Opinions / experience with Audiophonics.fr?

[Fahzz]

I'm revisiting this thread. I liked the amplifier when it worked but If I've said anything above that was at all complimentary to Audiophonics customer service, I take it back. Information that came to light after my post #82 casts doubt on Audiophonics attempts at fixing my amplifier. Caveat emptor.

 

[Rja4000]

Some guidelines about warranty laws in European Union (in French here):

https://www.europe-consommateurs.eu...urée de 2,aux contenus et services numériques

 

[Fahzz]

Some guidelines about warranty laws in European Union (in French here):

https://www.europe-consommateurs.eu...urée de 2,aux contenus et services numériques

Thanks. I suggest you send that to Audiophonics. They don't seem to be aware of those regulations.

 

[Rja4000]

Thanks. I suggest you send that to Audiophonics. They don't seem to be aware of those regulations.

I'll try and reach their manager.
Would probably be easier speaking the same language

 

[JRR]

I am probably their worst customer. Ordering, cancelling, ordering again, returning, then finally ordering.

Never a complaint or anything but excellent and patient customer service. Highly recommended!

 

[Herbert]

This week was my first time shopping there. Everything went smoothly and quickly until I unpacked the product, the Hifime SPDIF to USB converter UR23. The original packaging was missing and the UR23 had obviously been used, and heavily at that. I checked my purchase – the UR23 is not listed as used on the Audiophonics website, there are still some available. So I did not buy it used or refurbished.The case shows scratches, tiny cracks and pressure marks, as if it had been on the road for a long time. I haven't managed to cause this amount of wear and tear in 10 years with my Hifime ES9018 DAC, which has the same case. The case of this sample also looks slightly different from the product photos.This is extremely unusual. During a 16bit/44.1 kHz test recording, Audacity reports three dropouts within 45 minutes. Whether this is due to the condition of the UR23 or whether the design principle is faulty – because nowhere is it documented whether the UR23 really connects to the source's word clock as a ‘slave’ while recording or simply tries to buffer the SPDIF-Stream – I cannot say. I immediately requested a refund, in French and English. No response yet.

 

[Yersinia Bestmate]

That is clearly a used, or "pre-owned" or whatever as the fancy shops put it. Appalling, Audiophonics.

 

[Herbert]

Maybe even a pre-production sample…?

 

[TheKoC]

This week was my first time shopping there. Everything went smoothly and quickly until I unpacked the product, the Hifime SPDIF to USB converter UR23. The original packaging was missing and the UR23 had obviously been used, and heavily at that. I checked my purchase – the UR23 is not listed as used on the Audiophonics website, there are still some available. So I did not buy it used or refurbished.The case shows scratches, tiny cracks and pressure marks, as if it had been on the road for a long time. I haven't managed to cause this amount of wear and tear in 10 years with my Hifime ES9018 DAC, which has the same case. The case of this sample also looks slightly different from the product photos.This is extremely unusual. During a 16bit/44.1 kHz test recording, Audacity reports three dropouts within 45 minutes. Whether this is due to the condition of the UR23 or whether the design principle is faulty – because nowhere is it documented whether the UR23 really connects to the source's word clock as a ‘slave’ while recording or simply tries to buffer the SPDIF-Stream – I cannot say. I immediately requested a refund, in French and English. No response yet.

Just send it back within 30 days, they have to refund it.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Just send it back within 30 days, they have to refund it.

It's 14 days.

 

[TheKoC]

It's 14 days.

Ah yes true, many give 30 days, but 14 days is minimum

 

[Carlton80@0]

Audiophonics 2 year warranty https://www.audiophonics.fr/en/content/6-returns-and-ass

In January I purchased two amplifiers from Audiophonics. After multiple PSU issues with the amplifiers I received a complete refund in May. Although one cannot directly reach them by phone they were always quick to respond to online submission forms.

 

[Herbert]

Got an RMA, so I will send it back They acknowledged that it might be broken, no word about why it was used and scratched…

 

[Herbert]

Slightly off topic, but for cross reference I made a recording from the same source, Dat, 44.1, 92 Minutes length, on my 16 years old Macbook, which has an optical digital input. No dropout warnings with markers from Audacity after the recording. (With the newer IMac and UR23, the dropouts were marked but barely audible) But as it is an old version of Audacity on a Macbook from 2011, I do not know whether this “warning feature” of Audacity was already implemented back then. On the 2017 IMac with UR23 SPDIF to USB converter from Audiophonics, I made three identical recordings, with the same material, playing with the buffer length. All had dropouts as shown in #108. So never ditch your old Mac. Apple dropped optical inputs after 2011, at least with Macbooks.