Getting Gear from America?

Bit of an odd one here but worth a shot...

I've been after a pair of JBL LSR32 studio monitors for my study for a good while now. I see that JBLpro in the US are selling old B-stock heavily reduced. See here:

http://www.jblpro.com/commerce/tent_sale/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=181 and http://www.jblpro.com/pages/recording/lsr32.htm

The price given is for a single speaker so they are US$700 pair. Equivalent to ~ £370. These things retailed for £1900 in their day and even at that they were considered good value.

Only problem is, JBL won't send outside the US. Anyone here been in a similar situation and figured out a handy way around it? There's about 15 pairs left in stock.

Any tips much appreciated.

 

Parcel2Go run a us address service. You get stuff shipped there and then forwarded on using DHL. Any use ?. Then you just have to sort out payment to the vendor.

 

try lockwood audio in london , they are agents for j.b.l. spares, etc.www.lockwoodaudio.co.uk. long shot but they may help you, regards. nando

 

Hey, thanks guys

I have looked at Parcel2Go's website and I assume this is the section you're referring to:

http://www.parcel2go.com/mail-forwarding-service.html

Still trying to decifer the shipping costs - if the packages have a total weight of 50kg, are they saying it'll cost me £150 from the US to the UK?

I am trying to see what it would cost to get JBL to send the gear to Parcel2Go's forwarding address but JBL's system doesn't like that address for some reason (keeps saying it is a residential address ).

Will chase up that Lockwood Audio tomorrow.

Anyone else want a pair (?) - would be good to spread the shipping costs over several pairs. These babies have a 38mm thick carbon fibre front baffle, it proved so hard to manufacture that JBL had to drop it and switch back to normal MDF for the LSR6332 updated model.

 

hi, talk to roger at lockwood, very helpfull.nando.

 

I think they set it up that way for ebay purchases and the like ???. Would that make sense ???.

Its the 1 I know of. But there must be many others. If I see I will post them

 

It's weird because I actually tried to put my own residential address into the JBL website and it actually accepted it. Quoted a shipping charge of £350 to send them to the UK. But then it clearly states that they won't ship outside the US.

I guess I will be stung import duty and VAT if I do manage to get them sent over ??

 

Hi, the last post in this thread is one year old by now.
I wonder what happened in the meantime especially custom- and transportwise, since I was thinking of shipping Magnepan speakers to Belgium.

Current rate: 1.45$= 1€ = 0,696 £

Here's some local (USA------Europe) retail prices I found:

MG12: 1200$ (or 829€)--------1600€
MG1.6:1725$ (or 1192€)-------2650€ (!)
MG3.6:4375$ (or 3024€)-------6100€ (!!)****

These differences make me dream. Am I the only one?

Any other people who legally (or alternativly) imported stuff?
Maybe going to the US yourself?
Does anyone know a suitable retail shop in the US for this purpose? (on the doorstep of JFK perhaps?)
Would you dear to trust an amp or a cd player in your checked lugguage?

I have a dream!

But not a worked out one so far...


**** On arrival in Belgium I would have to pay 21% VAT and some extra %(unknown-but I'm working on it) duty tax on the invoice-value. The same goes for shipping via parcel services.

 

Hi Herb (or high herb)

I get things shipped regularly by Fedex no problem from the States. Magnapan speakers are large though so you should check rates first. The best thing would be to put a wanted advert on Audiogon if I were you. The seller would then arrange shipping.

I do my hifi shopping abroad these days, it's a lot cheaper and I can get a considerably better sound for my money. Good luck.

 

Yeah, but look at the company you have to put up with to save a few bucks.

 

Stereo Mic, what about makes that "protect" their dealers overseas. Did the solution suggested in the beginning of this thread worked for you? Or do you make it a shopping holiday?

 

A great opportunity to expand my cultural horizons and learn from bona fide gurus such as your good self Markus.

Herb, buy from the states and you know that your warranty protection is pretty non existent. Buy at the right price though and you can afford a ten day holiday and factory visit with your product if it should ever develop a fault (very rare these days IME). I'd buy a Japanese Accuphase rig without a moment's hesitation I have to say.

 

Sounds encouraging!

Now, is there anyone around on this forum with the appropriate "field knowledge" as to the right shop/city/state to go to?

I'm particulary intrested in Magnepan (alternatives welcomed if they come with a "Because") and Tact.

 

I am presently saving my pennies whilst thinking of a large Accuphase integrated, second hand preferably.

I just bought LiloLee's E212, I am impressed with the sound and I'd love to hear higher up the range (perhaps with some new speakers though).

When new in the UK the retail price of my E212 was 2450.00 UKP, when new, in Japan it was 220,000Yen, roughly 1000 UKP. When considering that the pound should make imports cheaper I see almost no incentive to pay UK prices. The advantage of dealer support vanishes at those margins. I am pretty sure the dealer isn't making all the cash but the distributor probably gets a fair whack as I can't see import duty making that much difference.