Richer Sounds

Richer Sounds is a dangerous place for a student to go when their loan has just arrived. You would have no reason to worry about being ripped off, but more likely to see a bargain just too good to say no to.
They stock a lot of high fidelity AV equipment and will usually have a sale on items at any time. They also offer great prices on ex display items and a friend of mine picked up an amazing base bin for pennies.
The staff are all very helpful and certainly know their stock. Being of a more modest financial situation, when I picked up an amp + speakers a few years back, they didn’t try and sell me the most expensive leads and suchlike, but were happy to admit that I wouldn’t really need them.
They also have a cool room for checking out cinema HD set ups and you can get a better idea of the sound quality, rather than if you were checking it out on the shop front. If you are going to be paying for some new equipment then it would be well worth checking out the shop. You may get something cheaper elsewhere, but you will certainly get top gear.

My shopping list was a rather simple one: audio/​video cables for my DVD player. That’s all I had to buy. That’s all I needed to buy. But I left the store with a lot more stuff than I planned on buying, and with a lot less money than when I came in with initially.
That’s because Richer Sounds had a ridiculous sale on blu-​ray players, and one particular Samsung blu-​ray player was just so cheap that I couldn’t pass it up. And since the blu-​ray player was such a quality product, I needed quality interconnects as simple audio/​video cables wouldn’t suffice.
The staff is keen to help when you ask them, and they direct you to the top quality products for you to get the most out of your system. They also offer a range of audio and video products all at great prices, which makes this a great place to go if you need to make some upgrades to your home theater system.

I do like Richer Sounds, as they tend to let you actually get a feel for what you’re buying (or indeed trying) rather than just hassling you as bigger chains like Dixon’s tend to. There’s a very good selection of speakers, CD players and amplifiers that are wired up and ready to hear in action. They were more than happy to mute the TVs, and actually encouraged me to turn up the volume while I was playing their Jonny Cash heavy demo CD. It’s also laid out well enough so that you won’t get that horrible feeling that walking past someone, or turning around will disturb a huge 8 feet beast of a tele and send it tumbling to its (and your wallets) instant doom.
I wouldn’t say that richer sounds is the cheapest place to get your technology gear, but so far as the high-​street is concerned, they are certainly the most competitive, especially when you consider the great service on offer. Richer is my place to go for any audio/​visual questions and needs.

Like all of the stores in this chain that I’ve ever used, the people who work here provide great service and appear genuinely interested in helping you find out what will float your boat when it comes to audio (if you are not already sure).
The prices are great. A pal of mine got faulty goods from them once and they were replaced quickly and without fuss, with an apology.
I would highly recommend this place for the majority of your home electronic needs. Check them out online too.

When I blew my speakers playing The Pixies and Sonic Youth too loudly last year, I picked up a new pair from Richer Sounds for around £40. Amazingly, the same pair cost around £100 elsewhere and sound almost as good as my dad’s old Technics ones that I’d been using.
A tiny store-​front on London Road, this branch sells audio seperates and whole stereo systems for cheap ass prices. We’re not talking brands you haven’t heard of either, we’re talking Cambridge Audio, Numark, Samsung, Sony, Eltac, JBL and Wharfdale. Handily, they also sell scart sockets, blank CDs, minidiscs and scart sockets too. I go there solely in search of music equipment but they now stock a small but brilliant selection of LCD and Plasma hi definition TVs, blu-​ray players and home cinema speakers too. Oh and the staff are happy for you to test equipment out with your choice of music.
What more could you want?

If you want a bargain television or hi-​fi equipment then go here first.
My understanding is that they keep their prices so low by selling discontinued ranges. Shops are basic and not in the centre of town which keeps overheads down.
The staff all seem to genuinely enjoy their job — and there is no questioning their knowledge about the products. Most of the prices on the shelf are negotiable — I think they almost expect you to haggle with them.
This is one of the few electrical shops where you can actually go in, buy and item, and leave with it in your hands. No waiting in for delivery men or paying rediculous delivery charges.
Definitely recommended.