I purchased a KeyLab Essential 49 as b-stock/refurbished from a well-reputed retailer on Reverb. The b-stock designation is claimed to be from damaged original outer shipping box, and this appears to be the case, a new plain box over the original damaged box and no other apparent change to original packaging or signs of even moderate use.
I cannot register the item with Arturia, not with the serial number on the product and either its original unlock code (the one on the physical product), with the differing unlock code on the quick start guide, or with no unlock code whatsoever and just the serial, as suggested on the registration site. I've opened a support ticket with Arturia, including proof of purchase from the Reverb seller with my name, Arturia account email, and so forth.
I have not HAD *any* response to the support ticket beyond the automated response. It has been just 24 hours since I submitted the ticket. I realize this is just barely the standard response time that Arturia claims. But I am a new owner. I *cannot* use the product as advertised - by Arturia, not by the seller. This is a piece HARDWARE that I cannot use as a piece of HARDWARE out of the box. I cannot program user presets without Arturia's software, which requires software product registration to use a piece of HARDWARE.
I realize that the registration/activation issues are in part to mitigate theft and in part to protect Arturia's income from the bundled software. But the product simply cannot be used AS HARDWARE, with simple access to user-programmable HARDWARE features without a complicated and error-prone software dual registration/activation system. This is NOT a problem I have with the user-programming interfaces to devices I own by Korg and Akai.
Arturia *must* be aware of these issues. Arturia must find a better solution that NOT RESPONDING TO SUPPORT TICKETS ABOUT VERY COMMON ISSUES LICENSE ISSUES IN A TIMELY MANNER. But deeper than that, a HARDWARE product must be useable as HARDWARE by an end user without all these hassles. If authorizing the bundled software takes longer, that is fine. But I am extremely DISSAPPOINTEDabout my first experience with a company that supposedly has a good reputation, because I cannot use their HARDWARE as HARDWARE.
I realize a newbie forum rant is also unlikely to get anything done, and I'm just one person on the internet. But I am 24 hours away from being an excited new Arturia owner. I am currently extremely frustrated. And I am 12 hours away from becoming a vocal Arturia hater. If anyone is listening, resolve this issue. Fast. And STOP TREATING YOUR CUSTOMERS AS THIEVES BY DEFAULT - let me use your HARDWARE that I purchased in good faith from a reputable seller as HARDWARE.
