Hi, a month ago I took my Focusrite ISA 430 Producer Pack into a music store (who for now will remain nameless) to repair it as it was a bit crackly. They don't repair in house so they sent it to a specialist repair centre.

After a week or so they contacted me to tell me it had been damaged on the way by the courier, the obvious damage was that several of the pots were smashed off and bent, I am still waiting to hear the full extent of the repair as they have had to order parts.

The retailer said that the repair centre will be able to tell what damage was caused by the courier and what was already damaged when I took it in so they will pay for the damage caused by the courier but I will have to pay the rest.

I was just wondering what you're thoughts on this were? Im not convinced they will know exactly what damage the courier caused or if they will be entirely honest about it. Furthermore I think it is unlikely that there will be no marks on the surface of the unit?

What do you think I should do, should I demand more than them just paying for the obvious broken pots?

Thanks in Advance!

Sorry to hear this

I would suggest you talk this through with Focusrite themselves.

I would have thought that if it was cosmetically perfect and now damaged that you should have a new replacement and just pay the equivalent of what the repair would have cost.

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John - Sound-Link ProAudio
President - Federation Internationale des Chasseurs de Sons

Thanks for the reply, but I don't really understand, it wasn't a warranty repair it's a few years old. The retailer was supposed to send it to the repair centre and it got broken by their courier before it got there.

I don't see how it involves Focusrite?

It has quite clearly been chucked around and probably dropped, in completely inadequate packaging.

It's not Focusrite's problem. But it's an expensive box.

Whoever consigned the goods to the courier should have insured the goods. And they should give you a new ISA 430. If they did not insure properly, that's their loss.

I would not just accept replacement pots & knobs for the "obvious" damage. There's clearly been a major impact on a piece of delicate equipment, and who knows what further problems may emerge downstream arising from the same impact?

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Dynamite with a laser beam...

So I should get in contact with them tomorrow, I don't think it will be easy to get them to agree to a replacement!

Is there anything I can do if they refuse?

Quote Sherman:

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I am still waiting to hear the full extent of the repair as they have had to order parts.

The retailer said that the repair centre will be able to tell what damage was caused by the courier and what was already damaged when I took it in so they will pay for the damage caused by the courier but I will have to pay the rest.

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Don't trust the retailer on anything. They are defendants!

Tell them they have no authority to proceed with any repairs whatsoever or do anything with any parts they have seen fit, without your authority, to order.

You are severing all relations with them now. You want the 430 back, as it now is, warts and all. You want to to take photographs and get an independent assessment of the damage with a view to bringing an action in the Small Claims Court for a replacement. If it's going to be repaired at all, it will be by Focusrite; you will take responsibility for shipping it to them, and you will rely on them and them alone to tell you whether it is even worth repairing, and (if it is) you expect the retailer and/or their insurers to pay in full.

If Focusrite advise it is not worth repairing (quite possible - those bent pots etc may also indicate a bust motherboard), you look to the dealer for a replacement - you'd be willing to consider a used one in good working order.

That's pretty much the line I'd be taking anyway.

It is almost certainly impossible, now, to separate out what repairs might relate to the original problem and which to the shipping accident. FWIW your original crackliness was probably just a dry solder joint or something, an maybe capable of being fixed with a soldering iron after a few minutes with a multimeter.

I repeat - above all else, get the goods back, and take lots of photos, before people start covering up their own handiwork.

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Dynamite with a laser beam...

I think its already too late for all that as it arrived at the repair centre and I think work has begun on it as he said they were oredering parts so they could tell me exactly what is wrong with it. I did ensure it was an authorised Focusrite repair place i think it was called 'Panic'.

The retailer said they would have to let them diagnose the problem before we do anything but the longer it takes the more worried I become about a satisfactory outcome!

Well the good news is that Panic are good guys. I would call them and sound them out - you might also want to tell them what Steve has suggested & see if yopu can get them to put the brakes on the repair till liability etc. is sorted out.
If it were my box I would definitely be wanting a lot more assurance that this relatively expensive piece of kit would wind up being as reliable as it was originally.
Don`t let them sucker you, either the courier or the music shop.
I am no lawyer but as far as I can see you r conrtract is with the music shop, so it is their reponsibility to sort this out for you. No reason for you to get involved with THEIR courier, although the contact with Panic may nip things in the bud before they get truly out of hand.

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Me? But I`m such a loveable old bugger!

I've dealt with Panic too. If you ask them nicely they may be willing to do some digital photos of the damage for you - inside and outside. Hell, it only takes a mobile phone.

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Dynamite with a laser beam...

I've had two pictures sent to me of the exterior but they only revealed the obvious damage to the pots and weren't sufficient to evaluate any physical damage properly. I think the retailer wants me to look at it once it has been returned to them, I don't know why as by this time they will have already repaired it!

Assuming their isn't any other damage and the retailer pays for all the repairs as well as an extended warranty on them would that be reasonable?

You rcall but if it was my bit of noice kit I would be looking for a bit more reassurance than that.
What if you get it back and it works but not like it used to? Becomes a subjective thing, which is notoriously difficult to resolve. At the very least I would want a genuinely independant repairer to assess the damage if there was no way it could be sent back to Focusrite, which I still think is the best answer.

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Me? But I`m such a loveable old bugger!

I'm with Ivan. The only certain way you'll know this is up to scratch is to have it bench-tested by Focusrite's own people who know what it's supposed to sound like.

And yes, some sort of extended warranty would be good.

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Dynamite with a laser beam...