I forgot to respond to your question about dealers.
Someone suggested B&H Photo-Video. I buy from them occasionally and I
am in their store several times a year. The only reason to use B&H as
a dealer is that their prices are sometimes cheaper. In my
experience, their staff are much stronger, in terms of knowledge, on
photo gear than audio gear. Their pricing on audio gear is often no
better than elsewhere.
Unless B&H offers a significantly more attractive price, I would use
one of these specialized retailers, all of which I have dealt
with:
www.trewaudio.com (Nashville, Toronto, Vancouver)
www.coffeysound.com (Los Angeles)
www.gothamsound.com (New York)
To be clear, I have nothing against B&H. They are completely
reputable. It's just that I would rather give my money to a dedicated
sound shop with knowledgeable staff. And from a straight financial
point of view, my experience is that smaller outfits will save you
money, due to good advice, in the long term. Because you are in New
Zealand, this may be less of an issue for you.
Oh, and when you are doing your budget, don't forget the cost of
cables, batteries, a bag for your gear, etc. All of this stuff adds
up.
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