John Duncan
Well-known member
Well said, Ash. They've also done more to put 'good' hifi into people's homes than most I can think of...
Just to add my 2p I agree with Ash. It sometimes appears that RS and CA get a tough time in this forum. Funny as the other one's i read its quite the opposite. To the OP I think you will be happy with the 340 gear - I started with this set up two years ago from a 10+ year old Kenwood system as was blown away. My son use's it now and it still makes me smile when i hear it.
As for liking julian, I met him the day I bought my 340 gear as he just popped into the store (middlesbrough branch) out of the blue to see how things where going - i had no idea who he was, just thought he was a customer waiting to be served (it was only when I seen his car number plate the penny dropped!). he was very intested in what I was buying and soon started offering advice on setting it up - very nice guy. i even got a cup of coffee while the guy serving me loaded the car but the cynic in me thinks this might have had something to do with Julian been in the shop - nice tho!
one more thing, they were very happy for me to listern to other gear in the store around the same price even tho it was a little cramped and they were even setting a TV/Blue ray demo up for a guy who brought his own blue ray in - this all happend before JR arrived.
So I say give it a go depending on what your moving from I think you will like the sound of the 340.
As for liking julian, I met him the day I bought my 340 gear as he just popped into the store (middlesbrough branch) out of the blue to see how things where going - i had no idea who he was, just thought he was a customer waiting to be served (it was only when I seen his car number plate the penny dropped!). he was very intested in what I was buying and soon started offering advice on setting it up - very nice guy. i even got a cup of coffee while the guy serving me loaded the car but the cynic in me thinks this might have had something to do with Julian been in the shop - nice tho!
one more thing, they were very happy for me to listern to other gear in the store around the same price even tho it was a little cramped and they were even setting a TV/Blue ray demo up for a guy who brought his own blue ray in - this all happend before JR arrived.
So I say give it a go depending on what your moving from I think you will like the sound of the 340.
chebby
Well-known member
I have not had personal dealings with RS but I have recommended them and their products to others sometimes. Never heard any bad feedback. A friend went to their Southampton branch around Christmas time to get his DacMagic and he was pleased with the service. A couple of colleagues bought budget AV systems there on my suggestion and were happy too,
Richer Sounds: no issues at all with them, great shop, often fantastic deals, although I'd be inclined away from the system the OP selected originally (Gale aren't bad incidentally - their F4 floorstander was one of the very few budget floorstanders ten years or so back that was worth spending any time with, but I don't know how their gear performs now.
I think this was posted already, but this NAD/Q Acoustics combo for £342 including free delivery from Superfi was a killer deal when I clapped eyes on it in January, and it's still on the go now. the 315 CD player and 315 amp with the 1020i standmount is a stonker of a good system. You woul dbe very hard pressed to beat it for the outlay. If you've got a 0% deal on credit card purchases, you're on a winner as you can spread the cost for nowt as well!
http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/3856
Warning: while Ebay can be a gold mine for some great hifi, it can also be treasure trove for a load of old cack as well. I've bought good and bad from it and insisted on a refund from a seller who thought the 'excellent' Systemdek II turntable I bought was in really great shape. I pointed out why it wasn't and finally got the money back 6 weeks later after MUCH hassling.
On the bright side, my current speakers I got for £80 last November and they're stunning. Caveat emptor!
I think this was posted already, but this NAD/Q Acoustics combo for £342 including free delivery from Superfi was a killer deal when I clapped eyes on it in January, and it's still on the go now. the 315 CD player and 315 amp with the 1020i standmount is a stonker of a good system. You woul dbe very hard pressed to beat it for the outlay. If you've got a 0% deal on credit card purchases, you're on a winner as you can spread the cost for nowt as well!
http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/3856
Warning: while Ebay can be a gold mine for some great hifi, it can also be treasure trove for a load of old cack as well. I've bought good and bad from it and insisted on a refund from a seller who thought the 'excellent' Systemdek II turntable I bought was in really great shape. I pointed out why it wasn't and finally got the money back 6 weeks later after MUCH hassling.
On the bright side, my current speakers I got for £80 last November and they're stunning. Caveat emptor!
In my opinion NAD has done a lot to put well made good Hi Fi in peoples' homes and in my opinion the "Doug Self wrote a book once ergo anyone who buys anything else is stupid" line is a bit tired and in my opinion if people want to recommend NAD entry level systems over CA then that's their business.
I have a 640p and plan to get the Dacmagic, nothing at all against CA.
Could we put a banner across the site saying "Doug Self wrote a book once and is well respected in the industry" so we don't have to read it in every other thread?
I have a 640p and plan to get the Dacmagic, nothing at all against CA.
Could we put a banner across the site saying "Doug Self wrote a book once and is well respected in the industry" so we don't have to read it in every other thread?
chebby
Well-known member
Catcher:Could we put a banner across the site saying "Doug Self wrote a book once and is well respected in the industry" so we don't have to read it in every other thread?
Are you advocating a little more Selflessness from the CA cheerleaders?
Are you advocating a little more Selflessness from the CA cheerleaders?
Pmaninit:
TBH for that kind of money I would be buying second hand, otherwise I do doubt that you'll be impressed, ebay is a gold mine for hi-fi
I second that advice. Ive picked up many a bargain on ebay, including a denon amp that was originally 1k to buy for 200 quid.
TBH for that kind of money I would be buying second hand, otherwise I do doubt that you'll be impressed, ebay is a gold mine for hi-fi
I second that advice. Ive picked up many a bargain on ebay, including a denon amp that was originally 1k to buy for 200 quid.
idc
Well-known member
Just to add my vote that Richer Sounds is an excellent shop. It has provided the begining to many a hifi love affair. The Edinburgh one was the first hifi shop I ever went to and I took my wife to be on a date to the Glasgow branch to audition CDPs!
You can't go too far wrong with CA or NAD at entry level. Don't go for Gale tho', go for something like the Tannoy F1 Custom instead.
And yes, haggle. At the very least you should get cables thrown in.
ÿ
And yes, haggle. At the very least you should get cables thrown in.
ÿ
To get back to the origional point...
As previously stated, avoid gale speakers like the plague.
If you want to go with richer sounds, I've had no problems with them. If you want a starter setup, I advocate buying bits you want (not doing one of their pre-packaged deals) and seeing what you can get knocked off/thrown in (speaker cables, subwoofer cables etc.)
If you have space for floorstanders, I advocate TDL Saturn 10's at this price point. They've done me very well. The A1 amp is good, but I took it back after a couple of weeks as they let me upgrade it to an A5 (excellent preformer). Goes well with the speakers. The main difference between the 340a and the a1 is that the 340a has a remote (its also a slightly better amp in terms of definition, but again with this price point it wont be a noted difference).
If you want bookshelfs (which dont neccessarily need stands, makes them sound a bit better, but i wouldnt worry too much) the MS 902i's are excellent, clarity is amazing.
Cant recommend much on the CD player front, still need to find one I'm happy with.
Hope that helps
As previously stated, avoid gale speakers like the plague.
If you want to go with richer sounds, I've had no problems with them. If you want a starter setup, I advocate buying bits you want (not doing one of their pre-packaged deals) and seeing what you can get knocked off/thrown in (speaker cables, subwoofer cables etc.)
If you have space for floorstanders, I advocate TDL Saturn 10's at this price point. They've done me very well. The A1 amp is good, but I took it back after a couple of weeks as they let me upgrade it to an A5 (excellent preformer). Goes well with the speakers. The main difference between the 340a and the a1 is that the 340a has a remote (its also a slightly better amp in terms of definition, but again with this price point it wont be a noted difference).
If you want bookshelfs (which dont neccessarily need stands, makes them sound a bit better, but i wouldnt worry too much) the MS 902i's are excellent, clarity is amazing.
Cant recommend much on the CD player front, still need to find one I'm happy with.
Hope that helps
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