How do they do it so cheap? Richer sounds offer an extensive range of Hi-Fi seperates. No mini hi-fi's, no TV's, you wont find a washing machine anywhere, they just do Hi-Fi seperates. And they're very good at it!
Julian Richer, founder of Richer Sounds, has some superb philosophies. ... Read review
Advantages: Free lollys, coffee, umbrellas, oh and it's really cheap quality kit Disadvantages: Can be busy, their really budget stuff isn't so good.
...do it so cheap? Richer sounds offer an extensive range of Hi-Fi seperates. No mini hi-fi's, no TV's, you wont find a washing machine anywhere, they just do Hi-Fi seperates. And they're very good at it!
Julian Richer, founder of Richer Sounds, has some superb philosophies. The shops are all small -it's cheaper. They buy good stuff in bulk -it's cheaper. They buy some European models -it's cheaper. They stock a large number of 'older' ... ...A nice seperate system from Richer Sounds could cost as little as £250 (and sound much better)
A top of the range DVD player from meridian (very nice) will cost you £9000 (and if you spend similar ammounts on speakers, amps etc. will sound amazing!)
Other advantages to seperates:
-If 1 bit goes tit's up, you can replace that bit, you don't have to throw the whole thing away.
-Seperates are built to a higher ... more
How do they do it so cheap? Richer sounds offer an extensive range of Hi-Fi seperates. No mini hi-fi's, no TV's, you wont find a washing machine anywhere, they just do Hi-Fi seperates. And they're very good at it!
Julian Richer, founder of Richer Sounds, has some superb philosophies. The shops are all small -it's cheaper. They buy good stuff in bulk -it's cheaper. They buy some European models -it's cheaper. They stock a large number of 'older' models - they're cheaper! If you want to start up a proper stereo system, this is the place to go.
Firstly I should explain why you should buy seperates, not your usual all in one micro stereo from Sony. I work for an acoustic design consultancy, who sell and installs audio video equipment for some of the richest people in the world. The difference between the quality of (most) seperates and a standard 'all-in-one' is obvious. Just listen to it! The difference between low end seperates and high end is again noticable if you have a good ear, but the price differences put this slightly out of most peoples reach!
For example, a reasonable micro system will set you back £250 A nice seperate system from Richer Sounds could cost as little as £250 (and sound much better) A top of the range DVD player from meridian (very nice) will cost you £9000 (and if you spend similar ammounts on speakers, amps etc. will sound amazing!)
Other advantages to seperates: -If 1 bit goes tit's up, you can replace that bit, you don't have to throw the whole thing away. -Seperates are built to a higher standard so they're less likely to go wrong! (My cheapish, 9 year old CD player from kenwood has moved house with me about 15 times, gets dropped all over the place, and still never skips or refuses to play any CD's)
If you want a reasonably priced seperate then Richer Sounds is the only place to go. They have the best prices, demo rooms, free coffee, lolly pops, very well trained staff, more lolly pops, free umbrellas if it's raining...! Wonderful!
They also have a web site, which I wouldn't recomend appart from to find your nearest store! Seperates are about sound. So go and listen to them... -book a session in a demo room (weekday mornings / mid-afternoons are best) and have a listen. Don't just listen to the staff, -they know what they're talking about but sound is a matter of taste. Bring a few of your own CD's along that you know well. See if things jump out at you that you'd never heard before! (I've played poeple some of their own CD's on my system, and they've realised there was a multitude more there than they'd ever heard before (especially in the bass regions.)
Give it a go -if you can't book a listen in then they'll give you 2 weeks with the stuff at home to see if you like it or not! If you go for demo stuff, or they've lost the remote control or box, then you can get some ridiculously cheap kit! I would recomend spending a bit more than 'budget' to get the most out of your money, -especially with speakers.
Advantages: Great customer service... unbeatable prices... demo rooms where you can try before you buy....they open late so you can go after work.... Disadvantages: None
...beat around the bush - Richer Sounds is the ONLY place to shop if you're thinking of buying Hi-Fi or home cinema equipment. What is it that you look for in a shop? Low prices? Good range of products? Friendly and helpful customer service? Well Richer Sounds has all this and much more. Their price beating scheme is great! If you find a cheaper product anywhere else within a week of buying it from them, they'll not only refund the difference but give ... ...area) that comes even close to Richer Sounds in terms of value for money and customer service. If you're thinking of buying the type of products described above then you really shouldn't look anywhere else. If you're not... well, go to Richer Sounds anyway, if only for a free lolly! ...
cribby 16.05.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Richer Sounds (Shop)
Richer Sounds is a shop that specialises in all Hi Fi separate equipment, some higher range good quality integrated systems, portable mini disc players, digital receiving equipment, DVD players together with the associated products of cabling, mini discs, batteries, headphones etc and some DJ gear, such as decks and mixers. They are based both in specialist shops, with one present in most major cities (total of 43 stores), mail order and the Internet.
... ...us see.
PRICE
Richer Sounds state that they will beat any price offered to you by £10 on purchases up to £375; £25 on purchases up £750; and £50 on purchases over £50. In my experience this is correct, I (eventually) purchased a Marantz amplifier that retailed for £230, for £140; having found it offered by a competitor for £160. I got an extra discount, but the reason why I did will become apparent latter in the review.
All other prices seem very ...
KingHerrod 18.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Richer Sounds (Shop)
Advantages: great value, great range Disadvantages: sometimes arrogant staff
I live in Spain and Richer Sounds is one of the shops I miss most. Their shops are small but they have an astounding range of stock - from the cheapo couple-of-wires-in-a-box to silly-priced room-sized speakers.
As you may know, Richer sounds specialise in Hi Fi separates. They do not sell anything else, and in particular they do not sell all-in-one type mini systems. If you ask them why this is they will sermonise at length but in a nutshell it's ... ...forever, but I noticed that Richer Sounds has a very good range too. Likewise analogue media (tape and vinyl - or am I the only person who listens to those?) will sound much much better on decent equipment. CD and minidisc players on the other hand are not so important as the difference between the sound of the best and cheapest players is not nearly as marked. (This is my opinion anyway and I'm no anorak but I love music.)
Back to Richer Sounds: ...
madlucy 31.03.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Richer Sounds (Shop)
Advantages: The prices! Disadvantages: The service? (Or was it just me!)
Richer Sounds is a store dealing mainly with separate hi-fi equipment, although with the advent of home cinema, it has diversified. I visited the Edinburgh branch, which is situated in Chambers Street. There is a plaque on the service desk, which proclaims this to be their sixth store, established in 1989: the company itself goes back to 1978. There are many more stores around the country now (43 in 34 areas, including Dublin and Amsterdam) and you ... ...policy, but why bother, when Richer Sounds will usually have it cheaper, first time? Certainly, in my own experience, I have always been able to find what I want for less than at a High Street retailer. I’ve literally seen a salesman gulp when I told him how much cheaper I could get the item, and could he match the price! He did agree, with a fixed smile on his face, but even then I got better payment terms with Richer Sounds, so still bought ...
Crazy-Christian 10.04.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Richer Sounds (Shop)
Advantages: Cheap! Disadvantages: Make sure you check the advert prices in "What hi-fi?"
...this shop is the price. Richer sounds is a chain and has many stores throughout the country, which gives the chain more buying power than most other hi-fi equipment stores. In addition they have a tendency to buy equipment from “grey” sources, i.e. they buy the product from wherever it is cheapest in the world (but don't worry about compatability, they sort that out). The problem with this however, is that stock levels tend to be unpredictable. ... ...when buying hi-fi equipment from Richer Sounds is that have a lengthy advert in “What Hi-Fi?” magazine which advertises prices for some products that are a lot cheaper than the in-store price (can be over £100 different!). These prices can be absolutely amazing, I once phoned another shop who said they will beat any price, when quoting the advert price they said they couldn’t even match it, because that’s less than what they ...
kingsanj 14.04.2001 (03.05.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Richer Sounds (Shop)
Price
Value for money
Selection & range
Quality
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Advantages: Inexpensive, wide range of products Disadvantages: can seem a bit chaotic
RicherSounds works on the old principle of 'Pile em High, Sell em Cheap'
Domestic hi-fi manufacturers rely surprisingly heavily on fashion to shift new equipment. In order to maximise development costs, they require substantial production runs in order to make a reasonable return on investment.
The result is, towards the end of the product's marketing life cycle, there are substantial volumes of equipment still in the supply chain once new models are produced.
Traditional high street vendors don't want to be left with 'last year's kit' in spite of the fact that the specifications are probably only fractionally different from the newer models.
That's where RicherSounds steps in.
They set about acquiring overruns and surplus stock from top manufacturers, and sell them as quickly as possible through low cost shop units ...
Advantages: Excellent prices, make buying easy Disadvantages: Less easy to listen to systems than other hi-fi stores, impersonal service, poor shop layout
I'm going to go agaist the popular concensus here, because I did not enjoy my experice with RicherSounds.
Having decided to make the leap from mini system to separates, I noted a few Glasgoe hi-fi shops from my Yellow Pages and set off early this morning. I hurried to RicherSounds, which was closed. Disappointing! It was ten in the morning on a Thursday, not unreasoable to expect a high street shop to be open. ot to be deterred, I went to what I expected to be the second choice on my list, Hi-Fi Corner. Well! It was fantastic. The sales staff were friendly, and when they discovered I was buying my first system, they didn't patronise, they gave me good advice and let me listen for a good hour to various combinations. So you can imagine my displeasure when I returned to RicherSounds to be treated to a pretty dreadful exercise i ...
Advantages: Inexpensive, good quality merchandise and staff who know what they're talking about. Disadvantages: Shops are quite small and can be difficult to get around.
I have only visited a branch of "RicherSounds" once, not being a fully paid-up member of the technocracy, but I must say that I was impressed. As a young woman, I have sadly become habituated to shop assistants talking down to me when a product contains a circuit board. Obviously being a girl means that I'm just meant to stand a round and look pretty and buy an electrical item that matches all of the other things in my girly little room.
Happily, when I visited the Mansfield Road branch of "RicherSounds" in Nottingham, I was in for a big surprise. Although the shop was small, the manager had obviously put a lot of time into finding their assistants. The young man I dealt with was lively and intelligent and actually knew what he was talking about. He put across his opinions in a friendly manner, without trying to force me into buying ...
