[davidsh]

It's worse living in EU in that regard!!!

 

[modulor]

  I'd just chime in here and say I'm almost finished with selling mangowood HFM  woodie kits I think (2 medium brown sets and 1 black set remain) , and looking at Albizia Saman wood now for HE-400i and owners of 400/500's. If I do continue with woodies, anyone who bought the first lot will get a 80% discount or so on the Monkeypod wood cups. There was also a USA guy who could fit them.
 
Albizia Saman/monkeypod wood.

Those will look very nice!

 

[Nimzerz]

Those will look very nice!

I agree. Glad he went with a nicer wood with grain.

 

[hifimanrookie]

It's worse living in EU in that regard!!!

I agree..we are robbed clean by our customs if anything is worth more then 120euro! Am still holding my breath on how much extra i will have to pay for customs and taxes for my new amp on top of the total of postage costs (275usd) and the price i paid for the amp itself summed together..

U guys in states are lucky basterds importing stuff concerned... Let us have some luck also with stuff u guys cant get :veryevil:

 

[ThurstonX]

No need to hate me..i am a lovable guy..and surprise surprise i will help u..check this:

The company Hama also has distrubutors in canada! U just mail them with the request for the hama hp stand..good luck my friend..and dont ever say bad things about me anymore..as deep inside i am a very nice guy..(most of the times).and stop hating me...

https://www.hama.com/company/hama-worldwide/north-south-america

And yeah..i think i will go for the rack also...its a steal! I saw it in the flesh a few weeks back..so sexy! metal is steel..no aluminium.. I love that... Only one problem..its in portugal..his owner lives there... So i can get it when i go on holiday..in july... My friend already put it back into the original boxes..ready for me to pick up... His new rack got delivered last week... U dont wanna know how much that rack has cost him..

my new rack (yeah..that sounds good..hehehe) is 70kg if i am not mistaken..so a bit heavy and to big to sent it by post..

But am again not in hurry..its mine..i only have to pick it up..

 
Of course not.  I don't really waste my time and energy on hate.
 
Yeah, I found the company's site and emailed them directly, as they suggest.  Hopefully they'll reply, and with something positive.
 
I don't see having to go to Portugal on holiday as a "problem", but maybe that's just me 

  At least you're on the same continent.

 

[ThurstonX]

I agree..we are robbed clean by our customs if anything is worth more then 120euro! Am still holding my breath on how much extra i will have to pay for customs and taxes for my new amp on top of the total of postage costs (275usd) and the price i paid for the amp itself summed together..

U guys in states are lucky basterds importing stuff concerned... Let us have some luck also with stuff u guys cant get

 
I know, I know.  I feel a little guilty bitching about it, cuz y'all got it bad.  We shipped some gifts to Serbia last year, and my wife's poor father had to pay some ridiculous amount just to claim them from customs.  Much cheaper just to send $$$ 

 
Too bad it's not feasible for vacationing Head-Fiers from wherever to export/import items for fellow Head-Fiers:
"Sure, these HE-560s are mine."
a couple weeks later...
"Oops, I left my nice new cans in <insert your country here>!"  

 

[StanD]

   
I know, I know.  I feel a little guilty bitching about it, cuz y'all got it bad.  We shipped some gifts to Serbia last year, and my wife's poor father had to pay some ridiculous amount just to claim them from customs.  Much cheaper just to send $$$ 

 
Too bad it's not feasible for vacationing Head-Fiers from wherever to export/import items for fellow Head-Fiers:
"Sure, these HE-560s are mine."
a couple weeks later...
"Oops, I left my nice new cans in <insert your country here>!"  

It was stolen right off your head by someone zooming past in a motorcycle.

 

[Xenophon]

I agree..we are robbed clean by our customs if anything is worth more then 120euro! Am still holding my breath on how much extra i will have to pay for customs and taxes for my new amp on top of the total of postage costs (275usd) and the price i paid for the amp itself summed together..

U guys in states are lucky basterds importing stuff concerned... Let us have some luck also with stuff u guys cant get

In general it's simple:  at the present USD/EUR rate what you'll end up paying in Euro after import duties (for all goods, based on averages) and VAT is simply the USD rate + 50% of shipping but you just put a Euro sign behind it.  Ballpark guesstimate but usually not too far off the mark.  
 
You're lucky because EU import duty on amplifiers  is 2%, calculated on the USD price + about 75% of the shipping and insurance cost (technically on the cost of shipping from the US until it reaches the EU border, which is NOT the same as the place of destination, long story...).
 
To that you add the VAT (19% in Netherlands I think, in Belgium we get an even harder screwing at 21%).
 
So for an amp that costs 1000 USD and 200 USD shipping and insurance this means 2% on 1150 USD (converted to EUR about 840)=17 EUR import duty + 19% VAT on 857 EUR=163 EUR, total 1021 EUR.
 
+ the cost of filing the declaration and the handling by the agent, which will typically be about 15-25 EUR.
 
Make sure that the customs agent (likely the shipping company) classifies the stuff right for customs purposes because more often than not they get it wrong and then you might get lucky on duty paid...or not.  Amps are tariff code 8518 5000 90.  

 

[ThurstonX]

  It was stolen right off your head by someone zooming past in a motorcycle.

 
LOL.
 
You might be interested in this:
 
After comparing the AKG pads to the knockoff Sony pads and the Brainwavz HM5 pads, I can safely say the AKG pads are easily the best, most balanced of the three, IMO.
 
The knockoff Sony pillow pads are the most comfortable.  I feel like I could lay my head on the desk and sleep.  The sound is another matter.  Just taped to the mounting rings and attached, there's a serious lack of bass, and the upper mids are on the glaring side.  OK, that's with the back vent mod.  I haven't tried without the foam creating the vent.  It's a minor PITA to remove the foam strips and then find you want to put new ones back on.  With electrical tape wrapped all the way around to seal them, they're far more balanced, but there's something funny about the presentation.  Can't put my finger on it... yet.  I tried covering the vent with foam, while maintaining the tape seal around the rest of it.  The bass was a bit better, but the upper mids were still too much.  Then I covered the foam with a piece of tape.  Better still, and maybe the best they'll get.  The presentation seemed more spacious than with a full tape wrap and no foam.  They still clamp hard due to their size.
 
The HM5 pads are probably closest to the stock pleathers, but with a little more room between ear and driver.  Still, I could feel the driver screen touching my ear.  It may be possible to stuff some cotton or other material under the padding to create more space, and even an angle.  I tried a quick hack with some wool felt strips rolled up, but they were too uneven, and thus uncomfortable.  Soundwise they're easily in 3rd place.
 
Going back to the AKGs was instant sonic bliss.

 

[ThurstonX]

  In general it's simple:  at the present USD/EUR rate what you'll end up paying in Euro after import duties (for all goods, based on averages) and VAT is simply the USD rate + 50% of shipping but you just put a Euro sign behind it.  Ballpark guesstimate but usually not too far off the mark.  
 
You're lucky because EU import duty on amplifiers  is 2%, calculated on the USD price + about 75% of the shipping and insurance cost (technically on the cost of shipping from the US until it reaches the EU border, which is NOT the same as the place of destination, long story...).
 
To that you add the VAT (19% in Netherlands I think, in Belgium we get an even harder screwing at 21%).
 
So for an amp that costs 1000 USD and 200 USD shipping and insurance this means 2% on 1150 USD (converted to EUR about 840)=17 EUR import duty + 19% VAT on 857 EUR=163 EUR, total 1021 EUR.
 
+ the cost of filing the declaration and the handling by the agent, which will typically be about 15-25 EUR.
 
Make sure that the customs agent (likely the shipping company) classifies the stuff right for customs purposes because more often than not they get it wrong and then you might get lucky on duty paid...or not.  Amps are tariff code 8518 5000 90.  

 
I knew I should have taken Econ 101 in college rather than that oh-so-useful "Eastern Religions" class.  Pih!
 
Nice explanation.  I think I can guess (roughly) what you do for a living 

 

[DoctaCosmos]

 

[StanD]

   
I knew I should have taken Econ 101 in college rather than that oh-so-useful "Eastern Religions" class.  Pih!
 
Nice explanation.  I think I can guess (roughly) what you do for a living 

He's either a customs agent or a smuggler.

 

[Zuckfun]

So far, considering these 4 amps for the HE500:
Vioelectric V200
Audio-GD SA-31e
Project Ember
Burson Soloist
Or just be happy with the Lyr. The Lyr is great, but I consider the HE500's to be end game quality, and am not convinced the Lyr is an end game amp. Then again, not sure if all the above mentioned amps can be considered this either. The search continues...

 

[hifimanrookie]

So far, considering these 4 amps for the HE500:
Vioelectric V200
Audio-GD SA-31e
Project Ember
Burson Soloist
Or just be happy with the Lyr. The Lyr is great, but I consider the HE500's to be end game quality, and am not convinced the Lyr is an end game amp. Then again, not sure if all the above mentioned amps can be considered this either. The search continues...

Am sorry to disappoint u but all of the above are by far not end game material..and in my opinion no better then a lyr with premium tubes in it..for endgame material ur looking at the followiing brands
Dna sonnet
Mal valve head amp three
Apex hifi pinnacle amp
Cavalli liquid glass/ gold
Bakoon hpa-21
Etc.
Or custommade niche stuff from the likes of:
Blue circle audio

This all is ofcourse IMHO

If u a,ready have the lyr..consider to upgrade to really good tubes...it will give the brands u mentioned a beating they wont forget on the he500..or up ur game and try the brands i just mentioned..
And another thing....the he500 is not endgame material also..its on the higher mid-fi spectrum...
endgame is considered he6, (for some the hd800) and lcd3, stax sr007 etc.

 

[davidsh]

HE-500 is considered lower hi-fi spectrum, give or take depending on upstream gear IMO.
 
Quote:

So far, considering these 4 amps for the HE500:
Vioelectric V200
Audio-GD SA-31e
Project Ember
Burson Soloist
Or just be happy with the Lyr. The Lyr is great, but I consider the HE500's to be end game quality, and am not convinced the Lyr is an end game amp. Then again, not sure if all the above mentioned amps can be considered this either. The search continues...

I'd consider cma800 a candidate for cheap end game amping, but don't take my word for it, just seems like a good value and intrigueing product. Was kinda tempted a while ago.