ProSoundWeb Community

Sound Reinforcement - Forums for Live Sound Professionals - Your Displayed Name Must Be Your Real Full Name To Post In The Live Sound Forums => LAB Lounge => Topic started by: Johannes Halvorsen on February 16, 2018, 11:24:07 AM

Title: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Johannes Halvorsen on February 16, 2018, 11:24:07 AM
So, I've just run in to a case of what I personaly consider business douchebaggery:

One of our KW181s has somehow gotten the magnet knocket off sometime during the last year. (On a side note I can't fathom how 6x 5mm bolts and all that glue surface can be overwon without a scratch to the surface of the sub, but that is another storry I guess...)

My frustration stems from the fact that the Norwegian importer of QSC wants a completely redicilious price for a new woofer. The element retails for 152$ in North America, and some online shops quotes ~250$.

Now, in Norway that very same piece of space age engineering and unicorn hair costs roughly 785$. Yikes.

I completely understand that companies need their margins and that Norwegian sales tax is higher than in most US states, but man... That price jump is out of any proportion.

So then the questuion is: Does anyone know an international suplyer that is willing to ship said 18 inch woofer to the kingdom of Norway...?

Or is this actually QSC being dicks? Thomann could NOT ship it here.

Alternatively: If anyone knows of an element with close enough specs to work as a replacement (thus is one of 4 KW181s we use), I'm all ears.
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Tim McCulloch on February 16, 2018, 11:40:33 AM
So, I've just run in to a case of what I personaly consider business douchebaggery:

One of our KW181s has somehow gotten the magnet knocket off sometime during the last year. (On a side note I can't fathom how 6x 5mm bolts and all that glue surface can be overwon without a scratch to the surface of the sub, but that is another storry I guess...)

My frustration stems from the fact that the Norwegian importer of QSC wants a completely redicilious price for a new woofer. The element retails for 152$ in North America, and some online shops quotes ~250$.

Now, in Norway that very same piece of space age engineering and unicorn hair costs roughly 785$. Yikes.

I completely understand that companies need their margins and that Norwegian sales tax is higher than in most US states, but man... That price jump is out of any proportion.

So then the questuion is: Does anyone know an international suplyer that is willing to ship said 18 inch woofer to the kingdom of Norway...?

Or is this actually QSC being dicks? Thomann could NOT ship it here.

Alternatively: If anyone knows of an element with close enough specs to work as a replacement (thus is one of 4 KW181s we use), I'm all ears.

Prices are set by the firm that imports QSC to Norway.  Whether or not QSC charges all international importers the same price is a different question.

Thomann won't ship to Norway because of their dealer agreement with QSC's European importer; importers and distributors get geographic exclusivity.  Your best bet is likely a private seller willing to ship internationally.
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Johannes Halvorsen on February 16, 2018, 11:46:31 AM


Prices are set by the firm that imports QSC to Norway.  Whether or not QSC charges all international importers the same price is a different question.

Thomann won't ship to Norway because of their dealer agreement with QSC's European importer; importers and distributors get geographic exclusivity.  Your best bet is likely a private seller willing to ship internationally.

Ferengies!
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Tim McCulloch on February 16, 2018, 11:53:02 AM

Ferengies!

Ferengie need oxygen!  You might have found a barter... ;)
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Mike Caldwell on February 17, 2018, 09:02:30 AM
I know QSC uses a lot of Celestion speakers in their boxes. Judging from the picture of the spare on the QSC site and the 18 inch speaker offerings on the Celestion site this one "looks" like the closest match short of the magnet being painted black.

https://celestion.com/product/86/ftr184080hdx/ (https://celestion.com/product/86/ftr184080hdx/)

Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Johannes Halvorsen on February 17, 2018, 09:20:55 AM
I know QSC uses a lot of Celestion speakers in their boxes. Judging from the picture of the spare on the QSC site and the 18 inch speaker offerings on the Celestion site this one "looks" like the closest match short of the magnet being painted black.

https://celestion.com/product/86/ftr184080hdx/ (https://celestion.com/product/86/ftr184080hdx/)
Hm. I agree that the looks is quite close. And the nomibal impedanse and power handling seems correct.

Do Celestiob use Chinese mabufacturers? The original element is stamped with made in China.

If anyone knows more, please speak up.
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Johannes Halvorsen on February 17, 2018, 09:28:23 AM
We have a winner:

https://www.loudspeakersplus.com/Celestion-FTR18-4080HDX-p/celestion-ftr18-4080hdx.htm

"Cast aluminum basket. A direct replacement for QSC KW181 speaker and the EAW LC18-4004-8."

And it looks like it is avaialble from domestic supliers for aprox half the price of the QSC branded Unobtainium driver. Thank you SO much!
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Mike Caldwell on February 17, 2018, 09:50:46 AM
Hm. I agree that the looks is quite close. And the nomibal impedanse and power handling seems correct.

Do Celestiob use Chinese mabufacturers? The original element is stamped with made in China.

If anyone knows more, please speak up.

Yes, most Celestion components are made in China.

Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Helge A Bentsen on February 17, 2018, 01:40:04 PM
$785 sounds about right if the distributor wish to earn some money on it after transport, customs and taxes have been paid.

Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Johannes Halvorsen on February 17, 2018, 02:26:56 PM
$785 sounds about right if the distributor wish to earn some money on it after transport, customs and taxes have been paid.
There is 25% sales tax, but afaik you don't pay any customs charge for electronics in Norway. Let's be generous and say there is a 100$ shipping cost. Let us be even more generous and say 50$ in vages and various other costs. Then there is 23% company tax on your profit.

All in all you have a net profit of about 250$ on a 300$ cost. To me that sounds like you have a lucrative business going...

But again, that is hypotetical. I'll buy the Celestion driver in stead. :)
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Scott Holtzman on February 17, 2018, 02:55:23 PM
So, I've just run in to a case of what I personaly consider business douchebaggery:

One of our KW181s has somehow gotten the magnet knocket off sometime during the last year. (On a side note I can't fathom how 6x 5mm bolts and all that glue surface can be overwon without a scratch to the surface of the sub, but that is another storry I guess...)

My frustration stems from the fact that the Norwegian importer of QSC wants a completely redicilious price for a new woofer. The element retails for 152$ in North America, and some online shops quotes ~250$.

Now, in Norway that very same piece of space age engineering and unicorn hair costs roughly 785$. Yikes.

I completely understand that companies need their margins and that Norwegian sales tax is higher than in most US states, but man... That price jump is out of any proportion.

So then the questuion is: Does anyone know an international suplyer that is willing to ship said 18 inch woofer to the kingdom of Norway...?

Or is this actually QSC being dicks? Thomann could NOT ship it here.

Alternatively: If anyone knows of an element with close enough specs to work as a replacement (thus is one of 4 KW181s we use), I'm all ears.

We have had two 181's do this.  It's rough handling.  The magnet is not bolted to basket it is riveted.
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Johannes Halvorsen on February 17, 2018, 03:36:18 PM


We have had two 181's do this.  It's rough handling.  The magnet is not bolted to basket it is riveted.

Rough indeed... I guess you are probably right about rivets vs bolts, but there is still 6 of them, and they are not what I'd consider flimsy.

Intetesting to hear others have the same problem. The thought had crossed my mind that this could be a single weak unit, but if you have experienced the same it confirmes my main theory of rough handling.
Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Scott Holtzman on February 17, 2018, 03:53:48 PM

Rough indeed... I guess you are probably right about rivets vs bolts, but there is still 6 of them, and they are not what I'd consider flimsy.

Intetesting to hear others have the same problem. The thought had crossed my mind that this could be a single weak unit, but if you have experienced the same it confirmes my main theory of rough handling.

One was casual, I saw it go off the side off the ramp.  The other one the guy had a history of rough loading and was let go.  The other failure mode is the magnet will shift and the VC will bind in the gap.  I have one of those on our "wall of shame", a living monument to human stupidity.  The problem is nobody ever learns when I pay the bills.  Good crew is hard to find and all things considered these are good guys. 

Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Helge A Bentsen on February 18, 2018, 05:43:54 AM
There is 25% sales tax, but afaik you don't pay any customs charge for electronics in Norway. Let's be generous and say there is a 100$ shipping cost. Let us be even more generous and say 50$ in vages and various other costs. Then there is 23% company tax on your profit.

All in all you have a net profit of about 250$ on a 300$ cost. To me that sounds like you have a lucrative business going...

But again, that is hypotetical. I'll buy the Celestion driver in stead. :)

As a company, you pay for customs clearing your import.

As I said, that price is about right if they wish to make money on that deal.

Title: Re: Spare woofer for KW181 - international delivery...
Post by: Don T. Williams on February 18, 2018, 03:42:42 PM

Rough indeed... I guess you are probably right about rivets vs bolts, but there is still 6 of them, and they are not what I'd consider flimsy.

Intetesting to hear others have the same problem. The thought had crossed my mind that this could be a single weak unit, but if you have experienced the same it confirmes my main theory of rough handling.
Apparently more common than I thought.  I've had to replace three 18's in my KW181's, but always when I've rented the subs.  This has been over a 6 or 7 year period with eight 181's in my rental stock.  Good little sub and zero electronic issues, but just like anything, reasonable care is needed. 

I've had 6 DB Tech S30's for three years.  On a two day rental to another sound co, all 6 subs had the covers almost shreaded to pieces and the subs received more wear than 10 years worth of wear from my crew!  Other people don't give a damn if they damage your gear.