Complaint - Sales

Question

Hi all,

Earlier this month I was overjoyed to be quoted for a reasonably priced laptop that exactly met my needs. There was one hiccup: my existing headset, a rather expensive one, uses 2 audio jacks to connect and the laptop offered only had a single universal jack. This should have been a simple problem to resolve as the universal jack supports headsets. Dell's sales office suggested 3 solutions - buy their audio to usb adaptor, buy a new headset or purchase a 2 to 1 audio jack adaptor (which they don't sell). I would have liked to take the third option but to do so I need to specify how the adaptor internally connects the 2 inputs to the single output. That means I need to know how the Dell universal audio jack is wired. Two weeks after first raising the issue, a technical manager at Dell stated they are unable to provide this information. This unbelievable situation is a deal breaker; which is a pity.

Malcolmc · Answer

I was happy to accept the solution of a 2 in to 1 out jack adaptor.; the plan is to fully utilise the USB ports for other devices; the USB adaptor solution was not suitable for me.  As Dell does not offer a jack to jack adaptor I would need to source a third party device. As I stated in my OP this needs to be specified and for that any user needs to know how the socket is wired. (This isn't something to guess; applying a speaker output to a microphone will destroy it.)  You choose not to provide the technical detail I require (someone within the Dell organisation will have this information) and if you won't provide it in answer to a sales enquiry what chance of obtaining it after a machine is purchased?  Any other manufacturer I find unwilling to provide technical information on their products will not have me as a customer.  It's not as if the requested details are commercially sensitive.

ejn63 · Answer

An external USB adapter or audio device will do the job. The feature you're looking for (dual audio jacks) is at odds with the "reasonably priced" request, as it's commonly found on higher-end gaming systems -- not more budget-oriented models. You'll find that applies not just to Dell systems, but to those of just about every other manufacturer. And just about no manufacturer provides the level of technical detail needed to answer that question.

There are some Alienware models with dual audio jacks if you want to buy from Dell; you'll find the same from HP -- Omen, ASUS (ROG), Lenovo Legion, etc.

ejn63 · Answer

Since it sounds like you have not made a purchase, simple solution:  buy a system with two audio jacks.  Problem solved.

Malcolmc · Answer

Thanks for the thought.  Dell did not offer such a system against my user requirement.

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