Anyone know any web sites that are good for buying a Hi-Fi from.

Cheers

Chip.

Richer Sounds have a good selection and the
prices are good.

Peter Stone

Chip,

I agree with Peter - Richer Sounds

also try

Not a pretty site, but I've ordered from these guys and their prices are usually very good:

I would have to re-inforce what Jason says - although often WAY overpriced, you get better advice and facilities in the dealers (NOT Sony in my experience, but the independents). Sony dealers are worse than Comet.

My local Hi Fi dealer allows you to book their listening room for an hour and try all the kit in all combinations with your own CDs. This, in my opinion, was invaluable, and I can't see Richer Sounds providing those facilities.

Once you have chosen your kit, you still have the option of buying it from RS and saving money, though of course you won't get the guarantees etc.

My dealer offers loads of extra value adds:

- Free delivery and installation
- One month 'bedding-in' service where he comes back and checks speakers are still level etc.
- Free loans of new kit so that you can try before you buy

This is why I decided to go for the dealer, but I can see the sense in going for the cheapest kit and paying for any services should you need them...


Alex

It all depends on what you want. Bear in mind that with people like SDB and Richer you are not buying a service, just a box. If you know exactly what it is that you need then fine.

If you dont and then want some advice and help, then seriously consider going to a serious specialist that will advise you correctly and in the long term save you even more money by preventing you from making mistakes with your purchases.

Cheap is not always best

Caveat Emptor

Jason

Richer Sounds for the money (maybe also Superfi) are the best. Unless you are after a top grade system,shop with them.

yes they dont have listening rooms. These are a waste of time for a low 2 medium quality set up. They cost the shop a lot of money to have build. Richer sounds attitude is You are going to listen to it in your house ,try it there. This is the best way. Dont like it bring it back,no questions even if you want your money back. Their guarantees are the best in the buisness. They just give you another. I ( and many others) could go on and on about them . I BET YOU WISHED THEY SOLD YOU YOUR SUBARU!!!! They could teach IM athing about running a buisness

Your living room will never sound as good as a good demo room. They will have spent £kkks getting it right.

Many people fall for the "Glitz and style of these shops... Try a "B&O" hi-fi shop. great service but what a product.........

"I would have to re-inforce what Jason says - although often WAY overpriced, you get better advice and facilities in the dealers (NOT Sony in my experience, but the independents). Sony dealers are worse than Comet"

Interesting that you think specialists are way overpriced. I think that you would be surprised how small the profit margins are with hifi, certainly in comparison with other areas of retail.

I know as I am in the hifi industry, and before you ask, I dont work for a shop, and if you compare like for like, then you will find that Richer and Superfi are not necessarily that much cheaper than anyone else. They appear cheaper as they loss lead with some products, and their own brand products - such as cambridge and sherwood are cheap. You always get what you pay for.

As far as the demo rooms sounding better than your room, is really not the point. The rooms are there to allow you to determine the difference between products and decide which is the best, and the only way that you can do this is if the rooms sound good. If they did not then all the kit would sound the same.

Also, I disagreee that listening is a waste of time with low to medium priced kit, you can still get stuff that sounds great or really bad, and if it is the latter then you have wasted your money.

Jason

Jason,

I think we are in total agreement http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

Didn't mean to offend you http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif, perhaps the "WAY" was out of place, I was only meaning to suggest that places like RS & Comet can operate on lower profit margins due to higher sales volumes.

I bought my system (Naim) from a dealer and absolutely agree with you about the listening rooms. I was able to determine which was better between the Naim, Arcam and other options I was considering.

Cheers,

Alex

BigGT3Fan,

I cant believe you auditioned Naim against arcam. To me that is just painful taht they should appear in the same room.

I have a complete Naim system now, after many years of careful choosing. What bothers me most is that I end up listeneing to the hi fi and not the music.

Some cds, can sound awesome, whereas others have their poor production highlighted http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif.

what system do you have?

Adam,

ROFLMAO http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif

After listening to the Naim I agree with you about the Arcam, but a mate had told me they were good before hand http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/redface.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/redface.gif (he has an Arcam system! http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/rolleyes.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/rolleyes.gif ) I have also experienced the poor production experience on a number of cds! But the converse of that is hearing new definition from many of your favourite recordings.

I personally have the CDX CD Player with the NAC102 pre-amp and Credo speakers, in Rosewood which are excellent.

http://www.naim-audio.com/images/system_02.jpg

I do have the Arcam tuner, however, and the quality is good, I couldn't justify the expenditure on the Naim tuners.

I would have loved the Bi-wired pre and power amp solution which is what makes the Credo speakers come into their own, but it was outside my budget http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/frown.gif

Still, it's on the long term shopping list http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/biggrin.gif


Alex



[This message has been edited by BigGT3Fan (edited 23 August 2001).]

...my local Richer Sounds (Reading) has a listening room. I spent a pleasant hour or two in there a while back with my own CDs trying lots of different stuff.

It's not the place to go for your top-end stuff, but if you have a short-list, it's certainly worth looking there.