Warning about Kyle of Reference Audio Mods

I am starting this to its own new thread as I feel the world should know how RAM treated my transaction so other may be warned!!! I paid dearly for my mistakes. But that is not my mission by posting here. I already feel foolish enough by trusting this business.

My mission is to warn others about this business' ethics and hopefully help them to make an educated decision before buying into a load of crap like I did. Clearly, if Kyle had returned to deal with the open issues as he promised on delivery, I would not be here.

Several years ago, I waited three years for Kyle of Reference Audio Mods to complete the personally hand selected components for my "World Class, West Coast Showroom System". $28,000 later I have one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL BOAT ANCHOR SYSTEMS he ever made. I traveled over 35 times taking 3 1/2 hours in each road trip to his parent's house to check progress and observed him working at his mother's kitchen table, only to find that half of our appointments were not kept as he hadn't made it home from the night before, that's what we began and how he treated my business!!

http://diamondjim.net/images/sa826_mods2.jpg

Here is a list of unresolved issues from day one:
1. Custom Marantz 8260 universal Multi-channel CD/DVD transport W/Cocobolo Chassis that was reduced to and from the 1st day didn't play anything more than a few select CD's in Redbook 2 ch., within the first year stopped playing altogether. Marantz refused to service the dreaded TOC error as Kyle's work negated the warrantee which he also refused to honor. Instead he handed me a transport from another Marantz 8260 telling me I could fix it myself!!!



2. Silver Rock TVC preamp in a Custom Cocobolo Chassis that despite my repeated requests STILL only has ONE input. Too difficult for you Kyle? I only paid excess of $5000 for this little GEM! Yes, those are the infamous $500 knobs you see all over the web, fortunately, I didn't pay that for them.

3. Custom made Carver ZR-1600 D Class Amp that he smoked right in front of my eyes and dispute a worldwide power advertisement campaign between he and his last Carver client he quickly discontinued as unreliable but refused to take back. Oh yes, he matched this 600 watt pro audio amp with his 98db efficient 60 watt $10,600 bent wood horn speakers that blew the tweeters in the first 2 months of use. A decision that even Serge of Audio Consulting (your Guru) claimed to be a "horrible mismatch" in an email at the time this transpired. A short in the way he wired up the output RCA's caused the problem with the AMP and the speaker failure in one swift act! To his credit was repaired yet I still couldn't stand the high frequency hiss that remained and could be heard over the music, I never was able to use as intended. Later I found two HUGE Oil In Paper capacitors. A $300 charge for these, see picture in the upper right hand, the ones with the ground wired snipped??? But, there they are NOT even hooked up & super glued inside, his excuse was that he tried to cure the lack luster bass response (which didn't work out and said he left in place for me to try again later). Nice eh?? This piece O' Crap cost me $4,500!!! Oh, did I mention the 30 LB. $1500 custom transformer? This amp originally was sold/ returned for $1000 from another dissatisfied customer who didn't like the sound either and threatened to sue. Thanks for the memories!! !!

http://diamondjim.net/images/ram_carver3.jpg

4. Kyle delivered his custom $5,500 power filter system that amounted to a series of coils, capacitors and a huge transformer that sat loosely on two pieces of 2x6 boards he found behind his father's garage. His promises to install in a covered hard wood box for my protection left unfinished and proved to be a fire hazard and with open wiring had to be removed so my dogs didn't electrocute themselves. Kyle are these products UL approved??? Is this quality work???

http://diamondjim.net/images/mains_sm.jpg

5. AS a 30 yr veteran jeweler I watched Kyle work with limited tools, a cheap Weller solder iron and his father's Fluke Multimeter. What no scope or any other testing gear? I observed and heard his excuses for absolutely the worst soldering techniques where he uses globs of solder, like super glue excessively used as he had past problems in shipping returns as his work fell apart was such a mess. Real "CRAPS MAN SHIP" here folks, I personally bought him a MetCal solder station which did help but his sloppy workmanship remains a genuine problem. I can't trust him to fix and can't sell for parts.

His response to all of these issues was "Jim if you want MORE sound, you'll have to pay for it"??

At the time Kyle came highly recommended and I gave him a few thousand dollars per month to work with. I pleaded him to use a much higher ended Marantz player and a completely different AMP choice. But, he guaranteed his work as the end result could be obtained with "less expensive" components and his magic (is this what is referred to as SNAKE OIL?) his extremely poor choices COST me BIG $$$$. There was a great deal of inside press from another RAM Carver modded customer who spewed misconceptions all over the web as being the next great coming as a "World Class Amp". Press that didn't go unrewarded by Kyle, I might add. Carver gifted this person another AMP for Kyle to mod, both free of charge. After Kyle smoked my AMP he quickly retired further design/development as he claimed this AMP to be "unreliable" and quickly offered to start over with his NEWEST AMP provided I was willing to pay again, but..no refund for Jim. A real self defeating debacle that I have been way to quiet about for way too long.

No, I didn't have piles of cash around and took me years to finally pay off all my credit cards from these two beautiful boat anchors. It wasn't until I withheld payments that I realized that he wasn't going to make good on this sale. There is still an outstanding balance of $950.00.

This project started and elevated as many of these do as I wanted a high end CD player and finally a complete Audio Consulting/RAM system. Pride of ownership was also elevated as I was promised this was to be a " RAM West Coast Show System" provided I was willing to entertain his clients in my home. I desired the best system I could possible buy and I foolishly gave him the latitude to do develop one for me. What a fool will do at these moments. As my long term interest as an IT person was to have a reference system to compare and develop computer audio, we discussed partnership of audio designs. At the time I was intrigued/enamored with his own wood chassis, a VERY high ended Marantz shown at the RMAF show and that player won many shootouts. Kyle's father being a latherier and had made the woodworking all possible. The design was one of my choosing, the horrific CD/AMP component choices were Kyle's and Kyle's alone. That became the biggest the problem as he proceeded as he does with many to choose products he desires to develop mods for and gives the first guy a little discount...no discounts for Jim. To my dismay he unloaded a great deal of expensive Audio Consulting products that he used/demoed personally. The AMP was a complete disaster as it was a HUGE mismatch, had lack luster bass and a high pitched hiss that was never corrected. In short, I was sold on the Audio Consulting design and philosophy of materials and their effect on sound. But, I was delivered an unfinished and incomplete components and left holding the bag for close to $28000.00.

So the mods and component choice was all Kyle's along with the implementation that he left unfinished and defective. The wood choice and design was all mine and his father created them for his son's needs. He was a very kind and devoted father. Kyle made some very poor and VERY, VERY expensive choices that remain useable today. He refuses to fix, I don't trust him and I can't sell them for parts.

Kyle made an offer to repair within another forum, well if I can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear than how are you going to make a "World Class System" from inferior/defective/mismatched components you chose/used/recommended from the very beginning?? You delivered these products, set them up and you now expect me to drive them back to mommies house 35 more times? Hell No, I reserve final approval when system matching an synergy is finally achieved upon delivery. That's what I paid for...

I feel the world should be warned and aware of what kind of businessman he truly is....
Kyle, Man up, I looking for some accountability here!

Audio Reference Mods also known as RAM is located in Riverside, Ca.
Kyle Takenaga is the owner/operator

This project was not unlike any home remodel project that grew vastly over of budget. Where the contractor made many suggestions that at the time made sense, however, ARE always subject to final approval upon completion. In this case, the contractor arrived on location made grandiose promises of "World Class" improvements that just didn't work out and proved to be inappropriate to the whole of the project. In this case a player that had known issues and an AMP that had obvious weaknesses. The point here is, these issues can not really simply be repaired and Kyle needs to take ownership of that and make this right. I, as the customer reserved the right to final approval and couldn't see myself walking away and starting over with a new contractor. Especially, since I grew to know Kyle personally and believed he would work through his personal issues and finish the job. Even if it meant exchanging the inferior products with appropriate ones.

I lost that bet, it doesn't make ME the BAD person here. Everyone in all the forums I have post in agree for what I invested, Reference Audio Mods owes it to me to return and correct his work.

Because of the time element, I am pursuing the legal issues with Google Consumer Fraud as an online vender. Interesting enough is that he offers NO Guarantees for anything on his website!!??? Why is that, Kyle??. The obvious electrical wires he left HOT and exposed does have legal merit and that may be my best start, locally.

Thanks to all who have offered legal advice!!!!

Steve Williams said:

Has he responded to you either privately or on open forum such as this

Click to expand...

Yes, he made an offer yesterday to fix the player provided that I send or take it to him. This goes waaaay beyond that measure. We are talking about a complete commissioned system of components. He claims that the amp sounded great in his fathers 8'x12' with 18" woofers! No doubt, however, in my room, the room I intended to do my listening it had weak bass response was shrill and anemic. He suggests that I either sell the $10,500 speakers he sold me or place then 8' to 10' from the wall to load the bass. From the very first day the Marantz SA-8260 universal player didn't play any other source material but a few Cd's. Both of these units went back and forth several times, hence, the 35 trips to mommies house. Point being, he installed the system and I was never happy with the over all sound and performance. I reserve final approval on location, on all points or the deal is off. His endless excuses to return has led me here.

Now he claims "that is the sound of the amp", I can't fix that, the player I can fix.
My over all statement here is first off, "why didn't you" and you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

After all it is about the music.