[L0y6]

Hi, a simple question; From what I understand Sennheiser is a German company, so I would have guessed the phones to be produced in Germany or some 3d world country (where they can pay dimes for work) but it's produced in Ireland (at least my hd580 was);
1. Why?
2. Does anyone know how much do they cost in the above countries? (Germany, Ireland)

I know those questions are a little weird...

 

[Guyferd]

nothing wrong with them being produced in ireland.
perhaps labour there is quite cheap?

beyers are all manufacture in germany, and the grados are all in US, not in china etc.I think this is to ensure good quality control.not sure..

 

[PeterR]

I think most Sennheiser phones are manufactured in Ireland, guess it's still a lot cheaper there than in Germany, while the qualtity is still excellent (they did a great job with my HD600s in any case).
H600 prices currently are between EUR 200-250 in Germany (1 EUR is about 1.18 USD).

 

[muzikk]

Cheapest I have seen is £ 120 in the UK and 180 Euro in Germany.

 

[dbarks]

Ireland has also spend some coin to build a fairly high tech work force. Many products and firms are moving production and some engineering work to IreLand. I think 60 Min did a show on it last year.

 

[L0y6]

2Guyferd
I didn't say there was anything wrong with production being in Ireland (I have quite a few items of very high quality that where produced there); I was just wandering, it still seems weird to me since I can't believe production costs can be that much lower in Ireland than in Germany, but perhaps as dbarks said Ireland has some perks to offer to high-tech firms...

 

[Duncan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Guyferd the grados are all in US, not in china etc.I think this is to ensure good quality control.not sure..

Not all Grados...

I'm sure I read somewhere that SR60 drivers were sent to the far east to be assembled into fully functioning SR40s

All of my Sennheisers have come from Ireland too...

 

[wallijonn]

why?

taxes. incentives (tax breaks). corporate taxes from offshore operations are taxed at a lower rate than at home. taxes. taxes. taxes. new equipment overseas amortized at a different rate. write offs. they pay different benefits. different coverage. different costs. different minimum wage.

and of course,

taxes.

 

[Davie]

If I'm not mistaken, Ireland gained alot of advantages when it joined the EU. It still had a relatively low cost work force, but was part of the common market so problems of duties and trade restrictions were eliminated. There may have been other EU incentives for European companies to invest there. The workforce is English speaking, and probably about an hour from Sennheiser's corporate hq by plane.

Just some speculations.

 

[L0y6]

wallijonn I think you forgot the most important factor (you probably just missed it) - TAXES;

 

[daycart1]

Quote:

Originally posted by muzikk Cheapest I have seen is £ 120 in the UK and 180 Euro in Germany.

So THAT is the explanation of the difference between the U.S. street price and the ridiculous list price. This emphasizes how the natural competitors of the HD600 in price are the Grado 325 or even 225. And the 580 are close to the Sr- 125.

Too bad we can't get the Japanese cans at the no-import fee rate!