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AveryC
1571
Dec 7, 2017
Updated 1/12: Hi Everyone,
I wanted to let you all know that we are still on track to meet our estimated ship date of January 31.
I’ll update everyone on or by January 29 with the latest information.
Updated 1/2: Hi Everyone - just wanted to check in to let you know that we are on track to meet our estimated ship date of January 31. The IEMs are in the final stages of production and we'll update you all on or by January 15 with the latest information. Updated 12/13: Hey Everyone, I have an update with the latest information from Noble. Production is still being wrapped up and given the wildfire situation in Santa Barbara (where Noble is located), as well as the holidays, Noble estimates that all IEMs will be finished by January 15. After quality control checks this puts our new estimated ship date as January 31. Noble experienced a delay in obtaining some of the parts required for production, and they’ve explained that they will ship out units as they become available. As a result, we expect most orders to go out before the new estimated date, and all units to ship by 1/31. If you purchased the IEMs as a holiday gift, Noble can provide you with a card and envelope so that the recipient can have something to open. If you would like a card, please reach out to our Community Support team (support@massdrop.com) with your preferred delivery address by Sunday, December 17. We apologize for this delay and we are working with Noble to get these IEMs shipped to you as soon as possible. If you don’t want to wait the additional time, you can cancel your order via the transactions page: https://www.massdrop.com/transactions
I'll update you all on or by January 2 with the latest information.
Updated 12/6: I have an update on the Massdrop x Noble Kaiser 10 Universal IEMs. The IEMs are wrapping up production and it looks like the shipment is going to be slightly delayed. We will have more information on the exact timeline early next week, and I’ll share it with you all as soon as I receive the latest update. I apologize for this delay and can you assure the team is doing the best they can to get these IEMs prepared for shipment. I’ll update you all on or by 12/13 with the latest information.
Ironman58
7
Dec 7, 2017
AveryCUnacceptable. Please, get it together.
Vangeli
120
Dec 7, 2017
AveryCThanks for the update!
Scimo
14
Dec 7, 2017
Can't agree more.
Nick0
113
Dec 7, 2017
AveryCBeen buying from Massdrop from a while now and generally OK with delays on shipping - often outside control, and have found Massdrop staff are generally pretty good in communicating. In this case though, can't help but wonder if this is due to them adding the additional 140 units at the end to the drop, which we were assured (below) would not affect the shipping date?
Bit disappointed if this is the case, especially given the Dec shipping (although agree I'd rather proper QA and they get them right).
Am guessing with the delay we'll no longer get these here in Australia before Christmas... :/
Kjden
10
Dec 7, 2017
AveryCI'm going on a vacation on the 14th, and worried I'll lose the shipment...
eloquentmuse
18
Dec 7, 2017
AveryCThis is a bit disappointing since I definitely won't get them before Christmas now (plus since I was in the original drop the extra 140 units probably made a difference) but I'm glad they're focusing on quality and making sure it's done right. As an aside, AveryC, is at all possible I could please order a balanced cable with this now?
Sloblo
409
Dec 11, 2017
Nick0Same thought went through my mind - I'm having a hard time believing that this extra production time doesn't have anything to do with the extra 140 units to be produced. I don't care that it's not here by the holiday, but if you're going to push back the shipping date to sell more units to the slower folks at least give the decisive customers discounted shipping for our time and commitment.
Stranger8
17
Dec 12, 2017
AveryCIs there anyway that we can upgrade to expedited shipping because of the delay? I would love to have it before Christmas. Thank you
BLIM
3
Dec 13, 2017
AveryCHow about you start shipping out the units that are ready to customers on the basis of first come first served? This way you shift the impact of the delay onto the late buyers which I think is a fairer outcome.
sunshineee
8
Dec 13, 2017
BLIMmy guess is production is done all units at once, and they are unable to some units. Or there is a delay in getting something, thats making the process take longer. Could be anything honestly. Looking forward to the update on this drop tomorrow.
fijistic
8
Dec 13, 2017
AveryC1 WHOLE GODDAMN MONTH????? Take some responsibility and do not add more orders if you can't make them in time. People who ordered first batch (350 units) better be getting theirs earlier.
faithguy19
44
Dec 13, 2017
AveryCStay safe Noble. Would rather have a good product than a rushed one.
Vangeli
120
Dec 13, 2017
AveryCThanks for the update again. I hope everyone at Noble is safe!
rantng
845
Dec 13, 2017
AveryC" Noble experienced a delay in obtaining some of the parts required for production, and they’ve explained that they will ship out units as they become available. As a result, we expect most orders to go out before the new estimated date, and all units to ship by 1/31. "
GreenGibe
8
Dec 13, 2017
rantngWow another month and a half is a slight delay
Nick0
113
Dec 13, 2017
AveryCBummer. The fulsome update is helpful though - helps to understand the background to the delay. Disappointing, but sounds like they're doing what they can to address, and the staggered shipments as the orders are available is also appreciated.
Thanks Massdrop and Noble teams.
AveryCHi everyone, it’s Brannan here from Noble.
After further discussion with Massdrop, we will be drop-shipping all orders from our Santa Barbara location. This will save additional time as normally everything would be shipped to Massdrop and then processed for shipment from there.
Furthermore, it is important to note that we will be shipping units as they become available. As Avery stated all units are expected to be shipped by January 31st, we’re not waiting until the 31st to ship everything at once.
We appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience here, we continue to do everything we can to ensure that the product meets our standards of quality and is delivered in a timely manner.
Ironman58
7
Dec 14, 2017
bangkokkidThanks Brannan for your weigh in here on the delay. It’s a bit frustrating to say the least. As a repeat customer with Nobel however, I will say you guys are one of the most upstanding audiophile companies I’ve ever done business with. I expect you’ll do your best to get these units out to us, without any compromise to quality.
Tim
ajaxender12
67
Dec 14, 2017
AveryCThis is fine (well, except for the fires, that's not fine at all), thanks for update.
If I could not deal with delays I would not purchase products that have not been manufactured yet.
TheDoc
136
Dec 14, 2017
bangkokkidA) All Noble knows when a production forecast is made, is what the typical lead time is on drivers and other internal parts. That being said, there are essentially only two balanced armature driver companies in the world that supports the industry. Noble has relied exclusively on Knowles electronics for their drivers for the past 4 years.
B) Knowles does not stock drivers, they build per order.
C) Keeping in mind the season and the crush that Knowles will have during this time, all Noble can do is estimate the build time, and speak for what Noble has the ability to do. (As Noble knows their team, the hours that can be dedicated etc etc) Noble can not speak directly for their suppliers. All Noble can do is look at the past at what their suppliers have done and hope that the suppliers can perform the same or relatively the same.
D) I don't know if there was a direct impact, but I do know that Penang was flooded recently, and Penang happens to be where drivers are warehoused that are built around the world. https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2017/11/05/penang-paralysed-by-floods/
E) With what parts that have come in, Noble has done as much sub-assembly work as possible, and awaits for more parts as suppliers send them in.
F) Regarding Greed:
A) The products that were added to this drop were already on order to begin with
1) extra parts were ordered to cover for future warranty work and for products that do not pass QC. 2) Noble was fairly confident that Massdrop would want to offer a drop on the K10 again. With the prediction of a future drop, Noble ordered more drivers to shorten the wait time for a future drop.
G) With that in mind, all Noble did, was essentially release those parts that were dedicated for repairs and a future drop.
H) Knowles is doing what is called "partial shipping." Meaning they are not waiting to build all the drivers required to build 500 sets of K10, and then shipping drivers to Noble. Knowles is sending what parts that they have built in batches to Noble, allowing Noble to build as fast as possible.
I) Shipping - Finished products will be shipped out in batches, this will allow for shorter wait periods.

In short, Noble is doing the best that it possibly can to get this K10 order completed ASAP
theanghv
66
Dec 14, 2017
AveryCTake your time manufacturing and do proper QC. It's always better to receive them late than at lower quality :)
Sloblo
409
Dec 14, 2017
SlobloAh the wildfire situation is getting nasty out there. Best of luck to you and yours!
yinaahcyngan
3
Dec 14, 2017
bangkokkidThanks Brannan - do you have a sense of when the first batch of completed monitors will ship out or is that still TBD?
BlueCrowned
5305
Dec 14, 2017
BlueCrownedPretty much me sitting in the office last week.
yinaahcynganTBD at this point due to the fires delaying deliveries and pickups in our area.
walterbriggs
2
Dec 15, 2017
bangkokkidThis will be my first Noble product. I have very high hopes (and expectations) which are generally supported by comments here and elsewhere on the interwebs. Thanks for making them available here; thanks for doing them right; and a lifetime of auditory bliss (and having another evangelist for your brand) is worth the delay, as disappointing as it is.
SchrodinStein
77
Dec 24, 2017
bangkokkidI can't believe how crazy people have gotten on this thread. Delays happen, and they happen all the time. Take your time, and I am just glad to have been able to join this drop and get a spectacular deal on a wonderful product. Please take your time, and thank you for keeping us updated. Stay safe and Happy Holidays!!
Vangeli
120
Dec 28, 2017
SchrodinSteinLooking at my drops this says it's been purchased by 295 people; have 195 people really cancelled their orders?!
Bodes well for some of the more than 1,000 people who've requested this product be available again, I suppose.
the2armedman
34
Dec 28, 2017
VangeliWhere's it say that?
Vangeli
120
Dec 28, 2017
the2armedmanIn your profile
search
Leata
1
Jan 1, 2018
AveryCHi AveryC, I missed the massdrop for Kaiser 10. If anyone cancels, can I fill in? Thanks, Long
npc2
43
Jan 2, 2018
VangeliIt is interesting that the number is still going down (at 290 now...). I am guessing units have not started being sent out (since no one commented to that effect) . I would hazard to guess that if AveryC's promised update for today (Jan. 2) is more bad news that the purchase count will drop quite a bit more.
Vangeli
120
Jan 2, 2018
AveryCWahoo! Thanks for the update! Excited to finally try these out myself.
rantng
845
Jan 2, 2018
VangeliI think the next time around Massdrop should offer these as a daily drop. I imagine there is always going to be a demand for these. With the delays (understandable), it seems many people didn't want to/could not wait. I only dropped out because I got a great deal on a used K10.
Vangeli
120
Jan 2, 2018
rantngA daily drop on something hand assembled and tested like this by a small company is logistically a nightmare. AKG and others can do it because their products are now made in China and they have the capital to do so.
rantng
845
Jan 2, 2018
VangeliI meant a daily drop sometime after the current drop has ended. Since the drop was increased to 490, with the current number of people still in the drop at around 290, that leaves ~200 available. I'm assuming that just because many people have left the drop, that doesn't mean Noble has decided they are only going to produce the ~290 for those remaining in the drop. These are hand-made & assembled, but Noble isn't making them on an as ordered basis, unlike the Wizard & Prestige editions. With that said though, Noble has never been one to compromise on quality. I'm sure there will be another drop for these.
Vangeli
120
Jan 2, 2018
rantngThere will most likely be another drop, but a daily drop?
rantng
845
Jan 2, 2018
VangeliI'm fine with a regular drop. It seems many people still don't understand how Massdrop works, which leads to complaints whenever there is a delay in shipping. With this drop being $899, even though the delay is perfectly understandable, it's reasonable there were more dropouts than usual. Hopefully there will be an update soon and once these IEMs are in everyone's hands/ears, they'll agree it was worth the wait.
yinaahcyngan
3
Jan 15, 2018
AveryCHi @AveryC and @bangkokkid
You mentioned previously that Massdrop and Noble worked out an agreement to ship units to consumers on a piecemeal basis as soon as they are completed, and that most units would go out before the 1/31 revised ship date. Is this still the case? The latest update made it sound like all of the units would be going out on the 31st so wanted some additional clarity.
fringe_spirit
40
Jan 15, 2018
AveryCI hope on the 29th that they don't give us another "I'll give you an update in 2 weeks"
I know it was my choice to hand over $900.00 to Massdrop and for me to accept their bait and switch promise of dates and whatever else they brushed under the rug. I understand there are outstanding issues with the California fires and other things like people dropping out, but it seems like the "ship out as we get them" was also another bullshit string-along.
The updates are empty and useless at this point, offering no real information of the money we spent back in November, but just that "they're on track for shipping" which is exactly what they were saying when we all joined months ago.
But, you don't hear me not complaining.
I'll just be happy when this is over
(:
FrostyP
502
Jan 16, 2018
fringe_spiritWow people really don't understand how Massdrop works. Products like this are made to order and the original date they gave was never a guaranteed delivery date and delays do happen.
fringe_spirit
40
Jan 16, 2018
FrostyPglad you said that!
Now I'm not so worried about my 900 dollar product!
Fayt
24
Jan 16, 2018
fringe_spiritlove this response
SchrodinStein
77
Jan 16, 2018
FrostyPI guess people don't understand that they're allowed to buy on other sites and get these in a few days with expedited shipping....It's pretty sad to see grown adults crying when they don't get what they want. Here you go; zero wait. Grab your refund from Massdrop and have at it:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Noble-Audio-In-Ear-Monitor-10BA-Driver-Model-Kaiser10-Universal-Alminium/152653977812?epid=2171453199&hash=item238ae2d8d4:g:FO4AAOSwEatZiIBc
Stranger8
17
Jan 20, 2018
AveryCIs there any order that have been shipped? Previous communication is the product will be ship by patch according to completion. Wondering if this promise is kept. Thank you
Caje
23
Jan 20, 2018
Stranger8I’m just a little curious about this myself. I ordered within the first minutes of the initial batch being available on October 6th as I set an alarm for myself to be ready to order the second they became available. So, I would think I would be one of the first to hear back. However, i’ve seen or heard nothing recently about my order or anything to back up the last part of this statement...”Furthermore, it is important to note that we will be shipping units as they become available. As Avery stated all units are expected to be shipped by January 31st, we’re not waiting until the 31st to ship everything at once.” , and the recent “update” made no mention of that either.
I‘ve read other comments and agree with some of them (Value of initial drops being devalued if others can just swoop in later and get them at no wait - price should be higher if more drops occur from cancellations, and of course the impact to those having bought them as gifts for loved ones being incredibly unfortunate).
Having said that, as others point out, this appears to be a tremendous value, one that made me want to join Massdrop and one that is worth waiting for. I can’t agree that either Massdrop or Noble really owes us anything other than a proper quality product. If they do expedite shipping or offer anything over the top, that would be great but I certainly don’t expect it.
I have a really bad hobby/habit of preordering limited statues/figures from companies like Hot Toys, PCS, and Sideshow and some of those suffer months or years of production delays. So, while I’d love to hear that my order is shipping today, I’ve already waited since the initial order date on October 6th, the supposed ship date in December, and am accustomed to waiting months or years for other things such that each arrival is like a mini Christmas. At this point the remaining wait should fly by and hopefully be well worth it!
SchrodinStein
77
Jan 24, 2018
CajeAt this point, I do have to agree with you. The whole "ship as they are available" seems to have been an empty promise, and the deafening roar of silence from MD/Noble is just confirming it, though they do technically have another week before it's completely false. This means one of two things however: that they have not completed a single set of IEMs, or that they have reneged on their shipping promise. (Unless they start shipping this week) The fact that the number required to fill our order has gone down significantly should also help reduce the time needed to fill the order. So again, I wonder what's going on. Transparency has steadily been moving toward obfuscation.
I WILL say that I've ALWAYS been taken care of by Massdrop, either with a full, no-quibble refund if things went really bad, or with the product I was promised if I was patient. I always ride out drops to the bitter end, and some have ended up being flat out cancelled. I am REALLY hoping that doesn't happen here. I REALLY want these!
We have to try and keep in mind that they are under a lot of pressure from impatient buyers who are used to Amazon and the like, so they have probably been trying to placate us as much as possible. To me it seems as though Noble may have made the drop shipping promise and then reneged (just a guess), and it's left to some poor dude at MD to tank all the gnarly customer aggro. I notice they have yet to chime in since the wildfires.
Bottom line for me is still that this is worth the wait.
Does it suck that we were told we'd be getting batch shipments and then not getting said shipments? Yes. Is it likely that Jan. 29th will come and go with news of yet another delay? IMO, yes. Do I think that at this point, Massdrop should take care of those of us who've waited by upgrading our shipping to USPS 2-day priority (flat rate boxes for IEM size would be like $12 for US customers)? Yes. Do I think Massdrop will do this? No. Will they even consider it? No.
I can still hope for expedited shipping though, because it's looking like the IEM's will be broken down/shipped by MD, and their shipping is extremely slow. That's yet another week's (or more) wait, which can be entirely avoided at small cost. Realistically, I'm hoping to have them in time for my birthday in May. Just my $0.02.
kgaydon1973
31
Jan 24, 2018
AveryCJust want to start off by saying that I really like Massdrop and appreciate the way they do business and are able to get quality products to users and enthusiasts at very fair prices. I've bought many items on here and will continue to do so in the future.
I do however feel the the information on shipping for this drop has been less than stellar. I totally understand that the CA wildfires delayed this and am very empathetic to that. Delays happen especially with the business model of Massdrop and I think purchasers need to understand that when join the drop however in this case I think Massdrop could have done better in giving more frequent updates on this. Here's what makes this drop different from some others: 1. Cost - $900 K10's are likely one of the costlier "Massdrop Made" audio drops. I would bet that many of the purchasers would be your Massdrop's core customers who you would want to keep happy. In most businesses this would involve constant updates to maintain accountability. While I wouldn't necessarily expect daily or maybe weekly updates I would expect them more frequently than what has been given since an expectation was made that these would ship prior to 1/31 (see #2 below) 2. Brannon from Noble mentioned on this thread (search Brannon or bangkokkid for the post) that Noble would be drop-shipping these prior to the 1/31 date. As we get closer to the 1/31 date I have not been informed (via email or this board) of whether this will actually happen nor is the pre-1/31 drop-shipping mentioned in the 1/12 update. I suspect the early shipping is no longer the case?
Like I said, above, I'm empathetic to delays and production issues but more information would be greatly appreciated especially with a higher priced item and the expectation that these would be shipped earlier than expected.
junki
327
Jan 25, 2018
kgaydon1973There is a package on the way from Massdrop's warehouse in NJ to me via UPS that weighs 1.00 kg.
While it's possible that this shipment might be for these, I am skeptical given that Noble asserted these IEMs will ship to us out of CA. I am also on a drop for some pads that's due to ship by Feb 1, so it's probably those.
SchrodinStein
77
Jan 25, 2018
junkiYou should be able to check in your transactions and see which item the tracking is for. At least I am pretty sure you can?
junki
327
Jan 25, 2018
SchrodinSteinIf you didn't know, Massdrop always updates the transactions page well after they've shipped the item.
BlueCrowned
5305
Jan 25, 2018
junkiYour tracking number should be there right away.
Vangeli
120
Jan 25, 2018
BlueCrownedI got my tracking number for the Sony X800 UHD Blu-ray player the day after it arrived.
Moebiushaydn
1
Jan 26, 2018
Interesting... I never did receive the card.
Caje
23
Jan 27, 2018
CajeA personal update (which I see now a new global update has been posted as well), I got an email indicating my order should be shipping soon, so as I suspected, it looks like I placed my order early enough to be in the first batch. For those in the first batch, congrats, hopefully the wait is almost over.
However, seeing the global update, It seems like it’s not good news for all. For those in the later batch, I feel for you! Hang in there. It’s a great deal and the extra wait is shorter than we’ve already waited. Hopefully it will fly by.
Good luck all!
fringe_spirit
40
Jan 27, 2018
AveryCWell that update saddens me. Another month to wait.
I do, however, appreciate the $40 coupon you will be attaching to my account.
Thanks for the update.
Caje
23
Feb 4, 2018
CajeI have some additional thoughts on this, not that it matters very much, especially to Massdrop or Noble, but feel like writing a bit and getting it out before I move on from this. I posted the above without fully reading the global notice and then when I did read it, for some reason I thought the whole group might be getting the cable based on how it was stated "everyone's patience", not just one group's patience. Still, my fault, I'll own that one.
Now, I didn't think either Massdrop or Noble needed to offer anyone anything. At this point, I really wish they hadn't. We signed up for a drop knowing that the product needed to be produced and ship dates are just estimates and could slide. However, I do believe you need to value the first run drops and early adopters should be rewarded, not effectively penalized for doing so. So, by them choosing to introduce a new bonus and ultimately offering such a lopsided concession to one group and nothing for others, that to me is a serious problem. It really should have been all or nothing. Instead, you've essentially undermined the group who supported you the earliest, not only dropping almost 1K within the first seconds the drop went live, without hesitation, but I might also point out, just like the 2nd batch folks, made it to this point waiting the same time, not cutting and running and asking for a refund when things got tough even though Massdrop likes to say "all sales are final", yet still allowed them to bow out.
Something that disappoints me even more was the apparent breakdown in communication. I would like to have gotten the bonus cable and was willing to wait until a second batch shipment, but figured I'd sit back and see how things played out and see if Massdrop and Noble would do the right thing. Instead, I watched as people asked to be included in the second batch. I watched as people implored for some sort of concession for the first batch... in my mind, it could have been something as simple as a $40 offering to the first batch as well, comp'd the add-on cable many of us probably bought for either lightning or balanced, or even a discount at Noble to buy the premium cable at 50% off, 40% off, anything, but the people who needed to communicate the most, the people asking for our business, went silent. Nothing coming from Massdrop, nothing coming from Noble to talk to their customers. To make matters worse, its apparent now that even when there was communication, it was incomplete or poorly thought out. The communication between Massdrop and Noble failed as Noble was under the impression that everyone was getting a $40 credit, not just the 2nd batch. I surmise even the previous communications about delays and how they would ship as they were available was Noble attempting to tell us this outcome, whereas, as it was pitched, or at least everyone seemed to interpret that to mean that the first ones rolling off the line would ship in mid January and the last ones near February. Instead, we now know what that really meant and ended up with this mess.
What I'll say now that I have them in my possession, I love them, well worth the price and wait in my mind, but based on how tiny these cables are (I have an old set of Shures with stock cables at least 4 times the thickness that feel like I could tie them around a trailer hitch and tow something with them compared to these things where I'm worried if something falls on them they'll split in two) that if the 2nd batch bonus cable is similar in size, there is no way they're worth $300 even with premium materials. I'd say $150 maybe, but that's pushing it. I'm not intending to knock the product or Noble. Rather, my point is, that we ultimately need to find some solace in that the bonus is based on a MSRP. So, $340 total? No, not really.
Finally, what really intrigues me here is what next? Based on that MSRP, they've in a way given the 2nd batch a 33% discount/bonus while giving the early adopters who waited two thirds as long as they did, 0. So, what happens if the end of February gets here and there's another delay for part or even all of the rest of people waiting. If there is a delay for everyone, will they get another bonus, maybe another cable or coupon? Or, if there is a partial shipment and some have to wait until March, will the last group just go ahead and get them for free? Also, based on the hundreds of people who canceled their orders, if additional stock exists, will those be offered up at the same price in March or April with no wait?
Anyway, just felt like expressing myself a bit. I hope Massdrop gets their communication together and contemplates how it treats its customers. But, for this drop, I'm moving on from it. It left me with some mixed feelings, as I'm not sure how quickly I'm going to want to commit to any future drops, but for now, I'm gonna go enjoy my awesome new iems.
Leata
1
Feb 21, 2018
CajeTotally agree with your points on the lack of communication from Massdrop and Noble. I am a big fan of Noble IEM, even own a Savant myself. But I could not afford the full price of the K10. Sadly I missed the once in a life time drop for this. I tried to ask a couple of times if there was a second chance while I have seen so many dropout. But no one from Massdrop nor Noble cared to answer. Why is adding a few more impossible if additional stocks exist? :(
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