Shipping from Canada to the US should be reasonable and duty free under NAFTA.
Shipping from Canada to the UK and Australia has reasonable rates as commonwealth countries.
Shipping from the UK to Europe should be reasonable until Brexit.
I think there are still special relations to Hong Kong.
The last time I needed loudspeakers made in the UK they normally were stocked in Canada for the US market. But not this time. They came via airfreight with one stop and the nice part is customs was easy as I was grandfathered in to the import clearance system before 9/11 so no delays.
The consultant specified the wrong part and as I recall that left about a week or two to get the right parts installed before opening day.
Shipping from Canada to the UK and Australia has reasonable rates as commonwealth countries.
Shipping from the UK to Europe should be reasonable until Brexit.
I think there are still special relations to Hong Kong.
The last time I needed loudspeakers made in the UK they normally were stocked in Canada for the US market. But not this time. They came via airfreight with one stop and the nice part is customs was easy as I was grandfathered in to the import clearance system before 9/11 so no delays.
The consultant specified the wrong part and as I recall that left about a week or two to get the right parts installed before opening day.
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Just taking a step back here to make sure wood and trees aren't being mixed (and remembering we agreed up front that this was a cat herding exercise).
The track list at the moment breaks into three groups
1. Setup tracks that exist on other test records but we want more calibrated references or versions more amenable to analysis using software.
2. Setup tracks that may not exist or if they do are on rare or hard to get records
3. New stuff that admittedly may have a limited audience, but may answer some interesting questions.
So for example, although I want to be able to test lateral tracking up to 100um at 315Hz I know I can get that elsewhere so not worried about it, however something that tests tracking at 1kHz and 10kHz I am interested in providing the track doesn't get destroyed on a test. Likewise vertical tracking limits interest me but I'm ready to be persuaded that it's uncessary or can be inferred from the vector test.
Looking at it this way, there are a number of steps to setting up a turntable everyone would want to use. These are
Alignment (includes HTA, VTA and azimuth)
Rotational stability measurement
LF resonance
Most of us also want a well-calibrated frequency sweep for checking arm/table/cartridge resonances and optimising MM cartridges.
Then we get into the grey area of tracks a few of us would love to have to further the state of the art but are beyond normal. These may not seem logical to many, but there are some sacred cows still alive in internet lore that need at least a good poke. These are the tracks that cause the most robust debate due to being new or different.
I actually think we are further along the road than I had expected at this point. Just a few more clarifications needed and some more mulling and we should be good to start track synthesis ready for the inevitable 'you can't cut that' from the mastering engineer
The track list at the moment breaks into three groups
1. Setup tracks that exist on other test records but we want more calibrated references or versions more amenable to analysis using software.
2. Setup tracks that may not exist or if they do are on rare or hard to get records
3. New stuff that admittedly may have a limited audience, but may answer some interesting questions.
So for example, although I want to be able to test lateral tracking up to 100um at 315Hz I know I can get that elsewhere so not worried about it, however something that tests tracking at 1kHz and 10kHz I am interested in providing the track doesn't get destroyed on a test. Likewise vertical tracking limits interest me but I'm ready to be persuaded that it's uncessary or can be inferred from the vector test.
Looking at it this way, there are a number of steps to setting up a turntable everyone would want to use. These are
Alignment (includes HTA, VTA and azimuth)
Rotational stability measurement
LF resonance
Most of us also want a well-calibrated frequency sweep for checking arm/table/cartridge resonances and optimising MM cartridges.
Then we get into the grey area of tracks a few of us would love to have to further the state of the art but are beyond normal. These may not seem logical to many, but there are some sacred cows still alive in internet lore that need at least a good poke. These are the tracks that cause the most robust debate due to being new or different.
I actually think we are further along the road than I had expected at this point. Just a few more clarifications needed and some more mulling and we should be good to start track synthesis ready for the inevitable 'you can't cut that' from the mastering engineer
A reference tone and sweeps are essential for me. The speed and stability test, too. VTA isn't important to me, as I use a conical stylus. And remember, the VTA of our disk will be whatever it is, and not necessarily that of other LPs. But it would at least be a reference point.
How about that slow pan from left to right? Does it still have any utility?
How about that slow pan from left to right? Does it still have any utility?
Don't forget about the silence tracks for rumble and noise, then the speed test at 3150 Hz to test wow & flutter (flutter being highly unlikely). Speed test tracks should be at the beginning and another at the end. They have to be long enough to allow the equipment to settle so you can get a reading. Same for distortion tracks at 1 KHz, anyone want to run one at 10 KHz as well?
-Chris
-Chris
Re-importing a made-in-Canada item still requires Customs Clearance. That means brokerage charges. You can't have it both ways; either the border is secure or it isn't. So imported items need process and paperwork.
There are no duties or tariffs on LP records, regardless of Country of Origin.
Any item valued of less than $C 20 does not require clearance, therefore no brokerage charges, and no GST. It just arrives at your door. So a single LP would be fine but orders of more than one will incur those importing issues. All packages sent to Canada are X-rayed so there is still a 1-day delay at the point of entry but unless it's pulled for inspection that's it.
The problem isn't clearance or duties, it's the cost of shipping from the US, which is the highest in the world as far as I can determine (more than $100K in imports to me personally, so that's my experience there).
Carrying LPs across the border, or having the Made-in-Canada shipment made to an address in Canada, or if someone is able to pick up at the plant, even better, whereupon a number of destined for Canada copies could be culled before re-shipment to the US would also work.
Shipping within Canada is inexpensive (if you get an account with Canada Post [free], you can ship Expedited Parcel, a service not available to the general public: typically about $C 10, tracked, insured (default $C 100), 2-days within the same region and about 5 days cross-country). Shipping from Canada to the US is also considerably less expensive than going the other way.
In my case I could have the LPs shipped to my broker (US address) and cleared* and re-shipped from within Canada (broker's properties straddle the border) for multiple LP packages. If it was under $C 20 they would just re-ship and not charge me anything for handling. So about $C 10 for Purolator Next Day Air to my door; if shipped USPS Priority that means about 5 days after shipment within the US. But if you don't have a brokerage account, you are at the mercy of the shippers and their high fees.
If you use International Shipping from the US (USPS, UPS, FedEx, etc) the items are actually cleared at a US bonded warehouse long before they enter Canada, and typically hundreds or even thousands of miles from Canada. Within about 2~8 hours after trans-ship to the central warehouse, they are cleared. In some cases that warehouse is in the same city as the shipper, so they are cleared before midnight the day of pickup.
* Technically, "pre-cleared" as the inspection step is still necessary. If by USPS they will be X-rayed at the Canada Post facility at the border. If by other carriers they will be inspected by CBSA agents at the importer's facility. Virtually in all cases that will be via CBSA Agents permanently assigned to that carrier's facility, including bonded warehouses in the US. Essentially the CBSA Agents work at the importer's premises full time but are paid by CBSA. So, for example, if by UPS, the package never leaves the UPS facility and is always part of it's shipment stream door to door. Unlike what some believe, there is no dropping off and picking up from CBSA facilities. If the importer uses a broker they handle the same things but delivery is directly to that address, so again no stopping or shipping to a Canada Border Services Agency facility.
That is more than enough on this topic which is relevant but not really on-topic, so I won't be posting again on the subject unless someone involved in the production stream specifically asks a question addressed to me, in the interest of expediting the shipment process.
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Yes, I understood. I just wanted to clarify that even though they may be Made-in-Canada, there would still be customs clearance and brokerage fees necessary if valued at more than $C 20, plus GST because the items were never subject to 5% GST (which is due from the end user; also if the foreign importer did pay GST, the full amount can be refunded on application. Most Canadian businesses who are exporters do this internally so the GST is never applied to the invoice). And then my usual over-running commentary, which wasn't addressed to you specifically.
Now, just as an FYI, when imported through a Postal System (USPS>Canada Post, but also any other nation) I often get small size packages that were valued above $C20 directly to my door. Legally I'm supposed to voluntarily contact CCRA and the Province to pay the GST and PST on those. Similarly if a package is final cleared in another province (virtually 100% of the time, Canada Post facilities are in Winnipeg and Vancouver, or somewhere in Eastern Canada), it will arrive with just GST applied, and I'm supposed to voluntarily pay the PST.
Naturally, almost no-one ever does this, but mentioned since you referred to not wanting to avoid taxes on imports. So maybe you would be fine with your multiple LP purchase via USPS (UPS and FedEx don't let an opportunity to collect money pass by); its a case-by-case situation. Being in Ontario where the actual port of entry is located, maybe that never happens for you.
By "GST" I'm referring also to HST if applicable; it works the same way.
And in case any US members have ever paid GST or HST on a purchase shipped from Canada, to let you know that the amount is 100% refundable if you apply for the refund from CCRA (Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, essentially the IRS here, who are the ones who handle GST, which is a form of Value Added Tax (VAT)).
"HST" is GST plus Provincial Sales Tax combined, and some Provinces utilize it because it eliminates the cost of administering their own Provincial Tax system. The Feds handle it all for no cost and just hand the Province a cheque.
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There's still lots of tracks to be defined.............
It will all fit, but a lot of stuff competes for the outer tracks.
I'm thinking one side playback chain signal performance, such as S/N, 'f response' in its broadest sense, distortion etc.
The other side for mechanical performance tests such as pitch stability, cart/arm stability, alignment (3D), rotating vector tests, cartridge compliance, trackability tests, stylus 'tip-mass' etc.
It should work out balanced for time across both sides that way, and a budget of about 15mins total per side should allow necessary groove spacing.
Devil's in the detail of the test tracks, but it's all very do-able once the tracks are properly defined.
LD
I think the rotating vector test contains the slow pan but also includes the other quandrant so may be better for measuring unless you want an audible test?
I am in the camp that record thickness should not change VTA enough as its fractions of a degree. However I am willing to be convinced otherwise
If you're ever in NJ, The Edison Museum is in West Orange and has been into tip-top condition by the National Park Service. There are scores of Edison recording machines on display.
Jack we also have an Edison museum just across the river from me. It has several of the Diamond Disk machines, but none ever play.
Chris. If we do have them pressed in the Great North, we would leave some there, for sure - so that someone up there could ship them out. The others could find their way south, somehow. FWIW, Amazon.com has a good selection of LP mailers.
Lucky: Yes, there seems to be many tracks competing for that outside position! That's why I have not given anything an order yet. Do you have a suggested track list?
Chris. If we do have them pressed in the Great North, we would leave some there, for sure - so that someone up there could ship them out. The others could find their way south, somehow. FWIW, Amazon.com has a good selection of LP mailers.
Lucky: Yes, there seems to be many tracks competing for that outside position! That's why I have not given anything an order yet. Do you have a suggested track list?
Hi Pano,
I wasn't aware that could be done.
If I had a car, I could distribute them, but they closed our postal outlet and the main one keeps business hours. That means I can't get there to mail anything. Because our carrier is afraid of our dog, I can't have anything picked up either. I had an experience trying to mail something earlier this year that didn't turn out well. It took my wife to have a day off for me to mail the item out.
-Chris
I wasn't aware that could be done.
If I had a car, I could distribute them, but they closed our postal outlet and the main one keeps business hours. That means I can't get there to mail anything. Because our carrier is afraid of our dog, I can't have anything picked up either. I had an experience trying to mail something earlier this year that didn't turn out well. It took my wife to have a day off for me to mail the item out.
-Chris
I'm not sure where the "flutter being highly unlikely" came from as I've measured a fair number of TT include SP-10 MKII and the range I have seen of tables I would not consider "broken" has ranged from 0.02% to 0.15% - at the top end of the range intermodulation with piano notes will be audible. The lowest I've measured was an SP10 MKII. Interestingly my TD-124s range near the bottom of the range around 0.03% - 0.05% depending on the specific table which surprised me.
With the arrival of the RTX I will now have an easy way once again to measure both wow & flutter. Currently I use the dr feikert app on my phone (the not free version) to measure flutter, it can't do wow because of limitations in the phone's audio system and mic.
VTA will be of great interest to me since I use cartridges that have stylus geometries that are very sensitive to it.
As I remarked to Scott and indeed elsewhere on this thread I need long enough tracks to run around in my little room between the various tables and the measurement hardware so I am hoping tracks will be at least 90 seconds long.
Hi Kevin,
90 sec tracks would be fine, even a touch longer as we don't know how others will be testing. The THD tracks need similarly long tracks as the equipment must be adjusted manually for most folks. With an RTX, it will be not so critical to have a long track, but anyone using an analogue instrument will need the time.
I use a sticky mat with either a Thorens TD-125 MKII or a TD-126 MKII. Flutter is going to be very low on those I suspect. A low friction mat may add to flutter problems.
-Chris
90 sec tracks would be fine, even a touch longer as we don't know how others will be testing. The THD tracks need similarly long tracks as the equipment must be adjusted manually for most folks. With an RTX, it will be not so critical to have a long track, but anyone using an analogue instrument will need the time.
I use a sticky mat with either a Thorens TD-125 MKII or a TD-126 MKII. Flutter is going to be very low on those I suspect. A low friction mat may add to flutter problems.
-Chris