On Jan 27th, the Voyager I ordered from Turnkey arrived. Great! But the VX-351 I also ordered arrived:
with no output adaptor card
with a Yamaha UK KPA-3 power supply included (hello? PSU for a VX?)
with another copy of the Voyager manual
So, pretty obviously they’d sold me a demo VX as new. But I held my temper and phoned. It’s been a frustrating interval: I’ve had very poor service, they refused to send me a new, boxed VX and claimed that it was Moog USA’s fault. When I asked why Moog USA would ship out Yamaha UK power supplies, they went quiet.
Today I rang again and actually got a helpful bloke who said that my file hadn’t been updated: as far as they knew, I had no problems! So much for the other bloke claiming he’d send me out a board straight away. Well, I’d had enough so they’re picking it up tomorrow and I’m getting a full refund.
Phew…
So, can anyone tell me the best place a British customer can buy a VX-351? Have any other Brits used European shops with no problems for Moog gear? Or has anyone imported from Moog USA? Will Moog even do it because of all the stupid copyright malarkey?
All this hassle and dyspepsia just because I wanted to buy some Moog gear…
Hi - Sorry to here about your story. I got my Voyager and 351 from Turnkey and yep, there were some issues! However, these were dealt with very satisfactory once I got past the front line ‘sales’ people.
I decided to ask Moog for their thoughts on my AE’s non-illuminating facia and really was not expecting the response I got. They immediately jumped onto Turnkey, kicked a little butt and within hours I had Turnkey’s Sales manager calling me apologising and telling me how the situation was going to be resolved. She then called me daily until things were sorted.
Its often useful to remind ourselves who are the interested parties in these situations
Turnkey front line sales persons. Earning some pocket money and a music shop is better than Tesco [Concern level = zero]
Turnkey Sales Manager. This is their career [Concern level = high]
Moog. This is their reputation [Concern level = very high]
..saying this, even my experience with Turnkey’s floor manager was surprisingly bad but I guess he also stumbled into the position rather than Tesco..
Because of this I try not to get frustrated when dealing with the guys who are getting paid peanuts. There is a reason why they are paid just over the minimum wage..
btw, the 351 does come with a power supply. I have had two of these (first one was faulty) and both times I got a PSU and another Voyager manual. I understand you are frustrated but I personally would just accept the quickest route and that is to accept the adaptor card from Turnkey.
Let us know when it is all resolved and what you think of the 351. Good luck..
Are you talking about the multipin adaptor cable? The only cable required for the VX-351 is this adaptor which connects between the 351 and the back of the Voyager.
As for the Voyager manual, this is the manual for the VX-351. It can be found in the last few pages. There is no specific manual for the 351 accept the single page which explains how to install the adaptor card.
Therefore, what turnkey should supply is the mulitpin adaptor cable, the voyager manual, the adaptor card w/ installation instructions and the 351.
They collected my adaptor-less VX today. Let’s see how long they take to do the refund. (I recently returned a faulty PolyEvolver and they “forgot” about my £1800 refund on that till I phoned them.)
I really can’t be arsed with Turnkey any more. I’ve spent tens of thousands with them over the years and the service just gets worse and worse. They always were box-shifters but now they’ve become unusable for me. Music is my job - I don’t see why my work should be impaired by Turnkey’s appalling service and cavalier attitude.
I emailed Moog USA and asked them if I could buy directly from them, heard nowt back yet but let’s see.
btw, the 351 does come with a power supply. I have had two of these (first one was faulty) and both times I got a PSU and another Voyager manual. I understand you are frustrated but I personally would just accept the quickest route and that is to accept the adaptor card from Turnkey.
I find this very puzzling - why does the VX need a power supply? There’s not even a psu socket on it. Are Turnkey opening up every VX-351 and slinging in a Yamaha psu + Voayger manual or are Moog shipping them here like that? If so, why?
Let us know when it is all resolved and what you think of the 351. Good luck..
Well, it’s gone back. I’ll get my refund and then take my custom elsewhere. I partly think Turnkey get away with it because Brits are notorious for accepting bad service - we just don’t complain enough. I bet some of the Americans reading this thread are shaking their heads at the crumminess of what we put up with!
I’m off to check Ebay now and MESI, Paris to see what the other options are. Thomann have the VX too, bit pricey but I don’t mind paying more if it means never having to use Turnkey again.
As for the Voyager manual, this is the manual for the VX-351. It can be found in the last few pages. There is no specific manual for the 351 accept the single page which explains how to install the adaptor card.
Therefore, what turnkey should supply is the mulitpin adaptor cable, the voyager manual, the adaptor card w/ installation instructions and the 351.
Best wishes
Yep, exactly as I thought! The single sheet actually says something like ‘look in the Voyager manual for how to use this unit.’
Cany anyone from Moog USA clarify the issue? Why would a VX-351 need to be shipped with a Yamaha psu? Why slip in a whole Voyager manual?
This must boil down to the whole issue with using Dr. Moogs name in the UK.
Since Moog can’t place it’s name on the Voyager or other products they probably ship them naked to Turnkey. Turnkey then has the responsability to put the proper stickers and name plates on them and then package them in the non-Moog boxes. This would be why Turnkey is the only distribution deal in town.
If people at the plant get lazy they may screw up packaging routines or other assembly issues.
I’m not sure if this is the reason but I do know that the Moog issue in the UK is a bum deal, especially with their popularity in the region.
Best of luck, the 351 is a blast to use with the Voyager!!
That’s a very good point I hadn’t thought of! So, maybe they weren’t telling me porkies? Still, it’d be nice if they included the adaptor board.
Best of luck, the 351 is a blast to use with the Voyager!!
Thanks! I’m having so much fun with the Voyager - it’s awesome. I know that once I get a VX and get the Voyager talking to my other gear, I’ll be able to totally insane with it.
Thanks to everyone who’s given me advice on this, it’s much appreciated!
Turnkey send out a Yamaha PSU with the CP-251. The packaging for the VX-351 and CP-251 that I got from Turnkey were very similar. Perhaps they got confused and sent out a PSU by mistake, thinking that it was a CP-251. They got mine right though…
Yeah, I sort-of figured that. But it still doesn’t explain their bloke saying to me “we get them direct from Moog USA, we don’t open up the packages.” At least admit that you made the mistake, don’t claim that Moog send out KPA-3s!
Ah well, as soon as I get my refund I’ll find somewhere else to buy it! If Turnkey don’t want me as a customer, that’s just fine by me
Hi again Jyoti. Just ready your replies. Yeah, I guess after a while you have the right to say ‘sod them’.. Even more bad luck about the faulty PEK. What are you going to do about that as I believe Turnkey are the only UK supplier? I have an Evolver and finally got to demo the PEK in Turnkey about a month ago and yep, its a hot little mofo.. Considering getting the small MEK when it comes out as the PEK is a tad too large for my studio. Will see..
btw, (OT) but there is a company bringing out a VST front end editor for the Evolver. They are only in Beta but its getting close. So, we will have Evolver TI’s in the near future. I really dont understand why more companies dont do VST editors for synths that can then be used stand alone. A VST editor is infinitely more useful.
Yeah, it’s all too easy to get hung-up on bad service - I really haven’t got the time. Just move on, I say, I’ll buy my gear elsewhere.
Even more bad luck about the faulty PEK. What are you going to do about that as I believe Turnkey are the only UK supplier?
Yeah… it was such a lovely synth, I was a bit hearbroken sending it back. By the way, I emailed Dave Smith about it and he responded within around ten hours personally! He was going to send me another output board but I’d already had it collected by then.
I have an Evolver and finally got to demo the PEK in Turnkey about a month ago and yep, its a hot little mofo.. Considering getting the small MEK when it comes out as the PEK is a tad too large for my studio. Will see..
That Turnkey demo floor is a money pit, innit? I tried out a Nord Lead 3 there just before Crimbo and nearly bought one. That’s where I first tried a Voyager.
If I could, I’d import another PEK. I know it can provide a palette of sounds I can’t get from any of my other gear. And the lights! Like the mothership out of Close Encounters.
btw, (OT) but there is a company bringing out a VST front end editor for the Evolver. They are only in Beta but its getting close. So, we will have Evolver TI’s in the near future. I really dont understand why more companies dont do VST editors for synths that can then be used stand alone. A VST editor is infinitely more useful.
Sounds cool but I’ve recently got fed-up with computer recording. Well, I should clarify that - I now use an AW2400 for recording which is a computer, but a dedicated one rather than a general purpose jobby running recording software. Couldn’t take any more mousing around!
Anyway, I’m drifting rather rapidly off-topic so I better stop! Nice chatting with you.
i bought a vx from turnkey, someone there told me the adapter was already fitted on the voyager on all uk models (it’s not). when i tried to sort it out with them after a few months (took a while for me to get round to it) i took a few occasions of phoning them to find someone who looked in the vx boxes they had in the stock room and found me the adapter, he didn’t find an adapter in the 1st box so i don’t know what’s going on there. It should be pointed out that my vx was a b-stock so someone probably installed the adapter then sent the box back without it. moog where very helpful and so was the guy at turnkey who sorted it.
that poly evolver is gorgeous and that vst idea is spot on.
i hope you get your vx
cheers joe
Yep, for a while I thought they must have fitted it. But I opened it up and nowt.
i hope you get your vx
cheers joe
Cheers, mate! I’ve already had very nice emails from Moog USA telling me I can buy the VX directly from them and Analogue Haven say they’ll ship to the UK too.
Guys and girls, Having spent alot of time flitting back and forth through Turnkeys masses of synths and gear, I get the feeling that every saleperson in the shop knows only-
A) what his name is (because it says on his name tag)
B) when lunchtime is near (because they disappear and if you manage to stop them, when you ask for advice------------------
they point at someone else-who hasn’t realised it’s lunchtime
C) how to look in the computer and tell you
“YES, We have 2 in stock…can I have your card details please”…only to find out once you’ve paid-----there aren’t any in stock…I know this from past experiences when I asked for the SRX strings board for a Roland XV5080. Through my links in Roland(I live in Swansea)…they told me none were available for sale until two months AFTER my visit to Turnkey who assured me there were 2 in stock.
D) How to move Moog products downstairs virtually to the back of the Shop…
AND THESE GUYS ARE MAIN DEALERS…
Bring on the takeover I say…
Goodbye crummy saleperson, Hello salesperson who’s got a chance to learn how to switch the synths on and sell them…
Anyway, the VX doesn’t need a power supply and if you buy CP251 aswell, you can rack them and then NO POWER SUPPLY IS NEEDED
Everyone’s happy and somewhere( in Power supply heaven )…there are a bunch of Yamaha PSU waiting to be upgraded to a NORMAL 9V supply…
Nige
I am very surprised that Moog Music has not had words with Turnkey.
Yes, they are rubbish!!
I had a bad experience with them over two years ago when I went to buy a Voyager and had to go back three times which also cost me fuel driving to London and congestion charges getting into London, it ended up with me getting all my money back.
The staff are as good as a glass eye!
In the end I ordered all my Moog bits from Big City Music in the USA who was excellent and very customer friendly!
Come on Mr Adams give the franchise to a music shop that will look after all our interests.
Tur’key’s usual incompetence shines through again eh?
Reminds me of their great comments to me in 2002 when I tried to order an Etherwave:
“Sorry mate, we can’t sell them in the UK because their radio emissions interfere with Air Traffic Control at West Drayton and they could bring planes down”
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. The only way to bring a plane down with an Etherwave is to club the pilot over the head with one.
)…there are a bunch of Yamaha PSU waiting to be upgraded to a NORMAL 9V supply…