a small warning: AVOID SOUND CONTROL

daniel_grieff · Post by **daniel_grieff** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 9:46 am

If I may be so bold to offer a heads-up to all the UK users on this forum that may have/will use sound control for their musical purchasing needs. Dont. Simply.
Useless bunch of careless idiots. Really dont care about their customers at all. I should have known when yesterday when I was queuing to buy my copy of guitar rig 3, and the guy in front of me in the queue was mouthing off for a full 10 mins about a guitar he brought months ago that has never materialised.
We all went there as a band, got strings, leads and an Alesis pad control thingie for the drummer. And i got the guitar rig copy ive been after for a while. Anyway, long story short, the Alesis unit didnt come with the supposedly supplied USB lead, power supply or installation CDs. And guitar rig didnt come with the CD / serial number either.
So thats two useless products that I have to trek back to the shop to replace. At my own transport costs. I might as well have used a faceless internet retailer. And I recommend you do too.
Sorry to rant, Im awfully riled and I want to help anyone else that may end up in a similar, frustrating boat.

xxx <3

fingerprince · Post by **fingerprince** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:09 am

Unfortunately this sort of thing is all too common
I had much the same experience at Turnkey in London
Sucks a big one when you make the effort to actually go to these places
then end up with third rate products.
Quiet rant over

Precision · Post by **Precision** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:12 am

I swore I'd never buy from Turnkey again after the last time I went there!

hambone1 · Post by **hambone1** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:12 am

www.dolphinmusic.co.uk

Superb.

grizzler · Post by **grizzler** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:16 am

Never had a problem with turnkey, always found them super. Same with dolphin. Very good service

benj_sp · Post by **benj_sp** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:36 am

It's a bit silly to slag off the entire shop when one purchase experience wasn't perfect - especially when they had no idea of knowing what was in a sealed box.

As is often the case with these places, some people that work there are better/more knowledgable/helpful than others, and it's always pot luck who you get, unless you build a relationship with these people so you know who to go to.

I've generally found them fine. You have to realise that people who work in these places aren't experts - at best, they do music as a hobby so they know a little, but that isn't always the case.

I've rarely (ok, *never*) been in a technology shop and felt the person I was speaking to knew more about this stuff than I did, so I don't really have that expectation any more.

But then I would also never go to them for advice either - the only time I walk into those places is if I just want to have a browse around, or I have a specific item I'm buying, in which case it's a "Have you got..? Yes? Ring it up..." process.

I've bought a few things from SoundControl in London without problems. I've also bought many things from Turnkey over the years without problems (apart from the dumb/rude staff, and I will only buy if they have the item in stock there and then).

Precision · Post by **Precision** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:44 am

benj_sp wrote:It's a bit silly to slag off the entire shop when one purchase experience wasn't perfect - especially when they had no idea of knowing what was in a sealed box.

As is often the case with these places, some people that work there are better/more knowledgable/helpful than others, and it's always pot luck who you get, unless you build a relationship with these people so you know who to go to.

I've generally found them fine. You have to realise that people who work in these places aren't experts - at best, they do music as a hobby so they know a little, but that isn't always the case.

I've rarely (ok, *never*) been in a technology shop and felt the person I was speaking to knew more about this stuff than I did, so I don't really have that expectation any more.

But then I would also never go to them for advice either - the only time I walk into those places is if I just want to have a browse around, or I have a specific item I'm buying, in which case it's a "Have you got..? Yes? Ring it up..." process.

I've bought a few things from SoundControl in London without problems. I've also bought many things from Turnkey over the years without problems (apart from the dumb/rude staff, and I will only buy if they have the item in stock there and then).

Actually, you're right - maybe I was a bit harsh on Turnkey. The previous times I'd been there, the service wasn't great - but at least I walked out with what I wanted. It was just the last time that things got a bit....Challenging

Still think I'll stick with Thomman though. I've bought quite a bit of stuff from them, and their service is excellent. I really like the way I get a text message - complete with the name of the person dealing with my order - telling me it's been posted.

S4racen · Post by **S4racen** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:52 am

Turnkey, more than happy to take money for items (in stock on website) that aren't actually available, in the hope that you'll sit and wait for them to turn up....

Still waiting for my refund for items ordered in October (my fault for not checking my bills properly but the refund is now being made in three seperate amounts for some unknown reason!)

Dolphin on the other hand have been great and very accommodating to strange delivery requests, can't speak for delivery with Studiospares but visit the shop and you'll be very happy with the service, admittedly not a lot of stuff to try and fiddle with but if it's low prices and stuff in stock your after +easy parking!

Cheers
D

Precision · Post by **Precision** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:27 am

S4racen wrote:Turnkey, more than happy to take money for items (in stock on website) that aren't actually available, in the hope that you'll sit and wait for them to turn up....

Still waiting for my refund for items ordered in October (my fault for not checking my bills properly but the refund is now being made in three seperate amounts for some unknown reason!)

Dolphin on the other hand have been great and very accommodating to strange delivery requests, can't speak for delivery with Studiospares but visit the shop and you'll be very happy with the service, admittedly not a lot of stuff to try and fiddle with but if it's low prices and stuff in stock your after +easy parking!

Cheers
D

Aw, man - I feel for you. Exactly what happened to me

It did all get sorted out in the end, though; just hang on in there!

grizzler · Post by **grizzler** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:36 am

Well i hope thomann are good with returns. I think my BCF is dead after a month !

trip_out · Post by **trip_out** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:11 pm

I've always been happy going to digital village, well the birmingham branch to be exact. Down to earth and not pushy.

daniel_grieff · Post by **daniel_grieff** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:33 pm

benj_sp wrote:It's a bit silly to slag off the entire shop when one purchase experience wasn't perfect - especially when they had no idea of knowing what was in a sealed box.

As is often the case with these places, some people that work there are better/more knowledgable/helpful than others, and it's always pot luck who you get, unless you build a relationship with these people so you know who to go to.

I've generally found them fine. You have to realise that people who work in these places aren't experts - at best, they do music as a hobby so they know a little, but that isn't always the case.

I've rarely (ok, *never*) been in a technology shop and felt the person I was speaking to knew more about this stuff than I did, so I don't really have that expectation any more.

But then I would also never go to them for advice either - the only time I walk into those places is if I just want to have a browse around, or I have a specific item I'm buying, in which case it's a "Have you got..? Yes? Ring it up..." process.

I've bought a few things from SoundControl in London without problems. I've also bought many things from Turnkey over the years without problems (apart from the dumb/rude staff, and I will only buy if they have the item in stock there and then).

Box wasnt sealed. I know its my bad for not checking to see that it was, but being naive when I get given something in a box in a shop I just take the vendors word for it. Especially as the 10+ strong crew behind me were all waiting in line to bite the head off the sales guys. I felt sorry for the poor lads as a matter of fact.
Also, Turnkey sold me an M-audio Ozonic that was faulty. I dont live in london so not only did I lug it on the train home when I brought it, I had to lug it down again to get it repaired. It never got repaired and I gave it back permanently, got an RME instead.
Tbh, a lot like many ppl in this thread, I dont think Ill ever buy form a shop again. Its not like I need the advice when buying a product, I have the internets and friends (!) for advice on tech and also the sales guy didnt even know what guitar rig was til I pointed at it and explained.
Internets ftw, eh?

xx

Mr Man · Post by **Mr Man** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:12 pm

Its the salesman that always get on my tits. You walk in not really knowing an awfull lot about the gear, and your fed a load of bullshit. Usually trying to sell you stock thats not selling - because its shite! wasted a lot of money listening to salesmen in soundcontrol and other shops. There is the odd one who can really help you find the right product , listen and interpret what you might be after.

my first purchase was like...

me - "hi, i dont really know about this type of shit but i want to make techno music"!

salescunt - " oh, well all the techno guys are using this shitty digital 8 track that doesnt even bleep or sequence, but there is a techno demo on it that i will show you and you will think its all possible in the box".

never again! sold it and discovered the roland groovebox then the electribes.

The_Super_Ape · Post by **The_Super_Ape** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:44 pm

I got an m-audio midi controller from Sound Control a couple of years ago and when I got it home I found out that someone from the shop had already opened and registered the copy of Live Lite that was bundled!

Been there a few times since when looking for equipment, and each time have been amazed by how patronising the staff have been considering their complete lack of product knowledge.

The customer service award clincher involved me having to ask two separate salesmen at the desk whether they had any condenser mics. One of them then grudgingly got some 'senior' salesman who "might know what i was going on about". He arrived, then went looking in the stock room for several minutes, came back with a seemingly random box and said "i think you mean cardioid, yeah?", and then acted surprised that I didn't want it.

I've always been happy going to digital village

+1

S4racen · Post by **S4racen** » Sun Jan 27, 2008 2:04 pm

Seeing your location Daniel , i'm guessing your experience was with the guys in the Milton Keynes store??

I remember asking to see a Roland drum pad in there about a year back, you should have seen the hummph two of them gave as they realised it was'nt out on the shop floor and they'd have to find a transformer for it....

Then one of them proceeded to bash at it for five minutes showing off what an excellent drummer he was, after this slick demonstration he asked me if i wanted to buy it.....

Guess the answer!

Cheers
D