Re: Closing the loop

[Tom Spaulding <tspauldi@gibson.com>]

Andre-

My sincere thanks for your ongoing efforts. I would definitely be
interested in the learning the cause of your noise problem. If it is not a
design anomaly, I think it would certainly merit a mention in a revised
owner's manual. 

I agree with you that at the scale we are operating at, the relationship
between manufacturer and end user is crucial. For example, even though the
JamMan was an excellent product at an excellent price, Lexicon chose to
discontinue it. We at Oberheim are probably no less bottom-line conscious
than Lexicon, but we are determined to keep the Echoplex in production, and
in fact maybe even expand the line(!). 

>From postings I have observed, the Customer Service people at Lexicon are
still answering questions, even though the product is no longer made. This
is a testament to the caliber of their organization and to the fact that
all "big"companies are made up of some people who care and some who do not,
(or can not). It is with the continued support and critiques from the power
user's on this list that Oberheim will persevere. Thanks again, Andre, for
pointing that out. Enjoy your update, and thank Kim and Co. for all of it's
benefits.

Tom
At 02:50 PM 11/2/97 -0600, you wrote:
>Hello all --
>
>Some thoughts I'd like to make here...
>
>As I posted previously a couple of days ago, in reviewing the information
>I provided for Oberheim, I detected some serious inaccuracies and
>inconsistencies in the information I provided them for trying to detect
>the anomaly in my unit.  I don't know how much this contributed to the
>delay I recieved in getting my unit back, and at this point I doubt I ever
>will.  What I am doing is choosing to return the other check, which was
>originally sent to Gibson (and subsequently sent back to me), back to
>Oberheim in the interest of trying to make reparations for the confusion
>which has ensued and help realize the expenses incurred in their efforts
>to help me.  If anyone at Oberheim feels any other steps should be taken,
>I'll happily speak to them in private or public about it, and I certainly
>apologize for any contributions to the current confusion which I may have
>made. 
>
>Since at least some of the confusion with my situation could very likely
>have stemmed from my lack of clarity, it seems to me at this point that it
>would be unfair to use my particular case as a litmus test for Oberheim's
>current state of organization and customer service (though it must be
>admitted that strictly from an intention point of view, Tom and Pat were
>definitely on the right track).  I do get the impression that the company
>is presently in very good hands. 
>
>The noise anomaly has been tracked down and explained.  I lack the
>necessary technical skills or expertise to do so, but it will shortly be
>made available; owing to the fact I've never heard anyone else notice it
>or complain about it, it's fair to say it's minor enough to not warrant a
>problem for anyone else.  If nothing else, I must thank Oberheim for being
>able to eliminate the possibility of its being a circuitry problem as a
>result of their swapping all of the internal electronics. 
>
>As one of the very few people who has thus far been priveleged enough 
>to use the upgrade, I can report that it's a very welcome addition to the 
>Echoplex.  The whole thing seems to run a little bit more smoothly, and 
>some of the minor bugs which had been annoying in the past are happily 
>absent from the current software.  Anyone who has any interest in looping 
>(including anybody on this list) owes it to themselves to investigate the 
>Echoplex, especially in its newer, sleeker format.
>
>One thing that's been driven home to me over the last week is the fact
>that what we do, and the companies which help produce the tools which make
>what we do possible to a large extent, all exists on a significantly
>smaller scale than what one might initially presume.  This isn't
>big-business corporate commerce -- it's fringe technology and creativity,
>being fostered by both musicians and manufacturers who often are not that
>far away from being unable to continue their efforts in this realm. 
>
>Whether we like it or not, I've come to the conclusion that those of us on
>this list (and, in a more general sense, those of us within this musical
>and creative community, both on-line and elsewhere) have a certain
>responsibilityto and for one another.  Without customer support, the
>products can't continue to be made or distributed; without company
>support, consumers and professionals will find themselves frightened at
>the prospect of getting into the game.  In an on-line forum, these
>relationships tend to be magnified and intensified far beyond where they
>might go in the real world, and this has the potential for abuse.  I've
>been guilty of that in the recent past, and I apologize for that.  Other
>people have as well, and they have in general admitted as such. 
>
>This is a pivotal time for Oberheim -- they're under new management, and 
>preparing to ship a version of a new product which customers have been 
>anxiously awaiting for at least two years.  I certainly hope that my 
>comments have not swayed anyone from considering investigation into the 
>Echoplex, and I will reiterate that the unit is in a class all its own in 
>terms of the depth and breadth of what it can do.  Take what's said in 
>this forum for what it's worth, but ultimately, track down one of the 
>units and see for yourself what it can do.  
>
>My thanks for Oberheim for their efforts in the past and present, and my 
>wishes for ongoing success and longevity.
>
>--Andre
>
>
>