Why Hi-Fi? Build a bespoke system from separates and you ll have something that will stand the test

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2 Why Hi-Fi? When did a song last make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up? When was the last time music really sang to you? Chances are, it wasn t listening to your ipod on a cheap speaker dock. Great music sounds considerably better on a proper hi-fi system. Everything from digital downloads to good old-fashioned vinyl comes alive. You can even combine hi-fi with your home cinema making movies sound even more exhilarating. Building a system is simple with help from our knowledgeable team. You can even add to it over time, keeping pace with new technology, with quality separates that are built to last. Digital technology has revolutionised music. You can download tracks instantly, carry thousands of albums in your pocket and listen to radio stations online from thousands of miles away. But what about the sound quality when you come to play back your fab collection of digital music on something that just doesn t do it justice? Good quality separates and speakers are the ultimate hi-fi for true music lovers. They bring music to life, allowing you to experience each note as the artist intended and hear every detail that the engineer could hear in the recording studio. Build a bespoke system from separates and you ll have something that will stand the test of time. With quality components built to last and the ability to add to your system when new technology comes along, you ll never be forced to scrap your system again. Our team of experienced music enthusiasts is here to help you every step of the way. We re passionate about sound and will take pleasure in finding the hi-fi kit that s right for you.

3 Separates are Better! ipod boomboxes and all-in-one hi-fi systems are great for some things. But hi-fi separates trump them for sound quality, hands down. Separates are more powerful, and flexible too you just buy the bits you need and grow the system over time. Suddenly feel nostalgic for your old vinyl? Add a turntable! Bought a smartphone? Bolt on a Bluetooth receiver! If a new music technology comes along, you won t have to replace your entire set-up to enjoy it. Don t fancy the hassle of choosing components? We have great complete hi-fi separates systems at keen prices in stores and online. Unsure of which products to match together? Ask one of our friendly colleagues to demonstrate a system to suit your needs. Amplifiers: the heart of your system The heart of your new hi-fi system will be the amplifier or amp. Connect your sources, such as a CD player, turntable, smartphone or tablet, and your amp then does the beautiful job of turning the signal into controlled power to feed your speakers. A proper hi-fi amp produces a much more powerful and precise signal than you d get from a mini system, so you can listen nice and loud without distortion. Some amps are also receivers, which means they include a built-in radio tuner. Our range of amps is excellent value, but do consider your amp as an investment. It will serve you for years, probably decades, so go for the best quality you can afford, with plenty of inputs for adding new components. Many amps also have outputs for two pairs of speakers, so you can enjoy the same music in two rooms at once. Ask one of our friendly in-store experts to guide you through the minefield of variables. Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable in-store sales advisers are ready to show you what we have to offer. For the biggest brands, best prices and expert advice, plus hands-on experience of our hi-fi range, one-to-one product advice and demo rooms, visit your local Richer Sounds today! Beki - Chiswick Store

4 Traditional Sources CD player CD players range in price from tens to thousands of pounds. You d be forgiven for thinking they all do the same job, but as well as better build quality, high-end players incorporate more sophisticated DACs (digital to analogue converters). These do a better job of interpreting the information on the disc into an engaging musical performance, from the first note to the final chord. Tuner If your amp doesn t come with one built in, you ll want to add a separate tuner so you can to listen to radio. As well as FM and AM tuners, most of our separates also include DAB digital radio for a larger selection of stations and crystal-clear listening. Turntable Not all turntables and amplifiers are compatible with each other, but the solution is simple. If you re adding a turntable to your system, make sure you check with one of our advisers if there is any additional kit you need to get it all working harmoniously together. We hope this brochure helps answer your questions. If there s anything else you need to know, don t hesitate to ask one of our colleagues in-store or give us a call! New Sources Extra technology to boost your system s capabilities Network Music Player At its simplest, a network music player is a device that connects your hi-fi to digital music on your computer or network hard drive and the internet. They usually offer access to music streaming services such as Spotify, Napster and last.fm as well as thousands of internet radio stations from all over the world. Like CD players, they differ in the quality of DAC that s built-in, with better models giving your music a big boost in clarity. PC or Mac The best way to connect your computer to your hi-fi is with a USB DAC. Although any computer will have a DAC built-in, it would generally be one designed to get the best out of laptop speakers or headphones, not a proper hi-fi system. When connecting by USB, a DAC can take over all audio processing and give your computer s music the quality it deserves. If you want to connect your PC or Mac wirelessly there are options like Apple AirPlay, but the best option is to use a Network Music Player which can access your computer s hard drive over wi-fi. Teresa - London

5 DVD and Blu-ray Opt for a home cinema receiver and you have other sources to consider. For high definition picture quality and the most awesome surround sound formats, Blu-ray is best. Blu-ray players will also play DVDs and music CDs (and DVD players play CDs too), although only a few premium players play music to the standard of a quality CD player, so do ask for advice if music quality is important to you. Bluetooth Receiver Bluetooth is an easy way to listen to music wirelessly from a huge variety of devices, including nearly any smartphone or tablet, regardless of manufacturer. It s quick and easy to set up, but compared to systems which use wi-fi, like Apple AirPlay, it has a shorter range (around 10m) and in some cases lower audio quality. Multi-room Some network music players also act as the start of a wireless multi-room system. Wirelessly connect players to each other and you can play your digital music anywhere with different rooms playing different music, or you can set them to play the same track simultaneously for a party! Apple AirPlay AirPlay compatible equipment, which includes certain models of Network Music Player and AV receiver, lets you wirelessly stream music from your iphone, ipod Touch or ipad, or itunes running on a PC or Mac. If you have multiple AirPlay devices,you can even play music through them simultaneously using itunes on your computer. For more on networking your music, wireless multi-room and technologies like AirPlay, pick up our leaflet We Have the Knowledge on Wireless Streaming, or better still ask any colleague in your local Richer Sounds store to demonstrate and talk through your options. Speakers Speakers are as important as your amp in terms of the quality of sound you get from your system. Great speakers can make your music truly sing. Modern loudspeaker engineering expertise also means you no longer need huge floorstanders to get a decent amount of bass. Big is beautiful, but small can sound great too. The choice of speaker style is yours and depends on how much space you can spare, how loud you want to go, how you listen, what you listen to and even the shape of your room. Our passionate colleagues will enjoy helping you work out what s right for you, from our range of smaller bookshelf speakers, larger floorstanders and even satellite speaker and subwoofer (bass speaker) set-ups for both discreet audio and home cinema surround sound. One of our team can also help you with how to get the best out of your new speakers, with tips on positioning them to achieve the best sound from your space, and clever tricks like bi-wiring separately connecting bass woofers and high frequency tweeters to your amp for even better sound. Take advantage of our demo rooms! There s no substitute for hearing a product and alternatives before you part with your cash. Call us and book a demo at a time to suit you - and bring your favourite music too! Matt - London City Store

6 Jargon Buster Analogue vs digital Analogue signals like vinyl records and FM radio are great for music because they use a continuous waveform, but they are also more susceptible to interference, which can cause hisses and crackles. Digital signals like DAB radio, CDs and digital downloads usually sound cleaner but often lack some of the musicality of analogue signals. Get the best of both worlds by sending all your digital sources through a hi-fi quality DAC (see right). Lossless Digital music doesn t have to mean lower quality audio. While MP3s are compressed to keep file size down, lossless files such as Apple Lossless, FLAC and WavPack are bigger but give you CD, or better-than-cd, audio quality perfect for hi-fi. NAS drive Store digital music and movies on a standalone NAS (network-attached storage) drive and you can access your digital media over your home wi-fi network even when your computer is switched off. Interesting Upgrades A truly great hi-fi is about more than just boxes Cables Cables can improve bass and make a big difference to the overall sound of your system. Consequently, matching the cables to your equipment is a very important part of the process. Our team will help you find the best match from our wide range to optimise the performance of your hi-fi system. DACs Standalone digital-to-analogue converters (DACs) like the Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus and Arcam rdac squeeze maximum sound quality from digital music (including CDs, streamed tracks and more). Digital files played through a decent standalone DAC will achieve significantly superior levels of detail compared to cheap DACs built into most digital kit - in the same way a modern HD TV has a much clearer picture than an old cathode ray tube set. Headphones Our wide range will do your system justice, with the ideal mix of noise isolation and audio quality. The range includes wired, wireless and noise-cancelling options. We also now stock a wide range of headphones with in-line microphones, so you can match on-the-go convenience with a stunning hi-fi sound. Phono Pre-Amplifiers Without one of these, you won t get much enjoyment from your turntable! Many hi-fi amplifiers have one built-in, but even if that s the case, a separate unit will sound better. When was the last time music really moved you? We re passionate about music and we re passionate about finding the perfect hi-fi for you. Marco - Chiswick Store

7 Mains Power Accessories As What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision magazine says, don t expect to get the very best out of the lovely, expensive hi-fi equipment you ve bought if you don t pay equal attention to the quality of the mains supply it has to work with. A mains conditioner ensures that electrical interference is significantly reduced. This is of particular benefit with sensitive, high-power devices such as your amplifier. Speaker wall brackets Where speaker stands aren t an option, you could always put your speakers up on the wall. Our range of brackets allows even some of the larger bookshelf speakers to be raised up out of harm s way. Our colleagues will guide you through what s available to fit your choice of speakers. Speaker stands If you ve opted for smaller speakers, stands or wall brackets are a great way to position them for the best sound and to keep them out of harm s way. Ask in-store for advice on positioning and expert tips such as how using sticky tack can help you get a better sound when placed under your speakers to ensure they are best isolated from the stand and surface below! (It s great for sitting speakers on their stands, dampening unwanted resonances.) Universal remotes Juggling several remotes can be a pain. With a range of remotes that can control almost anything, we have the answer. Even cooler, more and more equipment can now be controlled from free apps for your smartphone or tablet. Our in-store specialists can tailor-make a hi-fi system that suits your needs, your room, your music taste and of course your budget. Thanks for reading! We re always happy to demonstrate what a great hi-fi does for your music, so feel free to pop in for a listen. Or if you re reading this in-store, grab one of our colleagues and treat your ears today!

8 Why Richer Sounds? At Richer Sounds we have a proud history of over 30 years selling hi-fi equipment to our music-loving customers. We re passionate about sound and proud to be known for our expertise and enthusiasm at choosing and setting up the best value hi-fi systems, regardless of price. Come in to see us and we ll tailor-make a system for you, to suit your needs, your room, your music taste and your budget. We Have The Knowledge All of our sales assistants spend a minimum of 5 hours per week undergoing extensive product training. This allows us to deliver the most up-to-date advice on TV, hi-fi, home cinema and wireless gear. Our ongoing staff education program, coupled with our passion for technology means that we are perfectly placed to help you find your ideal hi-fi. Plus, our wide range of models from the biggest brands means that we have the right set for everyone s needs. Lowest Prices Guaranteed We ll beat any genuine advertised price, voucher offer, system deal, online and in-store, and we ll give you up to 100! We re confident that our prices are amongst the very keenest out there, so we ve made it as easy as pie to qualify for our Price Beat. Our Price Beat is even valid for 7 days after purchase. Installation If you fancy a multi-room system or home theatre, our home installation team can take care of everything. We will also arrange a home visit to better understand your situation and to talk through your needs and aims. Demonstrations Demo rooms let you hear our great collection of demo music (and our hi-fis!) in a relaxed environment. Expert Advice We re experts at building hi-fi systems and carry a wide range so we can make sure you get a system that works together perfectly. Product Compatibility We ll think about the bigger picture so you don t have to - our knowledgeable team will make sure you have all the right cables, remotes, etc. Come in and let us help bring your music to life!