My speakers arrived (450 crate plus 2 boxes) safe and sound, and the folks at TeamAir.com couldn't have been better to work with. Net/net, air-ride quality at literally hundreds less than freight. And unlike Bax Global, they can ship from non-business addresses. Thanks to Dan (porschecab) for the heads up. |
FedEx? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
I recently bought a pair of floor standing speakers from Singapore and they rolled my speakers on the floor inside my home. Their poor handling resulted in cracked corners.
Later, a replacement from USA (also using FedEx) had the same problems - cracked corners.
Of course, I think the packaging material used is also a problem. |
I make fine furniture and send it worldwide from Australia.Allied Pickfords have proven to be good but none of them are perfect.I sent a dining table to Canada only to have it damaged as it was being delivered to its final destination by local contractors.
Whoever you use my advice is to wrap it in at least 3 layers of bubble wrap,regardless of their packing techniques. |
Try Roadway Express. I have used them several times to ship speakers. They have been fast easy and at a fair price. |
I repeat, try Ocean Air. They are the shippers that Krell uses.
Richard |
Update: Thanks to another poster on another related thread I went to Team Air and wow....a great price, great delivery services, and an air-ride trailer. I will report back after delivery. |
Bax positively will not pick up from anything but a business address. They consider a storage facility a residential non-biz address. I'm going to go with Bullet freight systems and add insurance. Here's hoping. |
Bax just want to make sure that there is someone there when they call to collect or deliver them......businesses are open from 9 to 5 on working days....
Bax do not want pick up or delivber to a residence where someone may not be homw all the time.....this is understandable.... |
I'm trying to get large ATC speakers (370 lbs, one palleted crate, 2 smaller boxes @ 40lbs each for stands) shipped from the seller's mini storage site in Oregon to me in N. Ohio. Local BAX says they need to be from a business (i.e where I bought them from....?) which is weird considering all the great BAX references above, assume they are all used speaker war stories (this is Audiogon). Any advise? Thx
Ted |
thanks everyone
went with bax global excellent experience
recommend to anyone looking to ship fragile, heavy speakers, etc |
I use FedEx exclusively, with zero damage claims in three years after UPS dishonored two high value claims.
Their website is a navigational breeze as well. Big, heavy stuff: BAX and Foward Air are best in my [limited] experience.
Lots of differing opinions on Revels... |
Have shipped several pairs of Magnepan loudspeakers via BAXGlobal without any problems. |
I second Mwilsons comment...I've never recieved anything damaged from UPS or Fed Ex, but they were small items and packed well...I think that the packing job is just as important as the shipper...but If I buy something big & valuable, I just hope it's from somewhere either conveniently close, or somewhere I want to visit cause it'll be road trip time.
just my 2c
Ellery |
DHL gets my vote, they delivered 2 huge 200 lb boxes from Europe to me safely. But the delivery woman was too weak to bring the boxes into my home, she left them on the drive way... |
I can't recommend FedEx...they absolutely destroyed a pair of speakers I sent to this guy across the country. When I packed them, I had all the original packaging, including all the styrofoam and boxes.
They got there in pieces. I mean, this guy sent me photos, and they were literally crumbled into tiny little pieces. HUGE floorstanders, just completely destroyed.
It took forever, and it was an enormous pain in the ass, but I finally got FedEx to honor the insurance claim.
Never again. |
FedexGround and UPS Ground are the worst in my experience. A real crapshoot with the odds worse with FedexGround. I'd agree also that you will have to fight tooth and nail to get them to pay attention to an insurance claim and most will give up for the time and frustration. I do think a lot of the problems with the ground shippers come from poor packing. Your best insurance, if you must go ground (usually a financial decision) is excellent packing and double-boxing if you must use ground shippers. Peanuts are NOT good packing material for heavy items. Bubble-wrap (large bubbles), air-packs, and solid foam sheets go a whole lot further, and even still may not be enough. Double-box EVERYTHING fragile with plenty of good padding. I've had great experience with USPS Priority Mail, and have never had to file an insurance claim with them. Plenty of experience to back that up. I'd also second Forwardair as a great option for shipping large, heavy, or otherwise awkaward items. I've had only good experiences with them. They are a bit of a hassle in terms of payment (certified payment for exact amount only in my area), and they are a terminal-to-terminal freight company with access only in some cities (see their website forwardair.com). FedexGround is abysmal in my experience. I just had to say that once more, which doesn't approach the amount of times they've screwed up or delivered an abused box and or broken contents to me.
Marco |
DON'T USE OVERNITE TRANSPORTATION CO. THEY PUT A BIG HOLE On THE SHIPPING CRATE WITH A FORKLIFT DAMAGING A $12000 SPEAKERS AND OFFERED TO PAY ME $15 FOR THE DAMAGED. WHAT AN INSULT. |
Under no circumstance should you choose Fedex. They are known for refuseing to honor their insurance. Both UPS +
USPS will make good on their insurance (though it might take
a threat or 2) Just my $.02 |
I will never do business with UPS again. DHL for international shipments is OK. |
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fedex ground and UPS suck. USPS priority mail for domestic lightweight items. FedEx air for domestic heavyweight items. USPS global EMS for international lightweight items. DHL or Global EMS for int'l heavyweight items. ForwardAir is good for domestic airfreight, esp. on a pallet; cheaper than FedEx air freight.
-Ed |
FedEx Ground? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! UPS and FedEx are both a disaster. You can pretty much forget about either of them covering the insurance when they trash your products through what is very clearly careless handling. |
For large fragile items...forwardair.com
The best!! |
Just shipped a pair of speakers with DHL. One arrived in two days with a little damage. The other arrived nine days later with significant damage. During those nine days, they had no idea where it was. I won't use them again. |
DHL managed to get a pair of speakers from Singapore to me, that wern't that well packaged, with no damage to the speakers or boxes. |
Yourself and yourself only with something large or extremely valuable. |
Also highly recommend Bax Global. |
Bax Global gets my vote. I have shipped several pairs of speakers through them with no problems. |
BAX Global Air Cargo ( 3 day delivery or BAX SAVER service ) is cheaper than FedEx or UPS Air. Check out
the BAX Global web page for more details. I just won an eBay auction for Von Schweikert VR-4jr speakers which are
being shipped to me across the country by BAX. Be sure to
have full insurance coverage. |
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Bax global. They can handle these without any problems. Weight is the main issue with most carriers, not so with Bax. Plus, the main reason to consider them is they really understand how to treat this fragile cargo. Not so with the meat and potatoes shippers that only seem to care about volume. Hope this helps... |
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