Topic: Creative Labs trade-in deal for broken JB3s

[willndmb]

+t dan
good to know if mine ever has issues

[spyder9]

Well, I just received an email from Creative Labs this morning.  It seems that my 2nd JB3 was still under warranty.  So the new refurb is being shipped with NO charges.

My experience so far:

1)  they'll swap JB3s and charge $40.00.  (outside warranty)

2)  they'll swap JB3s and No charge  (warranty still in affect)

I'm guessing on the warranty thing.  Both of my JB3s have been serviced in the last 2 months (bad optical), and I paid $40 for 1 unit, plus $12.00 shipping 2 boxes one way.  $52.00 total.

It sure beats spending $300.00 to replace these units.   

[spyder9]

What makes the deal really nice:  I have NO purchase receipts for either of my JB3s and they still took them.

[hitch]

What makes the deal really nice:  I have NO purchase receipts for either of my JB3s and they still took them.

Nice! Nice!    IMO, That's a bloody killer deal. 
Thanks spyder! If I could give +T, I'd do so.   
I jumped in and sent mine out. In the email Creative sent me with my RMA#, they actually asked for a purchase reciept.
Well I don't have one, so I sent a note explaining such. I'll post what happens when I get my jb3 back.

[scoper]

I dropped my jb3 yesterday - can get to the CREATIVE startup screen but no further - reset has no effect. I guess I'm next in the replacement/repair chain

Man, these things are fragile...

[Brian Skalinder]

Man, these things are fragile...

They're not tanks like the V3.  But...then again...you dropped it. 

[spyder9]

Man, these things are fragile...

They're not tanks like the V3.  But...then again...you dropped it. 

Wrongo!  Denecke AD20 is a beast.   

[scoper]

Man, these things are fragile...

They're not tanks like the V3.  But...then again...you dropped it. 

Call me Mr Guilty
Mr. Guilty, That's my name
Without a doubt, It's all my fault
I am the one to blame.

This came at the worst possible time - I've got four shows in the next month! I'm borrowing a friend's DAT (Sony M1) in the meantime, but I was really hoping to put the thing thru it's paces.

I borrowed a MiniDisc recorder for last night (Springsteen at Nassau) - let me tell you, feeding the MD a digital signal (AT853>SP Batt Box>AD-20) makes a HUGE difference in the result, as does having the SVU-1 to monitor levels. It's a lot to carry for stealthing, but definitely worth it. I really missed the jb3 when I missed a minute of a song due to a tape flip at the wrong time.

Kid gloves from now on...

Scott

[scoper]

An update - sent my jb3 (40gb) to Creative, arrived there 10/17.

I noticed last Wednesday (10/26) that the RMA record had been updated, and the serial number on the replacement had "20G" in it. I called Creative and they confirmed that a 20G jb3 was scheduled to be shipped this past Friday.

The matter was escalated to a supervisor, who pulled the shipment, ensured that a 40G drive was installed, and advised me that they would update my shipping to 2-day for their mistake. (I tried to get them to throw in an extra battery, but they didn't bite <g>). They also reissued the warranty, so I get 90 days for labor and one year for parts from today.

There was also no issue because I dropped it - they say the drop shouldn't have caused the problem I was getting.

My new jb3 arrived today - battery is charging as I type.

The entire experience with Creative was handled with great professionalism and courtesy - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend their support area (at least the RMA support) to anyone.

Good Job, Creative! ++T

[Roving Sign]

Wowzer...I will try this also - I bought a refurb off ebay last year - and it really has never worked right...

Do you have to send the battery back???

[scoper]

Wowzer...I will try this also - I bought a refurb off ebay last year - and it really has never worked right...

Do you have to send the battery back???

LOL - I thought of that before sending it in, but I believe their RMA instructions letter specifically states to include the unit with the battery, and nothing else.

So now I have an extra set of accessories.

Gotta tell you - I had borrowed a Sony D1 DAT from a good friend (and fellow TS member), and while I appreciated the easy stealthing it offered (no external preamp or A/D needed, as the A/D in the DAT is the same as the SBM1), I missed MY rig.

[Brian Skalinder]

I had borrowed a Sony D1 DAT from a good friend (and fellow TS member), and while I appreciated the easy stealthing it offered (no external preamp or A/D needed, as the A/D in the DAT is the same as the SBM1), I missed MY rig.

You've used a Sony PCM-D1 already?!?  With the built-in mics, I'm not even sure it would work well for our purposes.  Or do you mean TCD-D100?

[scoper]

I had borrowed a Sony D1 DAT from a good friend (and fellow TS member), and while I appreciated the easy stealthing it offered (no external preamp or A/D needed, as the A/D in the DAT is the same as the SBM1), I missed MY rig.

You've used a Sony PCM-D1 already?!?  With the built-in mics, I'm not even sure it would work well for our purposes.  Or do you mean TCD-D100?

Oops... make that a PCM-M1 (the "pro" twin to the TCD100). Nice little DAT, that one. But I'm finally whole, my rig is ready to go for tonight - The Bobs (a great a capella quartet whose voices will serve as the "orchestra" for Rhapsody in Bob - a rearrangement of the Gershwin piece. Also upcoming are Rockapella, Springsteen, the Roches, Loudon Wainwright, and whatever others I can fit in.

My wife doesn't understand this obsession with taping - she doesn't like having to be quiet so as not to interfere with the tape. But considering I spend 1/10th of what others spend on their ultragear, I'm at the low end of the spectrum. Try telling her that...

Scott

[hitch]

I just got off the phone with Creative (my RMA hasn't been updated on website since 10/17.) They basically told me flat out they'd charge me $161.xx to fix the hard drive, as the hard drive test failed... Tried to give me this nice 'offer' about switching to another player, as the jb3 is now obsolete and I'd get a credit for the jb3. I told them flat out to send back my old player, and that $160 fee to replace a Hard drive was fucking ridiculous. I mentioned the $40 deal, and the fact that that was the ONLY reason I had sent it in to begin with. Rep said they changed the policy, and now it's $24.95 and it has to be in warranty (1 year)... something about originally buying the jb3 off of ebay and the creative site/powerseller. :p  Oh- the rep also quoted a motherboard replacement at $110.

Glad I  called THEM 'cause no one bothered to get back to me. Grrrrrrr.   

[Brian Skalinder]

Oops... make that a PCM-M1 (the "pro" twin to the TCD100). Nice little DAT, that one.

Ah, that's what I figured.  But FWIW, the SBM-1 and M1/D100 do not have the same AD stage.  An excellent post on this matter (not surprisingly) from Todd R over on the old Oade forum, with a couple links to comments by Doug Oade, as well.