An email to founder and CEO of Arturia

[stuey]

I though I'd paste this email I sent to both Bruno and the CEO of Arturia.

U picked up and checked my 3rd Minibrute today, It was all working with good keys until I got it home and after 10 minutes the sound died and all the lights went off. This unit is not fit for purpose and should either have never been released or should be recalled.
___________________________________

Hello guys

I'm not very pleased I have to write this email to you as I am a big fan of your equipment. I own all your soft synths, a spark and a 61 Laboratory. I have been waiting to own a Minibrute since the day it came out and in the last 2 weeks I have had in my possession. 3 faulty units. My first unit was shipped with broken keys, I had a replacement unit sent to me, also with broken keys. (Broken, as in lifted up off the keyboard.) Rather than shipping a 3rd unit out I thought I would travel to my not so local store in order to pick one up, this way I could play it and see the condition of it before I purchased it.

I have had the 3rd unit at home for under 10 minutes and the unit has just powered off, with a large clicking sound from the output. The green light for the octave goes on and then dies away. You can see the time of which I have registered the unit, it didn't even last one day

This is the 3rd minibrute I have purchased, a staggering total of £1000 worth of goods, all are utterly un-useable.
I have spend countless hours with the 3 retailers, not to mention petrol going to pick up the unit today.

Please advise of how you wish to proceed. I will be going to trading standards here in the UK where I shall raise a case, I shall also go to the press regarding this problem if I am not adequacy reimbursed for my time and effort.

Here is my uk mobile number, I wish for a product specialist to call me and talk through the procedure on how we get this resolved.xxxxxxxxxx

I will otherwise have to insist on a full refund of ALL my Arturia equipment, which you will pay to pick up.

Finally, please advise how you can justify 3 units in a row to be faulty, it is because of this that I feel that this unit is not fit for purpose and I shall be seeking legal action if you do not reply to my email

Thank you for your time

Stuart Peck
 

[stevism]

lol i mean i understand it's frustrating but this is all a bit overboard and i don't think it'd be worth it to take legal action..

good luck i guess

[inkuplex]

lol i mean i understand it's frustrating but this is all a bit overboard and i don't think it'd be worth it to take legal action..

good luck i guess

Yeah this is a bit overboard buddy. I don't even know if my replacement will be functional yet but if it isn't I'm just going to get a refund and take my business elsewhere.

[stuey]

As i said in the post which was somehow deleted below. Fair enough, maybe said in the heat of the moment, and maybe should of written it and not sent it.

But… that said. It's unacceptable that these units get past QA. It can't be a coincidence that I have 3 units that were DOA, the 3rd one I actually picked up from the shop, so we can't blame couriers for that one.

Anyway, as with everything else, if you want something doing, do it yourself. I opened the unit over the weekend, tested the PSU on load and noticed I have about 6vdc. I have a 12vdc 1 amp PSU which I connected, it's now all solved.

No legal action required

[stuey]

Its a real shame that this episode has happened. The unit is a beast and it sounds amazing!

[tertior]

On 10000  MiniBrute sold, only 150 have a problem.
after you are in the laws of probability who's rare, but do exist. (1 time and never or 2,3,4..times)
It is wise to play games of chance such as when this occurs.


Tertior
 Internationnal expert of probabilities 

[stuey]

That's as maybe, however I did get 3 in a row.


I still haven't received a reply on the the support enquiry I submitted and nothing from my email to the big cheese.

Being ignored by this company is unacceptable, especially as the owner is running around the south of france drinking champagne with yours and my money.

[inkuplex]

On 10000  MiniBrute sold, only 150 have a problem.
after you are in the laws of probability who's rare, but do exist. (1 time and never or 2,3,4..times)
It is wise to play games of chance such as when this occurs.


Tertior
 Internationnal expert of probabilities 

Well it's not just him the forums have risen in failure reports since December and Arturia has acknowledged that until that point that was the statistic.

[stevism]

yeah, that keybed problem definitely seems much more widespread than previous issues. almost like an entire batch is tainted.

[inkuplex]

Spoke to a service repairman who voiced that would seem to be the case from his perspective too as it was sudden surge over the past month.

[stuey]

The guy I eventually bought the Brute from said he'd had 2 main issues. 1, faulty MB PSU and 2, Keys rising up off the keyboard. The 2nd issue he said isn't just affecting the minibrute, but also the keylab series.

What annoys me more than having these issues, is being ignored by Arturia.   

[inkuplex]

Just received the replacement unit.

It is completely thrashed. Multiple keys are completely broken off from the keybed along with the others that are still attached don't even have a common resistance/attack.  Doubtful I will even try to get another so I'm asking for complete refund and taking my business with another company.

[stuey]

That's a shame man!

It is a lovely sounding unit, worth persevering if you can handle it. I'd go into a store if you can

Stuart

[inkuplex]

I'm more disappointed that I'm losing the nice sale price and 2 plugin offer.