13A Panel Warranty

[andrew.hendler]

Hi All -

I have a partial panel defect in my left 13a panel.

I've verified with my dealer as we swapped transformers and it's the panel.

They are 2.5 years into a 5 year warranty.

Does Martin Logan provide panels in pairs for warranty replacement, or do they only provide individual panels? I asked my dealer and he wasn't certain.

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Robert D]

Whats the symptom of the defect? How does the bad panel sound different? I'm curious. That's disturbing to me that it's not 3 years old and already having problems. Do you live in a humid area?

 

[andrew.hendler]

Whats the symptom of the defect? How does the bad panel sound different? I'm curious. That's disturbing to me that it's not 3 years old and already having problems. Do you live in a humid area?

No I don’t live in a humid area, and it’s air conditioned all the time. I think it’s just a freak defect. Basically the top 8 inches of the panel is much lower in volume than the rest. I’ve played pink noise to compare both panels, and the highs are gone in the 8 inches of space on the left panel compared to the right.

I heard back from my dealer and ML is willing to replace the panel under warranty but I have to buy the other panel if I want a pair. Seems like they should both be replaced under warranty for speakers this expensive - but I want the panels to match so I’ll end up buying the other panel anyway.

 

[amey01]

No I don’t live in a humid area, and it’s air conditioned all the time. I think it’s just a freak defect. Basically the top 8 inches of the panel is much lower in volume than the rest. I’ve played pink noise to compare both panels, and the highs are gone in the 8 inches of space on the left panel compared to the right.

I heard back from my dealer and ML is willing to replace the panel under warranty but I have to buy the other panel if I want a pair. Seems like they should both be replaced under warranty for speakers this expensive - but I want the panels to match so I’ll end up buying the other panel anyway.

They must be in pairs, surely?

I thought they only manufacture / package / sell / ship them in pairs. Not sure how they'd even supply a single - unless something has changed?

Although when I had issues with my Vista panels 15 years ago, they did try to argue that wrinkles in the panel were "normal" and "didn't affect sound".

My conclusion was same as you - when we're talking about a product this expensive, the parlances "compromise", "near enough is good enough", and "make-do" doesn't come into it.

More significant than the cost, is the ratio of premium over a standard pair of speakers. When people pay this much of a premium over a pair of bog-standard Sony (or similar) speakers, it's reasonable to expect that "good enough" is not part of the equation.

 

[andrew.hendler]

They must be in pairs, surely?

I thought they only manufacture / package / sell / ship them in pairs. Not sure how they'd even supply a single - unless something has changed?

Although when I had issues with my Vista panels 15 years ago, they did try to argue that wrinkles in the panel were "normal" and "didn't affect sound".

My conclusion was same as you - when we're talking about a product this expensive, the parlances "compromise", "near enough is good enough", and "make-do" doesn't come into it.

More significant than the cost, is the ratio of premium over a standard pair of speakers. When people pay this much of a premium over a pair of bog-standard Sony (or similar) speakers, it's reasonable to expect that "good enough" is not part of the equation.

That's what I thought. Every pair of high end speakers or headphones I have - if a driver goes out it's replaced in pairs. My dealer has been working with Martin Logan (and my dealer is very trustworthy), and they said Martin Logan came back with the offer to replace one under warranty. I initially pushed back on that - as my dealer had indicated they would replace the panel - not panel(s). I said, they wouldn't be matched and I wanted both panels replaced. They pushed on it for me and still, this is what they came back with.

It's $1300 for the second panel which is not cheap, but I don't have the energy/time to continue to fight for it - at that price, I just want to get the speakers back, as I greatly enjoy them. It's very bizarre to me as well, especially for an upmarket speaker like the 13a.

Unfortunately, not quit the famed Martin Logan customer service I've heard about. Maybe the policies have changed, who knows.