Importing Harbeth from UK

[Rosenarayanappa]

All,
How about hand carrying p3esr from UK? I think as I will be taking out of European union I get to reclaim 20% vat.
Likewise how about importing them paying 30% duty?
Are 30.2 Carreable in checked in baggage? Sizewise I mean. The prices quoted in India are exorbitant.

 

[panditji]

I carried the Compact 7ES3 7 years ago in my regular suitcases and P3s and 30.2 can very easily fit with the thermocol packing in your suitcase... Your retailer has to give you a form for VAT refund which most of the audio retailers do not have... You will have to find a retailer who will be able to give you the VAT refund form if they are registered...

It makes a lot of sense to hand carry and not import directly if you do not have experience with customs clearance...

 

[Rosenarayanappa]

Thanks Panditji. Checking SG, Malaysia and HK prices to see the cheapest option. I know a few retailers who do Vat forms.
BTW what integrated amp do you suggest to drive these speakers. Leaning towards Naim atom. Need a streamer builtin pref with phono stage for later.

 

[prem]

I think these days the moment VAT is claimed, a copy comes to the Indian customs. I experienced this because they knew how much VAT was claimed by me. You’re then stuck because they know the value of goods you’re carrying. Mine might have been a stray case

 

[sud98]

All,
How about hand carrying p3esr from UK? I think as I will be taking out of European union I get to reclaim 20% vat.
Likewise how about importing them paying 30% duty?
Are 30.2 Carreable in checked in baggage? Sizewise I mean. The prices quoted in India are exorbitant.

I think the Malaysia reseller has one of the best prices as told to me by a Harbreth user and he had hand carried it with him.

 

[Naturelover]

Rather old thread but might help
https://www.hifivision.com/threads/harbeth-speakers.46237/

 

[Rosenarayanappa]

Singapore $3000. Waiting for Malaysia prices.

 

[Sushant Sharma]

Singapore $3000. Waiting for Malaysia prices.

Sam Chan at Tropical Audio quoted this last year in January

"Our price for Harbeth C7 is RM9752, SHL5 & M30.1 is RM11660

Prices included 6% GST."
Hope it helps.

 

[powerslave]

Did you check price difference between buying from local dealer here versus net cost after customs ? For a speaker like P3ESR if the delta is under 20-30K INR I would say buy local itself it will at least mean you have full warranty support , if Delta is north of 50K then you have some thinking to do. My suggestion is if you have summed up the courage to import why not look for a mildly used piece (speakers last long) that would ensure your cost after the customs is still pretty low and as for the warranty you won't get it either-way .

 

[JayaRaa]

Since you are planning to hand carry, there are other options that you should consider from the brands besides harbeth like graham, spendor, falcon that all are based on bbc licensed designs. Make it a point to listen to them. Listen to proac, pmc as well. Personally speaking, I feel there are better than harbeth.

 

[Rosenarayanappa]

Fair point. 120k for p3esr plus 25K air ticket. plus 40% customs. Still it's within 2 lacs. And Indian price is 2.5 L

 

[Rosenarayanappa]

Since you are planning to hand carry, there are other options that you should consider from the brands besides harbeth like graham, spendor, falcon that all are based on bbc licensed designs. Make it a point to listen to them. Listen to proac, pmc as well. Personally speaking, I feel there are better than harbeth.

Thank you, never heard any apart from Spendor which I liked. But liked Harbeth better. Sure would love to listen to others but in a domestic setup where the kind souls(actual users) showoff their gadgets. Is there any such meets in Bangalore. I'll get a bottle of wine if it helps

 

[panditji]

Did you check price difference between buying from local dealer here versus net cost after customs ? For a speaker like P3ESR if the delta is under 20-30K INR I would say buy local itself it will at least mean you have full warranty support , if Delta is north of 50K then you have some thinking to do. My suggestion is if you have summed up the courage to import why not look for a mildly used piece (speakers last long) that would ensure your cost after the customs is still pretty low and as for the warranty you won't get it either-way .

Warranty in India is a joke... There is a current thread on Revel speakers where the dealer refuses to change a brand new piece supplied by themselves only... When the dealer refuses to have anything to do with a product they supplied and opened themselves, what do you expect if something ever goes wrong?

Even if the difference is 20-30k, I would advise to import it themselves especially if the OP is hand carrying it himself...

 

[panditji]

Fair point. 120k for p3esr plus 25K air ticket. plus 40% customs. Still it's within 2 lacs. And Indian price is 2.5 L

90% chance of avoiding customs duty if you are hand carrying it.... Be confident and walk through customs...

 

[sidvee]

Warranty in India is a joke... ...

I agree. Once you buy something here, forget about getting any support from your dealer/distributor, provided he stays a dealer/distributor of that brand for long enough. Usually they change frequently, sometimes in less than a year, and once they change you are a stranger to them. Just hope the manufacturer of said product has enough integrity to stand by his product (and believe me 95% of manufacturers - in my experience, even so called high end ones don't care about the Indian market or Indian consumers). So you are better off buying overseas.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[mpw]

Since you are planning to hand carry, there are other options that you should consider from the brands besides harbeth like graham, spendor, falcon that all are based on bbc licensed designs. Make it a point to listen to them. Listen to proac, pmc as well. Personally speaking, I feel there are better than harbeth.

Russell K red 50

Check it out..

 

[firearm12]

I agree. Once you buy something here, forget about getting any support from your dealer/distributor, provided he stays a dealer/distributor of that brand for long enough. Usually they change frequently, sometimes in less than a year, and once they change you are a stranger to them. Just hope the manufacturer of said product has enough integrity to stand by his product (and believe me 95% of manufacturers - in my experience, even so called high end ones don't care about the Indian market or Indian consumers). So you are better off buying overseas.
Cheers,
Sid

This is absolutely true. They just ask if you are Indian and then redirect to the indian distributor and then forget.

 

[hifitoaster]

Fair point. 120k for p3esr plus 25K air ticket. plus 40% customs. Still it's within 2 lacs. And Indian price is 2.5 L

what happens if its a used one, with a invoice from ebay for the used purchase price? still 40 % on the orginal price or used price?

 

[oracle1974]

Fair point. 120k for p3esr plus 25K air ticket. plus 40% customs. Still it's within 2 lacs. And Indian price is 2.5 L

Hi
An individual is not allowed to import items valued greater than Rs. 1 lakh. The customs may impose a fine on you.
If you show the invoice value less than Rs. 1 lakh, you will be safe.

 

[powerslave]

It is not that straightforward a simple google on name of item regardless of model will tell them the ballpark price. I once got an expensive swiss watch shipped to me from USA (it was a custom made watch with no brand ) marked as gift however customs chaps still managed to slap me a 15k INR bill . Consider the worse case scenario and be prepared for it and then execute on it if you still feel like it, by the way as a matter of co-incidence I am based out of Bangalore too and in same boat Harbeth P3eSR vs the rest however given their new pricelist I think Proac Tabellete 10 or Spendor 3/5 (both of them are around 1 lakh some tens of thousands in India) which is less than half of P3ESR seem like a practical alternative. I am willing to bet that throw in a good DAC and amp and these 3 speakers can be made to sound very similar. By the way as we speak there is a pair of SHL5s on OLX in Delhi for 2.5.