MS-1's in the UK

[squall2072]

I'm looking to buy either Grado SR60's or MS-1's....but I live in the UK and i've searched the UK wbsites without any luck for the MS-1's...the price for Grado's here is ridiculous about £65 or $120 for the SR60's!! Somethings wrong about that surely!? I don't know where to get the MS-1's from in the UK (or imported).....Do you think i should just settle on the Grado's for now.....?


Thanks in advance

Oh, my wallet needs sympathy this is the second headphone purchase in as many weeks! He's looking thin!!

"There there Mr Wallet...these people know your pain...."

 

[Silfer]

AFAIK they are not for sale in the UK. You can order them straight from Alessandro.
http://www.alessandro-products.com/headphones.html

Don't forget that you'll have to pay custom taxes when you import trom the US.

 

[digitaldave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squall2072 I'm looking to buy either Grado SR60's or MS-1's....but I live in the UK and i've searched the UK wbsites without any luck for the MS-1's...the price for Grado's here is ridiculous about £65 or $120 for the SR60's!! Somethings wrong about that surely!? I don't know where to get the MS-1's from in the UK (or imported).....Do you think i should just settle on the Grado's for now.....? Thanks in advance Oh, my wallet needs sympathy this is the second headphone purchase in as many weeks! He's looking thin!! "There there Mr Wallet...these people know your pain...."

Sounds about right. £65 for SR-60's in the UK is actually quite reasonable - most places want around £80

. They are relatively affordable in the US, but everywhere eles they cost loads due to Grado's pricing and distribution policies

.

The MS-1's will cost around the same once you've paid import duties etc (at least mine were when I got them in December 2004). AFAIK, no one in the UK sells them, you have to order them from Alessandro direct. BTW, if you do order from Alessandro, I recommend placing the order by phone if you can. It only takes a few minutes, but people here have reported that although they process web orders, there is sometimes no response from them so you don't know if they are dealing with it or not.

Since price will be similar, the choice as I see it is:

1) Buy the SR-60's from a UK based supplier, which has benefits if they need to be returned;

2) Buy the MS-1's imported from Alessandro, which means you are getting a tweaked version of a model that is higher in the line than the SR-60s (beileved to be tweaked SR-125s I believe).

Hope that helps

.

 

[squall2072]

Thanks for the responce...how long did the MS-1's take to come through? And how much Import tax did you have to pay? Have you been happy with them?

Thanks again

 

[digitaldave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squall2072 Thanks for the responce...how long did the MS-1's take to come through? And how much Import tax did you have to pay? Have you been happy with them? Thanks again

My pair took something like 2-3 weeks, but that was over the Christmas / New Year period, so that may have delayed things a bit. The import duty + Post Office handling fee was of the order of £15 IIRC.

 

[Oink1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by digitaldave My pair took something like 2-3 weeks, but that was over the Christmas / New Year period, so that may have delayed things a bit. The import duty + Post Office handling fee was of the order of £15 IIRC.

That sounds about right - And they were well worth the wait IMHO

 

[squall2072]

So i should definately choose the MS-1's over the grado SR60 if the opportunity is there? Most people seem to like them on the forum...I'll be using my iriver H320 with them until i can buy a decent amp.

I can see this becoming an expensive hobbie!!

Oh what about comfort are the MS-1's slightly better?

 

[Oink1]

Yes - FWIW i think they are the headphone bargain of the century and worth the small amount of hassle/waiting to get them here!

They sound more than respectable straight out of a portable source too - an amp really squeezes that 'lil extra from them though. Enjoy! - and don't forget to 'pad roll' 'em!

 

[squall2072]

Pad Roll??? Now i'm lost!! lol I've heard of pancake rolls!!

Could you explain please...and thanks it seems i'll be buying the Ms-1's!! Cheers for all the help.

 

[Jahn]

Pad Rolling? Ok, you asked for it!

Pick your Poison!

 

[Oink1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squall2072 Pad Roll??? Now i'm lost!! lol I've heard of pancake rolls!! Could you explain please...and thanks it seems i'll be buying the Ms-1's!! Cheers for all the help.

Read THIS and THIS

 

[Oink1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jahn Pad Rolling? Ok, you asked for it! Pick your Poison!

Meh! - Beaten to it!

 

[squall2072]

Thanks for the link theres so much discusion on the forum about the grado pads, how uncomfortable most of them are (mostly bowl's being in the spotlight for this!)
Aren't each set of pads quite costly compared to the original headphones? Does Grado sell them in the UK? Or is that another import?

 

[Jahn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by squall2072 Thanks for the link theres so much discusion on the forum about the grado pads, how uncomfortable most of them are (mostly bowl's being in the spotlight for this!) Aren't each set of pads quite costly compared to the original headphones? Does Grado sell them in the UK? Or is that another import?

the senn 414 pads are available from a senn distributor for probably around 6 $US bucks in europe, that's your best cheap bet!

 

[squall2072]

Excellent, thanks for the help...time to pull out the wallet tomorrow.....

Thanks again!