Is it wise to Buy systems from US

Hi All,

Just needed a suggestion.My friend is travelling to Boston,USA next month.I wanted to know if it is wise to buy home theater from there.I am particularly looking at Jamo S606 Tower,S602 rear,S60 Center and Sub 200.Would that work out less expensive to get it across to India?
Another option is to pick it up from Singapore,where my BIL is.Which would work out less expensive,US or Sing?

It would be great if anyone knows how much it might cost there.

Anil

I hope you are not assuming that the speakers will be carried by the person as they are quite bulky and weigh a fair bit.

US has better options and prices generally but carrying is a pain in the neck.

Electronics is better for such trips in my view

Hi Anil
Getting large speakers is very painful in general from anywhere outside the country due to the bulk.
An amplifier / other electronic items are much more easily procured and carried from other countries. There is a voltage conversion problem but in general, you will get a far better variety due to a mature market than in India. e.g. the HK amplifiers are sold in India at much inflated prices compared to the US.
In speakers, if you purchase bookshelves it is still possible.
Pricewise, american brands such as Polk and Acoustic Research for speakers; HK for Amp will get you better % savings in the US compared to buying say, a NAD or even Jamo if bought online and delivered in the US.
If your friend is willing to do the legwork and can look at warehouse deals / closeouts within shops - that would be the best deals (they are usually not advertised well). And the united states is usually the best place to find them!
Good luck,
Vaibhav

Hey Vaibhav,

Thanks for the advice.I dont think its a problem in carrying/shipping the products to India.I guess I can take care of it.Have got responses that US is a better place to pick stuff than Singapore,is that right?
I always thought and heard that Singapore is a good place for electronics!!!
Anyways that was useful information,thanks,

Regards

Anil

I don't find Singapore competitive for anything in particular due to high wages and rents in retail. Malaysia that way is much cheaper. Heard that Dubai is the cheapest of them all. USA electronics wont usually work in 220V India. Some companies sell pre order 220V equipment for export but its direct from company and not from retail outlets.

For DVD players there is the added problem of Zone lock region 1.

here's my experience. When i moved back to India from the US I brought my Sony AVR and hometheater back with me. Back then (2002) I wasnt sure about availability and pricing in India. ANd I was on transfer of residence.Despite that the customs guy then gave me a hard time since his opinion was the AVR looked like professional equipment!!!
The biggest problem you will have to live with will be the voltage issue. US is 110V and you will need a heavy duty converter to keep it going. I have gone through 10 converters made locally till I bought one in the US 3 years ago. It is a pain coz these things blow up all the time and take up tons of space. Finally a few months ago my AVR blew up and now my speakers are useless...Reason enough for me to upgrade

I suggest buy it from Singapore instead

Boss (you're really a boss when it comes to this it seems
this is supervaluable information. Thanks!! I was considering getting an AVR on sale from the US as my parents are currently there. The voltage issue sounds really bad
Why do these things blow up btw? Is it due to erratic power supply or poor construction? why did the AVR blow up? Did you use a surge protector?
I do use other equipment i got from the US (camera, e.g.) with the charger that plugs in directly into the wall socket and seems to have no trouble going on ... and on ... and on
cheers!
Vaibhav

Anil
The variety is certainly mindboggling. Which are the brands you're considering? maybe i can share some info on the sites i've visited.
- Vaibhav

There is always the breakdown risk if you buy it from anywhere but your local city. Having said that Singapore is good for certain brands but not all of them. The US and European brands are more expensive due to the small market. The chinese and japanese stuff ahve good pricing though.

I agree with Vaibhav. I recently bought a AVR (Marantz SR6003) in US and carried it back to India. I did save a lot compared to India price and it was easy carrying back. The risk is warranty. I however bought the speakers in India because shipping the speakers would be a nightmare.

Regarding carrying back speakers +Sub, I assume your are talking about your friend carrying them back in the plane, you will be paying extra $$$ to the airlines for the extra weight and over size luggage and also extra piece of luggage. This could be somewhere between USD 45 to 400 based on the over weight and how much extra space you are eating up + number of extra boxes.

I would suggest you/your friend talk to the airline before buying things and do the math on how much you are saving versus the hassles/risks.


Good luck!!