Phono Cartridge Purchase from Asia?

Dang, sign me up. Ime more like 10-15%...

I don't know jack about distributorships, so you're probably right on that. But the significant purchase price disparities here speak for themselves, even with Kron taking whatever cut he does. 

Thumbs up for Kron, I got one from him over a year ago, a nice upgrade from my pervious Benz Micro purchased from an English HiFi store.

@mulveling I guess it doesn’t concern you that this vendor is able to somehow source these cartridges and sell them at prices that are far less than anyone else...and is able to do so consistently through time. Yet, we have the factory disavowing any knowledge of him, which again begs the question...how is he sourcing these gray market goods?? Consider this: In some areas, receiving/selling stolen goods is an illegal activity.

@daveyf 

That's a pretty stiff insinuation. If I thought there were any chance that was the case, I wouldn't buy them. There are many more simpler explanations for his supply, which might well piss of other dealers & distribs, but don't involve theft.

I don't know anything about the seller in question, but consider the fact that the Japanese yen has been severely devalued compared to baseline averages, with respect to many foreign currencies, for the past several months or more. Then add the fact that a foreign national can purchase goods in Japan free of their VAT just by displaying a foreign passport and at a further discount based on quantities and methods of payment.  So, the seller in question could be buying in bulk from legitimate brick and mortar emporia in Tokyo or Osaka or other cities goods that are perfectly OK and perfectly legal, and then re-selling those goods at a profit.  The prices we pay in the US are often greatly inflated in retail cost by US-based distributors and forms of import taxation that are invisible to us as buyers.  If the seller has an excellent track record, it is probably a sign he is honest.