Purchase from Canada

Yes - you will have to pay duties in the US when importing from Canada. The seller can declare a lower value for the amp (I believe US$500 is the limit), but that's a risk if it gets lost or damaged in transit and you have to file a claim. If you have to return the amp for whatever reason, you will end up paying duties or have to declare little or no value for the amp - keep that in mind. I have learned my lesson and will not be buying high end audio equipment from Canada - ever.

I have bought several items from Canadian dealers and zero duty. No duty, duty duty. No tax….

@rdk777

You're spreading miss information. No wonder you'll never buy equipment from Canada - ever. So if something is manufactured in Canada, and is duty free, you'll still never, ever, ever, buy from Canada, hmmmmm.

Guess what - the exact same rules apply to the US as well, Canada is no different.

Depending on where the item is manufactured, and what the item is, you may be subjected to paying duties, and the rates vary by exporting country, or agreements (see below USMCA).

If you send something back to Canada from the US, the importer pays the duties (if applicable). Not the guy from the US sending it back.

Do you know what USMCA is (old NAFTA)? Even within this agreement, there are defined rules, but basically if something is manufactured in either country, the other country doesn't pay duty (free trade agreement), or could be a reduced duty rate.

mark it as return for warranty repair

golfnutz is correct. Percentage of item's declared value is contained within tariff codes for each country. I doubt anyone is getting any electronic equipment from Canada duty free (exception of smaller items via Canada post, USPS). The US purchaser may not see a duty because the exporter paid it, just as I do when shipping to Canada. Bigkidz is correct, I've shipped my Coincident amp and preamp back to Canada for upgrades a number of times, always marked return for warranty repair. I believe Israel avoids or minimizes duties in doing this. Upon shipping units back via UPS or Fedex I always pay duty. I also order lots of stuff from Partsconnexion, can't recall ever paying duty via Canada Post/USPS,