Thursday 29 January 2009

Richer Sounds

A positive post!

It gives me great pleasure to blog postive feedback to Richer Sounds. I had learned about Richer Sounds through my GCSE and A-level business studies courses. There were various case studies on Richer Sounds because they focus on customer service. The staff in Richer Sounds aren't your every day minimum wage worker trying to get by, they know everything you could possibly need to know on every product in their range.

With this in mind, I had a very high expectation when walking into the store. I was not disappointed. I was in the market for an amplifier, as my Pro-Sound one had let me down [as written in previous blog].

I explained what I wanted the amplifier for, what the inputs were, what the outputs were etc, and instantly the assistant directed to me to what he felt was suitable for my requirements. It was exactly what I was looking for, 200W, RCA inputs, and a really smart quality looking machine, which has given me no problems to date. However, even if it had given me problems, it's warranted for 5 years and can be replaced on the spot. The warranty was an option but with my experience with amplifiers, I took it!

It was just such a contrast from my experience in Maplin. If you asked a question in Maplin you would have to wait for them to check on the computer, or phone a higher member of staff, or even a different branch!

The way in which Richer Sounds operates made the process a lot quicker too, answers were given instantly, and I felt totally comfortable throughout my stay. [Sometimes in shops I'll feel pressured]

Anyway, I am full of praise for Julian Richer, he is a role model in modern business and has definite reliable customer in me from now on.

Wednesday 21 January 2009

Maplin/Pro-Sound

I have been the unfortunate owner or Pro-Sound equipment, and the unfortunate customer of Maplin electronics.

Let's get the positives out the way first, they are simple, and few and far between.
A few months ago, I bought a 200W Pro-Sound amplifier, and two 100W Pro-Sound loudspeakers. They are primarily for home use and found them an outstanding upgrade from the original panasonic CD player I had had my DJ equipment connected to. Very loud, shaking bass, superb way to get the parents complaining.

However, very quickly the system started to fail. The nature of DJ equipment means that there are multiple things that can prevent sound from working, particular with more advanced settings and controls.
This amplifier had two channels, to create a stereo sound, of course. One of these channels blew its fuse, not happy. It has been returned twice and the subsequent amplifiers had the same problem. Needless to say I gave up on the brand, and decided to use Richer Sounds as my source of next amp. The experience there was the exact opposite to that of Maplin, but that's for a different article, a positive one.

So, I get this new amplifier, turns out it has even more power, even though the spec in that area is the same [200W, 8 ohm resistance].

But the main thing I was looking forward to was having stereo once again, both speakers working in full flow, or that's what I'd hoped.
In the time between the amplifier blowing its fuse on one side and purchasing this new one, one of the speakers fails to play out of its main speaker. The tweeter is still working.

Puzzled as I am I post the question on Yahoo! Answers, and one of the main contributors told me that from my description he thought that my speaker had blown and the voice coil was somehow damaged. I can think of no incidents to cause this. I had got into the mindset where I'd had enough of all these problems and just wanted to start afresh, so I went to Maplin to find a new speaker, foolishly I had misplaced the receipt for the original.

So I go to the section where I had found my speakers, the lowest wattage I can find is 300W, and the shape has changed. I go to the counter, as I have an air duster in my hand to clean my mixer, and as I'm paying for that I ask if they have discontinued the 100W Pro-Sound speakers, he types on the pc, "Yes". Bit disappointed but not surprised I ask if I can bring mine in for repair, "We don't do repairs". Such a contrast from the service I recieved at Richer Sounds.

What's more, the speaker that does work rattles with particular songs, even when bass midi and treble are adjusted, I will not use the brand Pro-Sound again, and will use Maplin for what they're good for. [Connector plugs, adapters etc]

Anyway, I've had my rant, and am thinking of going with some Vestax speakers, as I trust the brand and they are aimed at what I do, DJing.
Any helpful suggestions on where to buy speakers [preferably within the UK] would be greatly appreciated, as well as comments you want to make regarding how this blog helped you. [If it did at all?!]

Lil-Tee
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