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Post by PistolPete on Jan 17, 2021 9:38:48 GMT
I'm looking at a new interface, and Thomann are a fair bit cheaper than the UK based places, even if I factor in having to add 20% VAT at the UK border.
I just wondered if anyone else had ordered from them since the borders restrictions came in, and if so what your experiences were? Are there delays and administration charges that will make saving £50 a false economy?
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Post by Onechordtrick on Jan 17, 2021 12:22:20 GMT
I'm looking at a new interface, and Thomann are a fair bit cheaper than the UK based places, even if I factor in having to add 20% VAT at the UK border. I just wondered if anyone else had ordered from them since the borders restrictions came in, and if so what your experiences were? Are there delays and administration charges that will make saving £50 a false economy? Remember that you have to pay VAT on shipping as well, plus import duty (about 2.7%) plus a fee to the courier for processing of the charges.
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Post by andyhowell on Jan 17, 2021 13:13:51 GMT
I've seen a few people elsewhere complaining about cost and delivery times. I'm also thinking about a new interface. Which one are you going for?
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Post by PistolPete on Jan 17, 2021 17:42:45 GMT
I'm looking at a new interface, and Thomann are a fair bit cheaper than the UK based places, even if I factor in having to add 20% VAT at the UK border. I just wondered if anyone else had ordered from them since the borders restrictions came in, and if so what your experiences were? Are there delays and administration charges that will make saving £50 a false economy? Remember that you have to pay VAT on shipping as well, plus import duty (about 2.7%) plus a fee to the courier for processing of the charges. I wasn't aware of the import duty. I knew there'd be some sort of processing fee, although in my experience of buying from outside the EU it seems to vary between about 5% of the tax due and 100% of the cost of whatever you ordered, which is one of the reasons I wondered what people's experiences are.
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Post by PistolPete on Jan 17, 2021 17:46:33 GMT
I'm also thinking about a new interface. Which one are you going for? I was looking at the Tascam US 4x4HR, mostly on the basis that my current Tascam has done me good service for the last 11(?) years. There's also surprisingly little around that has more than two channels, but doesn't take you into miking-a-full-band territory.
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Post by andyhowell on Jan 18, 2021 9:07:55 GMT
True. I'm beginning to thnk of upgrading my computer and that will probably mean a new interface. My current Focusrite has four preamps but it Firewire connected. I don't won't to go back to just two and as you say choice is limited.
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Post by Matt Milton on Jan 20, 2021 12:33:11 GMT
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Post by shanea on Jan 20, 2021 23:50:06 GMT
This is all confusing for me. I've bought a lot of gear from Thomann over the years. Where possible, I'm likely to source from UK companies from now on. I like things to be simple.
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Post by Matt Milton on Jan 21, 2021 9:22:17 GMT
I think within about a month if you check back on forums like the gearslutz one above there will be some answers backed up by actual buyer's experience and there'll be a much better idea of what's what. In the meantime, I would use www.gear4music.com/ or www.dv247.com/en_GB/GBP?campaign=keyword/GB&ProgramUUID=UF_AqJartfQAAAFlJkByjI.G&gclid=CjwKCAiA6aSABhApEiwA6Cbm_7brFhuz9shHdnz-FX_t9jecU38oLmAhU6Ts8mCF0LW7mrI8pV_HcRoCNiQQAvD_BwE. Inevitably musical equipment will get a bit more expensive. The superstores I just linked to will still rely on importing from and through Europe, and those costs will get passed on. However, they are at least UK-based retail so no customs or extra delivery charges. My new year resolution is to buy less and get rid of stuff. This has mainly been brought on by the constantly-added-to mountain of brown cardboard packaging that reached an Everest-like peak over Christmas. It's like the bit near the end of Brazil where Robert De Niro gets engulfed by a mass of newspaper. It's making me want to investigate packaging-free food too.
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Post by scorpiodog on Jan 21, 2021 10:51:24 GMT
There are loads of good online retailers in the UK. These are the ones I use most: Absolute MusicGuitar Amp Keyboards Centre (GAK)Andertonsand I use Gear4Music. Thomann has always been good, but only marginally cheaper than any of these, and shipping usually takes longer. Packaging free food is really easy to come by. Just use local retailers (especially butchers, fishmongers and greengrocers) and markets. I see you live in London Matt Milton . I spent some really good quality time touring London markets 4 or 5 years ago. There are dozens of them, and they are all pretty good. I have a thing about packaging on food. I'm not perfect, sometimes I do go to a supermarket, but there's something delightful about choosing the actual pieces of food you eat from small vendors and putting it all in your own shopping basket. You get to chat with them too, which is also fun. And it's not much more expensive than prepackaged standard range food from supermarkets, and cheaper than most of the premium ranges. Sorry, hobby horse of mine. I hate the industrialisation of food production and retail.
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Post by oustudent on Jan 22, 2021 14:17:36 GMT
Fellowship of Acoustics has confirmed that VAT at 20% is payable in goods brought in from the EU to the UK. They take care of import duty which I am assuming is negligible.
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Post by Craig on Jan 30, 2021 14:10:49 GMT
True. I'm beginning to thnk of upgrading my computer and that will probably mean a new interface. My current Focusrite has four preamps but it Firewire connected. I don't won't to go back to just two and as you say choice is limited. There are Focusrite interfaces in lots of configurations, I just upgraded to an 8i6 and it seems great.
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Post by oustudent on Jan 30, 2021 19:04:57 GMT
True. I'm beginning to thnk of upgrading my computer and that will probably mean a new interface. My current Focusrite has four preamps but it Firewire connected. I don't won't to go back to just two and as you say choice is limited. I tried the Focusrite but ended up going back to my Apogee, had a a few latency issues with it and although it was simple to use the Apogee ONE is reliable. Re hardware, have you tried MAC? I treated myself to a new MacBook at Christmas and blitzed my old 2014 Macbook with a fresh install of Catalina. Beginning to wonder why I spent the money as the 2014 Macbook is running as it was when it was new (;-(
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Post by andyhowell on Jan 31, 2021 13:23:16 GMT
I intend to spend a bit of money this year. I need a new MAC and while the new Mac Mini would fit I'm waiting to see what they will do with the new iMac. I am also thnking of a new valve mic and some other bits and pieces (maybe a compressor or two cheaper ones). As scorpiodog says Gear4Music are good and I've also had good service from SXpro in tbe past.
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