Shanling ET-3 CD Transport Review - Golden Schlong Worthy

I would suggest you calm down and remain objective. You’re starting to lose your audience. I’m glad you brought this up, but you don’t need to single handedly bring down Shanling

 

Ironically, I was contemplating a purchase of an m3 ultra new, but given this I think I might as well buy a used one. If the warranty is worthless, why bother? Food for thought.

 

I think that's a bit of an overreaction. Buy through the US dealer, get a US warranty. Buy through the right international dealer, get an international warranty. Buy from a foreign seller if you like, for whatever reason (cheaper initially?), but own your choice.

 

The warranty isn't worthless in general, it's just they only handle it directly from their authorized retail channels. Everything else goes through the dealer that sold it.

And, I mean, the tradeoff of returns being more annoying and expensive for shopping through international dealers is known and you have to price it in. Maybe it's worth saving 50 bucks, but if you're the sort of person who's going to get very mad when you hit the bad side of the tradeoff and make 666 forum posts about how the manufacturer is a front for Satan, might be better to buy somewhere else.

 

To each his own. You probably don't have the skills to repair the player so you would not have received the offer to replace the defective circuit board which after all the labor I invested was told, "sorry, we changed our minds".

 

And for those that say I should have bought from a US dealer; the only one that Shanling mentioned have no stock ("sold out, out of stock"). I wasn't aware that there was a US dealer for their lower cost product. Regarding buying from Shenzhen Audio,: check out their site. They seem to have the most comprehensive inventory of Shingling product I've seen. How was I to know that they were not part of Shanlings convoluted business strategy. I don't understand why some (MrChinaCat might be slightly biased) run to the defense of a manufacturer that refuses to do such a basic and simple thing as shipping a cheap replacement part after I was told they would and after I invested my labor and they reneged on their promise at the last minute. Shessh.

https://shenzhenaudio.com/collections/shanling

Honestly, how many of you ET-3 or SACD3.1 owners purchased through a US dealer? I'm wondering how many out there will have their unit fail only find out they are in the same boat as me and only to be told, you didn't read the fine print on our Shanling website so screw you? How many went digging deep into the Shanling website to read their "we have terrible customer service" disclaimer? I'll bet that's a big zero.

 

So why did you buy from them to begin with if you believe that?

 

So yes, I'm moving on. I may have lost an audience of several (one of which is obviously very biased) who responded. But I can assure you that the vast majority of folks reading my posts will think twice before buying Shanling product.

I'm guessing I'll get a few of the same responses when I next post my experience on the SACD1.3 product thread at head-fi. But many others will be grateful for the information. There are so many other options from reputable manufacturers in China and the rest of the world. For example, I own a both HumminGuru and Gustard products and, based on personal experience, their customer service is impeccable. I have nothing against China or their people. When I was at the highest semiconductor engineering level at Medtronic many years ago, some of our best engineers had graduated from Beijing University and one of which remains a lifelong friend. My only problem is with Shanling and their inability to deviate from their rigid and highly flawed customer service model.

And those that have been in this hobby for several decades or more, may remember the early Shanling as the poster boy for terrible reliability and customer service. So nothing really new here.

 

Yes, you're correct. I made the mistake that after several decades and a few excellent product reviews, that a company can evolve and improve. How foolish of me.

 

Idk, wait until it's in stock like an adult? How hard is that?

I bought from Musictek an ET3 twice. Why? They are a US retailer. Literally one of the first results via a Google search. I waited until they had them in stock and purchased through them to avoid exactly what you are developing a brain aneurism over - ease of warranty replacement.

Shanling never took me aside and warned me about buying through Aliexpress or others in China. It was common sense to avoid that hassle over a slightly cheaper price.

You have seriously lost the plot with your rantings and could use a break from the internet. If you recently retired why would you waste your golden years yelling at the internet? Enjoy some music or something.

 

@Vinyl Valet I think the fact that you have the ability to repair the CDT barring only access to parts speaks well to your expertise and skillset, but I can sympathise with Shanling not wanting to risk anything happening to their device or to yourself because it's hard to vet claims like these from a person who, at the end of the day, they wouldn't know from Abel.

Similar frustrations about sourcing replacement parts have been aired on the forum several times over the years from what I recall, so this isn't something Shanling alone practises. It makes sense, because it's not as if they can take liability for further damage done in the event that something DOES go wrong should you attempt a repair.

I buy stuff used a lot because I'm cheap that way, and there's been at least one instance when that's come to bite me in the gluteus in the audio field. My sympathies always tend to align with consumers in these matters, but because you didn't purchase the CDT from an authorised retailer, there really is no ground on which you can stand.

It sucks and for whatever it's worth you have my sincere sympaties because shit like this reeks, but for Shanling to acquiesce would be largesse; they are not obligated to extend aid beyond what's defined in their policies because they are at the end of the day a business, and are by that token beholden to their own best interests.

P.S.
I should point out that I'm very much aligned with the right to repair movement (even though my own DIY skills put me at risk of injury more than anything else), just that as things are now there isn't much in the way of recourse for folks who have the requisite tools and skills to carry aforementioned modifications/repairs out but have no access to proprietary (?) parts.

 

And what would be this "bias", sir? Please elucidate, given your in-depth knowledge of who I am.

You act as if this is an unusual policy on the part of Shanling. And yet, companies everywhere put restrictions on their warranties and service contracts, requiring purchase from authorized vendors/dealers. You can rail against this all you like, but you don't have the right to dictate to a manufacturer the conditions of sale and repair of their product.

Yeah it sucks. But for every "expert" repair person like you, there are 100 clowns that would make a mess of the repair and *still* blame the manufacturer. That's why many manufacturer's tell you that your warranty is void if you open the box

 

Sounds like the disappointment should be with Shenzhen Audio, and ultimately oneself, and not with Shanling.

Can somebody move the dialogue to another thread? It’s not even about the ET3.

 

I'd like to introduce y'all the the new Shanling, number one in customer service. Not long after their last post yesterday evening, they decided to support Shenzhen Audio and agreed to send them the replacement circuit board at no charge. Shenzhen Audio, who have bent over backwards to help me resolve this issue in the least costly way possible from the very beginning but could not get Shanling to cooperate will be shipping the replacement board to me at no charge.

Moderator, if at all possible, please delete all my posts in this thread. Mission accomplished.

To the fanatic fanboys, shills and man children (industry insiders like to refer to this site as SuperBestAudioAdoescents for good reason) that were compelled to comment, it's been a blast watching you guys working yourselves into a tizzy.

I love the little flag feature where cowards can hide behind misinformation flags without having to justify their position or, dog forbid, actually interact with real human beings.

My thanks to Shanling. I would like to think that both you and I have learned some valuable lessons.

Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

 

I barely have the skills to operate the damn thing. And my comment was intended to be tongue in cheek. I would never buy a dap new that could be obtained at less than 1/2 retail used, which the m3 ultra can, warranty or not.

 

Dude, you totally changed my mind. I want to Bow down, worship you, and I will even suck you off if you ask me nicely

 

I was too busy at work to add commentary on my dislike, so I will do so now.

You are a self entitled douchebag.

Least costly to them, yes. The only thing that should have happened here is that Shenanigan Audio should have paid to ship the unit back free of charge and/or given you your money back and it should have ended there. Shanling had no obligation to you whatsoever because some seller comes along and sells you a product and advertises a warranty which THEY CANNOT FULFILL becuase they have/had no agreement with Shanling. Just because they put their info/logo on their website doesn’t mean shit. I can stick their logo all over my f'ing website, it doesn’t mean I’m authorized to sell their products. Shenanigan Audio were being dishonest sellers trying to make a buck, without going through official channels. This has nothing to do with Shanling.

If you want to protect yourself from losing money buying expensive shit, make sure to do your homework otherwise the fault lays at your feet, not the manufacturer.

Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

 

Oh, buddy, it don't work like that here.

 

May your board chip and shatter