Vifa alnico M13-08-08...

[P.I.]

These are the midrange drivers used in Nola and Alon speakers. I had 2 pair back in the day to build an MTM.  They are AlNiCo drivers with that sweet midrange that magnetic structure is known for.  I sent a pair to my friend Jeff Bagby, just because.  Then about 6 years later I decided that Ihad been an idiot and started looking for another pair.  Fast forward another 6 years and I get a PM from Peter Noerbaek that there was a pair for sale at DIYAUDIO.  We strike a deal and they are shipped to me by USPS.  USPS.    USPS.    They get here in a box that was basically destroyed in shipping.  The seller had gone out of his way to insure I got them intact.  One had a hole in the surround because USPS destroyed the box and that allowed the driver to rattle around in the box.

USPS sucks.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  USPS sucks.

I was able to repair this rare bird, but USPS sucks.  It will work just fine with the repair I did...

USPS sucks.

Just sayin’... USPS sucks.

[S Clark]

That's a real shame.  I've come to the realization that ALL shippers suck, including the USPS.  Over the decades, I've had better luck with the post office than UPS, and better luck with UPS than FedEx. But lately, even the post office has been tearing stuff up.  I got an l.p. a couple of weeks ago that had had the edge  hit so hard that it crushed INWARD, and took out a chip about the size of a quarter.  Do you know how much force it takes to crush the edge of a record inward???  And it was properly packed. 

[mdconnelly]

I'm sure we all have shipper war stories.  Fed Ex has probably pissed me off more than any other.   Years back I had an expensive MC cartridge destroyed that looked like a big boot had stomped on it.   I suspect the problem is not so much the shipper but some low-paid individual in the chain that was having a bad day.  No excuse, but it is what it is. 

Given just how much stuff is now been shipped to each of our homes, I'm a bit amazed that it works as well as it does.  Still, when an irreplaceable product is damaged as in Dave's case, it just sucks.

[rollo]

  Sucks indeed. I now use private carriers for gear to customers. More expensive yes however never any damage. Priorty mail for cables and small hard to destroy products.


charles

[P.I.]

  Sucks indeed. I now use private carriers for gear to customers. More expensive yes however never any damage. Priorty mail for cables and small hard to destroy products.


charles

I get it.  My problem is trying to explain to my customers why better carriers would mean triple (or more) the shipping costs.  This is especially true in shipping overseas.  Last time I checked FedEx for shipping to Hong Kong they were five times the cost!  At least FedEx doesn't lose as many packages that USPS or UPS do.  Crazy world...

[jimbones]

  Sucks indeed. I now use private carriers for gear to customers. More expensive yes however never any damage. Priorty mail for cables and small hard to destroy products.


charles

Charles you are tempting the delivery services. Maybe their new motto will be. We can destroy even hard to damage stuff!

[Folsom]

What private carriers are there?

I find USPS with flatrate priority boxes works really well because it's an automated system.

Any box not filled somewhat tightly larger than the small flat rate USPS box is more likely to get damaged. The best thing you can do is pack tightly enough. And yet there's still always a way to have something destroyed or lost.

[P.I.]

What private carriers are there?

I find USPS with flatrate priority boxes works really well because it's an automated system.

Any box not filled somewhat tightly larger than the small flat rate USPS box is more likely to get damaged. The best thing you can do is pack tightly enough. And yet there's still always a way to have something destroyed or lost.

+1 on the tightly packed box.  Proper shipping practices are:

A sturdy box
Reinforced corners
Pack to the max!

I rtegularly ship imternational parcels and they get there just fine because I do the above.  International shipments are really hard on the 8 corners of the boxes due to the conveyor loading and off loading.

I have a good customer in Slovenia that get an 80% discount from FedEx over what I can get.  He pays freight on his orders and they take 4 days from shipping to receiving.  I have a USPS Priority Express  (3-5 day delivery!     ) packge that was shipped to Germany on 14 March that finally arrived in France on its way to Germany 2 days ago...