Piyanas Electronics Hifi Shop

[lennoxgilby]

Is anyone familiar with a company called Piyanas?

I have spent a while scoping out their website although I haven't actually visited one of their branches yet.

As a UK citizen I am familiar with a wide range of hifi brands and their 'recommended' retail prices, however looking at the prices of several items on Piyanas's website I found them to be a lot higher than their UK equivalents...

...for example:

Rega Apollo CD player: 31,000 baht (approx 620 queens heads)

In the UK most online sellers let this go for 400-500 pounds. Even high street hifi shops would be selling this for no more than 550...

Proac Tablette Reference 8 signature's: 64,000 baht (approx 1280 bigguns...)

These go for around the 800 pound mark, and usually less.

Am I reading this correctly, or are these inflated figures a result of large import duties, or another anomaly?

Do other hifi shops around the city (Fortune Town/Mr Balance in Pantip Plaza etc...) sell these products at the same sort of prices?

Slightly confused, help is appreciated...!!

[naidraw66]

Yes you are correct in the assumption that the prices here in Thailand are very inflated and it is indeed due to the high level of import tax levied upon them by the government. Piyanas are amongst the top few high end audio suppliers here in Thailand. I have done a lot of business with them but every time it leaves a big hole in my pocket but what else can you do, maybe somebody out there has some suggestions? I would think the same implies if you were to buy anywhere else overseas and ship over here! The only way around it would be if you were a work permit holder, then you are allowed to ship in personal effects within a certain time frame so if you had a decent set up at home you could bring it over without implementation of import tax! But this would obviously be a one time option . . .

Another option would be to look at locally made hi-end audio made in Thailand, I would imagine that this option would be cheaper. However I have no Knowledge of the quality and reliability of Thai hi end Audio products.

IW

[Benjie]

those price differences can surely be chalked up to a crappy exchange rate, 2 years ago the UK prices would have seemed high.

Apart from that the duty on hifi gear is 30-40% of cost + shipping with 7% VAT on top.

[lennoxgilby]

Yes you are correct in the assumption that the prices here in Thailand are very inflated and it is indeed due to the high level of import tax levied upon them by the government. Piyanas are amongst the top few high end audio suppliers here in Thailand. I have done a lot of business with them but every time it leaves a big hole in my pocket but what else can you do, maybe somebody out there has some suggestions? I would think the same implies if you were to buy anywhere else overseas and ship over here! The only way around it would be if you were a work permit holder, then you are allowed to ship in personal effects within a certain time frame so if you had a decent set up at home you could bring it over without implementation of import tax! But this would obviously be a one time option . . .

Another option would be to look at locally made hi-end audio made in Thailand, I would imagine that this option would be cheaper. However I have no Knowledge of the quality and reliability of Thai hi end Audio products.

IW

[lennoxgilby]

Thanks for the info, I suspected as much.

I had no idea about the work permit thing though - that's interesting. I think this is the way to go if you have one and possess a large amount of stuff you want to bring over (in one trip)

May have to try it out for myself....

[regedit]

As stated above, import dtuies push up the prices compared to UK.

For smaller speakers it's possible to bring them back in hand-luggage (or risk a bumpy ride in checked-baggage) and take your chances at the green channel.

For cable, order online from US, UK, et al, and mail into Thailand.

For the bulky and heavy stuff, piyanas.

[lennoxgilby]

Thanks, I've done that several times already.

Once I had a pair of Tannoy Revolution R1's in one of my check in bags and a Marantz PM 4001 amplifier in the other (with a hel_l of a lot of clothes to pack them in firmly...!!

Ended up being way over weight and paying a fine, however it was less than I would have been charged had I taken it through the 'red lane' and declared it (or taken it through green and got caught...!!

[powderpuff]

Hi guys. Today I happened to be strolling the mall - Seri Center - which is now know as "Paradise Park".

I came across the newest showroom of Piyanas Electronics.

WOW.

Heavily featuring Proac & Bryston. Cables by Audioquest & others.

Yamaha Paradigm & all the old favorite brands including Dynaudio.

Lucky to see Chaiwat over there. I've asked him to join the forum.

He has convinced me that the Oppo 83SE is the best Blu-Ray player for me since I want audiophile DAC's.

He's pumped.

[stgrhe]

Hi guys. Today I happened to be strolling the mall - Seri Center - which is now know as "Paradise Park".

Where is that mall located?

[naidraw66]

Hi guys. Today I happened to be strolling the mall - Seri Center - which is now know as "Paradise Park".

Where is that mall located?

http://www.paradisepark.co.th/contactUs.html

[powderpuff]

Seri

Hi stgrhe. It is up the road from Seacon Square.

Edited August 12, 2010 by powderpuff

[powderpuff]

Forgot to mention. Besides Esoteric - another new brand he & his family carry is JM Labs - Focal.

[powderpuff]

Oops forgot to mention Bowers & Wilkins speakers too.

This place is like a toy shop for me.

[Peteinbkk31]

Hah I actcually can say now that I work in Paradise, always gets a smile ...... anyway did you see the 1,000,000+b speakers in the window

[stgrhe]

Oops forgot to mention Bowers & Wilkins speakers too.

This place is like a toy shop for me.

You don't suppose they have Wislon Audio Series 2 Alexandria X2 speakers? They are supposed to be the world's most expensive speakers and are priced at about 150,000 USD in my home country Sweden.

http://hometheaterreview.com/wilson-audio-series-2-alexandria-x2-loudspeakers-reviewed/

[powderpuff]

KS World. Amarin Plaza - floor 2

The showroom occupied for many years by KS & Sons (McIntosh, Sonus Faber, Esoteric Audio, Pioneer.)

He has a pair of Grand Slams in the back room.

Go audition.

He has the ADCOM 7.1 channel HT surround sound preamp w/ balanced outputs.

XLO dealer.

Edited August 12, 2010 by powderpuff

[powderpuff]

Correction - Straightwire.

[CarlBkk]

Looking forward to seeing Piyanas at Paradise Park, especially if they now have Focals.

For the OP, maybe wait until the next hi-fi show here where they have some good special offers. At the last one (Ambassador hotel) I found some lovely new B&Ws at LOWER than UK prices despite the exchange rate, which I posted here about at the time.

I'm in the market to audition some Focals against some Usher Be718s, but the Usher dealer had to close down a while back - he was above BigC on Ratchadamri, so no idea where to find them now.

[LivinLOS]

Oops forgot to mention Bowers & Wilkins speakers too.

This place is like a toy shop for me.

Just to make me cry.. What would a set of 802s or 801s run to here ??

[powderpuff]

Mister Balance has a used set of 801's.

300,000

The center channel is already gone. Think it was 80 IIRC.

[powderpuff]

Piyanas have the entire range of ProAc.

The D-80's are in the range 6XX,XXX

But the D-100's are beautiful.

[CarlBkk]

Piyanas is not bad. Only a couple of Focals though, not the nicest ones unfortunately. He's got some great-sounding Paradigm subs in there. If he has Usher's I'd book a demo, but seems they're only sold at a shop on Rama 2 (can't remember the name even) now that BigC is no longer.

It's always worth checking Mr Balance, something new every day. Not especially cheap though for 2nd hand.

[stgrhe]

Piyanas is not bad. Only a couple of Focals though, not the nicest ones unfortunately. He's got some great-sounding Paradigm subs in there. If he has Usher's I'd book a demo, but seems they're only sold at a shop on Rama 2 (can't remember the name even) now that BigC is no longer.

It's always worth checking Mr Balance, something new every day. Not especially cheap though for 2nd hand.

The distributor for Usher in Thailand is not Piyanas but Audiocom Group Co. Ltd. at 729 / 40-41 Rama 3 Rd., Bangpongpang, Yannawa, Bangkok, telephone number 02-295 4772, web site www.audiocomgroup.com.

Call them, they should be able to help you out with an audition something most HiFi distributors are ever so happy to do. Piyanas is good but they are a retailer chain of shops.

[CarlBkk]

Piyanas is not bad. Only a couple of Focals though, not the nicest ones unfortunately. He's got some great-sounding Paradigm subs in there. If he has Usher's I'd book a demo, but seems they're only sold at a shop on Rama 2 (can't remember the name even) now that BigC is no longer.

It's always worth checking Mr Balance, something new every day. Not especially cheap though for 2nd hand.

The distributor for Usher in Thailand is not Piyanas but Audiocom Group Co. Ltd. at 729 / 40-41 Rama 3 Rd., Bangpongpang, Yannawa, Bangkok, telephone number 02-295 4772, web site www.audiocomgroup.com.

Call them, they should be able to help you out with an audition something most HiFi distributors are ever so happy to do. Piyanas is good but they are a retailer chain of shops.

Great info, thanks.

[craigt3365]

I was referred to these guys by one of the global mods here. He bought all his stuff there and I have since purchased a fair amount. The prices are high, but TiT. Being from the US, I can't bring over electronics due to the differences in voltage. So...it's the best option for me. I was able to bring some speakers here, but they are just small, satellite speakers.

[powderpuff]

Their prices are the lowest in the Kingdom.

Add to that great range of brands & their willingness to come to your premises to help you set up your equip & assist you with any problems you might be having.

Try that at Powerbuy.