Russian Tube Preamp, No Return, Here I go again

chackster

chakster (8 characters please ) 

cheap PREAMP

ok

He could start another thread with hundreds of daily ebay links, thinking that other people can’t make their own search for audio gear (or simply add what they need in favorite search or wantlist to get notifications when it’s available). 

When you pay with paypal you CAN ALWAYS RETURN anything without reason, if you don’t like it. This is paypal buyer’s protection, even if the seller do not want to accept return you can make paypal claim and return it and paypal will give you full refund anyway!

There is not such thing as "no return" when you paid for goods with paypal, remember.

Make sure to ask for EMS shipping only!

Not Economy International as stated in his listing, it will take 2 month or even longer.  

There are NO delay on custom check on export from Russia, never. It takes a few minutes, just scan of the parcel, nothing else.
Import duties are important, not export. So when US custom inspect imported parcel there can be a delay, but only for 3-7 days.

Before covid delivery from Russia took only 7-14 days worldwide with the cheapest registered mail. After covid same service will take 2-3 month and it’s all over the world with all international postal service. 
EMS (Express Mail Service) from Russia before covid was so quick, normally 3-5 days worldwide, now up to 1 month. 

That Russian seller has 100% positive feedback on ebay (and buyer fully protected by paypal), but some strange posters here still talking about scammers from Russia.

Regarding shipping from Russia to USA I will give you one example, my own parcel has been shipped on FEB 2, 2021 and in 10 days it was in NY,USA. Look at usps tracking.

This is why my advise to the OP is to ask that seller for EMS shipping!

If he will ship with cheaper registered mail then your order can be in transit for 1-2 month.

P.S. Just like in the topic about new “Russian cartridges” I want to admit that no single part of this “handmade” tube amp was made in Russia, except for the tubes. So it’s correct to say that it was only assembled in Russia, but all parts are import parts (not Russian). Except Chinese parts inside this amp. In my opinion it’s a cheap looking amp, like any DiY projects. 

Good point about cheap parts. It is a given nowadays, however, that most electronic parts in gear from all countries have majority origin in China sadly, yet some are better than others and implementation is key.

No one in Japan will use Chinese parts in their tube amps design. I got Japanese amp myself (Yamamoto A-08s). 
But I’ve seen clones of everything in Russia, they steal design of phono stages, amps, whatever. It’s a Russian tradition since the Soviet days, original designers never get their royalties. Same happened with foreign musicians who’s records bootleged in USSR by local pressing plant and sold in million copies. 

It could be stupid to say there is no audiophile scene in Russia.
This scene is huge all over the country, Moscow is just the biggest city.
You can find all the rarest analog audio gear locally, the only problem is the price. For foreigner buyers another problem is language barrier, for this reason very interesting gear available mostly on local sources. People collect serious vintage high-end gear and this is mostly import from Japan, Europe or USA. All the stuff imported in the past 15 years, before 2004 it was impossible, not only because of the payment methods (paypal was unavailable in Russia), but also because of the internet. In the Soviet days it was simply impossible, you can’t imagine how rare was VCR all the way til the 90’s, you could have it only if your father is a diplomat or a big boss in communist party (or some criminal), especially in the mid 80’s. Basic hi-fi import appeared on the market (for everyone) in the early 90’s after the crash of the USSR, but it was overpriced stuff like VCR, TV, double cassette decks, boomboxes etc.

DIY scene now is huge too, not everyone can afford import, for this reason secondhand audio gear is very popular.

On the other hand we have so many High-End shops and distributors of all the modern high-end stuff for insane prices, but this is for another category of people (they don’t count money).

P.S. I think most of the local dealers on ebay are honest, they know their stuff and you can’t cheat people on ebay with paypal payments (it’s simply impossible). The problem is idiots and they are everywere (wolrdwide), last year a dealer from France tried to rip me off for neatly 2500 EUR, but paypal penetrated him very well and refund my money within a month, it wasn't ebay deal, but paypla always protect buyers from scammers. 

... probably business climate is just not right there, or government priorities is in another universe:)

Absolutely! Right

EMS from Russia to USA during covid is normally 30 days, can be a bit faster or slower.

11 month by sea mail from Japan is nonsense, seamail is 2-3 month estimate and not affecting by covid at all. Some people always have problems with everything, it’s a bad luck. 

Such a weird forum, here is almost nothing about amazing tube amps from Japan made by skilled technicians, but people discuss unknown cheap amp from Russia made with some Chinese parts by unknown guy.

Yesterday vintage NOS Japanese NEC 6bq5 (EL84) power tubes replaced Russian power tubes in this Luxman integrated amp. We were shocked by the difference! Luxman stock tubes are branded Luxman, but in fact it’s modern Russian tubes.

Japanese tubes from NEC (made in the 70’s for hi-fi audio) are much quieter, the resolution is much higher, I never tried them before (tubes were sealed in the boxes), it was a blind deal for me long time ago, I don’t even have an amp with EL84 anymore, but a friend purchased Luxman from me few years ago.

After an evening of listening we are all (4 of us) came to conclusion that an old Japanese NEC is killing New Russian tube. So the NEC green series is amazing power tube. 

My advice is to look for a NOS tubes instead of Russian or Chinese tubes. 

EMS is Air Mail only.
Custom (export) inspection is just scan of the box, takes 5 min.
The problem is available flight to USA.

My recent parcels to L.A. or Miami took 7 days with EMS (very quick)

Product of China, not Russia

There is nothing about delivery to USA with Boxberry on their site. They do not ship to USA.

The best way to ship from Russia to USA is Russian Post (EMS Express).

However, if you’re not a sender you can’t make any claim. You can only wait. If it was shipped on March 1st then you will get it soon.

Don’t waste your time sending requests to Russian Post, it’s worthless. Even if your seller (as a shipper) will proceed with claim it will take over 90 days to investigate the case. EMS do not provide an insurance anyway. If your parcel is lost - it’s lost, compensation for shipping only.

Check this tracking system:

www.trackitonline.ru

There is only one regular flight to USA from Russia and it’s Moscow - New York.
Do you know that all boarders with EU closed for Russians? The US is open, but how many flight do you expect in this situation? 90% of the flight to any destination are canceled long time ago.  

It’s true than EMS is not cheap, but it’s Express, it was 5 days estimate before covid, now there is NO estimate delivery time to USA, but, in my own experience, anything from 7 days to 30 days is normal, anything from 30 to 60 days is also OK (just bad luck). If it’s more than 60 days then you can only open paypal claim, your seller will never get refund from the shipping company (insurance for full value is impossible), except for shipping cost, but paypal will refund you withing 2 weeks 100%.

Why do you think shipping from Russia to USA must be cheap, do you know USPS international shipping rates?

For example: to ship one LP from USA to Russia cost $25 minimum and it’s not even Express mail (not even priority).

When you pay $40 or even $100 for an amp shipped from Russia to USA with EMS Express it’s fair price! Try to calculate same weight on usps.com for shipping to Russia.


Russia is not China, so your analogy with shipping from China is irrelevant.

Seamail shipping cost nothing compared to EMS. But seamail is 3 month minimum.

Airmail post is also cheap, but you must wait longer.

I have no idea why do you compare China and Russia? Almost everything is made in China and almost nothing is made in Russia nowadays.

Chinese products cost nothing and shipping often is free (don’t know how they can make a profit :))

You don't have to explain anything to paypal if for whatever reason you're not happy with purchase. This is why there is a buyer's protection program. I don't think seller will argue as they can block his account.

The problem is not a nationality of the seller or his country, the problem is equipment. 

You could buy something from reputable designer or brand. 

Open paypal claim, send it back, get full refund from paypal (including return shipping) and NEVER buy CHINESE AMPS assembled in Russia! 

Ship with USPS Priority Mail and he will get it in 30 days (or faster). Calculate exact shipping cost at your post office and ask him to cover it (you can send postal receipt).

If you want to pay more you can ship with USPS Express (and he will get it in Russia from EMS (courier delivery), it can be delivered in 2 weeks or 1 month.


If you will declare more than $200 he will pay import tax, so it’s better to declare no more than $200 in your custom declaration (no import tax for him). 

When I ship to USA from St.Petersburg (Russia) it’s 10-14 days, you had a bad luck with your Russian seller.