says I can keep this second unit until he makes me a new unit from scratch.
Almost another full month later, May 16th, I got an email message from him stating that he's finishing up the metal work and he would be done the following weekend. Mind you, he still hasn't refunded the $21.05 shipping charges from the first unit he sent me that was wrong a month earlier.
After he failed to send this next unit (a third unit) when he said he would, I decided I wanted out.
On June 5th, I sent him this email after shipping back the second wrong unit:
Ross,
I returned, via USPS, the unit you last sent me. Here is the Delivery Confirmation Number: 0311 2550 0003 9608 0157
I know you had said you were going to make me a new unit that would be what I ordered originally. However, I no longer need or want the unit. Do not send anything to me now other than a refund of $332.50. I came to this number by adding my original purchase amount ($293.45 on March 12th), the return shipping amount I paid on the first incorrect unit you sent ($21.05 on April 14th), and the amount I paid today to ship back to you the second incorrect unit you sent me ($18.00 on June 5th).
Please refund the money through PayPal.
As of this writing I have not heard back from him and although PayPal contacted him and he told their associate he would take care of me, he has not refunded one penny of my money or bothered to return any more of my emails.
PayPal said that it is now past 45 days so they cannot legally take it from his account (congratulations, Ross!). My credit card company has opened a case on the situation and if that doesn't bear fruit I will go to JAG and see what legal recourse I may have (I am a soldier in the Army).
I am going to copy and paste this message on the forums I was reading from when I decided to first purchase from him.
I hope my experience is of help to anyone considering a purchase from this guy.
Michael
Thanks for letting us know.
