Why are you stirring this into something bigger than it is?
"Bigger than ...?" Big or small, that is entirely relative, isn't it? "It is, what it is" as Robert De Niro would say.
I do ask the question because it seems to come up again and again over time. Perhaps there is a valid reason for the persistence of these comments? I'd like to know. Clear the air. Get things out in the open. That's all. Notice ... I am asking a question not making a statement. But where there is smoke ... that kind of thing... I scratch my head when I hear such stuff.
You know, this thread will die quietly if I am the village idiot or rubbing salt into things I should not. Fine by me. I'm more than happy to learn otherwise.
But ... service is service, and to suggest customer queries via phone or email are trivial and a waste of RM's time ... baloney ... that tells me you surely cannot see both sides of the issue. Plus, you are speaking entirely based on YOUR priorities. Other (perhaps most) may not think otherwise, so its insulting to other people's intelligence to trivialize their poor service experiences in such a manner.
BTW, don't get me started on McIntosh. You can talk to several former McIntosh alumni at Audio Classics (including Richard Modafierri and Frank Gow), email Roger Russell or exchange emails with Ron Cornelius on the AudioKarma forums anytime. Certainly McIntosh attempts to be accessible. Would they design a custom amp for me? No. Irrelevant example in my opinion. But Audio Classics for example will upgrade Mc gear to better than original. Mc service responds to emails and calls within 24 hours. Is this too high of a standard for MR?
Hey ... If everyone is happy with MR's service, then I am happy too, and am ready to move on. Music Reference: great products, great service. That's what I would like to hear.