shipping speakers


I was wondering how sensitive are speakers to shipping? Are they often broken in transit? Whats the best way to pack them?
samuellaudio
Original boxes and packing are critical, especially for speakers of odd shapes, and with stuff hanging off of them such as "tweeter on top." Heavier full range speakers should be shipped by motor freight such as BAX, preferrably with the original boxes strapped to a pallet. For smaller speakers (and larger ones if possible), I recommend double boxing the manufacturer's original box, to better resist penetration and cabinet denting. Screw in binding posts so they do not protrude and get bent. Wrap the speakers in plastic to prevent scraping of the cabinets against styrofoam packing, insure properly, and you should be good to go.
I had an almost indistructable Rel Stentor -as many know, it's got several internal wall to wall braces- that was destroyed by "UPS we droped it". My final guess is that it was droped from at least 30 feet in the air (thats 180 pounds falling from the sky). That was the dealers guess also. A little research with some employees and YES thats very possable because the conveyor belts do go that high at places. The inch thick bottom was compacted one inch into the box! And 5 grand later, UPS would not honor the insurance I fully paid for. Nothing is safe going through UPS. And yes it was factory double boxed.
UPS being the master blasters that they are, managed to damage both cabinets and drivers the last time I shipped with them. Then they refused to honor the insurance because the original boxes were used, and that "reshipping causes the box to lose 50% of it's integrity." It's been pretty well document of course that UPS has lost all of it's integrity!
You wouldnt believe the nightmare Im going through right now. Nothing is safe in transit the guys that load the stuff at ups are way under paid. You think they care how they toss this stuff on a trailer? Be carefull and pick a courier you can trust.
I just got my Wilson Sophia 2's.---One had a forklift tip go through the wood crate.(on the way from Wilson) ---So, shipping speakers can be hazardous to the speaker----no matter how well it's packed. I prefer to buy or sell tube amps and speakers;local. Brand new, at least the dealer and factory will stand behind me--i.e. they get to do the tap-dance with the shipper.