Hi all.
Seeking any help / advice on the following:
Around 5 weeks ago, my Wadia 381i developed a fault. Right channel output failed. First noticed this upon powering on my amp while it was connected to the Wadia. The amp would immediately go into 'safe' mode and not turn on/power up. Initially I thought the amp was at fault; however after a number of home testing with interconnect swapping and only either connecting left channel only / right channel only discovered that something was amiss with the Wadia's right channel output. I am not exactly sure of the reason/cause of the problem, although the day before I did change the internal dip switch settings and we did have a couple of electrical trip outs (due to the wifes iron being over filled with water.....)
Owned the unit from new just under 6 years. After trying to make contact with the original dealer (Mayflower sounds) and importer (MDC) have found that neither no longer exist and that the new Wadia importer / authorised service centre is Absolute Sounds. They must use an outside/external engineer (whom I do not know who this is and they will not tell me) as they sent my Wadia on to another location.
I sent the Wadia to Absolute sounds 4 weeks ago. They reported quickly back that my Wadia needs a replacement current conveyor for right channel (or new 'matching' pair for both channels), a dac board and a new drive (as stated it is 'out of spec'). Not sure why the drive also not working right as it played/spun discs fine before hand. So after this Absolute sounds put in a request to Wadia (whom are now part of the Mcintosh Group) for the parts. After 3 weeks of waiting and chasing for the manufacturer to supply information on the parts; I was informed yesterday that the parts (current conveyor/s & dac board) are no longer available and can not be supplied......and therefore my Wadia can NOT be repaired. Even if they could supply the parts my guessing is that Absolute Sounds were going to quote me a huge figure for the parts and repair which in turn would leave me in another dilemma. It saddens me to think that I paid a huge sum of money for the Wadia and I'm pretty much being told that its f**ked and there is nothing that can be done about it....I understand its about 6 years old and things can 'happen'
So here's were I am at today:
I have been in contact with my insurance company, regarding picking their brain on a 'potential claim'. I am being told that the item would be covered if it was proved that the problem occurred due to accident or outside cause (electrical surge etc). It would not be covered if it is due to 'mechanical failure'. I have been honest and told them that I do not know (nor do Absolute sounds know) of the exact reason for the problem. All I do know is the day before I changed the internal dip switch settings (which meant removing all leads, removing top cover to gain access to the dip switches etc) and we had a couple of power trip outs while the Wadia was connected to mains. Over the years I've changed the output dip switch settings a number of times with no issue. I did a little test once I changed the dip switch output settings and all came back on ok, however I didn't like the result as the sound was too 'thin' and far less dynamic; in fact thinking back it sounded 'odd'. My plan then being to turn the switches back to where they were the following day (as pain in the but to do). Absolute sounds are returning the Wadia to me sometime next week, when I have it back the insurance company have said to let them know and they in turn will probably arrange collection of the Wadia and send it to their 'electrical experts' to verify & test if I decide to put in a claim. My gut feeling is because neither I or the Absolute sounds engineer know of the exact reason (i.e. I didn't drop it etc) for the cause of the failure/s, that the insurance company will not grant a claim.
I'm not technically minded so struggling to get my head around understanding this, can anyone explain why the current conveyor and dac board would die at the same time i.e. are the linked together so if one goes, they both go or is it possible that if both gone/died together that another 'outside' influence could cause these to fail together. Obviously also was told that the drive unit now out of spec; again not sure about this either as prior to the failure and me shipping the wadia to absolute sounds I believed it to read and spin discs fine.
So...any thoughts / advice on any of the above or anyone else whom I could try and contact would be greatly appreciated.
Big thanks in advance.
Seeking any help / advice on the following:
Around 5 weeks ago, my Wadia 381i developed a fault. Right channel output failed. First noticed this upon powering on my amp while it was connected to the Wadia. The amp would immediately go into 'safe' mode and not turn on/power up. Initially I thought the amp was at fault; however after a number of home testing with interconnect swapping and only either connecting left channel only / right channel only discovered that something was amiss with the Wadia's right channel output. I am not exactly sure of the reason/cause of the problem, although the day before I did change the internal dip switch settings and we did have a couple of electrical trip outs (due to the wifes iron being over filled with water.....)
Owned the unit from new just under 6 years. After trying to make contact with the original dealer (Mayflower sounds) and importer (MDC) have found that neither no longer exist and that the new Wadia importer / authorised service centre is Absolute Sounds. They must use an outside/external engineer (whom I do not know who this is and they will not tell me) as they sent my Wadia on to another location.
I sent the Wadia to Absolute sounds 4 weeks ago. They reported quickly back that my Wadia needs a replacement current conveyor for right channel (or new 'matching' pair for both channels), a dac board and a new drive (as stated it is 'out of spec'). Not sure why the drive also not working right as it played/spun discs fine before hand. So after this Absolute sounds put in a request to Wadia (whom are now part of the Mcintosh Group) for the parts. After 3 weeks of waiting and chasing for the manufacturer to supply information on the parts; I was informed yesterday that the parts (current conveyor/s & dac board) are no longer available and can not be supplied......and therefore my Wadia can NOT be repaired. Even if they could supply the parts my guessing is that Absolute Sounds were going to quote me a huge figure for the parts and repair which in turn would leave me in another dilemma. It saddens me to think that I paid a huge sum of money for the Wadia and I'm pretty much being told that its f**ked and there is nothing that can be done about it....I understand its about 6 years old and things can 'happen'
So here's were I am at today:
I have been in contact with my insurance company, regarding picking their brain on a 'potential claim'. I am being told that the item would be covered if it was proved that the problem occurred due to accident or outside cause (electrical surge etc). It would not be covered if it is due to 'mechanical failure'. I have been honest and told them that I do not know (nor do Absolute sounds know) of the exact reason for the problem. All I do know is the day before I changed the internal dip switch settings (which meant removing all leads, removing top cover to gain access to the dip switches etc) and we had a couple of power trip outs while the Wadia was connected to mains. Over the years I've changed the output dip switch settings a number of times with no issue. I did a little test once I changed the dip switch output settings and all came back on ok, however I didn't like the result as the sound was too 'thin' and far less dynamic; in fact thinking back it sounded 'odd'. My plan then being to turn the switches back to where they were the following day (as pain in the but to do). Absolute sounds are returning the Wadia to me sometime next week, when I have it back the insurance company have said to let them know and they in turn will probably arrange collection of the Wadia and send it to their 'electrical experts' to verify & test if I decide to put in a claim. My gut feeling is because neither I or the Absolute sounds engineer know of the exact reason (i.e. I didn't drop it etc) for the cause of the failure/s, that the insurance company will not grant a claim.
I'm not technically minded so struggling to get my head around understanding this, can anyone explain why the current conveyor and dac board would die at the same time i.e. are the linked together so if one goes, they both go or is it possible that if both gone/died together that another 'outside' influence could cause these to fail together. Obviously also was told that the drive unit now out of spec; again not sure about this either as prior to the failure and me shipping the wadia to absolute sounds I believed it to read and spin discs fine.
So...any thoughts / advice on any of the above or anyone else whom I could try and contact would be greatly appreciated.
Big thanks in advance.