Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's

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Rob Babcock

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #60 on: 29 Sep 2004, 02:22 am »
Quote from: lonewolfny42
Quote from: jermmd
A few days ago I caught my 1 year old stuffing toys into the port of my subwoofer.
This could be a new tweak (hey, I've heard of putting socks in there)....have you listened to the sub....sounding better? :?


The toys should be cryo'ed before stuff them in the port! :lol:

Brian Cheney

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solution
« Reply #61 on: 29 Sep 2004, 02:29 am »
mls will be happy to fashion an MDF "gasket" to fit under the panels to bring them up flush with the front of the baffle.  Or, he could make a rectangular trim ring that would cover the outer edge of the panel including the screwholes.  Since we're only dealing with about 3/16" of an inch here, what do you prefer?

zybar

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Re: solution
« Reply #62 on: 29 Sep 2004, 02:41 am »
Quote from: Brian Cheney
mls will be happy to fashion an MDF "gasket" to fit under the panels to bring them up flush with the front of the baffle.  Or, he could make a rectangular trim ring that would cover the outer edge of the panel including the screwholes.  Since we're only dealing with about 3/16" of an inch here, what do you prefer?


Brian,

If it won't hurt things sonically, I would prefer the trim ring.  How would it attach?

George

Brian Cheney

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mls
« Reply #63 on: 29 Sep 2004, 02:56 am »
I specified full wrap, including the back baffle.  The production units arrived with painted backs.

zybar

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #64 on: 29 Sep 2004, 02:56 am »
Sa-Dono,

Big B posted earlier that it was supposed to be full wrap but something happened at the factory.

I really don't care about the back of the speaker.  In my setup you can't see the backs nor can you easily get behind the speaker.  

George

zybar

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #65 on: 29 Sep 2004, 03:06 am »
Guys,

Just found out I need to go to UK (Sunday to Wednesday of next week) to meet with my new team there.  Once I get back, I head out to Denver for RMAF.  This means I probably won't get much time with the new speakers till I get back from RMAF (I have a lot of work to do to prepare for my trip - just got a promotion and a new boss  :D ).

I am sitting in front of the new 40's and they sound pretty good but not as good as my previous pair.   But, at this point I haven't spent anytime with putty, pots (just eyeballed where they were on the previous pair) or laser level (to properly line up the speakers).  

So hang in there and I will post as time allows.

George

mlschifter

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Re: George's new speakers
« Reply #66 on: 29 Sep 2004, 05:39 am »
Quote from: sbcgroup1
George, congrats.

I have the same BCSE African Ebony 40's as you. Picked my whole system up from the shipping terminal with a UHaul about a month ago (couldn't wait for delivery...lol).

Anyways, I felt the finish wasn't that incredible. Since they're made in China, I felt the quality was more akin to lower standards. There was a chip on the lower part of the speaker on the front where the lower driver is. And they aren't fully wrapped.

The piano black laquer on my larger sub was pretty cheezy too.  ...


Please do let me know more...

I of course understand about the fully wrapped back, but chips in the finish... (?????????????)... not from my factory  :!:

If we are responsible for any of this I'll personally see to your satisfaction... I was just alerted to this thread today as I'm in China now...

Apologies in advance...

(BTW... the sub is not my work)...

All the best...

mls

mlschifter

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #67 on: 29 Sep 2004, 05:44 am »
Quote

Anyways, I felt the finish wasn't that incredible. Since they're made in China, I felt the quality was more akin to lower standards. There was a chip on the lower part of the speaker on the front where the lower driver is. And they aren't fully wrapped.

OUCH... but to each his own.

I admit to being highly prejudiced, but these cabinets to me are quite beautiful... whether China, USA or wherever... They meet my standards at these prices for sure...

I will do anything within reason to satisfy you... My e-mail address is mlsav123@mac.com

Humbly for sure...

mls

mlschifter

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Re: mls
« Reply #68 on: 29 Sep 2004, 05:47 am »
Quote from: Brian Cheney
The sample mls cabinets sent us were veneered on the back, which is how we specified them.  The production boxes came painted on the back.  I think this was an oversight on the part of the mls factory.

African Ebony is about $400 a sheet (2 sheets req for the pair of RM40)
in this country if you can find it.  20 man-hours go into the finishing of each pair of cabinets.  We don't pay less for mls cabinets, we pay almost double the domestic price, just to get the quality.

Apart from the first run of RM40 with the black painted fronts, the cabinets have all been very nice.


Big B... YOU ARE RIGHT!

After your mail today I went and inspected the drawings etc. that we made... This was our fault for sure... The sample run had a full wrap...

After the current run we can go back to whatever you desire...

Thanks...

Humbly...

mls

mlschifter

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Re: mls
« Reply #69 on: 29 Sep 2004, 05:50 am »
Quote from: TheeeChosenOne
I agree.  

Where the MDF meets the drivers, it should come painted......Even better (and more expected at this pricepoint), the wood cuts should be more precise/flush with the drivers.   Despite all the kudos on the finish, I was honestly expecting better craftmanship from the MLS factory from something so obvious to the naked eye.....


I have to admit to being humbled by all of this...

These things are so dang beautiful... We can do whatever Big B specs (or even asks for...  :))... We are up to the task for sure...

I would say after seeing what we build for others, and what we are doing here... I'm not unhapppy, but improvement is warranted if it's what the customer wants... I stand ready...

All the best...

mls

mlschifter

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Re: solution
« Reply #70 on: 29 Sep 2004, 05:51 am »
Quote from: Brian Cheney
mls will be happy to fashion an MDF "gasket" to fit under the panels to bring them up flush with the front of the baffle.  Or, he could make a rectangular trim ring that would cover the outer edge of the panel including the screwholes.  Since we're only dealing with about 3/16" of an inch here, what do you prefer?


ABSOLUTELY...

at your request...

Thanks...

mls

ctviggen

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #71 on: 29 Sep 2004, 12:35 pm »
I checked my piano black RM40s, and they are full wrap.  However, I never really see the back of the speaker and I didn't even know until I checked this morning that they were full wrap.

zybar

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #72 on: 29 Sep 2004, 12:38 pm »
Bob,

That is because your 40's aren't made by MLS.

As I stated earlier, I really don't care about the backs.  I was more concerned with the raw mdf I can see.

George

ctviggen

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #73 on: 29 Sep 2004, 02:16 pm »
George,

That is true -- if you don't use the cover (which you don't), then you'll be able to see the "ring" around the components, which is annoying.

shokunin

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #74 on: 29 Sep 2004, 02:27 pm »
my choice would be to go for the internal MDF gasket to raise the neo's up.  If it's a trim ring around each neo and since this ring will be visible, would it be veneered?

rosconey

Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #75 on: 29 Sep 2004, 03:11 pm »
blind monkey doing qc for vmps again?
i cant fathom how it wasnt caught at the factory when drivers were assembled in the units :o  its not like its hard to notice :nono:

time for big b to hire a person who will look out for such things-at  a certain price you shouldnt have such issues or expect customers to fix qc problems.

i guess because i do my own work and hate doing things twice or having people ask for a fix i do it right the first time.

mlschifter

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #76 on: 29 Sep 2004, 03:36 pm »
Quote from: rosconey
blind monkey doing qc for vmps again?
i cant fathom how it wasnt caught at the factory when drivers were assembled in the units :o  its not like its hard to notice :nono:

time for big b to hire a person who will look out for such things-at  a certain price you shouldnt have such issues or expect customers to fix qc problems.

i guess because i do my own work and hate doing things twice or having people ask for a fix i do it right the first time.


Whew...

Rough Crowd...

 :o

The first time is the best time for sure... but even the "best" can be tested from time to time...

Easy does it...

Good Night... and all the best...

mls

 :)

mlschifter

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Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #77 on: 29 Sep 2004, 03:38 pm »
Hello George...

Very nice "chatting with you" tonight via PM...

Please do know that I'm here for you...

With sincerest respect...

Mark

TheeeChosenOne

Just got my new African Ebony RM 40's
« Reply #78 on: 29 Sep 2004, 04:48 pm »
Quote from: rosconey
blind monkey doing qc for vmps again?
i cant fathom how it wasnt caught at the factory when drivers were assembled in the units :o  its not like its hard to notice :nono:

time for big b to hire a person who will look out for such things-at  a certain price you shouldnt have such issues or expect customers to fix qc problems.

i guess because i do my own work and hate doing things twice or having people ask for a fix i do it right the first time.


As a continued future VMPS customer, I hope this sunken driver/raw MDF issue gets fixed right quick.  I first commented on this same issue months ago when John Casler posted pictures of some 626 African Ebony speakers.  Nothing was done to correct this at the time--my comments were ignored.  Hmmm.

Rosconey is spot on with his concerns imo.......If I and others can notice a QC issue where the drivers aren't flush (showing raw MDF) from a simple picture, how can't the assemblers or cabinet manufacturers catch something so ridiculously obvious?

Then these ill-cut cabinets get sent to loyal VMPS customers the way they are--perhaps expecting that the customer will remain ignorant of the fact--passing on the cost of error to him?  :roll:   Even with non-flush fitting driver/cabinets, this issue could have been partially remedied at the asembly level.....but wasn't.  Hmmm...   :oops:

With the cost of shipping and cost of product, I would have expected better--MUCH[/b] better.   Sorry to be curt, but when someone is paying several thousands of dollars, one expects/demands much better QC.  

It's rather evident to me that this problem was secretly known, but was passed on to the customer.   :nono:  :nono: :nono:    This cabinet defect is just tooooo obvious at ANY QC level--even for high school woodshop.

That doesn't bode well for the MLS or VMPS name, regardless of who's responsbility it is.

Plus, as Rosconey pointed out, it shouldn't be the customer's responsibility to fix such blatant QC issues by having to open up his/her speakers.  We're not talking about speaker kits after all here folks.  

I'm glad to hear that Mark and Brian are stepping up to the plate for an issue that shouldn't have occurred in the first place.

I hope future cabinets have this issue permanently resolved[/b] sooner rather than later....


Brian Cheney

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problem
« Reply #79 on: 29 Sep 2004, 05:15 pm »
This is a cosmetic problem easily remedied in the field.  If the owner prefers he can ship the cabinets back to us for repair, and we will pay shipping both ways.