| Product: |
Richer Sounds |
| Date: |
05/05/02 (609 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: They sell it cheap..., Cheap Extra Warranties, Good staff (mostly)
Disadvantages: ...But they dont pile it high!, Small stores
Rather than say they are 'amazing' or 'useless' (they have been both extremes and everything inbetween for me over the last five years) I would like to suggest a few tips about shopping with Richer Sounds.
One of the biggest gripes I often hear are about stock, and this is fair enough. Mr Richers operation is small enough that (in his own words) he can 'do a deal on 50 units when Dixons would only accept 2050'. This means that there are some great offers that should deservedly be shouted from the rooftops (like the recent Mission NXTs, which are ironically very plentiful) but I *don't* think its fair to put something on national advertising if you have only a small number. This happens a little to often for my liking and I do wonder why Trading Standards arent called in more often by masses of irate buyers!
Things NOT to do at Richer Sounds;
a) Go to the City branch for anything other than advice / blank media / very casual browsing. I hate to say this as they are quite a freindly bunch of guys but the store is the size of a small bathroom and it is also used to set 'high' prices to satisfy the law regarding 'sale' prices at a later date.
b) Buy cables and interconnects at Richer. Now, they emphasise (totally correctly) that good interconnects are needed for a setup. But, this is where they make up most of their profit shortfall. 'But thats business...' I hear you cry - but much better quality and value for money leads can be found elsewhere. Their cheapest (China manufactured) 2xRCA lead is £9.99 whilst elsewhere £20-£25 buys you a 4/5 star rated UK made item.
c) Accept an offer to reserve you stock on a future delivery. They will not phone you and it will never happen - BELEIVE!
d) Be persuaded to accept an alternative to the item you had in mind without doing research. It may be a soon-to-be-replaced model they want to shift, etc... Which brings me to;
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br>e) Buy ANYTHING from Richer Sounds without buying WHAT HI-FI S+V. The prices quoted in this magazine (due to even more intense competition) are even more amazing than the flyer prices. I recently saved £200 on a Yamaha AV amp just by doing this.
Also, first timers PLEASE be aware that Cambridge Audio, Acoustic Solutions, Gale, Mordaunt Short et al are ALL exlusive to Richer Sounds (via The Audio Partnership, which is Richers China-based manufacturing outfit). So take those 'previous' prices or RRPs with a big pinch of salt. But dont let me put you off some of those products, the MS speakers are superb and most Cambridge amps a superb budget introduction to hifi, in my opinion anyway!
But dont forget the superb and very cheap extended warranties. In my experience most claims are dealt with by instant replacements, and in one case an 'on the spot' cash full refund after a years use! Remember, Dixons and their mates dont want to sell you a decent product, they want you to buy an expensive warranty for more than the product is worth!
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