Audio gear in Mexico?

KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
I have been to Mexico several times and always assaulted with low-fi sound whenever I enter an electronics retailer!
The brand names are companies I have never heard of!
Hoping I just haven't been to the right stores!
What do those of you who either live in or have a second home in Mexico do for audio.
Is there a pro-audio market that would have mainstream brands such as JBL, Adam, Presonus, Genelec, etc?
What about Costco in Mexico? I don't think of them for audio gear here in the states, but they usually do have some decent budget options.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Check with @ellisr63

I drove thru Ensenada quite a few years ago and was surprised to see a Costco there but didn't go shopping. :)
 
KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Check with @ellisr63

I drove thru Ensenada quite a few years ago and was surprised to see a Costco there but didn't go shopping. :)
I am looking at partnering on a vacation/rental property in the Lake Chapala area.
There is a WalMart within 10 minutes and Home Depot and Costco within an hour, but I don't know how close they are to the experience/inventory I am used to!
I can live with my JBL Extreme for the periods of time I would be down there, but would like to set up a nice little sub-satellite system if available.
 
ellisr63

ellisr63

Full Audioholic
Yeah most of the stuff is low end equipment, but I found a store that had Martin Logan Electrostats, and I also found out there is a distributor for Sonus Faber and other High end Equipment in Mexico City. I def recommend you bring it yourself as you will have a 17% duty if you import via Amazon or have it sent direct to you. The Costco we have had very little audio equipment and was mainly soundbars and 4k tvs. They do have BestBuy here, and you can check the BestBuy mexico website to see the prices. The best time to buy audio video equipment in Mexico is during their Buen Fin (black friday) sales as you get 20-50% off...which brings the price down to a normal USA price or minor sale price. The sale is sometimes a couple of weeks long, and buy your booze during the whole month sales around June or July.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
 
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KEW

KEW

Audioholic Overlord
Yeah most of the stuff is low end equipment, but I found a store that had Martin Logan Electrostats, and I also found out there is a distributor for Sonus Faber and other High end Equipment in Mexico City. I def recommend you bring it yourself as you will have a 17% duty if you import via Amazon or have it sent direct to you. The Costco we have had very little audio equipment and was mainly soundbars and 4k tvs. They do have BestBuy here, and you can check the BestBuy mexico website to see the prices. The best time to buy audio video equipment in Mexico is during their Buen Fin (black friday) sales as you get 20-50% off...which brings the price down to a normal USA price or minor sale price. The sale is sometimes a couple of weeks long, and buy your booze during the whole month sales around June or July.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
Thanks!
17% is not so bad as I had feared, I had heard of an instance where it was something like 100% by the time all of the fees were paid (not audio gear), but that was probably some type of worst case scenario where it made for a better story of how bad you can get hammered. Like you said, find a good sale and it pretty well offsets the duties at 17%. I doubt I will ever drive down there (have to drive around the Gulf of Mexico from Georgia), so the cost of carrying anything very bulky/heavy will probably offset 17% (or close to it).
 
ellisr63

ellisr63

Full Audioholic
We just went to Costco yesterday...only audio/video electronics were, FP TVs, Soundbars, laptops, and Phones. They had the usual name brand 4k, and a 8k on display....maybe 20 FPs on display.

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ellisr63

ellisr63

Full Audioholic
Thanks!
17% is not so bad as I had feared, I had heard of an instance where it was something like 100% by the time all of the fees were paid (not audio gear), but that was probably some type of worst case scenario where it made for a better story of how bad you can get hammered. Like you said, find a good sale and it pretty well offsets the duties at 17%. I doubt I will ever drive down there (have to drive around the Gulf of Mexico from Georgia), so the cost of carrying anything very bulky/heavy will probably offset 17% (or close to it).
If you mail it the 17% can be include shipping fees and taxes too. Amazon is the only place I buy from and have ship directly to me in Mexico, otherwise it is shipped to mynTexas address and then delivered to me. I have had 2 shipments that were stolen by Mexican Customs that were shipped directly to me. One of the shipments was 3 Ampcamp amp kits. They held the shipment up and DHL never told me or investigated it. When I called DHL they checked and said it had been held for paperwork and that Customs said they tried to get ahold of me, and failed so they destroyed it. I asked DHL why Customs would be contacting me when DHL is supposed to have all the proper documents before even shipping, and that DHL should have been in contact with Customs. 6 months later I receive a lettter from Customs saying they need documents...of course they had already had confiscated the shipment and someone most likely got 3 free amps.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
If you mail it the 17% can be include shipping fees and taxes too. Amazon is the only place I buy from and have ship directly to me in Mexico, otherwise it is shipped to mynTexas address and then delivered to me. I have had 2 shipments that were stolen by Mexican Customs that were shipped directly to me. One of the shipments was 3 Ampcamp amp kits. They held the shipment up and DHL never told me or investigated it. When I called DHL they checked and said it had been held for paperwork and that Customs said they tried to get ahold of me, and failed so they destroyed it. I asked DHL why Customs would be contacting me when DHL is supposed to have all the proper documents before even shipping, and that DHL should have been in contact with Customs. 6 months later I receive a lettter from Customs saying they need documents...of course they had already had confiscated the shipment and someone most likely got 3 free amps.

Sent from my SM-T830 using Tapatalk
Sounds like DHL didn't pay the appropriate bribes....
 
ellisr63

ellisr63

Full Audioholic
Yeah TSA has been stealing from lost merchandise.

TSA has a lot of incompetent employees. I have seen this...or know of this happening.

Wanding Law Enforcement Officers to see if they are carrying a weapon...when if you look at the Officer it is in plain view.

Forgetting to turn on the magnetometer ,and having to evacuate the whole airport, to run everyone back through it.

Taking items from passengers that is ok, and then pocketing it.


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panteragstk

panteragstk

Audioholic Warlord
Yeah, TSA has had some issues with folks stealing from luggage. They don't do well with their security tests either. They fail to catch things, but I'm not sure what the process is for fixing those issues.

I'm glad I don't work for DHS anymore.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Yeah, TSA has had some issues with folks stealing from luggage. They don't do well with their security tests either. They fail to catch things, but I'm not sure what the process is for fixing those issues.

I'm glad I don't work for DHS anymore.
TSA stealing some items from luggage wouldn't surprise me, but then airline employees stealing from luggage was a huge problem at times, too. I knew corrupt US Customs folk, too.
 
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