Ultimate Ear: shocking customer service

PaulinBont · Dec 23, 2012

Bought a pair of Ultimate Ear earphones with built-in speakers at the NEC.
Brilliant until they stopped working!
Returned under warranty to Ultimate Ear who refused to honour the warranty as the defect "was caused by ear wax" !!!!!!!
Surely it is not reasonable for in-ear earphones to be adversely affected by ear wax as one would expect ear wax to be present in the ear ?

First they blamed the ear wax but following my protestation, they changed their story and spuriously claimed that the defect was not repairable under warranty but would be sorted after I made a 'goodwill payment' ???

I tried cleaning them with the tool supplied before returning them.

Despite several emails, they have refused to budge and now I am seeking redress through the Small Claims Court.

The mind boggles as to why a 'reputable' company would risk adverse publicity as a result of such shoddy customer service. They are now refusing to return the earphones even though they are my property.

Will keep you posted on the progress of this matter through the County Court but please consider alternative manufacturers before purchasing a product from Ultimate Ear.

pablo666 · Dec 23, 2012

Oh dear! Had to happen one day, real can of worms on here! :popcorn

ghiribizzo · Dec 23, 2012

Mebbes the other guys clean their ears better?

(RIP) Tunneruk · Dec 23, 2012

Surely they're obliged to return them to you? Either that or your money?

I've never owned a pair of these (I did sit opposite the stand at the show eating a 'burger' watching them work)

I have only heard of them being nothing short of excellent. Very curious indeed.

As is usual with these things, there's bound to be a crucial element (from either perspective) that we're yet to hear!

Fanum · Dec 23, 2012

Tunneruk said:
I have only heard of them being nothing short of excellent. Very curious indeed.

Perhaps sir needs his own ear wax addressing then :augie

MikeP · Dec 23, 2012

PaulinBont said:
Bought a pair of Ultimate Ear earphones with built-in speakers at the NEC.

When?

(RIP) Tunneruk · Dec 23, 2012

Fanum said:
Perhaps sir needs his own ear wax addressing then

Really? I must have missed those threads then? :nenau

Fanum · Dec 23, 2012

Tunneruk said:
Really? I must have missed those threads then?

It was a long time ago.....lots of water under the bridge since then :thumb2

STUBBS · Dec 24, 2012

Fanum said:
Perhaps sir needs his own ear wax addressing then

not toms set by any chance :nenau

Backmarker · Dec 24, 2012

Not sure of exactly who it was...but a few years ago I contacted a supplier of earplugs (who had been highly recommended by people on this forum) and they repeated their publicaly stated claims that the ear plugs had been 'tested to 80mph'.

When I asked for specifics regarding the 'test' some bloke said that he had 'stuck his head out of the window of a car doing 80mph' and he had judged the noise reduction been wearing plugs and not wearing them at about 80% - which then became the basis for all their advertising.

JohnnyBoxer · Dec 24, 2012

Certainly being shouted about on a lot of Forums

http://www.adventurebikerider.com/f...5-ultimate-ear-shocking-customer-service.html

Dave56 · Dec 24, 2012

Perhaps this device should be included within there packaging in future......

Pukmeister · Dec 24, 2012

You aren't the only one....

Mine are shite, had to repair the cable myself this time, previously repaired twice by Ultimate, the bloody soft rubber cable splits open along its length from the earpiece down.

Next time they fail they are getting binned.

A mate has a pair from Headset Services in Shoreham, he bought his about a year before mine and has never had any problems with them because his are reinforced where the cable enters the moulded earplug.

MikeG · Dec 24, 2012

Ear plug customer service

I got my in ear monitors from Minerva - and am 100% happy. I had a problem with a blocked speaker (earwax!!!!) and Minerva sorted out immediately. the plugs attenuate the outside noise and I can listed to mp3 or telephone at a normal listening level. very comfortable to wear.

PaulinBont · Dec 25, 2012

MikeG said:
I got my in ear monitors from Minerva - and am 100% happy. I had a problem with a blocked speaker (earwax!!!!) and Minerva sorted out immediately. the plugs attenuate the outside noise and I can listed to mp3 or telephone at a normal listening level. very comfortable to wear.

Should have gone with them, thanks for that will give them a bell in the New Year. Can't believe how Ultimate Ear are using every excuse in the book to avoid repairing the monitors.

darkhorse · Dec 25, 2012

I have to say, got three pairs of plugs from ultimate, normal plugs, swimmers an monitors.

My monitors must be several years old now and still going strong, used a lot on the bike, for running and in the gym and generally abused. If anything they are too good at blocking out background noise as cant hear anyone saying anything to me in the gym. Cables slightly worn, but nothing a bit of insulation tape hasn't sorted.

Littledumptruck · Dec 25, 2012

Pukmeister said:
Mine are shite, had to repair the cable myself this time, previously repaired twice by Ultimate, the bloody soft rubber cable splits open along its length from the earpiece down.

my mate has had exactly the same problem, has def put me off them. I'll stick to my autocom headset in the helmet and my normal made to measure plugs. Less fussy wiring too.

Blackal · Dec 25, 2012

I'll never approach Ultimate Ear again............

Another thread

I'd rather travel down to Rotherham for a pair of Micky's :thumb2

Al

STUBBS · Dec 25, 2012

£15 diy ones from ebay

swissrob · Dec 25, 2012

the speaker cable on mine have broken on both plugs where it enters the plug. TBH the wiring feels quite cheap. I have to send them back for repair but im not keen on some reports of the wire just being spliced in.

Ultimate Ear: shocking customer service

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