DAK Consumer Reviews

Bought the DAK 2800 - PC Interface Mixer. Hooked everything up and could not get a signal to the software on laptop. Tried the RCA/Mic and the RCA/USB cables and neither worked. Tested laptop connections and all tested out OK. Tested cables on other devices and they checked out OK. I also tested everything on another laptop and desktop with the same negative results. The problem is the Sound Card/AMP is not sending a signal to the laptop.

I have tried to e-mail and call DAK over and over again and I have no responses from my e-mails and get the same recording when I call, "the person you are trying to contact is unavailable. Leave your name and number and they will call you back". All I think I need is for them to send me another mixer and I'll send them this one back, but I can't get in touch with anyone. This is total BS and I strongly urge everyone to stay away from this POS business.

TARZANA, CALIFORNIA -- I am in the early stages of the same situation as 2 earlier complaints about DAK Industries, Inc and the way they handle customers who want to return the products they ordered within the 5 and 30 day return guarantees. All e-mails except one that I have sent to DAK have not been answered. The one that had no information about a return authorization number or to where it was to be returned. I have tried to cancel the software codes 3 times within the 5 day period but have not received any confirmation from them. I was just notified 4 days after I sent them 3 e-mails to stop shipment, that the item has been shipped.

At this point I am glad that I used my credit card for this transaction. It was shipped. I requested cancellation 15 hrs and 35 mins after the order was made. DAK claims it was past the 24hr deadline to cancel. If they would read my e-mails, they would know they are wrong. They don't care. Now I'm stuck with postage both ways because of their incompetence. Never buy anything from DAK Industries, NEVER. I read Mr. Kaplan's response. His comment about after UPS gets the package it's out of DAK's hands.

My e-mails to stop the shipment were done before and while UPS was preparing a label but still indicated that they had NOT received the package at that time. I checked the UPS site for 3 days and each time the package had NOT been received yet. I e-mailed DAK about this fact, but they never responded until UPS had said simply 'it's on its way'. Otherwise, they ignored my stop shipment e-mails. Also DAK's 5 day/30 day refund guarantee conflicts with each other because you down load the software for approval but have to wait for the hardware to test the software out.

The software is covered for 5 days but you don't get the hardware until 8 days so the 5 day return time for the software has expired and you still don't have the hardware to test it. Now you are now stuck with the software and the codes that they send and if you don't like the hardware, you can't get you money back because the software and hardware are sold as a package deal for $69.00 plus shipping. (this is a point that I am bringing up with the California attorney general because it is NOT on the up and up.)

Under these procedures, DAK has nothing to lose because the buyer pays shipping both ways and will not get a refund for the product until they receive it paid both ways. They put you in a position to either take it all or return it. The package deal should be on a full 30 day return policy not split. OK Drew, answer me this. I buy the mixer/software package at $69.00. After 5 days the codes are sent to me and as your ads say, I just bought the software when the codes are sent. Then I get the mixer.

I try out the mixer with the software and before my 30 day return period is up I decide that I either; Like the mixer but not the software or like the software but not the mixer. How does DAK handle the return as far as - 1. Shipping (if example 1 above) which was downloaded with codes sent and not shipped? 2. How do you prorate the $69.00 total cost if one or the other item is rejected?

I hear what you are saying Drew, but your ad for the package makes it clear that the software codes will be sent after a 5 day review of the software and once sent there is no refund (I presume meaning for the software) I understand the 30 day refund if not satisfied, but the former statement about the software just adds some confusion about the package and the 5/30 days. Perhaps you need to clarify the ad for the package deal.

TARZANA, CALIFORNIA -- On October 9, 2008 I decided to purchase a PC2800 Mixer from DAK in order to transfer music from my LP's to CD. The product arrived damaged from a shipping problem. I contacted the customer service dept and was quickly informed where to send the item for warranty repair or replacement; given the address on the east coast; advised to ship via UPS ground; and promised reimbursement.

The software downloads that accompanied the piece of hardware in my order did not function as they were advertised so I was also e-mailed another set of download codes in an effort to help get them to work. I still could not get them to function, and without having the mixer to record with, the downloads and the EQ were useless. I asked that the (30 day) free trial period be adjusted to reflect the additional shipping time and was assured that would be no problem. The replacement mixer arrived two weeks later in the same new box that I had purchased to return the unit with one of the four rubber "feet" missing.

I e-mailed the arrival information to customer service at DAK and informed them of the missing parts. A few hours later I was able to determine that the EQ would definitely not be effective for my use; and I found the instructions for the rest of the order to be a jumble of pasted together paragraphs that often repeated themselves from one paragraph to the next and from page to page. I e-mailed my request for a refund for the EQ right away and I got a quick reply that stated "so sorry, but you have exceeded your five day return limit, and your ten day return limit".

When I reiterated the promise from the person at customer service that had been signing the same name on all our messages and had been so prompt, so courteous, and so accommodating up to this point; I got the same answer again. I printed out all the e-mails, and sent a message describing the date, time, and subject line of the e-mail containing the promise to extend my trial period. I got an e-mail back right away that stated simply "we will process a refund for the EQ within five days" but it was the first unsigned message I had received from DAK.

Immediately I checked my credit card to see if the reimbursement for the shipping charges had been accomplished, after more than three weeks from the time I shipped the unit I still had not been reimbursed. After another couple of days I lost my faith in the company and the integrity of the customer service staff. I sent an e-mail to Drew A. Kaplan, (the CEO of DAK) in response to his original 'Thank You' message to me that included his name, position, e-mail address, and a request to contact him directly if I had any problems at all because he felt it was always better to send purchased items back for a complete refund if the customer was not happy.

I got no reply. I got no reply from the customer service address when I sent an e-mail requesting the refund for the EQ, and the repair shipping expenditure; I suggested that even though the replacement unit was incomplete it would be less expensive for DAK to simply send me the missing feet since shipping back and forth would negate revenue for DAK; failing that I suggested a reduction in price for the mixer unit to allow me to purchase the needed parts locally, and to accommodate me as a customer; failing all those options would leave me no choice but to return the mixer and seek a complete refund. I got no reply again.

I contacted my credit card customer service department and began the process of charge reversal due to damaged or incomplete merchandise. Once the charges have been reversed I expect to be contacted by DAK. My plan for that eventuality is to seek payment in advance (just as they had) for my time and the shipping charges to return the hardware. This is a California company, I live in Washington State, and their repair facility is in Brooklyn, New York.

I would not recommend DAK to anyone based on my experience. The downloads are faulty. The instructions are confusing. The repair facility and/or the shipping department appears to pay no heed to the condition of the items being shipped. The promises are not kept. The 'boss' seems to state one thing and the sales/customer service staff seem to state another.

The "boss" does not make good on his promise to advocate on the behalf of his customers. The sales/customer service staff seems to rather avoid problems than attempt to solve them. Two days ago I received an unsolicited e-mail that addressed me as a satisfied DAK customer and invited me to purchase more goods from them. I hope they are not holding their breath until I buy again.

TARZANA, CALIFORNIA -- I bought the DAK Tape to CD Interface so I could easily convert my cassette tapes to CD. I ordered the product and paid with a USPS money order on 10-12-07. I received the product on 10-17-07 and immediately attempted to hook it up with the "help" of his clear as mud tutorial. I could not get the thing to work at all, so I got on his website and emailed him carefully explaining my problem. I got no response within two days, so I got back on his website again and got the email address of his tech support and sent him (her?) an email. Again no response.

So I again got on the website and emailed everyone who had an email address listed on his site (I believe there are six different addresses listed). Not even one responded. So I Googled DAK in Tarzana, CA got their phone number and telephoned them. I got a recording to leave my phone number and they would get right back to me. Of course no one has ever called me back.

So I said ** 'em and returned the product on 11-08-07 which is a full seven days before the "30 day unconditional money back guarantee" ran out. I sent it with USPS delivery confirmation and the USPS confirms that they delivered it to DAK safe and sound on 11-10-07. Here it is 11-17-07 and I don't have anything. No refund and no product. My suggestion is to NOT buy ANYTHING from them. Next stop, the attorney general of California.