Moving Home Theater Systems to Singapore

[PreetyDisciples]

Hi,
I would be moving to Singapore in a few months from US. The only things which I really was worried about moving to Singapore is my home theater receiver and speakers. I have read on this forums that people have purchased a step down transformer which they have used with receiver. Is that something that can be purchased in Singapore easily? What are the specs that one need to keep in mind while purchasing the transformer.
Does anybody have experience in moving their HT speakers through the shippers? What precautions one need to take while transporting the speakers. I have 4 floor standing speakers with sub woofer. anything to keep in mind while packing?
Is it better to sell the system and repurchase it in Singapore, if its more cost efficient? I dont know if I would be moving back to the US. My company will pay for the relocation. How can i check the prices of electronics like receivers and speakers in Singapore online?

thanks for your help

[curiousgeorge]

Hi Preety, and welcome to SGexpats.

The general advice for 'white goods' is "don't bother"because they are generally perishable after a few years and easily replaceable here. I think it holds true for home theatre items also.


I am a bit of an audiophile too, so I feel your pain and indecision regarding your own system. I guess you spent some $$$$ and a lot of time to put it together?

I would make two recommendations, depending on how emotionally attached to your system you are:

1) Just bring the speakers - assuming you have the original packaging. Hard to pack and not damage the cones if you've not got the original packaging. Whatever amp you have you can find locally. There are a lot of premium audio dealers here in SG. (While you are at it, check to see if there is a voltage switch on the amp?) Either way, don't use a step-down transformer, unless you can afford an isolating transformer too. Step-downs provide particularly 'dirty' power which can manifest itself as audio artifacts if its sited too close to your amp and speaker cables. Depends a bit on the quality of your amp. Besides, I don't like permanently hot items sitting behind the TV

2) Four speakers and a receiver is a LOT of bulk and weight to ship. For that kind of money you can easily sell and re-buy locally. Places to start googling are the Adelphi Centre, full of home audio shops. Also, you might get some info from local forums like www.hardwarezone.com.sg
You won't see prices on the internet for Singapore, its not an internet purchasing kind of country (visiting Malls is the national pass-time here!). Prices will be similar to Australia if you can find prices in Oz. Otherwise, look for your preferred manufacturers official distributor in Singapore and give them a call for a quote to get prices.

I think the biggest consideration for you while packing is this:
Lots of people new to Singapore from the US are not familiar with the dinky size of apartments here. A one-bed place can be as small as 450sq/ft. Unless you are super-rich and your company is offering a landed property, you will be in a condo and to be honest, four floor standers and a sub is mostly going to be overwhelming in a small SG apartment with neighbours above, below and to the sides. You're certainly not going to be able to run it the sweet zone. On top of that you might not have space for four floor standers, and construction methods in Singapore means a lot of hard tile/wood floors and plaster walls...your system will almost certainly produce reflections you've not previously heard.

Trust me on this one - I have a couple of Dali Lektor 6 as my front L/R, a Lektor sub and a couple of Tannoy SE630i bookends for rear...spend most of my time with dynamic compression on full just to watch a movie after 11pm.

To me its a no-brainer. Sell and purchase locally...I mean, what audiophile would want to miss the opportunity to go out and audition brand new equipment...its the perfect excuse to persuade the Mrs!

[sundaymorningstaple]

^^^^^

+1

[PreetyDisciples]

Thanks a lot... I will spend some time selling my systems... its going to be hard knowing that I just upgraded the system

[curiousgeorge]

Out of interest, what was your spec at home? Interested to know what you were running...

[PreetyDisciples]

I got a Yahama Aventage 2000 with the BW 683 series HT system (683, HTM62, ASW610, DS3).