I need a fairly long (5m-ish) stereo RCA cable for the bedroom system. Nothing too exotic, just sturdy and decent quality. I’m very happy to make it up myself, so recommendations please for some suitable cable (do I need shielded?) and RCA plugs.
Thanks,
Mark
Is it for a turntable?
Or line level signal.
I would look at the Blue Jeans site, they have a lot of useful information regarding what makes a good cable. You can then still choose to just buy the raw cable they mention or a comparable one from another manufacturer elsewhere and make one up yourself. With 5m I would look at shielded personally, it can’t hurt in any case.
Line level only.
Blue Jeans seems to be a US site, which will mean considerable postage & import duty. Is there a UK-based equivalent?
Mark
You don’t say what this cable is connecting between
A screen is not needed if the cable is coax, if you go for a twin core the screen must only be connected at the source end.
+1 for BlueJeans … www . bluejeanscable . co . uk/store/audio/index.htm
Designacable will make anything you could possibly want.
If going diy look at plugs by rean and cable from van damme or klotz.
That’s actually included in their prices. They take care of any import duties. So if you put things in your basked and go to checkout, before you actually pay you’ll see how much it will cost you.
There will be no additional charges.
As @Mike-B listed, there’s a .co.uk site, but the cost is no different (only minor differences because of currency fluctuations). Main differences are that prices are in pounds, not all items are available to order and lengths have to be specified in meters instead of feet. So you might as well order on the .com site.
Happy to endorse Rean & van Damme. That’s exactly what I use to make Guitar cables…!!
(believe Rean are a cheaper line, from Neutrik)
I’m pretty sure that ALL sales to the UK must have VAT charged at source. i.e. there should be no additional ‘duties’ or VAT when it reaches the UK. Whether people like the post office still feel compelled to lob a customs handling charge on top is another matter!
That’s not how it works. A seller in US, Japan etc. will have no idea what to charge. Once it arrives in the UK, customs will apply the UK VAT on the price of the item + shipping and any customs charges. And like you say, likely a handling charge.
Only thing I’m not sure if there’s anything in the deal with the EU, because within the EU it was like you said, so not sure if that’s now ended or not. Think it has.
I belive you are correct. But thewre is a threshold of £135 - see here:
IMO, its not logical or workable - but that’s a Tory Had Brexit for you.
See
Outline of the changes
For imports of goods from outside the UK in consignments not exceeding £135 in value (which aligns with the threshold for customs duty liability), we will be moving the point at which VAT is collected from the point of importation to the point of sale. This will mean that UK supply VAT, rather than import VAT, will be due on these consignments.
The new arrangements will also involve the abolition of Low Value Consignment Relief, which relieves import VAT on consignments of goods valued at £15 or less.
Online marketplaces (OMPs), where they are involved in facilitating the sale, will be responsible for collecting and accounting for the VAT.
For goods sent from overseas and sold directly to UK consumers without OMP involvement, the overseas seller will be required to register and account for the VAT to HMRC.
Yes… you beat me too it 
Blue jeans’ LC-1’s are also available on Amazon. They may have some 15 or 20 ft ones on there.
I bought a 15-ft pair from the factory, and tax and import duty was all included up front. And I’m in Canada, we’re terrible for import duty. I’ve also bought BJC through Amazon and there was no extra charges.
Thanks for the recommends. Blue jeans look a bit more than I need to spend, so I’ve got a query pending with designacable which I think will do the trick. Sadly, it looks like it’s not going to be economical to bother getting the soldering iron out since the ready-mades seem to have such a tiny markup. Ah well.
Mark
Yup, designacable won the day - van Damme cable, Rean connectors, huge choice of lengths (and even colours, which it was fun to pick from) and a 2% discount for ordering two. As long as it arrives reasonably soon, I’ll be very happy.
Mark
So an overseas seller, anywhere in the world, is expected to charge UK VAT, charge you and then somehow make sure it ends up with HMRC? Whoever came up with that wasn’t living in the real world. I.e. nice theory, but good luck with that.
I think it’s pretty clear to all that the average seller won’t charge it, so the only question is what will happen in practice? The items send back? Or as I described, the buyer will get presented with the bill.
I’m wiling to bet it’s the latter.
That would be the current, Tory UK Government.
Sorry but yes… the goods get sent back. However what we’re finding is the goods are refused by the shipper (DHL/TNT/PO/&c.) before they even leave the country. The shippers are getting very strict on the correct paper work. btdt!
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