DO NOT go to CIA Engineering for amp repair

[prochobo 10+ year member]

Everybody loves CIA and this thread won't mean squat, I know. I'm just trying to leave some feedback about them.

Basically, I sent them my amp on Oct 10, they got it on Oct. 12. I didn't hear from them for a few days, so I sent out an email on Oct. 16 asking if they had it and they did.

Yada yada yada, almost a month rolls by. As MECA finals gets closer, I get more anxious and I'm wondering where the fvck my amp is at. The lady on the phone told me that they had a lot of amps in, and it could take up to a month, so I already knew that. Here's where the false promises come in.

11-2-06

Hi Eric,Going as fast as I can. repairing some bunt and broken traces right now. Found them after rebuilding the amp and blowin it up again. Just part of the process.

I'm trying my ****dest to finish it up today, no later than tomorrow. I'll keep you updated.

jk

Obviously I didn't get it back within the time frame.

11-3-06

Hey Eric,I just talked with John Henry at Treo and he's sending me the schematics for youe amp. I need them to identify some parts that were and so I can fix the traces.

I sure once I get them, it will only be a matter of a couple hours to repair and then we'll test and burn-in the amp and we can get it out to you by tues.

thanks, jk

Tuesday huh? Tuesday would have been 11-7.

Finals roll by and roll on, I start to think that life goes on. I exchange emails with them until I get this one odd email as a reply.

11-11-06

Go ahead and send your amp to:CIA engineering

13348 Sanford Road

West Springfield, Pa. 16443

Tape all your contact info to the top of the amp.

Thanks,

JK

They sent that to me as a REPLY to one of my emails, it wasn't just random.

So now I get pissed just like any other person would and I'm about to go postal. So I send them this email:

11-20-06

You all have my Treo SSX1500.1 that I sent in over a month ago. My contact info is:
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I have sent numerous emails and have received lots of false promises. I want an absolute deadline as to when I will get this amp back. First I was told a month, then I heard schematics from Treo were being waited on and after that, it would only be a few hours. I was supposed to have it back almost 2 weeks ago, but no.

Oh and another thing I don’t appreciate is other people being bumped up to the front of the line and their amp getting repaired while mine just sits out in the cold when I needed it for finals.

Thanks,

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Now this reply email is what KILLS ME!

11-20-06

Well, to put it simply, I don't appreciate my business being accused of something you know nothing about. I didn't blow up your amp you did. Sometimes repairs take longer than expected, yours fell into that category.As I said and you can now see, I just recieved the info I needed to work on your amp from treo.

From: John P Henry

Date: Wednesday, Novenber 15, 2006 12:21 PM

Subject: RE: CIA Engineering request

Joe,

Sorry it took so long to get back with you. I fell ill after SEMA and was out for a week! You are correct, they are IRF3205's. Make sure you check the caps in the amp for swelling, usually when the Fets go in the PS the caps are weak. It is caused by kids running them at .5ohms and .25ohm for extended periods, as the protection does not kick it for low imp untill dead short. latter JOHN

As far as the repair, You can either send it to Treo for repair or to the amp repair center - Scott Hall: http://www.amprepaircenter.com Phone: 330-374-6200

I won't work on your amp, besides, it's put back together and boxed, with the shipping label and ready to be returned.

Plus, I'm eating the evaluation fee and the return shipping, so you really have nothing to complain about.

Good Luck with your amp,

Joe K

CIA Engineering

So, what have I accused them of? Notice this, CIA says they "just" got the information they needed. Then notice that the email from Treo was received on the 15th, 5 days later! Just flat out lie like that. . .

For the record, I tried to be as professional and patient as I could have been, but they just kept on giving me false promises and never kept me updated unless I asked. I didn't "pester" them either, I only emailed em like once a week, if that, to check out the progress. There's lots more, but these were the main points.

So now, I have my unrepaired amp from CIA on a plane on its way back to me.

Click to read more...

 

[bballrrt06 10+ year member]

wow

bad times.

any idea what the problem is?

did you run it at .25 / .5 ?

 

[CBFryman2 5,000+ posts]

He said JK after all of his deadlines, what are you mad about?

 

[scarolinablazin 10+ year member]

im gonna bet just by reading those few replies you got that when he admitted to blowing it again he caused it to be un-reparable. hope not but why else decide not to fix it??

 

[Lckmyblls 10+ year member]

hmm... im gonna hold off sending my ab 150.1 in to them...

 

[Megalomaniac 5,000+ posts]

He said JK after all of his deadlines, what are you mad about?

lol

Joe K

 

[creyc 10+ year member]

What the hell??

Found them after rebuilding the amp and blowin it up again. Just part of the process.

Just part of the process? I don't think so. Thats careless "repair" and a poor practice to rely on. I would bet more than anything he just replaces the first thing that looks bad, plugs it in and if it works, then its "good enough". Not a very scientific process, and you can bet something else will fail later on.

Thanks for the heads up, and I'm glad I repair my amps myself! I totally agree with you though, thats very unprofessional of CIA.

Found this on their website: "Experienced personnel, affordability and honesty are the trademarks of our company." lol

 

[Spooby 10+ year member]

Where are they located at?

 

[Chevyaudio 5,000+ posts]

Langley Virginia...

 

[melnlovr911 10+ year member]

that ***** Eric. Same thing happened to me about 1 year ago with an ebay amp repair company. Never saw it again. Time to get it fixed and get loud //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[bamaboy 5,000+ posts]

i dont understand what happened with yours, mine went through smoothly, he is even putting a different heat sink and terminal back on it since fedex played football with it

CIA is alot better than amp repair center...ALOT

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

i dont understand what happened with yours, mine went through smoothly, he is even putting a different heat sink and terminal back on it since fedex played football with it
CIA is alot better than amp repair center...ALOT

Amp Repair Center is no longer in business //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif I almost put them in court myself last summer when Scott was incapable of properly repairing one of my amps.

Im not about to defend CIA here, especially since Eric is my team member and I suggested CIA to him, but CIA did repair one of my amps for free recently, of course after they sent it to me and 5 seconds after powering it, the amp went up in smoke. Which of course is a warranty issue, but they did send that back to me pretty fast.

Ive actually been in an argument with Joe myself, I beleive he's a nice guy most of the time but he has a hot head streak, and thats bad for business.

You know its always mixed reviews with any of these amp repair companies, there is just so many weird things that can happen to electronic equipment during and after repair, that its a questionable business to be in the first place IMO.

 

[creyc 10+ year member]

Being hot headed is OK, but ****...get some real management or something. Engineers make horrible business decisions from my experience.

Sounds like a pretty low rate engineer anyways. If he were really good he'd be out designing amps, not fixing someone else's problems. I also find it funny, the tone and overture I get from reading those emails. Like he's annoyed people are always breaking their amps by doing stupid **** or exceeding manufacturer recommendations. Thats his freakin business! He should be thankful people push their gear to, and beyond its limits daily. Thats what puts the meat on his table, I don't understand why he's all bent out of shape.

I'll definitely put a word out to my friends about this CIA place. Its okay. He doesn't want the business anyways. :|

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

I just wanted to let everyone know what happened. As far as amp repair is concerned, they are pretty much the best and it leaves us no choice but to go to them. I have heard very good things about them, but they can fvck up every now and then and this is how they do it.

 

[Macklessdaddy 10+ year member]

Amp Repair Center is no longer in business //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/fyi.gif.9f1f679348da7204ce960cfc74bca8e0.gif I almost put them in court myself last summer when Scott was incapable of properly repairing one of my amps.

Im not about to defend CIA here, especially since Eric is my team member and I suggested CIA to him, but CIA did repair one of my amps for free recently, of course after they sent it to me and 5 seconds after powering it, the amp went up in smoke. Which of course is a warranty issue, but they did send that back to me pretty fast.

Ive actually been in an argument with Joe myself, I beleive he's a nice guy most of the time but he has a hot head streak, and thats bad for business.

You know its always mixed reviews with any of these amp repair companies, there is just so many weird things that can happen to electronic equipment during and after repair, that its a questionable business to be in the first place IMO.

since when is arc out of business,those crooks are still in business

 

[prochobo 10+ year member]

WOW! I didn't notice this before, but I do now.

I'm missing a total of 4 set screws from the terminals.

I guess this is CIA's stupid, immature way of saying "FVCK YOU!"

Oh well, two can play at that game //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[j3bus2k3 5,000+ posts]

WOW! I didn't notice this before, but I do now.
I'm missing a total of 4 set screws from the terminals.

I guess this is CIA's stupid, immature way of saying "FVCK YOU!"

Oh well, two can play at that game //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

OH NOES! Dude, there what, $.30 at home depot? Grow up. But I'm sorry about what happened with your amp. Good write up. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[SEvald125 10+ year member]

lol

 

[baseballer1100 5,000+ posts]

So is it worth sending an amp to get fixed or is it better to just buy a new one?

 

[snoopdan 5,000+ posts]

So is it worth sending an amp to get fixed or is it better to just buy a new one?

depends, some amps you just cant exactly buy anymore new.... some amps are worth being fixed, like if you found a DD Z1 for $200 for sale broken you'd be a fool not to pay to get it fixed.