I have bought 2 AIWA systems in the past and have found them very good. The staff in Currys are usually very helpful in helping you get the right system.
Hello Sarah,£300 is pushing it a bit,why not try E-Bay or if you dont fancy that route try Richer Sounds,the Cambridge amps are quite reliable for around the £100-150 markand i believe they are selling the CD5 for around £99 which would leave you with may,be £50-100 for the speakers and cables,you may even get a discount with a bit of haggling,or may,be some cables,but i wouldnt opt for an "all in one system" you cant upgrade at any point,or upgrade or add equipment to it,but its up toi you,...........take care..............Dave
I agree with Dave about buying separates and as an alternative to Richer Sounds you might try Superfi (who I've used a number of times) as they have a Sony based sytem - CD Player CDPX E270 with TAFE 370 Amplifier and Tannoy F1 speakers for £250 leaving you £50 for a phono cable and speaker leads. It's also available in black.
If you do want an all in one system (less power, less flexibility but includes a radio) Superfi have the highly rated Yamaha CRXM170 system with speakers for £220. It also comes in black.
Helen Moore wrote: "The staff in Currys are usually very helpful in helping you get the right system." I would avoid Currys (and any of the other shops owned by the company) like the plague. Most of the staff are ignorant of the products they sell and their recommendations are probably driven by commissions or meeting targets. Go to a proper hi fi shop and ask to listen before you buy. Make sure the listening is done in a dedicated listening room away from the shopfloor. David Mellor's recommendations seem spot on to me.
Hi Julian,bang on mate about Currys,the most ignorant store on the planet,they are only fit for selling toasters,and the staff have i.q,s lower than the testicles on kneeling sausage dogs,lets all get Hi-Fi from dedicated shops where the staff know what they are talking about............Dave
I have had bad experiences with Dixons, Currys and PC World which are all part of the same organisation.
Several years ago, I wanted to buy a Mac so visited my local PC World where the so-called sales assistant tried to sell me a PC.
Then at Dixons, I enquired about the differences between 2 DVD recorders - there was a £50 price difference between the two models I was interested in. The so-called sales assistant told me to "...look the specs up on the Internet." So I asked him why the shop was charging more than their Internet site. Without a trace of irony, he replied "It's the personal service, innit."
Obviously I am a slow learner since I visited the local Dixons again to buy a Freeview Box. Took it home and it stopped working within an hour. Returned it and was given a replacement which didn't work at all. Returned that and was told it would have to be sent to the manufacturer for repair. I said this was unacceptable and they had a choice between giving me a refund or a different Freeview box for the same price. The so-called manager refused both options so I told him I would write to their head office. With very bad grace he opened the till and threw the money at me. I then asked for fuel and parking costs and was told the company did not refund these sorts of costs. So I wrote to their Head Office. The letter was ignored so I wrote a second time and this time I did receive a letter of apology and a refund of the travel and parking costs. This branch of Dixons has now closed.
A few months ago, I went into my local Currys to buy some print cartridges. I couldn't find the one I wanted to I asked a so-called sales assistant where they were and was told "...Over there" which was accompanied by a vague wave of the hand...
On Monday, my wife and I went to the local Currys to buy a new cooker. I said, on the way there, "You do realise I vowed never to set foot in this place again." We walked in and were greeted by a member of staff with "Good morning" which I observed represented a quantum improvement in customer care. Sadly it was not to last. The so-called manager took our order and then handed over to the so-called sales assistant who had greeted us. Free delivery - yes. Free removal of old appliance - yes. Free installation - no - £80. "Can we put the installation on hold while we get alternate quotes for the installation?" No. You must make your mind up now. "Can I speak to the manager?" So the so-called manager appears and confirms this is so. "You do realise you are going to lose the sale, don't you." Yes. "Does this worry you?" No. So we bought from Comet who are cheaper.
Hello Julian,why do bother with stores like these,the staff are unintellingent zombies who dont know the difference between rice crispies and rat s...,i wouldnt deal with them no matter what,even if they were giving stuff away.Ive found that for certain goods,T.Vs,Hi-Fi,Domestic equipment etc its always best to go to specialist shops,o.k it may be a little more expensive,but you have the knowledge that what youre buying will be of superior quality,sold by people of superior intellect,who know what they are talking about,on the other hand,if you need to see people from the stores mentioned,try a zoo..............Take Care Julian..........Dave
Trouble is, they are the only electrical outlet within about 15 miles - there is a local computer shop and of course WHS and Woolies but they frequently run out of things like printer cartridges.
As for hi fi, I have only ever bought from specialist retailers after a critical listening session and always on the understanding that the component can be returned and exchanged if it doesn't deliver at home.
To be fair and not to wish to belittle Sarah in any way, her budget for a complete system is a fraction of the price I would contemplate - which I guess disqualifies me from making any recommendations whatsoever - other than "Use your ears." and if the shop won't allow you to do that, then take your custom to a place that will. As David says, it might cost a bit more (but even that is not certain) but you will end up with a system that allows you to enjoy music. And that's really what it's all about.
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