Superfi closed

I'm stunned, partly because I have used links to their website dozens (hundreds) of time, and now those links are not going to work. It seems a shame.

Steve/bluewizard
 
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We have two threads saying the same thing. I was shocked too, purchased from them in the past thought they were in the same league as the likes of Peter Tyson. They both have shop fronts and majored on the web as well.
 
Damnit, guess I'm not getting my black friday Cyrus One then. That does explain their rather crappy email responses, and lack of responses for the last week. Though only yesterday their website had changed to saying they were in stock..... gutted. Time to start saving more for the One HD then.
 
Superfi belongs to Eddy's of Nottingham. I believe the group also owns a high end hifi seller, I wonder if this applies to it.
 
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The internet killed the highstreet.
 
Yeh but they had a significant internet presence as well?? I think looking in the recent past their prices were not as competitive as the likes of Peter Tyson and that will have damaged them perhaps. After all if I am looking for something I compare loads of sellers.
 
I was going to buy £1500 system off Superfi, luckily I held off.
Just gone and bout some components from Richer Sounds, they gave me a nice discount, highly recommended.
 
I'm stunned, partly because I have used links to their website dozens (hundreds) of time, and now those links are not going to work. It seems a shame.

Steve/bluewizard

I'm stunned that with liveliehoods threatened, creditors not being paid, and possible warranty issues for customers, the thing that seems to bother you most is your links not working.
 
I'm stunned that with liveliehoods threatened, creditors not being paid, and possible warranty issues for customers, the thing that seems to bother you most is your links not working.
Well, I've not bought anything from them as I've had my system for years. But clearly for other people, those things are a real concern.

Steve/bluewizard
 
They owe me £139 credit for a returned Denon BT speaker.

That'll teach me for buying Bluetooth rubbish.
 
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The people who 'shop' on the internet killed the high street (me included im afraid :thumbsdow )

I shop with Amazon a bit. I've just being going through my orders and need to go back to December 2014 before I can find something (a camera lens) of any substantial value that I could have easily bought from the "high street" (Manchester city centre in my case).

Nearly everything else is of low value and/or not available in normal high street shops, so let's not beat ourselves up.
 
What astounds me is people who have the nerve to visit a hi-fi dealers, take up their time and their expertise auditioning kit and asking for advice (not to mention their overheads from rent, etc.), and then boldly walk away to purchase off the internet just to save themselves some money.
 
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What astounds me is people who have the nerve to visit a hi-fi dealers, take top their time and their expertise auditioning kit and asking for advice (not to mention their overheads from rent, etc.), and then boldly walk away to purchase off the internet just to save themselves some money.

This is nothing new, and nothing to do with the internet. In the early 1980s I worked for a dealer that had stuff on display that we could demo, could repair on-site, and call a cab for customers without transport. Many people came in and auditioned stuff, then went to Comet wherehouse to buy the same kit for a saving of about one quid for every hundred.
 
This is nothing new, and nothing to do with the internet. In the early 1980s I worked for a dealer that had stuff on display that we could demo, could repair on-site, and call a cab for customers without transport. Many people came in and auditioned stuff, then went to Comet wherehouse to buy the same kit for a saving of about one quid for every hundred.

That is sad indeed. Most of my kit is second hand, or ex-demo purchased on the basis of functionality and reviews, but I think I will be more likely to use dealers in future because the level I'm now purchasing at (i.e. what I would call 'high end' compared to the size of my wallet) makes a home demo vital, I think. I guess people could purchase of the internet and send stuff back if they don't like it, but that sounds like far too much hassle to me. Plus I like the idea of a dealer coming around to my place and making sure my speakers are located as good as possible, the sub is properly tuned, etc. - all things that are worth a lot of money compared to what can be achieved from spending on upgrades.
 
Its a shame. I bought my amp/cd player from them.
They gave me good service.

They were not in my high street, but I suspect the cost of rents/rates is what really killed them off.
My local high street is dead. Coffee shops and charity shops. Parking is super expensive £1.50 an hour and what has killed it off is the local council with their prohibitive rates/taxes and overzealous traffic wardens.
Its ALL about the £££££ for them.
Bluewater is only 20/25 minutes away , it offers me unrivalled choice, parking is free and they are pleased to see me, unlike my overpriced/empty high street. Guess where my Mrs goes to shop .
Whilst I get the internet hasn't helped retailers , it is quite clear that in the case of my high street the issue is the greedy & blinkered council.
Now they are selling off car parks and building offices/flats on them .
It is disgraceful and smacks of bent dealing as they give themselves planning permission where no one else would get it .
I am sick of local govt and is one of the reasons I want to move.
 
Remember when you go to a certain level of kit it's in store purchase only. Super Fi had many products what could only be bought in store.
 
I've bought the majority of my kit from AudioT. I've been rewarded as a loyal customer with regular discounts or free quality speaker cable. I'm also lucky in having a Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks within easy driving distance.

It's a shame the high street stores are closing and a lot of the blame does lie with local or central government. When my wife had her studio the business rates were a killer.
 
When comets closed down my local comet had to pay £5000 a month in business rates without the rent. Venture capitalist bought up much of the high street and jacked rents up and combined with parking charges or lack of parking and higher business rates it's hard for many of the stores to generate profit. Our local little shopping centre has been bought by the council and the shops are complaining about the rent increases the council brought in just after purchase.
 
I've bought the majority of my kit from AudioT. I've been rewarded as a loyal customer with regular discounts or free quality speaker cable. I'm also lucky in having a Richer Sounds and Sevenoaks within easy driving distance.

It's a shame the high street stores are closing and a lot of the blame does lie with local or central government. When my wife had her studio the business rates were a killer.
I buy mostly from Sevenoaks and Richer Sounds via their websites then go an pick the items up if they are available at my local stores. It helps that my local SSAV and RS are practically next door to each other and both have reasonable customer parking.
 
It's sad that most of the better HiFi shops are gone or going away. In the states near me many high-end audio shops are gone. If you're just buying average junk no big deal but for mid to high end stuff you really need to have a place to demo gear side-by-side, I feel. I don't think it's the internet that killed these shops, I think it more enthusiasm in car audio and less in home/studio gear however the internet does play in this outcome.
 
I work in London near Oxford Circus.
When I was looking to upgrade my HiFi, the chance to walk into a shop and view/demo was zero.
There are no proper HiFi shops left in this area. Even the flagship Yamaha shop in Soho only really stocks musical instruments.

At home , I always try and support local businesses , but it is becoming increasingly hard to do and I firmly believe local Govt is mostly responsible.

Central Govt also has a big part to play as many online retailers like amazon are domiciled overseas and pay little or no tax.

It needs to be a level playing field, but I guess thats a different discussion.
 
You are correct, most towns are like this now and it is down to the council rates and parking costs, the two things which would put off anyone from starting a business in a town.

I wonder if it would be better scrapping business tax for shoips in towns and instead charge them a local sales tax of some sort, at least that would reflect in their success or otherwise?
 
Sounds like a sensible alternative. Local tax based on profits.
 

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