You probably already gathered this… but… school’s in! Now, you’d probably think this wouldn’t even register on our radar. I mean, we’re a hi-fi retailer. What do we know about school? Well seeing as most of us here are parents ourselves, and have been students in the past too, we understand how important kicking back, relaxing and (mostly importantly!) treating yourself at this traditionally stressful time can be!
… but don’t worry, even if you don’t have kids and you aren’t a student, this still applies!
So, let’s start from the top.
Unwinding After the School Run
Getting back into the routine of getting the kids to and from school (and yourself to and from work!) is surprisingly stressful. Having something as simple yet as effective as a sound system primed and ready to get you back in the right state is key to your survival (well, your hair’s survival!) in those tricky first few weeks. This might sound like a ploy – but it’s actually a pretty common fact that music has a direct effect on your mood. The better quality the sound, the more the sound affects you. A warm, lush high-fidelity sound system can envelope the senses and carry you off in a way that a sub-standard system never could.
… it might well help chill the kiddies out a bit too!
There are far too many things to actually recommend here, so I suggest you peruse our clearance section for some ideas. This is typically an expensive time of the year for everyone, so making your money stretch is essential… but so is treating yourself! Bargains are where it’s at, and there are plenty to be had here before they run out at the end of the month.
Off To Uni!
The benefits of high-fidelity sound stretch beyond the needs of parents, and for the need to relax. Students have long been exercising the benefits of listening to music to help them get that all important grade. Classical is typically the genre that has been known to improve academic ability, and ambient music is amazing for focus (and for helping make the time fly!). Of course, university isn’t all about the graft. Having music on while you’re relaxing (or even rocking out!) with friends is a must.
And luckily for you, we have some bits and bobs in at student friendly prices too! Have a good dig around in our student bargain bin to see what goodies you can spend your loan on (don’t worry, it won’t make too big a dent!) and, if you really want to impress your friends, here is a package that will blow you away, without blowing your budget: Pro-Ject Elemental USB + Yamaha NX-50. This is a mini vinyl hi-fi system which is pretty much plu-in-and-play. The amplifed speakers sound amazing and the player may be cheap to buy, but it’s not cheap to listen to. And that’s not because of all the vinyl you’ll be wanting to buy.
Yeah. Best get a part time job, eh?
New School Kit
No, we haven’t branched out into the school uniform market, and we probably never will. But in amongst the craziness of buying all the stuff kids need to get prepped and ready for their first day (school clothes, PE kit, stationary, new shoes… the list goes on!) it becomes all too easy to neglect yourself. In fact, most folk don’t even begin to consider treating themselves again until it’s nearly Christmas, and by then you’re too busy blowing your budget on their Christmas list!
This is something we would like to address. And on 0% finance it’s pretty easily done, without feeling too much of a sting. There are some pretty fantastic ‘treat’ packages available that will help you feel a bit better about yourself (and your finances!) even at this rather costly time of year!
We are particularly big fans of our KEF R packages at the moment. We’ve paired the R100 Rosewood with the sublime Quad Vena (an integrated amplifier with built in bluetooth for that all-important streaming capability!) and the R300 with the Cyrus 6DAC (an integrated amp meets a high-end DAC) to give you an idea, but there are plenty of other 0% finance options out there too. The kids get new kit, and so do you!
Don’t Have Kids?
Don’t panic! Kids aren’t the be all and end all. If you haven’t got any yourself, you’ll need something to drown out the sound of them walking to and from school and generally being kids (somehow they’re loader during term time – am I right?) well thankfully, you can now immerse yourself in your own gloriously kid-fee world with some excellent value headphones.
If you like your cans on ear, try this selection on for size. Comfortable and perfect for on the go! However if you want to drown out the sounds of the school run while you’re on the road, this portable selection will see you right. If you want the absolute crème de la crème, may we recommend the amazing Yamaha EPH 100? We are now the UK’s only retailer of these multi-award winning beauties and can give you a 2 year warranty on them too. However they are popular, and now we have the last of the stocks, they’re flying out faster than we can count them!
Our point is, as lovely as this time of year is, it doesn’t have to be all about the kids. Believe us – treating yourself and keeping yourself happy is just as important as keeping the kids happy. We’d go as far as to say it’s essential! Got any questions? Then give us a shout. We’re happy to discuss all of the above, and a heck of a lot more!