Owner of AV123 indicted for fraud

starkiller
starkiller Posts: 2,723
edited March 2010 in The Clubhouse
Geez, the owner of AV123 has been indicted for fraud:

http://www.timescall.com/news_story.asp?ID=20988

Never bought anything from them but them seemed to be well built and all and reviews were always pretty positive. Sad, very sad :(
Computer room Hegeman 1 SpeakersM&K VX-80 subKenwood DP-7010Cambridge Audio CXC Transport Rega DACPrimaLuna Prologue Four AmpAric Audio Tube PreampGarage Jennings Research SquareCustom tube preampCrown XLS-1000Denon DCD-1500II Modded MSB Link DAC
Post edited by starkiller on
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  • Polkitup2
    Polkitup2 Posts: 1,621
    edited February 2010
    Just another crook it sounds like. Lots of them out there.:(
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited February 2010
    It's been awhile coming, but it was getting inevitable with all the allegations cropping up over the last few months. There's quite a bit of vitriol occurring over on AVS from the "I told you so" gang over on AVS.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • ohskigod
    ohskigod Posts: 6,502
    edited February 2010
    how the hell did he expect to keep getting away with that?

    immoral, and unbelievably stupid.
    Living Room 2 Channel -
    Schiit SYS Passive Pre. Jolida CD player. Songbird streamer. California Audio Labs Sigma II DAC, DIY 300as1/a1 Ice modules Class D amp. LSi15 with MM842 woofer upgrade, Nordost Blue Heaven and Unity interconnects.

    Upstairs 2 Channel Rig -
    Prometheus Ref. TVC passive pre, SAE A-205 Amp, Wiim pro streamer and Topping E50 DAC, California Audio Labs DX1 CD player, Von Schweikert VR3.5 speakers.

    Studio Rig - Scarlett 18i20(Gen3) DAW, Mac Mini, Aiyma A07 Max (BridgedX2), Totem Mites
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  • Fireman32
    Fireman32 Posts: 4,845
    edited February 2010
    what an bad man.
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  • wingnut4772
    wingnut4772 Posts: 7,519
    edited February 2010
    Yep. Unfortunately ruins it for those who are legit.
    Sharp Elite 70
    Anthem D2V 3D
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    Parasound HCA 1000 A
    Parasound HCA 1000
    Oppo BDP 95
    Von Schweikert VR4 Jr R/L Fronts
    Von Schweikert LCR 4 Center
    Totem Mask Surrounds X4
    Hsu ULS-15 Quad Drive Subwoofers
    Sony PS3
    Squeezebox Touch

    Polk Atrium 7s on the patio just to keep my foot in the door.
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  • mdaudioguy
    mdaudioguy Posts: 5,165
    edited February 2010
    I ordered my first sub from them in June 2008, largely on the basis of specs, price, and the subwoofer rankings posted on AVS by craigsub. I knew little about subs, even though it was to be the third one I purchased. I knew even less about the company, but I took a shot. It arrived with blemishes, but their CS was decent for me and they replaced it after 2 or 3 months. The replacement has been great for me (knock on wood). However, months later I began to read some really disturbing posts about this individual who has now been indicted. I don't believe everything I read, but the abundance of anecdotal evidence was stunning - even for the Internet. I then was ashamed that I had given this individual my money... Wish I had gone another route, just for the principle of it. If I could justify a replacement, I'd get rid of it in a heartbeat.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited February 2010
    I'm glad they didn't get a dime from me
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  • mdaudioguy
    mdaudioguy Posts: 5,165
    edited February 2010
    Ron Temple wrote: »
    It's been awhile coming, but it was getting inevitable with all the allegations cropping up over the last few months. There's quite a bit of vitriol occurring over on AVS from the "I told you so" gang over on AVS.
    Oh yeah, and I think I recall a recommendation from you, too! ;) Don't worry buddy, I'd never blame you... You've given me so much good advice! Everyone's a little off once in a while!

    Just messing with you, Ron. :)
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  • comfortablycurt
    comfortablycurt Posts: 6,745
    edited February 2010
    Interesting...I've been halfway following all the controversy around AV123 for some time now. Good to see the guy got what he had coming to him.

    That's too bad. According to a lot of reviews that I've read, some of his products were quite nice for their price points.
    The nirvana inducer-
    APC H10 Power Conditioner
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    Parasound Halo P5 preamp
    Parasound HCA-1200II power amp
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    Audioquest Speaker Cables and IC's
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  • Matt34
    Matt34 Posts: 318
    edited February 2010
    It's been a long time coming for a lot of us. Hopefully he will never be able to start another business again.
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  • TouchOfEvil
    TouchOfEvil Posts: 967
    edited February 2010
    At one point i was looking into some gear from his site but after doing some reading here i realized it would best to stay away. Glad i did.:o
    Living Room Rig:D
    Rotel RSP-1069/Rotel RMB-1095/Rotel-1072/Polk lsI15's W/modded xoverW/DBsubs/Polk LsiC/lsI7's/Klipsch sub-12"the weak link"/DLP Mitsubishi 65"
    Xbox360/PS3/WII
    M.Br. setup:)
    Emotiva MMC-1/Rotel RMB-1075/Polk BlackStone TL350's/Velodyne SPL1000/Samsung 51" Plasma
    Computer Rig:
    Rotel RB1050/Tannoy DC4's/Klipsch RW-10d/ImodIpod/HK AVR230 for now....
    Headphones-Ultrasone-HFI780's w/LittleDot MK Vamp Portables Panasonic HJE-900's
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  • Sherardp
    Sherardp Posts: 8,038
    edited February 2010
    Sad, I hope all involved get their issues worked out with this guy.
    Shoot the jumper.....................BALLIN.............!!!!!

    Home Theater Pics in the Showcase :cool:

    http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=73580
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  • Toxis
    Toxis Posts: 5,116
    edited February 2010
    Wow what a dousch. I was considering going with one of his subs but not now. Dear lord. ****!!
    Never kick a fresh **** on a hot day.

    Home Setup: Sony VPL-VW85 Projo, 92" Stewart Firehawk, Pioneer Elite SC-65, PS3, RTi12 fronts, CSi5, FXi6 rears, RTi6 surround backs, RTi4 height, MFW-15 Subwoofer.

    Car Setup: OEM Radio, RF 360.2v2, Polk SR6500 quad amped off 4 Xtant 1.1 100w mono amps, Xtant 6.1 to run an eD 13av.2, all Stinger wiring and Raammat deadener.
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited February 2010
    mdaudioguy wrote: »
    Oh yeah, and I think I recall a recommendation from you, too! ;) Don't worry buddy, I'd never blame you... You've given me so much good advice! Everyone's a little off once in a while!

    Just messing with you, Ron. :)
    Low blow there md :p:D

    I think the last good thing I said about MLS or the MFW was when it just came out. Not too long after, you jumped on it, I learned about the problems, then more problems, then some behind the scenes stuff that's been all over the internet recently. The best thing I ever said since was that the sub was a good design and that I hoped the company could stay in business long enough to make good on most of the egregious customer complaints. I didn't think it would happen though. As despicable as the allegations are, we're not talking about alot of money here. Anything he allegedly didn't forward on to charities or preorders he took with no product forthcoming was used to prop up his company for yet another week. Small time and inevitably he got caught.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited March 2010
    That's is sickening! Greed begets more greed which begets more greed ad nausium. It's a sickness. No wonder it is considered one of the seven deadly sins.
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  • DaveHo
    DaveHo Posts: 3,500
    edited March 2010
    Good! MLS has had this coming to him for a looong time. I had one bad dealing with him several years ago when he was selling off some personal equipment. I called him out on his own forum, caught a bunch of flack from the AV123 sheep, but I did get my money back. It's truly sad how many people have gotten screwed by him.

    -Dave
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  • jinjuku
    jinjuku Posts: 1,523
    edited March 2010
    What is really sad is some of the AV Forums shut down threads where people were complaining about the raffles and about some (for the people complaining) big $$ on speakers that would never arrive.

    Audioholics.com is one of the few that allowed an MLS/AV123 thread to keep running regardless. Kudo's to AH for allowing an outlet for the people that maligned by this crook (even though a year ago even I was asking people to give MLS the benefit of the doubt).
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited March 2010
    Many years ago (1994?), after purchasing some Audio Alchemy products, that guy Schifter, the president of AA at the time, called me to ask why I wasn't buying more of his products. I thought that was cheeky. Now I know why.
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  • cubdog
    cubdog Posts: 835
    edited March 2010
    When I was in Denver I bought a used Onix SP3 on Audiogon. I had a problem with it and talked to AV123s CS department. They told me to bring it in to their Boulder offices and they would take a look at it. When I got there they said "we'll just give you a new amp". It's a shame a company that was once good has fallen so fast. I checked the AV123 forum today. The members sound understandably bitter and betrayed.

    cubdog
    Shuguang Classic S8MK
    Emotiva XDA-2
    Bel Canto M300 mono blocks
    Bel Canto DAC 1.5
    Squeezebox Touch
    Sony SS-M7
    A/D/S L710
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited March 2010
    i actually don't see much over on av123 about the whole thing...
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  • Matt34
    Matt34 Posts: 318
    edited March 2010
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    i actually don't see much over on av123 about the whole thing...

    They have since "cleansed" any thread regarding the aforementioned issues.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,726
    edited March 2010
    i figured as much...

    It reminds me of a few years back when XFX did something similar. Nvidia had a bad batch of cards ship to vendors (I wanna say this was the 79xx or the 88xx series). When vendors like XFX, BFG and eVGA built the cards they had a bunch of bad cards and customer were pissed.

    All the companies' forums got hammered with pissed off people. eVGA kept their forums open and let the threads live and busted their **** to respond and get issues corrected as best they could. XFX just shut their entire forum down because they didn't want to deal with all the mess.

    I've always remembered that, and eVGA got me as a life-long customer (I've often compared them to Polk). I've heard good things about XFX since, but every time someone brings them up I make sure to tell them that story and why they'll never see a dime from me.

    This is obviously a little different, and I don't know what was in those threads on AV123, but in geneeral this leaves a bad taste in my mouth and they'll never get my money.
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  • bsoko2
    bsoko2 Posts: 1,449
    edited March 2010
    The MFW-15 is a good sub if you get one that is OK. I have three of them and have had no issues. Of course if problems do come up with them now, at least I can go and get a Seaton designed kit for them. Hope the company survives under new managment as they did have some good products.

    Bill
    My 2012 HT Room - http://www.avsforum.com/t/1416077/bsoko2-new-ht-june-2012
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  • jdhdiggs
    jdhdiggs Posts: 4,305
    edited March 2010
    Heh, I was always curious about trying one of their products, guess I won't now... What a dick
    There is no genuine justice in any scheme of feeding and coddling the loafer whose only ponderable energies are devoted wholly to reproduction. Nine-tenths of the rights he bellows for are really privileges and he does nothing to deserve them. We not only acquired a vast population of morons, we have inculcated all morons, old or young, with the doctrine that the decent and industrious people of the country are bound to support them for all time.-Menkin
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  • dane_peterson
    dane_peterson Posts: 1,903
    edited March 2010
    For what it's worth, the AV123 products are still a decent value... so long as you're not paying up front for them. MLS always spoke of "making good" to those who waited so long... weeks, months... in some cases even years! Totally an unacceptable way to run a business. But that won't stop me from buying an AV123 product if a good deal comes around.

    Those who got screwed here were, for the most part, well-intentioned people simply looking to support a cause... NOT to make a purchase. Which makes this even more of a tragedy. At least justice has caught up with him. I'm sure the company will continue in his absence... God knows he hasn't been around much the last year or two anyway.
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