Richer Sounds Ireland Closed?

Lenny

Does this mean that X-Music is closed down too?
It is apparently their 'sister store'

Kali

X-Music are still open.

Lenny

Thanks for the info Kali, as I've kinda seen X-Music as the cheapest round for new technics decks..

Guy:Incognito

i notice no mention of the sony centres, which as has become blatently obvios are one of the very few people who like to handleany complaints them selves, unlike the likes of D***ns who answer complaint about an in-warranty sony repair with the answer " we cant do anything, go to a Sony Centre" which iss attrocious behaviour not to mention the fact that imsure theyre obliged to look after theryre own sales. Also on the price issue, the Sony Centres, like anywhere else do discounts and anyone who walks into a shop, looks at a price tag and walk out, r the people who dont no theyre arse from they're elbow.

Kali

Wow do you work in a Sony store per-chance?
While I firmly believe because of the small nature of their stop they tend to have nice and friendly staff, the major problem is that they really don't know an awful lot about the equipment they sell.. (this is a factor prety much everywhere mind you).. plus if you have a sony product thats not on their stock sheets they won't touch it with a bargepole if you come asking questions or need it repaired... that said I do recall having a conversation with a chap in a sony store last year for about an hour about the workings of an aibo...

Lenny

Things I find about Sony centre shops is that they sell their own products dearer than other shops..?
I bought a pair of SONd MDV headfone for €80 in a hi-fi shop, also saw then in a dj shop for the same, while sony were selling them for €95 ... odd

Guy:Incognito

The repairs issue is one you will encounter anywhere as, y would anyone want to deal with other peoples repairs. it costs money to take-in and handle repairs so y should they pay for product that hasnt been bought from themselves. I have generally found that each shop has at least 1 no-all geek type, and if u find ur not get the answers u want u can ask to speak to some1 else that does know.

commited

Originally posted by KdjaC
Richer Sounds were the best HiFi shop Ireland ever had anyone who thinks the staff were twats must be a bit of a dumbass to go into a hifi specialist shop needing help, you go in knowing exactly what you need and shouldnt need assistance ,only to get it if its up high.

I always found them excellent tho never needed to ask them anything i usually researched the product i was buying well inadvance and always got it in RS cheaper than anywhere in Ireland.

kdjac

Tbh I'm surprised at the paradox/crap in your post..
Richersounds first of all is no where near the best Hi-fi shop in Ireland - Cloney Beats it hands down, not only for quality of product, but also for the sales people and listening environment.
Second of all, Richersounds always prided themselves on their staff being knowledgable, and they directed their advertising towards people who dont know much about hifi - i.e always offering to show you how much better separates are than all in ones.
Now, I went into Cloney Audio which is a Hifi specialist, and instead of them saying "oh yeah, have a look around + pick whatever you like the look of", they told me honestly if, in their opinion, one component sounded better than another. I was only spending about IR£1100, but I took up, in total, about 7/8hours of their listening room over a few weeks, and they didnt mind at all.
You say that they are only there to reach the "high" products, but how do you know what you want if you cant dem. it?
Now, you say you always researched a product, but u cant research a product fully without listening to it, so you treated your hifi, like ur PC, going by what others say, which is the stupidest thing you can do.
The only bit out of my Hifi that i didnt demo was a £30 interconnect for my MD->amp connection, and that was the only bit bought from richersounds.
Not saying I didnt go in there to look at set-ups, I did, but I found them to be useless.. Maybe it was because I was 16, but that should make no difference.

mike65

Just a general point - why should anyone need help in buying
a bit of hi-fi? Its not brain surgury. Just read the reviews and get user feedback. Richersounds were/are cheaper than most and had a decent range of gear. Cloney Audio on the other hand seem to be operating with audiophile type snobbs in mind it seems....Just checked thier website, alot of esoteric stuff priced to make most potential buyers look eleswhere!

Mike.

edit> Just checked the price of a Mark Levinson 383 amp.
Cloney charge €9950, in the States its $6000!

http://www.audioreview.com/PRD_123790_2717crx.aspx

commited

Originally posted by mike65
Just a general point - why should anyone need help in buying
a bit of hi-fi? Its not brain surgury. Just read the reviews and get user feedback. Richersounds were/are cheaper than most and had a decent range of gear. Cloney Audio on the other hand seem to be operating with audiophile type snobbs in mind it seems....Just checked thier website, alot of esoteric stuff priced to make most potential buyers look eleswhere!

Mike.

edit> Just checked the price of a Mark Levinson 383 amp.
Cloney charge €9950, in the States its $6000!

http://www.audioreview.com/PRD_123790_2717crx.aspx

But does anybody just go out + do brain surgery, i think not, so of course its nothing like brain surgery.
Thats like saying why should nebody test drive a car, just look at the reviews (which can vary hugely, just like hifi reviews, but ppl only read what hifi which is the most corrupt (maybe a bit strong) of the hifi publications) and ask ppl what they think then pick the colour, and add on some alloys for smart looks. Then when you drive it, you realise that the driving position doesnt suit you at all + its as slow as your grandmother in the morning.
Surely the whole point of going to a place like richersounds is that you enjoy music + want to get the best sounding SYSTEM for you money. Reading reviews and talking to your neighbour isnt going to achieve that.
As has been said earlier, richersounds failed to compete in recent years, but before that, its prices were fantastic + those occasional cunday sales were amazing

Onto the topic of cloney.
If you'd read my post, you would ahve seen that I didnt find them to be snobby at all + although i was only spending about a grand, they never made me feel like I was taking up demo time that could have been used on the rich "audiophile type snobs"
Now, judging from what you have written, though I may be wrong, you have never visted cloney audio, so dont start talking about their clientele. I am not an "audiophile" (hate the word), neither is my father, who loves music, therefore has spent alot on his hifi. The only buyers that the prices put off would be the kind of people who have mistaken cloney audio for a place to get a cheap mini system, their prices are reasonable + I respect what Noel Cloney has done.

As for the Mark Levinson amp, think about the amount of tax that you would pay, as well as the postage on an amp that heavy, and it all looks fair.
But I suppose if noel cloney didnt stock it, and you wanted to buy it, you would talk to your mates, pick up a copy of what hifi, see that it is a good amp, and then order from the internet, wouldnt you? I doubt it, you would go down to cloney audio, audition it to see if you like it + then buy it from them, because its easier, quicker and they know what they are on about.

mike65

Originally posted by commited


Onto the topic of cloney.
If you'd read my post, you would ahve seen that I didnt find them to be snobby at all + although i was only spending about a grand, they never made me feel like I was taking up demo time that could have been used on the rich "audiophile type snobs"

Only a grand? Jeeze! I'd want to be given cups of tea and choccy bicuits if I were in an audio shop for that kind of spending. If I even suspected they'd be looking down thier nose at me I'd never darken thier doors again.

I'll stick to the net, aim low (Marantz CD4000 etc) and save a pile of cash...

Mike.

commited

Originally posted by mike65
Only a grand? Jeeze! I'd want to be given cups of tea and choccy bicuits if I were in an audio shop for that kind of spending. If I even suspected they'd be looking down thier nose at me I'd never darken thier doors again.

I'll stick to the net, aim low (Marantz CD4000 etc) and save a pile of cash...

Mike.

Ok, buy blind, but I think its stupid tbh..
You could always go into Hifi Corner, or HM entertainment to demo a few setups around ur budget, even if u buy them off the net, its worth listening to them anyway.

I would advise going into Cloney to see what Second hand gear he has in.. give him your budget + he will tell you what he can do - worth a try - You dont have to buy if you demo stuff there + I guarantee that you wouldnt regret it

qwertyup

Would you believe that I had the bad luck to have stuff in for repair when they went bust?

And that being the fool I am, I waited on a call on it, not knowing that they were bust?

And that even worse, I have just now managed to get my kit found again, as it was placed in with stock somehow. And it is only now being sent off for repairs.

Bah.

Evac101

Out of curiosity, how do people rate Dublin HiFi on Aungier St.?

I am one of the know nothing buyers mentioned in previous posts but on both occassions I've visited their store I've found the staff friendly, courteous and very helpful, even after discovering my budget was below the cost of their low end kit.

robbie1876

Yes Dublinn Hi-Fi are always really friendly. Shame they don't have a wider range of kit, but I know they are very much tied to Linn.

IMO the recent closing of Hi-Fi shops in Dublin is because of the industry wide trend towards custom install. All over the UK businesses are shutting their retail operations and operating out of offices, dealing with architects / builders on new build projects etc.

In Dublin, Hi-Fi Corner have done exactly this, and are now operating out of an industrial unit under a name like 'Smarthouse'. They won't do retail trade anymore, only custom install projects. Also, I know for a fact that some of the guys from HM and Lyric have left these companies to set up custom install businesses. That is where the money is at nowadays, not Hi-Fi.

BTW, I heard a rumour that HM in Blackrock has closed down too. Can anyone confirm this?

commited

HM in Blackrock hasnt closed down, i walked by there the other day..
Where is Dublin hifi?
I dont recognise the street name, how do I get there?

Mr. Fancypants

Its Dublinn Hifi (They sell lotsa Linn Kit) and Aungier St is at the end of Georges St heading towards the canal. It is directly opposite DIT Aungier st college.

TwoShedsJackson

Originally posted by robbie1876

BTW, I heard a rumour that HM in Blackrock has closed down too. Can anyone confirm this?

They have a sale on due to 'Change of Management' according to the window display. Haven't passed it while it was open in the last week or so, so can't say what might be left.

robbie1876

I heard today from an 'insider' that HM are indeed in trouble and that they are actively seeking a buyout. I guess if nobody makes the investment in HM they will be gone too, and Mr Cloney will be rubbing his hands with glee....

Makaveli

HM on Dawson/Nassau St. (can never remember which one it is) has a sale on too I think. Well at least that's what I thought it said on the window when I was driving past it.

Kali

hmm must pop in there at lunch so.. see if theres any decent offers, not that they have much in the way of decent stock iirc.

Kali

Hmm wandered in there today.. nothing special salewise at all in terms of prices of speakers, cd players or amps/receivers, although I'm not up on TV prices, they didn't seem too cheap either.

One of the examples i can remember: Marantz SR6200 was down from e899 to e719.. currently listed at e589 on richersounds.ie (ex delivery from belfast).

Also notice that the stock on richersounds.ie has finally updated to reflect belfasts products.