[jules]

Rod,

the amps arrived and that's good news. The cost of postage seems to have been very variable ... $135 for one package to send [according to the seller] or $200 to return both [according to seller] or maybe $68 [calculation by West presumably based on Fedex site].

Can you tell from the packing what the cost of freight actually was? If it was as the seller claimed, then he's been pretty straight about the deal and might have had reason to believe the amps were NOS. I can't remember what you paid for them but the price was good I think, so as long as they are essentially unused, or only briefly as demos, you're probably doing well.

Will you be able to ignore the blemishes in a month or so  ?

jules

[Ericus Rex]

I feel I need to send out a general warning about Audiogon's feedback system;  Don't trust it.  I had an ordeal a while back with JBAudio (the Audiopimp) and wrote a negative asessment of the situation.  It was pretty straightforward; the tweeters were blown in the speakers and he would not respond to calls or emails even after 6 weeks.  Nothing got posted on A'gon.  I emailed them and was told my case was pending board approval.  To this day, my feedback is still not posted to his account, and it's been two and a half years now.  For some reason, they do not post negative feedbacks for sellers.  Take their system with a grain of salt.

As for your situation, I'd say it sounds a bit fishy.  If you're unhappy send them back.  If you think you were ripped off send them back.  But if they are worth what you paid regardless if they're NOS or not then give it some more serious thought.  But I do think you should protect yourself by using an escrow or whatever should you choose to send them back.

[Bemopti123]

I have had several transactions in Audiogon, and for most of them, I got what I expected.  There were times when some of the items described by sellers had broken switches and the like.  When I bought my first piece, a SFL-2 back in 2000, it had a bent toggle switch.  At the time, it was obvious that the seller did not mention this issue, but otherwise, the preamp functioned as it should so I left it as it is. 

In another time, I had someone sent me a 50 lbs preamp with some really bad packing, I mean newspaper etc...  UPS did a job on it and the faceplate came off.  I argued this with the seller and I was able to get about $125 or 1/2 cost of plate form him. 

As far as Audiopimp, that is a shifty seller that does volumes of sale and I sold him the above mentioned Sonic Frontiers on the cheap, something had gone wrong with the tubes and later, he emailed me saying, "My technician states that some caps are blown....they need about $200 worth of labor." Having spent the money elsewhere, I relented, but always felt that that seller/buyer is out there to rip people off with what seemingly low prices. 

As a seller in Gon, I have had 1 experience with a person, with what I felt was buyer's remorse....Having paid 1/2 of what he claimed, was a "broken drivers" on a AKG-1000.  I paid him 1/2 the cost of repair, for what I felt was a non issue, because I wanted to treat people as I want them to treat me, but no, he came out complaining about the whole process.  Luckily some time had passed so I was able to argue "buyer's remorse."

My personal take on Audiogon is that it is what it is, a seller's market with heavy slant to some sellers that do volume.  It is a business, where sometimes it feels as if is the equivalent to the Wild Wild West, there are gems, there are bandits, there are bargains to be had and it is big.  I tend to have a philosophical point of view in this whole thing, sometimes you win, sometimes you have to deal with the fall.  I try not to be too picky with what is offered, if I want perfection, cosmetically or otherwise, I guess I figure I needed to plunge my hard earned money on a brick and mortar store, along with sales taxes and very few, if any discounts. 

I take my risks and for most, I did not get scammed big time as some people do with money orders and bank wires.  I always got my goods, certainly, sometimes damaged but NEVER dead on arrival.  So, I use Audiogon with its limitations.

[Rocket]

Hi Guys,

Thank you for your comments...I'm still considering what I will do.  Its certainly a bit fishy regarding the claim being made in relation to how much the shipping cost from singapore.  The amount keeps changing.

I certainly don't want to have to pay extra for shipping considering the amps probably aren't NOS.

Regards

Rod

[woodsyi]

Rod,

I would hold off paying anything until you get a good faceplate somewhere.   Then I would deduct that cost from whatever may be the real shipping cost minus 130 (which would bet the shipping cost built into the original transaction).  If there is something to pay, pay him via money order.  If the other way, bill him for the expense.   

P. S.  If the amps are in good working order, I would keep them.  Losing the (probably exaggerated) shipping cost is too much for amps at this price level. 

[saisunil]

1.  I keep the amplifiers but don't pay the extra that I intended to pay (I may be able to source another faceplate from the ex dealer here in perth but it will cost some money to do that).

2.  I return the amplifiers but I would need to be recompensed prior to doing so or possibly a holding transaction be set up which I think paypal can organised.

Your response seems reasonable. In the end you have to decide for yourself what you want to do.
Both options seem to be good - if you want to keep the amps and if you are ok with the condition / price then keep it.
Returning the amp is going to be sour situation on both sides - both parties will lose money, time, energy and gain some negative stuff.

I'd suggest: Just put some love into this situation, forgive him, don't send the extra money, but the new faceplate if you want or keep the amp as is and enjoy the music. I've been on both sides of the situation (haven't we all been!) and I can empathize.

Cheers

[whubbard]

The amps arrived and that's good news. The cost of postage seems to have been very variable ... $135 for one package to send [according to the seller] or $200 to return both [according to seller] or maybe $68 [calculation by West presumably based on Fedex site].

Yes,
My quote was right of the FedEx website. Singapore to Perth. I would tell the seller that you are keeping the amps and he is not getting a dime more. Especially because you can tell that the amps were 'used' at some point. The way he also keeps saying the 'my partner' makes the deal that much more sketchy. The way that the shipping keeps going up is crazy as well. I don't get how he could possibly go from the $68 quote all the way up to $200. He clearly thinks he can take you for all of it. Don't give him anything.

If you are happy with the amps, keep them. If you really want to return them, wait until he sends the money less the $68 for shipping (none of this $200 BS he is feeding you). Once you have all the money, send them back (bet it only costs you about $70).

Just my feelings.

-West

[Rocket]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the advice it really does add some clarity to my decision.

I've gotten over the initial disappointment of how the amplifiers arrived.   I have cleaned up one of the faceplates and unless I look closely at the chrome on the faceplate I can't actually see any imperfections.

The other faceplate is a bit of a mess because I rubbed the chrome too hard and some of the laser etching has been removed.

I would like to keep the amps but I'm probably not going to pay another cent more for them.  I would have no problems with paying extra money but they definitely aren't NOS.  I had an original N.E.W. 20.1 amp and the chrome faceplate is protected by a thin covering of removable plastic.  Neither of the amps had this and it was covered in fingerprints and some sort of grime that was really hard to remove.

I may have a possibility of sourcing another faceplate and this will sort the issue out.  Lesson learnt for the future.

Thank you very much for all your advice.  It helped.

Regards

Rod

ps I still feel guilty but I don't want to be ripped off again.

[konut]

ps I still feel guilty but I don't want to be ripped off again.

Why should you feel guilty? He misrepresented the condition of the amps, period. Blaming his "partner" is irrelevant. He needs a new "partner". If anything, he owes you for the cost of a new faceplate. Tell him thats what your "partner" says. 

[lonewolfny42]

So Rod....

Have you had a chance to listen to the amps ? Any comments ? Thanks..

[Rocket]

Hi Chris,

I will recommend this little amplifier to anyone.  Every now and then one of the N.E.W. 20.1's comes up for sale on Audiogon for between $350-400us.

As you know over the past few years I've had a number of audiophile rated amplifiers in my system.  This includes:

Aksa 100 nirvana plus
Odyssey Khartago
Ps Audio HCA - 2 (with significant modifications)
Spread spectrum technologies - Son of ampzilla

This amplifier beats all of those amplifiers except the SOA.  The SOA has a laid back presentation but is certainly an audiophile sounding amplifier.  The little N.E.W. 20.1 (22 watts@8ohms) sounds more musical the top end is a tad better but the SOA sounds better in the bass than the N.E.W. does.  If you can pick one of these amplifiers up in condition I highly recommend it.

I've often complained that I didn't like the sound of my nuforce s9 speakers.  The little N.E.W. matches very well with this speaker and it gets my foot tapping.

Still not entirely happy with how the transaction worked out but the sound of the amplifier is as good as I remember.  I'm not sure about the design of this amplifier or the parts used in but it does sound pretty good.

Regards

Rod

ps it sounds much better than my ps audio hca - 2

[lonewolfny42]

Rocket....

Still not entirely happy with how the transaction worked out but the sound of the amplifier is as good as I remember.  I'm not sure about the design of this amplifier or the parts used in but it does sound pretty good.

Well Rod....they arrived (in working order)....and "it does sound good"....so you should be fine....happy listening....and good luck with the new speakers (when they get there)....

                         Chris