Samash misrepresented new charges $25 every 15 minutes?

[superpowter77]

Last night I was in samash store and what started with a simple request for a couple of monster studio 500 cables ended with a notification of the guy in charge of the pro-audio department regarding NEW FEES supposedly effective since Nov 2006 from Samash Stores as follows: 25$ for 15 minutes, 50$ for 16-30 minutes, and so on.

 

The most incredible part was at the time I was told of the New service fees, I already owned them $50 bucks, the 16th minute was running, the truth is I didn't ask for consulting or requested any kind of help or tech support. And because the keep the monster cables on the recording studio which is lock up all the time, doesn't mean I wanted a to use their recording studio. The person started to asking me questions about my current setup, equipment, etc maybe trying to make some time to justify the charge.

 

I left the place immediately simulating a phone call, but two friends of mine who were with me, who are regular customers too, were asked to pay for his time. Worth to mention as a regular customer who go there almost every week to buy stuff.

 

Lastly I just realized on Monday Nov 6th when I spent a couple of hundred on 2 monster cables the salesperson was really polite with me, and last night for some unknown reason the same guy was deliberately avoiding me. Are they expecting tipping every time I go there for shopping? or maybe I just gave them wrong idea because I mainly buy expensive stuff, however I'm not rich, just a regular guy who makes some money working hard just to put some bread on the table.

Does anybody know about "Samash's new policy"

[ProfD]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

Lastly I just realized on Monday Nov 6th when I spent a couple of hundred spent a couple of hundred on 2 monster cables the salesperson was really polite with me, and last night for some unknown reason the same guy was deliberately avoiding me. Are they expecting tipping every time I go there for shopping? or maybe I just gave them wrong idea because I mainly buy expensive stuff, however I'm not rich, just a regular guy who makes some money working hard just to put some bread on the table. Does anybody know about "Samash's new policy"

I'm not aware of the new Sam Ash policy.

 

However, I can tell you that a person dropping a "couple hundred on (2) Monster cables" definitely appears to be a 'victim' to a salesperson working for minimum wage and/or on a commission.

 

I'm curious to know, does the music sound frighteningly better to your ears piping through those Monster cables?

[soundscape]

Originally posted by ProfD:

I'm curious to know, does the music sound frighteningly better to your ears piping through those Monster cables?

What, the super pure sub-atomic alignment of the crystalline superstructure cable don't make any difference?

[daBowsa]

Hey superpowter, you wouldn't happen to be a disgruntled employee, trolling the internet, posting negative press about Sam Ash, would you?

[superpowter77]

I consider myself a sound maniac. so, I mostly try to get what its suppose to be the best.

[ProfD]

Originally posted by soundscape:

What, the super pure sub-atomic alignment of the crystalline superstructure cable don't make any difference?

 

Man, it is only my conscience that will not allow me to rip folks off to that degree.

 

Do you think if I invest in NASA spec cables today, I could mix a record better than Bruce Swedien?

 

Hell to the no! Consumerism is a mean motor scooter.

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

Last night I was in samash store and what started with a simple request for a couple of monster studio 500 cables ended with a notification of the guy in charge of the pro-audio department regarding NEW FEES supposedly effective since Nov 2006 from Samash Stores as follows: 25$ for 15 minutes, 50$ for 16-30 minutes, and so on.

What? No way!

 

Is this chain-wide? Because if it is and they stick to it, my guess is that it may cost them more business than it'll net them.

 

dB

[cnegrad]

Sounds too bizarre to be for real. Can't be. (Although if any retailer were to try a stunt like that, it would be Sam Ash.)

[superpowter77]

To ProfD:

Ok.Let's face it, they just have crappy cables(horizon cables) and monster cables, I tried first ones and they only last 2 months, the next logical move was..you guessed! monster cables! even if they were expensive I liked them because now I have a noise free setup. Sure, there are other brands around to consider, but that's all they carry on samash local store. Besides,I do not feel comfortable buying online stuff I've never seen before.

[cnegrad]

What state is Cape Coral in?

[superpowter77]

Sunshine State!

[Mr. Nightime]

A member of the Florida Contingent.

[cnegrad]

So do we get to charge them if the "sales reps" (read: teenagers) can't answer our questions satisfactorily?

[Dave Horne]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

I consider myself a sound maniac. so, I mostly try to get what its suppose to be the best.

Wouldn't it make more sense to ask an electrical engineer their opinion? Perhaps someone here will give their opinion on the audible properties of Monster Cable. (Could you imagine the expense of replacing all the wiring in your house, your sound system and the voice coils of the speakers to have the [drum roll] ... very best.

 

(I've often thought of becoming a homeopathic keyboard technician - I'd have the market all to myself.)

[superpowter77]

To cnegrad:

According to him, he is Pro with 25 years of experience.

[Mr. Nightime]

So let me get this straight. They're going to charge $25 just to ask them where the cables are? I thought that was their job.

 

I already make it a point not to do business with them after a previous bad experience. I went to the local Lee Road Orlando store to buy a Motion Sound Pro3TM that they told me they had new in box. I get there, and it's a display model with a bad motor. I've never been back to that store.

[soundscape]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

To ProfD:

Ok.Let's face it, they just have crappy cables(horizon cables) and monster cables, I tried first ones and they only last 2 months, the next logical move was..you guessed! monster cables! even if they were expensive I liked them because now I have a noise free setup. Sure, there are other brands around to consider, but that's all they carry on samash local store. Besides,I do not feel comfortable buying online stuff I've never seen before.

There is plenty of good information in forums like this one. I'm with paying for stuff that doesn't fall to bits in five minutes where necessary, but there should be many alternatives to Monster Cable. (And I did actually buy a Monster Cable many years ago which no longer works, but I wouldn't like to say either way if their stuff is really robust.)

[cnegrad]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

To cnegrad:

According to him, he is Pro with 25 years of experience.

I was maligning music store sales reps in general; not your specific incident. No offense to any sales reps reading this that really know their stuff (ie. Martin, etc.)...

[steadyb]

Originally posted by Dave Bryce:

Originally posted by superpowter77:

Last night I was in samash store and what started with a simple request for a couple of monster studio 500 cables ended with a notification of the guy in charge of the pro-audio department regarding NEW FEES supposedly effective since Nov 2006 from Samash Stores as follows: 25$ for 15 minutes, 50$ for 16-30 minutes, and so on.

What? No way!

 

Is this chain-wide? Because if it is and they stick to it, my guess is that it may cost them more business than it'll net them.

 

dB

Yeah, that can't be real. Sounds like that particular sales guy was trying to take you for a ride.

 

I'm sure a call to Sam Ash corporate would clear this up pretty quick.

[soundscape]

Originally posted by Dave Horne:

Originally posted by superpowter77:

I consider myself a sound maniac. so, I mostly try to get what its suppose to be the best.

Wouldn't it make more sense to ask an electrical engineer their opinion? Perhaps someone here will give their opinion on the audible properties of Monster Cable. (Could you imagine the expense of replacing all the wiring in your house, your sound system and the voice coils of the speakers to have the [drum roll] ... very best.

Actually, the materials used in voice-coil construction are quite critical. That's why many high-end speakers use DuPont Kapton (Polyimide) formers, since speakers are very inefficient and the VC temperature gets up to 100's of °C.

 

(It's funny, though, that some audiophiles spend more money on a cable than some of the world's finest high-end drivers, which should be by far the most expensive component in any properly specified system.)

 

As for expensive replacement mains cables, maybe the electricity supplier should offer a 'premium' service where they replace the wires from your house to the local electricity sub-station. Maybe they could have a super-premium service where gold-plated cables are used, all the way to the power stations, in a super-quality distribution network especially for audiophiles. Yours for only $20 per kWh.

[soundscape]

http://www.e-speakers.com/images/TAD%20TD2002.gif

 

Pioneer TAD Beryllium 2" compression driver (one of the world's finest and suited to the very best large monitors)... yours for $1,295.00 (http://www.e-speakers.com/products/pioneer-tad.htm)

 

(Due to the toxicity of Beryllium, the manufacturing process is quite expensive.)

 

http://www.highendcable.co.uk/Images/A2/Chord/ICs/indigo2_lg.jpeg

 

Chord Company Indigo 1m RCA cable, yours for just £832. ($1,310 excluding VAT [uK sales tax.])

 

(http://www.highendcable.co.uk/chord_-_indigo%20IC.htm -- complete with 'free 4 day burn in!' [sic])

[Dave Bryce]

Originally posted by steadyb:

Yeah, that can't be real. Sounds like that particular sales guy was trying to take you for a ride.

 

I'm sure a call to Sam Ash corporate would clear this up pretty quick.

I actually already sent them an email.

 

dB

[cnegrad]

Cool; please keep us abreast of the situation. (Yes, I said abreast.)

[ProfD]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

To ProfD:

Ok.Let's face it, they just have crappy cables(horizon cables) and monster cables, I tried first ones and they only last 2 months, the next logical move was..you guessed! monster cables! even if they were expensive I liked them because now I have a noise free setup. Sure, there are other brands around to consider, but that's all they carry on samash local store. Besides,I do not feel comfortable buying online stuff I've never seen before.

For a couple hundred bucks I'm sure those cables are...a Monster.

 

I hope they are noise-free, power outage resistant and capable of washing my car on occasion.

 

Otherwise, I believe cables benefit tremendously from marketing hype.

 

Any cable is subject to poor performance if there is a kink in any other link in the chain.

[Mr. Nightime]

Originally posted by cnegrad:

Cool; please keep us abreast of the situation. (Yes, I said abreast.)

Careful. We don't want to give Dreamer any ideas.

[SilverDragonSoun]

As I read this it doesn't make sense. I would keep all the receipts and if its not legit I would of course get a refund for starters.

 

If this is legit, I would seriously question how you entered into a consulting agreement. Did you sign anything? Is it clearly posted in the store? Even if it is did you ask for help? You said soome one came up to you and offered to assist you. Did they identify themselves as a consultant? Lots of questions to be sure but this just doesn't sound right.

[DanS]

In Montreal the sales people would have to pay the customers for the blank stares. The keyboard sales departments are the worst.

 

I once tried to buy an SRX card, guy said "yeah come on down, we have it."

A buddy of mine was going down anyway, so I asked him to pick it up.

Salesguy sez it's in a keyboard already, has the box in his hand. He opens up the keyboard, no card, no idea where it was. Had I gone down especially for that, I may have strangled him.

No sale, bought it somewhere else.

 

Another store which is an authorized Hammond dealer, had never heard of the XK1, even after it had been released for 6 months.

So the idea of paying these guys for customer service???

[Byrdman]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

To ProfD:

Ok.Let's face it, they just have crappy cables(horizon cables) and monster cables, I tried first ones and they only last 2 months, the next logical move was..you guessed! monster cables! even if they were expensive I liked them because now I have a noise free setup. Sure, there are other brands around to consider, but that's all they carry on samash local store. Besides,I do not feel comfortable buying online stuff I've never seen before.

GC seems to have gone down market on cables too. They've replaced Hosa with some totally useless crap that makes Hosa look good.

 

And even if you pay extra there's no guarantee the cables are actually wound on the posts before soldering - most commercial cables have the solder holding the connector to the wire. That is guarnteed to fail at some random point.

 

Anyone have a source for properly made cables at a decent price? Alternatively anyone set up to do their own and can give us the rundown on equipment to get, best shells etc? I've made my own from time to time but I'm not good at it and don't know the best gear to use for the purpose (soldering iron spec, kind of solder, heat shrink strain relief, between pin insulators, etc.)

[Sven Golly]

Originally posted by superpowter77:

To ProfD:

Ok.Let's face it, they just have crappy cables(horizon cables) and monster cables, I tried first ones and they only last 2 months, the next logical move was..you guessed! monster cables!

Well, no... logically the next move would be to investigate other retailers, rather than get sucked into paying more than you may have wanted/expected to.

 

God help you if you ever walk into a car dealership that only has a Lada and a Porsche in stock...

 

 

[marino]

There's something surreal to this thread: No store in the world charges you for talking with a salesperson. I'm sure it's illegal everywhere to charge a customer for that, without even saying it in advance. I would have refused to pay anything, and maybe I would have called the police.