Mics: Import Or Shop Locally?

[The Low Volta]

I live in Belgium (Europe) and I'm looking to buy a decent but cheapish stereo mic and battery-box (would like a boostbox, but it's kinda expensive)

I'm looking whether there are any (good) European alternatives for the US ( r)etailers and the nice items mentioned here on MDCF... not because of chauvinism, but 'cause I can't get a clear picture of the actual (high?) costs of ordering overseas

I was tempted by the SoundProfessionals SP-BMC-2 mic:

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/gold/item/SP-BMC-2

the SP-SPSB-6 battery box (with or without bass roll-off, not sure yet):

http://www.soundprofessionals.com/cgi-bin/.../item/SP-SPSB-6

but I can't really get complete info on import costs (taxes and stuff)...

to the best of my knowledge, I definitely have to pay a TAV of 19% on the total cost which is the cost of the items + shipping costs + the "douanerechten" or 'custom rights?'

I can't find what these custom rights would be (a percentage of the cost+shipping, but I don't know how big a percentage for audioware like mics and stuff). Using the highest percentage I saw for audio stuff (14% on cd-players) I calculated this ‘worst case scenario’ :

Cost of mic: $39.00

Cost of batt box: $69.00

Shipping cost: $19.97 (USPS Parcel Post Airmail Insured; they also offer $31.90 USPS Global Express Mail Insured, but this just seems faster, not better, right?)

Total cost= $127,97

Custom rights=$17,92

TAV=$27,73

Total=$173,62 for SP-BMC-2 and SP-SPSB-6 (with bass roll-off)

So if anybody knows about good selling points of comparable items within the EU, or knows whether I would still be doing a good deal in the supposed worst case scenario or any other ideas… I’d be glad to hear it!

thanks

Edited April 16, 2005 by The Low Volta