Who knows, maybe RPG put on a premium for time spent supporting the customer, after all if you buy from a dealer that's included in the price!
RPG economics
- Thread starter edorr
- Start date
Who knows, maybe RPG put on a premium for time spent supporting the customer, after all if you buy from a dealer that's included in the price!
I need 2 x 96" panels. Quote was for the standard grey fabric (only beige is premium). They actually also wanted about a $100 more for the shipping than the dealer....
You are giving them way to much benefit of the doubt. If the dealer orders, they drop ship to me, and if I order direct they do the exact same thing (strange then how they charge me $100 extra for shipping). There is zero support involved in this transaction.
Not really sure why it is strange they charge an extra $100 for shipping. It's been my experience that when it comes to acoustical room treatments, the customer always has to pay shipping. And shipping quantities of large, heavy, room treatments, is not exactly cheap!
B&H photovideo is listing the 96" for $971...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...298_96_OS_VariScreen_96_Acoustics_Screen.html
They charge nearly a $100 more than the retailer (I believe $260 versus $180). Since it is the exact same shipment (i.e. from factory to me), I find that strange.
Ah... okay.
Out of curiousity, where in the room is it considered normal placement for these screens? I'm not really familiar with them at all. On the surface (no pun intended), it appears you have to be careful to not over-damp with these devices.
Re item price...well what is going on here is that BH Photo are either:
a) listing at less than MSRP or
b) haven't updated their price on that item for a while (RPG change prices often, and no retail price list is available, everything is done on a per project quote basis) or
c) have incorrectly assigned the $971 to the 96" vs the 72"
Re shipping, it is highly likely that BH Photo will have a different shipping price. They have real time quotes based on common carrier or freight rates using UPS / Fedex which are likely some way off reality. RPG are looking up freight prices in a different system, using different carriers. RPG will charge BH Photo the same price you have been quoted, net net, BH Photo makes a loss on shipping.
Mine will go behind the listening position in this open space. I ahve a lot of echoing going there and need more absorbtion.
It is conceivable B&H has a mistake in their pricing database, and RPG is innocent of the charges (case dismissed). Sounds like a better put in my order quick.
That would be my guess as to what is going on. I do my best to stay on top of RPG's pricing changes, but others probably do not, especially someone like BH Photo where acoustics is not their focus and who have probably hundreds of thousands of SKUs and hundreds of different suppliers.
I see. I'm surprised you are having that much trouble at the back of the room with all of the angles, shelves, and built-in little cubic juts.
Just a thought; Have you considered the highly reflective leather sofa causing you some issues? I was using some all leather theater seating a while back, and one day I pulled all of them out, and drug in my cloth sofa from the living room. Made all of the difference in the world! As much as I love the comfort of the theater chairs, I am going to stick with the cloth seating.
I was thinking the same, but I got some expert advise from a professional recently and he assured me the back of the room was causing me problems. Hence my plan to acquire the screens.
Certainly a though and if I had to do it all over again I might have gotten a fabric sofa. For now, changing the furniture is not in the cards...
Not sure who you contacted but the person I dealt with @ RPG was the rudest and worst contact I've experienced. Said person was adamant that I had to deal with a rep in my area and when I OK'd the order, he realized he had quoted me dealer cost and reneged blaming RPG. Both the dealer and rep said "too bad". I ended up with another local rep but it was not much better as the RPG rep emailed back questioning why I swapped dealers and that I was trying to just low-ball them.
Anyway, my order were for 2 x 72" Variscreens, some BAD panels, one BAD Arc, and 4 x 1-foot Absorbors. It came in the heaviest, amazingly built wooden crate I've ever seen (my B&W 802D2 didn't have a box this good). So I can imagine shipping for your Variscreen to be pricey. IIRC, 72" is borderline standard rate whereas a 96" screen would definitely qualify as oversized.
BTW, I thought Nyal does free shipping within the US for items over $399? Why not go through him?
Anyway, my order were for 2 x 72" Variscreens, some BAD panels, one BAD Arc, and 4 x 1-foot Absorbors. It came in the heaviest, amazingly built wooden crate I've ever seen (my B&W 802D2 didn't have a box this good). So I can imagine shipping for your Variscreen to be pricey. IIRC, 72" is borderline standard rate whereas a 96" screen would definitely qualify as oversized.
BTW, I thought Nyal does free shipping within the US for items over $399? Why not go through him?
For starters, it appears Nyal has the current pricelist which has the 72" listed at $971. If B&H will sell me the 96" for the same amount, I can easily absorb the $185 shipping they charge (for both) and come out ahead.
RPG mentioned oover email they are crating the screens, which strikes me as a bit of overkill.
Wow...I didn't realize it went up that much! For the record, I paid CAD$679 for each last year. That's with standard fabric.
WRT the crating, I think they have to be safe. These will dent quite easily (they are like Roxul type material underneath, I think). I can feel that whenever I move mine around. Good luck with your purchase!
WRT the crating, I think they have to be safe. These will dent quite easily (they are like Roxul type material underneath, I think). I can feel that whenever I move mine around. Good luck with your purchase!
I am now thinking of getting three instead of two, and basically create a complete harmonica'ed "wall" in the back of my room. I can try absorbtion and diffusion and see what works best.
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