Bringing Electronics

[Heeb]

So I just purchased a pair of KEF LS50 wireless speakers, they sound awesome and run on 110-240vdc and have USB, optical ports,WIFI and Bluetooth, the WiFi sounds good but not so much the Bluetooth, I will mostly use the optical and USB connections. I have most of my music downloaded onto FLAC files on a mini PC and I just signed up for Spotify which supposedly works in the P.I, I will also hook them up to a smart TV which we will purchase over there, I need music to maintain my sanity. My question is, should I bring these on the plane with us or ship them by balikbayan box? They were expensive and I don't want them to get mishandled but I've had customs at the airport in Manila shake me down for cash when I've brought electronics in the past, I don't mind paying a small bribe but they wouldn't look up the value and try to put the screws to me would they?

[robert k]

I didn't see any customs people the last couple times I arrived. I just picked up my luggage and kept on going. Felt unnatural.

[Old55]

First of all…. Fantastic speakers!  Well done. Also a great choice IMO for typical Filipino cinderblock rooms. You need to have some stands made once you get settled in. I've owned early Harbeth LS3/5A for years then got KEF LS50. The LS50 are special! I've moved up to Harbeth full range now but wish I had kept the LS50's.

I suggest you ship them in a box or better yet split them up into two boxes.

Over the past 20+ years I've shipped a number of vintage and new/used high end audio equipment to Cebu. Mostly in boxes never ever had a problem. The only thing I ever listed was a wide screen TV in a custom wood box I made myself. Only once had a problem and LOL was at MNL flying back to Cebu we had some large single ended triode vacuum tubes with us. At first we thought they were looking for a quick bribe turned out they were honest and truly had concern the tubes could contain a harmful gas.

PM me? I have some cable suggestions for those guys and stands too. 

[Heeb]

25 minutes ago, Old55 said:

First of all…. Fantastic speakers!  Well done. Also a great choice IMO for typical Filipino cinderblock rooms. You need to have some stands made once you get settled in. I've owned early Harbeth LS3/5A for years then got KEF LS50. The LS50 are special! I've moved up to Harbeth full range now but wish I had kept the LS50's.

I suggest you ship them in a box or better yet split them up into two boxes.

Over the past 20+ years I've shipped a number of vintage and new/used high end audio equipment to Cebu. Mostly in boxes never ever had a problem. The only thing I ever listed was a wide screen TV in a custom wood box I made myself. Only once had a problem and LOL was at MNL flying back to Cebu we had some large single ended triode vacuum tubes with us. At first we thought they were looking for a quick bribe turned out they were honest and truly had concern the tubes could contain a harmful gas.

PM me? I have some cable suggestions for those guys and stands too. 

I had a friend who had Harbeth LS3/5A's, great speakers that I couldn't afford, I read a lot of reviews before I made the purchase and I was worried it was all just hype. I have them set up in our basement which is mostly cement and probably acoustically similar to cinder block, after setting them up properly it was amazing how beefy these sound for bookshelf speakers, I haven't had any problems with the app that people complain about. They provide me with a good sounding system without have to bring separate components. I'll send a PM about cables and stands, thanks (if I can figure out how)

[Old55]

Also keep in mind they take at least 200 hours to break in properly.

[Tommy T.]

8 hours ago, Heeb said:

My question is, should I bring these on the plane with us or ship them by balikbayan box? They were expensive and I don't want them to get mishandled but I've had customs at the airport in Manila shake me down for cash when I've brought electronics in the past, I don't mind paying a small bribe but they wouldn't look up the value and try to put the screws to me would they?

There is no promise here... But, the past four times I have returned to Philippines via NAIA from overseas - including USA and Canada - the customs officials were just sitting at their counter looking bored and nobody was stopped at all. And there were people with many huge boxes, huge luggage bags, all of it. I have had boxes of electronics sent here via FedEx and DHL and they got here quickly, then languished at customs until something was paid. Someone else handled it for me and I believe there was a "payment" required. I think the best advice may be to just be careful.

[graham59]

I have sent all my larger (eg speakers and computer monitors) electronic items in Balikbayan boxes, and never anything damaged. Well packed of course.  All working well once installed here.

Smaller items (but important to me) like my Xboxes, I have put in my carry-on bag.  I think it must be 20 years since customs asked to look in my bags upon arrival in the Phils.

[Heeb]

33 minutes ago, Tommy T. said:

There is no promise here... But, the past four times I have returned to Philippines via NAIA from overseas - including USA and Canada - the customs officials were just sitting at their counter looking bored and nobody was stopped at all. And there were people with many huge boxes, huge luggage bags, all of it. I have had boxes of electronics sent here via FedEx and DHL and they got here quickly, then languished at customs until something was paid. Someone else handled it for me and I believe there was a "payment" required. I think the best advice may be to just be careful.

I'll just put a bullet in my wife's luggage to distract them....

 

...wait...probably not such a good idea, I would most likely be the one to go to jail.

[graham59]

I think the hardest part when putting electronics in carry - on, is the alarms going off at your home country's departure X-ray counter and receiving the subsequent looks of horror, and interrogation by an 'operative' who clearly has never seen a games console... and carried by a Caucasian pensioner.  

[OnMyWay]

16 minutes ago, graham59 said:

I think the hardest part when putting electronics in carry - on, is the alarms going off at your home country's departure X-ray counter and receiving the subsequent looks of horror, and interrogation by an 'operative' who clearly has never seen a games console... and carried by a Caucasian pensioner.  

A little off-topic but maybe appropriate.  I was just looking at the new restrictions on what you can and can't bring on board, and they have changed a lot!  For example, you can no longer bring a tennis racquet or a tripod in the cabin! 

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/25/19/aviation-regulators-issue-new-list-of-prohibited-items-in-carry-on-check-in-baggage