Dave Smith Instruments SYNTHESIZERS

I got my summer bonus and wanna buy a PEK ... but of course the Japanese
distributor has done the usual thing and jacked up the price horribly --
the average "street price" seems to be about $3000.

I've found at least one place on the net (www.soundhouse.co.jp) that
advertises has a lower than usual price (though still more than the
U.S. list price!), located out by Narita, but local store owner says
he's heard they do their own importing, and "there could be problems"
with service.  [But of course he would say that...]

However despite the risks, I'm rather chafing under the Japanese prices
(I _know_ I like the Evolver's sound, and have had great support from
DSI for my mono-evolver), and honestly feel like saying "fuck you" to
the bloated Japanese distributor.

It's not like the high markup is really _necessary_ -- Alesis changed
Japanese distributors a while ago, and the new distributor dropped
prices dramatically -- and furthermore gave much better support!!
The A6 went from "so expensive it's a joke" to being a rather nice deal.

[I wish DSI could switch to the new Alesis distributor!]


Anyway, if anyone is still reading this far, I'm curious:

  1) What are people's experiences with the PEK, as far as robustness is
     concerned?  Is it a tank like the mono evolver?  Any problems?

  2) Is there anyone that has any experience with this store
     (www.soundhouse.co.jp)?  My instincts for detecting shady outfits
     don't work so well here.

  3) Anyone know of any other Japanese retailers with
     better-than-average prices?  The normal high-street stores always
     effectively have _exactly_ the same prices as each other on
     imported gear, and are loathe to discount even a little.

  4) What's DSI's attitude towards imported gear?  In the old days
     everything was direct mail order anyway, so it didn't matter, but
     now days they seem to have a more normal retail thing going...

     Some U.S. retailers have said they're happy to send overseas, but
     I'd like to know the worst-case scenario if my PEK's insides melt 3
     days after delivery or something.


-Miles
-- 
Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.

I think the PEK is built strong enough for the trip.
Why dont you but directrly from DSI. Its a little more
money, but they have great support. If the importing
taxes are not too high in japan, that is the way to
go. Or buy from www.sweetwater.com they have the best
customer support on earth, the give you a tracking
number of you package, and they will be emailling you
very frequently until they know you received the
package and you are happy with it. Its risky, but if
you want to save some dollars...
 --- Miles Bader <miles@...> escribi\ufffd:

> I got my summer bonus and wanna buy a PEK ... but of
> course the Japanese
> distributor has done the usual thing and jacked up
> the price horribly --
> the average "street price" seems to be about $3000.
> 
> I've found at least one place on the net
> (www.soundhouse.co.jp) that
> advertises has a lower than usual price (though
> still more than the
> U.S. list price!), located out by Narita, but local
> store owner says
> he's heard they do their own importing, and "there
> could be problems"
> with service.  [But of course he would say that...]
> 
> However despite the risks, I'm rather chafing under
> the Japanese prices
> (I _know_ I like the Evolver's sound, and have had
> great support from
> DSI for my mono-evolver), and honestly feel like
> saying "fuck you" to
> the bloated Japanese distributor.
> 
> It's not like the high markup is really _necessary_
> -- Alesis changed
> Japanese distributors a while ago, and the new
> distributor dropped
> prices dramatically -- and furthermore gave much
> better support!!
> The A6 went from "so expensive it's a joke" to being
> a rather nice deal.
> 
> [I wish DSI could switch to the new Alesis
> distributor!]
> 
> 
> Anyway, if anyone is still reading this far, I'm
> curious:
> 
>   1) What are people's experiences with the PEK, as
> far as robustness is
>      concerned?  Is it a tank like the mono evolver?
>  Any problems?
> 
>   2) Is there anyone that has any experience with
> this store
>      (www.soundhouse.co.jp)?  My instincts for
> detecting shady outfits
>      don't work so well here.
> 
>   3) Anyone know of any other Japanese retailers
> with
>      better-than-average prices?  The normal
> high-street stores always
>      effectively have _exactly_ the same prices as
> each other on
>      imported gear, and are loathe to discount even
> a little.
> 
>   4) What's DSI's attitude towards imported gear? 
> In the old days
>      everything was direct mail order anyway, so it
> didn't matter, but
>      now days they seem to have a more normal retail
> thing going...
> 
>      Some U.S. retailers have said they're happy to
> send overseas, but
>      I'd like to know the worst-case scenario if my
> PEK's insides melt 3
>      days after delivery or something.
> 
> 
> -Miles
> -- 
> Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.
> 


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Whomever you buy it from service would probably still
be through dsi. Might as well just buy it straight
from them.
--- DSI_Evolver@yahoogroups.com <miles@...> wrote:
> I got my summer bonus and wanna buy a PEK ... but of
course the Japanese
> distributor has done the usual thing and jacked up
the price horribly --
> the average "street price" seems to be about $3000.
> 
> I've found at least one place on the net
(www.soundhouse.co.jp) that
> advertises has a lower than usual price (though
still more than the
> U.S. list price!), located out by Narita, but local
store owner says
> he's heard they do their own importing, and "there
could be problems"
> with service.  [But of course he would say that...]
> 
> However despite the risks, I'm rather chafing under
the Japanese prices
> (I _know_ I like the Evolver's sound, and have had
great support from
> DSI for my mono-evolver), and honestly feel like
saying "fuck you" to
> the bloated Japanese distributor.
> 
> It's not like the high markup is really _necessary_
-- Alesis changed
> Japanese distributors a while ago, and the new
distributor dropped
> prices dramatically -- and furthermore gave much
better support!!
> The A6 went from "so expensive it's a joke" to being
a rather nice deal.
> 
> [I wish DSI could switch to the new Alesis
distributor!]
> 
> 
> Anyway, if anyone is still reading this far, I'm
curious:
> 
>   1) What are people's experiences with the PEK, as
far as robustness is
>      concerned?  Is it a tank like the mono evolver?
 Any problems?
> 
>   2) Is there anyone that has any experience with
this store
>      (www.soundhouse.co.jp)?  My instincts for
detecting shady outfits
>      don't work so well here.
> 
>   3) Anyone know of any other Japanese retailers
with
>      better-than-average prices?  The normal
high-street stores always
>      effectively have _exactly_ the same prices as
each other on
>      imported gear, and are loathe to discount even
a little.
> 
>   4) What's DSI's attitude towards imported gear? 
In the old days
>      everything was direct mail order anyway, so it
didn't matter, but
>      now days they seem to have a more normal retail
thing going...
> 
>      Some U.S. retailers have said they're happy to
send overseas, but
>      I'd like to know the worst-case scenario if my
PEK's insides melt 3
>      days after delivery or something.
> 
> 
> -Miles
> -- 
> Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur.


__________________________________________________
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