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Any recommendations on how to ship a pair of 803 speakers? I am currently planning on going with Fedex Freight. Due to their height, I feel they could tip over. Unlike LCD/Plasma TVs, I assume these speakers can just ship on their sides....? Who have you gone through that you'd go through again and who would you not go through (again)?
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I would guess the original box and the styrofoam packaging that comes with it for secure shipping...? -
Correct...I have all original packaging included.Originally posted by jjahshik32Comment
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If you do not have the original shipping crates and inserts, the home depot sells 2" styrofoam in 4' x 8' sheets. You can cut this down and make boxes around the speakers. Be very careful around the tweeters. You will need to make a piece that fits around teh tweetrs without touching them.
I used Yellow freight to ship speakers from Hawaii to the main land. They were the cheapers and they insurred somethign like $25 per lb and did not exclude used speakers. This is very important because you need to be covered.Comment
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Have you called your local B&W dealer in SLC and asked them? I would, and I bet they would offer helpful info. Most of my stuff has come FedEx ground from my dealer.
For sure don't forget the insurance and pack them in original box's since you do have them. If there is any damage on the delivery end be sure to have the recipient take a digital picture when the driver is there and make sure the driver shows proof it was noted on delivery record. If you go freight then use a pallet to ship them. Most freight companys only accept shipments on pallets.
Don't skimp on the tape. Use plenty of tape. It reinforces the box.Comment
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I've had a pair of 804S's end up with minor damage shipping with FedEx that they replaced. I shipped the second pair UPS and the same thing happened. I think it's just bad luck in both cases for me.
What happened, by the way, was there are a couple of spots on the grill where there are no pegs to lock the grill in place just a couple of pieces plastic to hold the grill out from the speaker. Those small plastic supports put small dents in the veneer. From the factory there are pieces of thin cardboard that help prevent that from happening and the first ones I shipped were used and they weren't there. The replacement pair were factory sealed and it still happened. Go figure.
EricComment
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Was this UPS/Fedex Ground? I take it this was NOT through either of their Freight channels.Originally posted by hifiguymi
The concern here is that my N803 pair will be irreplaceable, so I need to make sure they go to the buyer undamaged!Comment
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Yes they were both ground. To use FedEx freight I would have had to put them on a pallet and shrink wrapped them. I don't have pallets or shrink wrap here. The cost to have FedEx to that was quite a bit and the person buying the speakers didn't want to do it.
EricComment
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Thanks for everyone's input.
Shipping floorstanders via Fedex/UPS Ground is very risky. Ther buyer might save $100-150 but is that really worth it when you (or the buyer) are paying a lot for these speakers already? The thought of seeing an 803 falling from one their belt lines or having some college kid chucking a 70lb B&W box from one truck to another sounds scary enough.
For everyone's reference, I had my HTM1 and pair of 803 speakers shipped Fedex Freight for about $250. The buyer received them in perfect condition. Fortunately, when I took the individual boxes to the Fedex Freight terminal, they had an available pallet and was able to shrinkwrap them. I had them make sure not to stack anything on top of the pallet and to make sure that the pallet didn't get broken up (i.e. keep boxes together and seperate them...hence, use shrinkwrap).
The same buyer told me he had purchased a pair of 803 speakers several months before, had them shipped Fedex Ground, and received them damaged. He sent me pictures of the box(es) having a hole in them and the tweeter was essentially smashed. They had to be totaled and it took him months to get compensated by Fedex's insurance.
FYI: In the event of damage, Fedex Freight covers $25/pound. This happened to cover each 803 and HTM1 perfectly for what the buyer paid.
The moral: Ship big, heavy speakers via Freight!Comment
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Just shoot an email to B&W. They tell you exactly how they would do it.B&W 804S/Velodyne SPL-1000R/Anthem MRX720Comment
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Do you still have the packaging! I through mine away, in ten years or so I will give them to Charity if they still work!Originally posted by audioquesoFarming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. EisenhowerComment
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DO NOT rely on B&W's packaging! It is inadequate for common carrier shipping. I have been down that road before.
You can supplement the packaging with tightly rolled up large bubble- bubble wrap to fill the voids in the carton to make sure that the crush zones of the carton are reinforced, if you don't they will get damaged.Robert P. 8)
AKA "Soundgravy"
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Do I still have the packaging??? I wasn't offering anything. What are you talking about? You can just email B&W and tell them you don't have the box, so how should you ship it. I was shipping a pair of M1's with no box, and they told me how I should do it. It was very good and descriptive.Originally posted by wettouB&W 804S/Velodyne SPL-1000R/Anthem MRX720Comment
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Thanks for the info :TOriginally posted by audioquesoFarming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. EisenhowerComment
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Me too, with a complete set of 803s and 804s.Originally posted by Soundgravy
Had 7k in damages. :E
F UPSB&W
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I agree with this statement completely, but how do you think they get to your retailer? I work for a small Hi-Fi store and we do a ton of business with B&W. The boxes that arrive at our door step have made it all the way from Massachusetts with little or no damage.Originally posted by Soundgravy
My best recommendation would be to either contact your local dealer and have them order the appropriate boxes or contact B&W directly. It is extremely important that you either add or request insurance. I assure you that you will have no problem making a claim with either Fed Ex, Yellow, or UPS. :TComment
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If you do a ton of business with B&W, those boxes should arrive on a pallet tightly wrapped with other boxes. That's a different league of shipping right there.
Kevin D.Comment
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Our last pair of 802D's came by way of brown truck... no pallet. Just speaking from experience...Originally posted by Kevin D
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Mine where on a Pallet great shipping, make sure you protect the Marlan head and tweeter :BOriginally posted by Alpha231Our last pair of 802D's came by way of brown truck... no pallet. Just speaking from experience...Farming looks mighty easy when your plow is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."Dwight D. EisenhowerComment
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