Shipping advice for Esoteric

Triple box it and put it on a pallet

That is easily within Ground’s abilities to ship reliably. Especially triple boxed, and (I presume) with an inner closed-cell polyethylene foam cradle (the best cushion at this weight class), and with the appropriate insured value. Added up, that’s already all over-the-top security. And I imagine the freight costs would be be very, very high. I’d ship it Ground and sleep great for the next 2 - 5 nights. 

Most (not all) of the people with Ground horror stories simply don’t know how to pack worth a god damn. The real high-end makers like Esoteric, VAC, etc - they’ll include the best packing with their products. They can’t afford to have losses in transit, even with insurance. 

That closed-cell foam stuff is godsent. Customizable, endlessly reusable. SO much better than that horrible polystyrene foam everything used to ship in. 

Thanks, Mulveling.  Similar to Stereo5's reply, this does have Esoteric's triple boxing with all the trimmings, incl.  the polyethylene foam cradle that you mention.  Sounds like I'll do well to use FedEx ground with proper insurance and not worry.  

Thanks all ~

When I shipped my C.E.C. transport to Audio Union in the States for a check-up, I had it double-boxed in the factory packing. I took it to the local UPS store, and when I told them what I wanted it insured for, they said the only way they'd cover it was for them to take my double boxed factory pack and enclose it in yet another box surrounded by bubble wrap. Yes, it cost something. The Audio Union distributor (a good guy) said he had never seen overpacking to the extent my box was packed and once he was done (nothing major, had to do with the belt taking a hard form from disuse), it was shipped back in the same UPS packing. Crazy overkill. But, no worries. I hate shipping gear and really try to avoid it if possible. But triple box overkill seemed to work just fine. 

Use all the factory boxes and strap it to a pallet.  I can just imagine a heavy box tumbling down a conveyer line and throwing the drive unit out of alignment.  My Esoteric was shipped on a pallet from the factory.