[ScubaMan2017]

FedEx always tries to charge "duty" on US made items although they are exempt.

DHL is no better, instead of "duty" they charge a large amount for "brokerage" for us made items, even though it is not required for limited items.

Both love changing brokerage on repairs too...

When I used to order subwoofer enclosures from the US (commercial use), I would do the Brokerage myself.

I understand Schiit Audio can't control these behaviours (from the shipping companies). Is Canada Post and the United States Postal Service less likely to try such antics? Hmmm, I'm going to challenge FedEx/DHL the next time they try to squeeze money out of me.

 

[SuperRoo]

We are both down for count for over a week. I've added Paxlovid rebound to my vocabulary.

 

[Moondog55]

Yes to the Pre-Amp before the headphone amp. I'm treating the Asgard as a power amp for the headphones, and in this config I can use the headphones for any input and get remote volume as well.

Maybe there is a slight trade-off in sound quality, but if there is I can't notice it. This works for my setup just fine

So true. Anytime another component with various interconnects is added to the signal path there will be a 'measurable' loss of signal strength. That small loss is almost always inaudible. Input and output impedance of the various components mainly determines the 'synergy' of the audio system. Listen to the music. If it sounds good, it is good regardless of measurements. And because of the way our brains are wired, turn up the volume, it will sound better.

 

[ArmchairPhilosopher]

I understand Schiit Audio can't control these behaviours (from the shipping companies). Is Canada Post and the United States Postal Service less likely to try such antics? Hmmm, I'm going to challenge FedEx/DHL the next time they try to squeeze money out of me.

Purchased items incur import duties. Regardless of whether they were purchased from a professional seller, a manufacturer, or a private person, and regardless of whether the item is new or used.
Gifts also incur import duties above a certain value threshold, depending on the laws of the country you're importing to.

The threshold for gifts imported into Germany, for example, is a ridiculously puny 45EUR. To add insult to injury, that 45 EUR includes shipping cost — which makes it virtually impossible to send something from the US to Germany "for free" since the shipping cost alone is often already higher than that threshold.

I get that it's annoying. But what I don't understand is why this topic keeps cropping up at such regular intervals. Same goes for the somewhat steeper international cost of shipping itself. Do you guys really think that the things you purchase at your local store don't cost as much to import? Because of course they do. It's just already wrapped into the purchase price. And so even though you're not quite as aware of it, you're still paying the same fees and taxes as you do when you import goods from Schiit.

Personally, as frustrating as it may be to be reminded of those fees, duties, and taxes, I prefer the transparency. That way, at least you know who gets to keep how much. That way it makes it much harder for your government to hide their taxes and duties than it would be in the case of a single lump sum.
Which, incidentally, I am convinced is the main reason why Europeans are "ok" with paying such outrageous VAT rates (19% in Germany, for example), while US-Americans are not: In Europe, the VAT is always included in the purchase price, you almost never get to see the net price of what you're buying. If you want to know how much of that the vendor gets to keep, you have to get calculating.

If you buy, say, a Vali, you know that Schiit gets 149USD. That's as fair and transparent as it gets. And for the difference, I suggest you take that up with your shipping agent and that you keep this in mind whenever you have to choose who to vote for.

The alternative would be for Schiit to raise their prices considerably! across the entire product lineup and then offer "free" international shipping and/or "domestic" distribution outlets in each of the countries they sell enough wares into. And by "considerably," I mean 30-50% at least, because that stuff sure ain't cheap! So when all is said and done, you'd still be paying roughly as much as you're already paying, it'll just be hidden behind a much higher purchase price.

 

[GumbyDammit223]

Excellent. I have a penchant for dark, aged rums but tonight it is Japanese whisky. A friend is heading or Japan soon so I am trying to decide on what she should bring back. Hibiki or Suntori?

Yes.

 

[Ohno Schiitizen]

Oh .....

 

[AstronomerXI]

Purchased items incur import duties. Regardless of whether they were purchased from a professional seller, a manufacturer, or a private person, and regardless of whether the item is new or used.
Gifts also incur import duties above a certain value threshold, depending on the laws of the country you're importing to.

The threshold for gifts imported into Germany, for example, is a ridiculously puny 45EUR. To add insult to injury, that 45 EUR includes shipping cost — which makes it virtually impossible to send something from the US to Germany "for free" since the shipping cost alone is often already higher than that threshold.

I get that it's annoying. But what I don't understand is why this topic keeps cropping up at such regular intervals. Same goes for the somewhat steeper international cost of shipping itself. Do you guys really think that the things you purchase at your local store don't cost as much to import? Because of course they do. It's just already wrapped into the purchase price. And so even though you're not quite as aware of it, you're still paying the same fees and taxes as you do when you import goods from Schiit.

Personally, as frustrating as it may be to be reminded of those fees, duties, and taxes, I prefer the transparency. That way, at least you know who gets to keep how much. It's much harder for your government to hide their taxes and duties behind a single lump sum.
Which, incidentally, I am convinced is the main reason why Europeans are "ok" with paying such outrageous VAT rates (19% in Germany, for example), while US-Americans are not: In Europe, the VAT is always included in the purchase price, you almost never get to see the net price of what you're buying. If you want to know how much of that the vendor gets to keep, you have to get calculating.

If you buy, say, a Vali, you know that Schiit gets 149USD. That's as fair and transparent as it gets. And for the difference, I suggest you take that up with your shipping agent and that you keep this in mind whenever you have to choose who to vote for.

The alternative would be for Schiit to raise their prices considerably! across the entire product lineup and then offer "free" international shipping and/or "domestic" distribution outlets in each of the countries they sell enough wares into. And by "considerably," I mean 30-50% at least, because that stuff sure ain't cheap! So when all is said and done, you'd still be paying roughly as much as you're already paying, it'll just be hidden behind a much higher purchase price.

My raising it was in the context of a private transaction for a used object for personal (not resale) use.

I successfully got a CDN$950 tax/duty charge for a used telescope knocked down to $75 several years ago.

 

[Plautus001]

I understand Schiit Audio can't control these behaviours (from the shipping companies). Is Canada Post and the United States Postal Service less likely to try such antics? Hmmm, I'm going to challenge FedEx/DHL the next time they try to squeeze money out of me.

Most of the time items sold and shipped to Canada from AliExpress have no shipping, duty, or brokerage...

The fees we get charged are killing US and Canadian business...

 

[JohnnyCanuck]

deleted

 

[belgiangenius]

I would still sort it through official channels. To have a credit agency record these days is not a good thing.

I don't believe FedEx has any authority to register against your credit rating. It's not a financial institution and they don't offer credit services.

 

[jonathan c]

I've had mixed results from vintage or even NOS tubes, so buyer beware. My favorite ECC88's are Genelec Gold Lions, which can be purchased new.

The Genalex / Gold Lions are very good ECC88s. If one wants to stay with 'new production', the Genalex / Gold Lion 12AU7s via Pulse Tube store 12Axx --> ECC88 adapters are even better.

 

[porchwizard]

Wow, I'd better call the IRS and ask them for my money back. When I sold 5 shares of Tesla and immediately reinvested the proceeds into Johnson & Johnson, Uncle Sam demanded I pay taxes on my capital gains. I'm glad you informed me about their mistake. They should know better. Or tried to pull a fast one on me.

Actually Mr. Musk did not sell $40B of stock. That was the purchase price of twitter. The purchase was a combination of private investors and $8.5B from Mr. Musk. Apparently the shares he sold were from the same batch he bought the year before and had already paid taxes on. They were apparently also sold at a loss of many 100's of millions of dollars (the share price had dropped $100 or so) which can possibly be applied against future capital gains.
The point being, while the numbers are huge the transactions where straightforward and transparent with no accounting gimmickry and followed the same rules as for you and me selling in the hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars. I personally pay quite a bit less than 53% in taxes.
It's really only a couple of minutes of googling to find the specifics.

 

[michael2v]

Fossil fuel is still my (regretable) option. High efficiency propane boiler and radiant floor heating.

I can relate. I just installed two dual-fuel electric heat pump condenser units this summer since my state (NY) seemed to have a vendetta against natural gas, but gas prices are down about 40% vs. last year and electric supply prices are up ~10%. Figures...back to dinosaur fuel it is!

Edit: Apologies to all, this is terribly off-topic!

 

[bcowen]

I don't believe FedEx has any authority to register against your credit rating. It's not a financial institution and they don't offer credit services.

FedEx can't (or won't), but if they send the debt to a collection agency they most certainly will.

 

[Daniel Johnston]

Actually Mr. Musk did not sell $40B of stock. That was the purchase price of twitter. The purchase was a combination of private investors and $8.5B from Mr. Musk. Apparently the shares he sold were from the same batch he bought the year before and had already paid taxes on. They were apparently also sold at a loss of many 100's of millions of dollars (the share price had dropped $100 or so) which can possibly be applied against future capital gains.
The point being, while the numbers are huge the transactions where straightforward and transparent with no accounting gimmickry and followed the same rules as for you and me selling in the hundreds of dollars or thousands of dollars. I personally pay quite a bit less than 53% in taxes.
It's really only a couple of minutes of googling to find the specifics.

But that doesn't fit the narrative that the billionaires don't pay taxes.

There is a large difference between being worth billions and having billions in cash.