[invisiblekid]

Fostex's biodynamics was my gateway to ZMF, but yeah, the Bokeh is a perfect introduction. I once thought "I'll never spend over $1K for HP's!"
Now here I am with a half dozen versions....

It don’t help they do open and closed on nearly every version.

For one that’s bonkers and two from what I’ve read, some of the best closed headphones.

So whatever sound floats your boat, ZMF makes a headphone for it.

 

[idairyou]

Great listen on the Bokeh

 

[andrewchoppa]

Great listen on the Bokeh

Agree-this is a great album!!!

 

[invisiblekid]

Agree-this is a great album!!!

It certainly is. Quite a unique band.

 

[invisiblekid]

I bet these will sound good too, techno brass band. Yeah trust me, they are bloody great.

 

[idairyou]

Also, I've been buying some Japanese import SACDs from Columbia/Sony.

50th Anniversary of Dark Side of The Moon
50th Anniversary of Piano Man
And Toto IV

These are excellent remasters, and the packaging is awesomely overboard. Filled with copious liner note booklets, reproduction of Japanese tour concert tickets, and tour posters.

Piano Man has the Hybrid SACD of the Album, a second CD of rare live performances and demos, and the 3rd is a DVD filled with the Piano Man Music Video, and live performances.

Even if you don't have an SACD, these are great sets worthy of the price of under $50 on each disc. With the US dollar to Yen exchange rate, you get about 40% off. Of course, you have to buy more than one to keep the 40% because of shipping, but totally worth it.

Plus, it's so easy to rip SACDs these days. I rip them to dsf files and put the sets on the shelf never to be touched again.

 

[MacMan31]

So it looks like my set of Bokeh will arrive tomorrow (March 15). But I have to pay $185.56 (CAD) duties and customs. That's is really high. I didn't expect it to be so high. I'll pay it cause I really wan these headphones but I hate dealing with DHL. They are one of the worst shippers. I would have much preferred US Mail which would have handed off to Canada Post. So many times I have had other shippers fail to leave the parcel by the door when I'm not home. I end up having to go to some obscure pick up place to get it.

 

[codeanders]

So it looks like my set of Bokeh will arrive tomorrow (March 15). But I have to pay $185.56 (CAD) duties and customs. That's is really high. I didn't expect it to be so high. I'll pay it cause I really wan these headphones but I hate dealing with DHL. They are one of the worst shippers. I would have much preferred US Mail which would have handed off to Canada Post. So many times I have had other shippers fail to leave the parcel by the door when I'm not home. I end up having to go to some obscure pick up place to get it.

I think most of it ($160 for me) is just paying taxes at around 10%, which is unavoidable no matter which shipper is used, since we didn't pay any taxes on the intial purchase. The remaining ($20+tax) is the fee for DHL, which is only a little higher than Canada Post's usual $10+tax fee.

 

[LXMc]

So it looks like my set of Bokeh will arrive tomorrow (March 15). But I have to pay $185.56 (CAD) duties and customs. That's is really high. I didn't expect it to be so high. I'll pay it cause I really wan these headphones but I hate dealing with DHL. They are one of the worst shippers. I would have much preferred US Mail which would have handed off to Canada Post. So many times I have had other shippers fail to leave the parcel by the door when I'm not home. I end up having to go to some obscure pick up place to get it.

I think most of it ($160 for me) is just paying taxes at around 10%, which is unavoidable no matter which shipper is used, since we didn't pay any taxes on the intial purchase. The remaining ($20+tax) is the fee for DHL, which is only a little higher than Canada Post's usual $10+tax fee.

Yeah I've tested out the various big couriers across different shipments coming from outside of Canada and they've mostly been consistent for audio gear and the main cost is just the taxes based on the price of the item. Whether they charge me $10 or $20 on top of that for brokerage doesn't move the needle a lot when you're looking at tax for a new pair of ZMFs

When I got my Caldera they got tied up in customs so I went to self-clear them. The customs agent looked at the waybill reading it over and said 'ok so your fees are...$700 on a charge of $5100 for.....headphones...?' and then just looked at me like he had read it wrong.

 

[invisiblekid]

In the UK it’s gets expensive real fast importing from outside the EU.

There’s the handling fee (UPS/FedEx is the worst for me so far)

Then there is a duty depending on what your importing (think for headphones there is no charge)

Then 20% tax on EVERYTHING, so that’s the product, shipping, handling, duty.

I said earlier, when we were getting 2 dollars to the pound it was much less painful.

But hey ho, still worth it.

 

[idairyou]

In the UK it’s gets expensive real fast importing from outside the EU.

There’s the handling fee (UPS/FedEx is the worst for me so far)

Then there is a duty depending on what your importing (think for headphones there is no charge)

Then 20% tax on EVERYTHING, so that’s the product, shipping, handling, duty.

I said earlier, when we were getting 2 dollars to the pound it was much less painful.

But hey ho, still worth it.

I shipped some tubes to someone in Poland. DHL and FedEx wanted $200 to get it there in a few days.

Went USPS for $70 and it took close to a month.

 

[invisiblekid]

I shipped some tubes to someone in Poland. DHL and FedEx wanted $200 to get it there in a few days.

Went USPS for $70 and it took close to a month.

Yeah that’s slow but at least reasonably priced.

I imported some good probes from Combustion Inc. I was a little drunk lol but they are fabulous probes. The charges for a pretty small box was madness from DHL, around $70.

Ryan is charging $60 for that giant Peli case with the Tungstens.

Sure it could be the retailer too maybe? But I thought $60 was outstanding price, but then so is his headphones

 

[drbusner]

Just switched from protein to hybrid pads (only took me 10 min...), and I'm glad that I did. I was quite happy with the Bokeh before the switch, and in some ways the protein pads offer a more distinctive sound. But the hybrids allow for more presence through the upper mids/lower treble--which felt a bit recessed with the protein--while retaining the wonderful warmth and smooth texture throughout. The challenge of swapping pads aside, I really appreciate the ability to tune these amazing headphones like an instrument.
The only downside to my adjustment to this lovely, rich ZMF sound is that my other headphones (esp. Focals) now seem somewhat harsh and less musical.

 

[spittis]

DHL gets a lot of crap, and I don't doubt that it's deserved in some cases, but I've been very satisfied with them on these shipments from the US to Finland. The express shipping does cost a bit over 60€, but the goods have always arrived within a few days, their messaging works well, you can choose a pickup point so you don't have to be at home, and they let you do the customs clearance yourself if you choose so, that way you don't pay any extra handling fees. I've done it myself every time, with this last shipment (Bokeh) I got their message on Monday 6 am that the item has arrived in the destination country, I did the customs clearance and paid the taxes at 7 am, and the package was dropped at the pickup point around 2 pm. It could really not go any better. This has been my experience with the previous orders as well.

The taxes are 24% here and obviously your choice of courier does not affect this in any way. But those of you in the US should consider yourself lucky that you can buy ZMF headphones so cheap

 

[andrewchoppa]

I bet these will sound good too, techno brass band. Yeah trust me, they are bloody great.

(

Yeah that’s slow but at least reasonably priced.

I imported some good probes from Combustion Inc. I was a little drunk lol but they are fabulous probes. The charges for a pretty small box was madness from DHL, around $70.

Ryan is charging $60 for that giant Peli case with the Tungstens.

Sure it could be the retailer too maybe? But I thought $60 was outstanding price, but then so is his headphones

Really looking forward to hearing your thoughts on them-I’ll go and find the tungsten thread. I literally just bought a Burson soloist 3x gt so I could one day drive sus or the tungsten’s. Cheers.