[rattesp]

Why is the price of headphones so high in Canada ? I was looking to buy a pair of AKG K701 and the best price I found in Canada is 380 $ (+ 12,5 % taxes). In the US you can get them for 260 $ !!! That's a huge difference ! What did Canadians do to AKG to deserve this

Do you guys know a good place in Canada to buy AKG ?

 

[electra]

Canada has a smaller market, less competition among Canadian retailers, the exchange rate and higher taxes.

 

[joomongj]

And I reckon the transportation fees importing from US add somewhat to do effect. HD800 is base 1800 CAD bucks in NCIX.com, a Canadian site I usually shop for my computer peripherals. It comes out in excess of 2000 bucks after shipping, tax and shipping insurance, which I think is a total bs. That's why I never buy phones from a Canadian site, it's either US or some other international site like jr.com or ebay.

 

[deltaspirit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rattesp /img/forum/go_quote.gif Why is the price of headphones so high in Canada ? I was looking to buy a pair of AKG K701 and the best price I found in Canada is 380 $ (+ 12,5 % taxes). In the US you can get them for 260 $ !!! That's a huge difference ! What did Canadians do to AKG to deserve this Do you guys know a good place in Canada to buy AKG ?

Ebay or a used pair here on the forums.

 

[dweaver]

The only time I saw decent Canadian prices was a new Axe Music store grand opening special but I didn't bite since I had already bought a higher end headphone the week before. They were selling AKG K240 MKII for $120 and AKG K271 MKII for $130 both steals compared to their regular price. Even when places like Future Shop and London Drugs do put a decent headphone of IEM on sale they still are more expensive than US or other foreign online retailers.

I use Amazon, Ebay, and accessoryjack.com, and have account with JR.com and a couple other online sites, plus I buy ALOT of used equipment from here at head-fi and then pass it on by reselling on here as well.

 

[K_19]

If you think AKG prices in Canada are bad, then take a look at Grado pricing...

Smartest thing for Canadian customers to do for purchasing headphones is to get it well used off the For Sale forum here on Head-fi.

 

[mudhole]

I bought a pair of Shure SE310s from London Drugs for $149. After a month, I saw the X10 and custom 3 were on sale at $199. I think they were the best price you could find in Canada.
But, there are a lots of great headphones and brands you can not find in any store in Canada.

 

[Landis]

B&H has some good prices and will ship to Canada.

Many other websites will as well, but just beware of Customs and shipping method. (USPS is the best for US to Canada, no ridiculous fees like UPS or Fedex, but still Customs charges)

To be honest, your best option is to browse the for sale forum. Worst case, you find a pair of headphones you want with heavily used ear-wax pads, which you can replace on most 'phones for around $30-70 depending on the headphone.

 

[mythless]

Maybe it's just me, but I find buying from US sites may not always be the best option, unless they have different shipping methods. That being said, with shipping and taxes in, it's not that much different than buying from a Canadian store.

 

[charliex]

Exactly why, as a Canadian I have NEVER purchased audio gear from a Canadian source - all USA or International.