35 replies to this topic

[Tassie Devil]

The exchange rate has never been better.  I just ordered some CDs and each pound translates to $AUD1.87 at the moment.  In most cases you can use this factor to estimate the landed cost if you apply it to prices including VAT so a 4 pound CD costs $7.50 landed.

For classical CDs & DVDs I deal with 2 places -

1.  MDT is best for single discs but they charge freight for each disc in multiple sets so are expensive for them
http://www.mdt.co.uk...ome/default.asp

2.  Presto are more expensive for single disc freight but only charge for multiple disc sets as if they are one item so are heaps less costly than MDT for multiple sets.
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/

Both places have tempting specials on offer each month.

Very occasionally Blu Rays are cheaper there but generally USA Amazon is best for them.

John

[Pistol]

Yep, been getting a lot of DVD's from the UK recently.

www.finddvd.co.uk
this is a price comparisson website for DVD's

another good site is
www.hotukdeals.co.uk
a bit like ozbargain, I use it for other bargains, recently got some half decent head phones cheap for audio books.

[50MXE20]

Interesting about exchange rate pricing.

I bought something from Amazon USA yesterday and the exchange rate used was about 0.80, yet the current rate is supposed to be 0.88
WTF. Somebody is making money.

[Pistol]

Yep, I always pay in the currency I'm buying in and use a wizard clear advantage mastercard, they don't charge any currency conversion fee and give the going rate. It's the only reason I got the card, well that and I use it on holidays overseas.

[50MXE20]

Pistol, on Oct 7 2009, 08:33 AM, said:

Yep, I always pay in the currency I'm buying in and use a wizard clear advantage mastercard, they don't charge any currency conversion fee and give the going rate. It's the only reason I got the card, well that and I use it on holidays overseas.

But if Amazon quote the price, isn't that what you pay?

[Pistol]

No, you can choose what currency you want to pay in on Amazon.

[Tassie Devil]

Pistol, on Oct 7 2009, 11:00 AM, said:

Yep, been getting a lot of DVD's from the UK recently.

www.finddvd.co.uk
this is a price comparisson website for DVD's

another good site is
www.hotukdeals.co.uk
a bit like ozbargain, I use it for other bargains, recently got some half decent head phones cheap for audio books.

Thanks for those links.

Now I'm into Blu Ray I buy very few DVDs, particularly as even thru UK outlets the classical items are usualy crummy NTSC.  PAL discs, if made well in the first place, upscale quite nicely but not much NTSC does + I dislike DD 5.1 compressed noise.  DTS is just about tolerable for classical music but 2 CH usually sounds better (with some added synthetic surround).

John

[Autocrat]

Pistol, on Oct 7 2009, 11:33 AM, said:

Yep, I always pay in the currency I'm buying in and use a wizard clear advantage mastercard, they don't charge any currency conversion fee and give the going rate. It's the only reason I got the card, well that and I use it on holidays overseas.

Best card ever, for the reasons you've stated.

[Pistol]

Tassie Devil, on Oct 7 2009, 01:35 PM, said:

Thanks for those links.

Now I'm into Blu Ray I buy very few DVDs, particularly as even thru UK outlets the classical items are usualy crummy NTSC.  PAL discs, if made well in the first place, upscale quite nicely but not much NTSC does + I dislike DD 5.1 compressed noise.  DTS is just about tolerable for classical music but 2 CH usually sounds better (with some added synthetic surround).

John

No worries mate.

[Pistol]

Autocrat, on Oct 7 2009, 01:48 PM, said:

Best card ever, for the reasons you've stated.

Yep, just about to preload the card for trip to NZ at the end of the month.

[50MXE20]

Pistol, on Oct 7 2009, 10:02 AM, said:

No, you can choose what currency you want to pay in on Amazon.

So one should choose US$ ??

Pistol, on Oct 7 2009, 08:33 AM, said:

Yep, I always pay in the currency I'm buying in and use a wizard clear advantage mastercard, they don't charge any currency conversion fee and give the going rate. It's the only reason I got the card, well that and I use it on holidays overseas.

Are there any other cards like this? Or is the Wizard the only one?

[Pistol]

It depends what your paying with, in my case paying with the wizard clear advantage mastercard yes it's better to pay in USD when ordering from the USA or GBP ordering from the UK.

You need to know what gives you the better rate from your options.

I think there may have been another card like this , but I can't remember what it is.

search Whirlpool for wizard clear advantage and there's a fair bit of info.

I don't think you can go wrong with the wizard card though, all I use it for is overseas transactions.

Lyle, on Oct 8 2009, 10:43 AM, said:

So one should choose US$ ??

Are there any other cards like this? Or is the Wizard the only one?

Edited by Pistol, 08 October 2009 - 09:54 AM.

[50MXE20]

Lyle, on Oct 7 2009, 08:02 AM, said:

Interesting about exchange rate pricing.

I bought something from Amazon USA yesterday and the exchange rate used was about 0.80, yet the current rate is supposed to be 0.88
WTF. Somebody is making money.

Actually I was a bit harsh.

I think it worked out to be more like 0.85.
The Priority Courier was a bit more than I thought.

On the day the order was placed it could have been about right.
And there are always two conversions quoted too.
Buying and selling are different.

And just for interest
http://www.independe...c...&category=8

[Autocrat]

The Wizard card has two major advantages over all of the other ones that I know of. The first is the aforementioned exchange rates, always very good.

The second is that it has no fees for foreign cash, so you can use ATMs overseas with no charges attached. The only downside is that cash doesn't fall under the interest free period, so if I know I'm going to be using a lot of cash overseas (eg family holiday to NZ!!!) I load it up with credit before I go. If it's only going to be a few $100 then the interest charges amount to a few dollars, so it isn't an issue either way.

Added to that, there are no fees - because we always pay the bill in full, this card costs us precisely $0.00 to use.

Edited by Autocrat, 08 October 2009 - 11:43 AM.

[AndrewW]

Lyle, on Oct 8 2009, 09:43 AM, said:

So one should choose US$ ??

Are there any other cards like this? Or is the Wizard the only one?

Pretty sure they phased out new signups for the Wizard Mastercard when GE bought them out.

Which is a real shame.

Glad I got mine, but waiting for the day they start adding fees ... it has to happen at some point.

[renesis]

I was able to sign up for one before my overseas trip this year in April, so I'm sure you can still apply for one.

[AndrewW]

renesis, on Oct 8 2009, 04:02 PM, said:

I was able to sign up for one before my overseas trip this year in April, so I'm sure you can still apply for one.

well that's good news, because they definitely went off the market for at least a while.

edit: seems they are definitely available again http://www.wizardcle...vantage.com.au/

Edited by AndrewW, 10 October 2009 - 04:18 PM.

[Autocrat]

Back to the OP - I bought a stack of stuff from Presto the other day, mostly the EMI Great Recordings series. I got what is normally $25+ at Fish for less than $10 each, thanks for the heads-up John.

[Tassie Devil]

Autocrat, on Oct 10 2009, 07:13 PM, said:

Back to the OP - I bought a stack of stuff from Presto the other day, mostly the EMI Great Recordings series. I got what is normally $25+ at Fish for less than $10 each, thanks for the heads-up John.

Great to hear the post helped.

The way our dollar is going they are even less expensive than when I first posted.

John

[Tassie Devil]

A box of CDs just arrived from Presto.

The "111 years of DGG, The Collectors Edition" - a set of 55 CDs

The EMI set "Composers in Person" - a set of 22 CDs

"Bartok, the Concerto Album" - 3 CD set

and two singles -> 82 CD total

Total cost $253 landed or $3 per CD.   The weight of the box was 2.9 KG but the postage was only the equivalent of $AUD15.

All up pretty reasonable I'd say.     

John

[gone_bush]

Very impressed with the look of the "111 years of DGG, The Collectors Edition". I think the credit card is about to get a work-out!  

[Tassie Devil]

gone_bush, on Oct 12 2009, 03:43 PM, said:

Very impressed with the look of the "111 years of DGG, The Collectors Edition". I think the credit card is about to get a work-out!  

I'm listening to a 1971 recording of Mozart's Requiem from the set as I write.  Excellent artistry as well as audio quality.   

There are about 3 or 4 monos there but the recordings range from the 1950's with quite a few from the 21st century.  I have a few in the collection already but not enough to make this purchase look redundant.  It is one of the great bargains if you love classical music.

John

[Autocrat]

My ordering wasn't quite as ambitious - 5 EMI titles, total of 8 CDs, $72 AUD, delivered today. If i'd have bought them locally it would have cost at least $100, and only if I could have got them on special somewhere.

On the 111 Years, something's always annoyed me about Deutsche Gram., I think it's because I always associate them with Karajan and his detestable Beethoven interpretations.

[Tassie Devil]

Autocrat, on Oct 21 2009, 03:58 PM, said:

My ordering wasn't quite as ambitious - 5 EMI titles, total of 8 CDs, $72 AUD, delivered today. If i'd have bought them locally it would have cost at least $100, and only if I could have got them on special somewhere.

On the 111 Years, something's always annoyed me about Deutsche Gram., I think it's because I always associate them with Karajan and his detestable Beethoven interpretations.

I must admit I was also very prejudiced against DGG, but more because I could never get great quality from their vinyl recordings.  Not that I'm any fan of Karajan but my attitude to him (and his arrogance) is mellowing.  Still cannot stand his videos with endless views of his "noble" profile.  But he did make some winning recordings and I do like his version of Beethoven's ninth.  Had it on vinyl & now have 2 CD copies!

But I'll take the DGG negatives back now re digital.  There are some superb recordings in the 111 release.  

John

[Autocrat]

Nice to hear there's some good stuff there - not surprised though, I have lots of DG cassettes in a drawer at home.  I just hate Karajan's trainwrecked Beethoven ("lets add an extra 100 strings and horns, see how bombastic we can make it. That'll pay them back for calling me a Nazi sympathiser")

FTR, I bought:

Mozart, Symphs 29, 35, 39, 40 & 41. (Klemperer). Only listened to 29, 1st movement seems rather stately (not sure if I like it much, I think Marriner got the feel exactly right for Amadeus).
Strauss, some tone poems. Only got this because I only have Ein Heldenleben on vinyl, and I don't like having to flip mid-stride.
Mahler, Symph 2 (Simon Rattle)
Mozart Requiem + Bruckner Te Deum (Barenboim). Mixing seems a bit odd in the Requiem, everything seems either L or R so soundstage is a bit of a mess. The Te Deum is insane, but then so was Bruckner.
Beethoven Piano Concerto's 4 & 5 (Gilels on piano, Leopold Ludwig on stick). Very very nice recording, piano *sparkles*