Artist Mix Warranty Problems

[Bluto]

My Artist Mix won't power on today. It's 4 months old, purchased from Amazon. I registered it when I got it and got a support code, but that code is only good for 3 months, even though the warranty on the unit is for 1 year. The website requires a valid support code before you can submit a request for help, so I can't get any help from there. I get directed to a page that wants to sell me a new support code for $60!

I tried calling Avid support. I got a message to press 0 to arrange for a callback, but when I press 0, nothing happens, it just continues to play music while I hold. After waiting an hour, the line went dead. In any case, the recording warns me that I'll need to enter a support code before I can get help.

Is this serious? You have to pay $60 just to talk to them about taking a faulty unit back under warranty?

[Frank Kruse]

send it to your dealer. he should be taking care of this.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Frank Kruse

send it to your dealer. he should be taking care of this.

A dealer might help for some issues, but dealers are not usually the plalce to go for warranty repairs.

Unfortunately these Euphonix series controllers seem to have a significant number of quality issues/problems. I would not touch one with a ten foot pole.

---

It should be possible to get to hardware repair in the phone menu system. But I've not done it recently. I'd argue strongly with Avid if they really want an ASC just to help on somethign so simple as diagnosing (yet another) dead power issue on a Euphonix Artist controller...

Darryl

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by Darryl Ramm

It should be possible to get to hardware repair in the phone menu system. But I've not done it recently. I'd argue strongly with Avid if they really want an ASC just to help on somethign so simple as diagnosing (yet another) dead power issue on a Euphonix Artist controller...

I'd love to argue with Avid about this, but as far as I can tell, you first have to pay $60 if you want to talk to them on the phone about this.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Bluto

I'd love to argue with Avid about this, but as far as I can tell, you first have to pay $60 if you want to talk to them on the phone about this.

So you are sure Avid has removed the (free) phone option for RMA/hardware repair?

Darryl

[Bluto]

If you call the avid support number:

650-731-6100

The first thing you get is a recording telling you that you will first need to enter a support code on your phone keypad to get help. It then gives you instructions for buying a support code. I stayed on the line anyway to see if I could talk to someone without a support code. After waiting an hour (this is not a toll-free number by the way), the line went dead. That's why I'm here: to learn if there's another way to contact Avid to tell them to take this faulty unit back under warranty.

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Bluto

If you call the avid support number:

650-731-6100

The first thing you get is a recording telling you that you will first need to enter a support code on your phone keypad to get help. It then gives you instructions for buying a support code. I stayed on the line anyway to see if I could talk to someone without a support code. After waiting an hour (this is not a toll-free number by the way), the line went dead. That's why I'm here: to learn if there's another way to contact Avid to tell them to take this faulty unit back under warranty.

You seem totally lost, this is not hard. If you call that number (as I just did to check) and wait past the initial messages and talk about buying an ASC you get a phone menu (just like I said before) that allows you to arrange hardware repair. It sounds like..

From the following five choices....
...[for ASC call] press one
...press two
...[check on or] schedule a repair... press three
...

So you did not get this menu or did you not understand it?

So get on there and at that menu press three and you should get to somebody who can schedule a repair for you, which they will by default want to charge you for. They may also want you to pay for an ASC so Avid can diagnose the problem first. That is where you will need to use your charm/persuasive argument ability with Avid to get this fixed without you needing to pay for the repair and/or an ASC for diagnosing the fault.

Darryl

[Bluto]

Yes, that option 3 is one of the many paths I tried through the phone menu system. From there you get only 3 options:

1) A recording that tells you about this forum and assisted support.
2) For mbox repairs
3) For HD system repairs.

I picked 3 anyway, even though I'm calling about an artist mix. I was on hold for an hour (a toll call) before the line went dead. (I tried for another 30 minutes this morning before giving up).

When you say you tried it, did you actually get through and talk to someone about returning an Artist series product for warranty repair? Or did you just listen to the first menu and assume the next menu would have an option for an Artist series product, it would be possible to get through to someone, and that it wouldn't require a support code?

[Bluto]

Let me put it this way:

Has anybody returned an Artist series product for warranty repair recently, in the last month or so? If so, how did you reach Avid to get the details on how to return it?

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by Bluto

Yes, that option 3 is one of the many paths I tried through the phone menu system. From there you get only 3 options:

1) A recording that tells you about this forum and assisted support.
2) For mbox repairs
3) For HD system repairs.

I picked 3 anyway, even though I'm calling about an artist mix. I was on hold for an hour (a toll call) before the line went dead. (I tried for another 30 minutes this morning before giving up).

When you say you tried it, did you actually get through and talk to someone about returning an Artist series product for warranty repair? Or did you just listen to the first menu and assume the next menu would have an option for an Artist series product, it would be possible to get through to someone, and that it wouldn't require a support code?

OK thanks for clarifying what you did. Ouch. Damn it Avid, get your [bleep][bleep][bleep][bleep] together.

No I did not try to return an Artist mix (I don't own one or any other artist series stuff). I have gotten thought to useful staff there before, using that option, without an ASC, for sending in HD gear for repair. Avid is clearly struggling, we all know of the core business problems, but the support run around, the long hold times, and lack of a basic phone system that even estimate hold times is all shoddy.

The other option you have is to contact a USA repair center but I have no idea if these centers can handle Euphonix/Artist series products. I would also assume they are less able to grant a free out of warranty repair than Avid support might be able to. See http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/FAQ/en210711. Given Avid's failure here I'd call up some of those support centers and just ask what they can do if anything.


Darryl