Euro Confusion

[admin_exported]

Hello All!

I've been comparing Euro/Pound prices (using "idealo") for some products I'm interested in buying here in Germany and I'd appreciate some advice.

In Britain, the Pioneer VSX-LX53 is available for around 780 Pounds and the VSX-2020 for around 740 Pounds.

In Germany, the VSX-LX53 is available for (the equivalent of) around 1070 Pounds and the VSX-2020 for around 570 Pounds!

Is there really 500 Pounds difference in the quality?

It's difficult to audition products here due to a lack of specialist retailers and poor choice in the big departments. And I can't read any decent reviews of the VSX-2020.

On to Yamaha:

In Britain, the RX-V1067 can be had for around 620 Pounds and the RX-V767 for around 395 Pounds. Roughly 225 Pounds between them.

In Germany, the RX-V1067 can be had for around 795 Pounds and the RX-V767 for around 385 Pounds. Over 400 Pounds between them.

Which price difference is a more realstic reflection of quality difference?

Then:

British prices indicate that the Pioneers are of a similar quality, both superior to the Yamahas.

German prices indicate the Pioneers are vastly different, sitting either side of the RX-V1067.

Please advise.

Or should I just go for the Onkyo TX-NR808 which I can pick up for around 690 Pounds?

Look forward to hearing from you...

timthecouch

 

[Anonymous]

The vsx 2020 and lx53 are basically the same machine, but the 53 adds a Bluetooth dongle and a different facsia. The pioneers should be slightly superior to the Yamahas but only slightly IMO. The 1067 is superior than the 767 of the two, by some margin.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Pricing differences can depend on a variety of factors, including local taxes, distribution systems and margins along the supply chain, as well as currency fluctuations relating to the supplying country, that in which the products are sold, and the currency in which the distributor deals.

For example, if the distributor deals with Japanese manufacturer in euros, then the pricing here can be affected by both the €/Y and €/£ exchange rates, or if it works in US $, then you have $/Y, $/€ and $/£ rates to deal with.

Other effects can be marketing-based, for example to do with how the local distributor thinks it should position certain products relative to others in the range or those of competitors, or indeed the popularity or otherwise of certain levels of product in specific territories.

It's really not as simple as bunging the price in a different country through a currency converter.

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for the insight

 

[Anonymous]

"how the local distributor thinks it should position certain products relative to others in the range or those of competitors, or indeed the popularity or otherwise of certain levels of product in specific territories."

Spot on!

 

[axman]

For that price I would grab the Pioneer 2020