Rayleigh Hi-Fi Sound & Vision Reviews 

I have used Rayleigh for more than 20 years and the best way I can describe them is "setting up your system as if it's their own". They have customised my Control 4, Arcam, B&W multi room system with care and precision. Recently they sold me a new Arcam AV41 and came by to reprogram the Control 4. Sods law something they didn't even touch (access to my Firestick) started playing up with endless USB Debugging messages (every time the C4 switched to it). Rob and Lewis went way beyond the limits of standard customer service and each day tried more fixes until they got the perfect solution. I am quite techy, but am totally convinced I would never ever of got there without their sterling help, advice and sheer determination to make me totally happy (even with things they did not provide !!)

This is my 6th Hi-Fi purchase over 35 years from Rayleigh Hifi and a repeat of all my previous experiences - absolutely first class! I met with Declan and gave him a budget and he put recommended a Rega Planer RS6, Rega Elex Amplifier and PMC Prodigy 5 speakers. However we tested on the day other competitor equipment to ensure I was 100% happy as everyone prefers their own sound. Needless to say I am 100% delighted. I would recommend Declan/Rayleigh Hifi to my family and friends.

Hadn’t purchased a hifi for years! Popped into the Rayleigh branch. They couldn’t have been more helpful. They went through many options with me. Arranged to go in the next week. When I arrived everything was set up ready for me to listen to. Ordered everything I needed and the next week they came to my home and installed it for me, even wall mounting my new beloved Rega turntable. Special thanks to Declan especially for listening to my sometimes questionable music choices!

Great service very professional

Trevor ordered some Rega spares and posted them to me. Rayleigh were the only Rega stockist who replied to my initial email and were prepared to do this. Highly recommended.

I can’t rate Rayleigh Hifi highly enough. I was looking to replace my aging speakers with something new and had a budget up to £2000.00 After an initial drop in to discuss my chosen list of 3, all of which were available we set up a date for demonstration. Our Salesman was Dec who has offered valuable advice last year when choosing a new amplifier. His unbiased and in depth knowledge of everything he was demonstrating coupled without any pressure to buy made the whole experience very enjoyable. After the demonstration he arranged and set up our final two pairs in our home helping us to come to a decision. We decided on the PMC Prodigy 5 and these were duly ordered and set up within less than a week. In this day and age this level of service is very hard to come by. Therefore both Dec in particular and Rayleigh Hifi deserve a glowing review. A fantastic shop with great products and great staff too.

rayleigh hi fi is my local shop, have visited the shop every week to see ray and declan to talk about records, music systems and televisions they pick out the best, what they have got in there shop, they make the shop what it is with passion enthusiasm and knowledge you could not get better people working tirelessly for me and there loyal customers thank you.

Another great experience buying from Rayleigh Hi-Fi (my last being in 2012!). The staff (Ray and Dec) were invaluable, spending considerable time with me, testing my old amp, then demonstrating how to get the best out of the replacement kit. Ray even popped around to my house on a Saturday morning to help with some cable management issues (a user error!). It's terrific to have a real shop to deal with rather than some less friendly online experience. Long may they continue to be the local Hi-Fi business in the area.

Declan understood the brief, he gave expert advice was patient and demonstrated all the options I was interested in, nothing was too much trouble. There was no pressure or hard sell which made the whole experience friendly, very relaxed and easy. My soundbar arrived the next morning and is amazing. Excellent service, great products and I would not hesitate to buy in store again, thoroughly recommended.

New to Rayleigh HI-Fi & very impressed with the initial contact. took time to listen to my needs & offered sound advice with no pressure to buy. Trevor was excellent in dealing with a novice in this field. Thank you.

I have been buying from Rayleigh Hi-Fi since the early 1990s and all my equipment (currently mostly from Naim) has been supplied by them. I have always found them to be friendly, well-informed and helpful, providing excellent advice when I wanted to update my system. In particular, Rob Goddard (Sales Director) deserves special praise for the excellent and courteous way in which he has installed my gear. I also appreciated how he has been able to liaise with Naim for me, on the rare occasions when this was necessary.

I recently purchased a turntable from Rayleigh Hi-Fi and was delighted with the service. I rang and spoke to Declan initially and straight away was impressed with his extensive knowledge and the time he took to explain everything. He arranged a time and date for a demo and I was able to compare turntables, cartridges, amps and speakers. There was no rush and Declan was very helpful, explaining the various options and upgrades. After purchasing the turntable and cartridge Declan came out and set up and installed it for me. I was impressed and delighted with the service throughout and have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone considering a new equipment purchase.

I have been a returning customer to the Chelmsford store for 25 years. Excellent service and knowledge of products with professional guidance throughout. Installation and follow through after sales always with great patience and making you feel a valued customer.

I have been a customer of Rayleigh Hi-fi for over 25 years. The time finally came to replace the Arcam Amp and CD they originally supplied and I found Ray and Declan very patient, explaining everything and spending hours with us trying out their kit. Service was superb.
They also replaced our TV, amp, DVD player and sub-woofer for the Audio-Visual system a couple of years ago and again the service was first class.

Great experience. The two young men that installed and tuned in our new TV were excellent. Answering our stupid questions and explaining everything. Can't recommend Rayleigh HiFi more.

Very helpful and attentive. Pleased with overall service, quality of advice and product

I have used RHF for many many years and never had a problem. Recently upgraded two rooms and very happy. Not only is Rob very knowledgeable, his install lads are very good indeed. I can now watch my team lose in UHD.

I recently updated my HiFi. I had heard good things about Rayleigh hifi, from a friend who has used them for years. I booked a demo, they asked me what I was looking to upgrade. On the day nothing was too much trouble for Ray who looked after me. A range of gear was suggested and listened to. I was there for nearly 5 hours! Ray at no time tried to pressure me into purchasing extra kit. A great experience. Ray came to my house and set up the system, he stayed for a couple of hours to make sure I was happy with the gear. I would recommend them, superb old fashioned service, friendly and very knowledgeable without using jargon. 10 out 10.

I know Rayleigh Hi Fi from the 80's and I'm still using their kit today. New year (25) so It was time to upgrade our old 1080 Samsung TV, for a beautiful Sony Bravia A95L complete with Sony 4k Blu-ray player. I'd like to thank Rob and the team at the Chelmsford branch for going out of their way in making this such a smooth transaction. I've got to the point in life where I get a bit twitchy around new gear. That problem was solved by having the team come to our home and setting every thing up, including all audio and Sky connections. Nothing for us to do other than enjoy this wonderful new viewing experience. Right from the start including the showroom demonstration we were made to feel at ease knowing we were dealing with professionals. Thanks for helping to breathe new life into my thousands of DVD's and collection of new Blu-ray discs. Thanks Again Rob & Team

Update - Sept 2026.
My previous review, experience and opinion have now changed after having subsequent contact with Rayleigh HiFi.
They have very much redeemed themselves and gone above and beyond to meet my new home cinema needs.
I had a home trail, as well as help with my older Rega Turntable. They are also delivering my new purchase to me at home and assisting in getting it set up.

Communication has been great and I have been kept up to date with my order etc.

So praise where praise is due as I was so quick to issue a damning report previously.

Customer service is often as much with how poor experiences are dealt with, as much as day to day encounters, and I can say that this has been dealt with impeccably.

Original Review (for context) - Dec 2024
I have been a customer of Rayleigh HiFi since the early 80s.
They had always given good advice, sold me what suited my needs and not what suited their sales. I have bought from the Rayleigh, Southend & Chelmsford stores over the years, and spent thousands, always with great support and service.

So, until recently, I've always had nothing but praise and recommendation for Rayleigh HiFi.... but my opinion was swiftly changed after a recent experience after expressing an interest in an ARCAM AVR21 as well as some front height speakers.

I tried for 3 months (this saga started in Sept 24) to get a demo, at the Chelmsford branch. A demo was booked 3 times and each time they cancelled. They gave what seemed a reasonable excuse at the time but it seems these were just delaying tactics. Then when attempting to rebook, just before Christmas, (I phoned the store) I was never called back (this happened twice).
So it's not like they didn't have a chance to put things right and all this was over a 3 month period, as stated, so I was being very patient and wanting to retain my long term loyalty to the store.

I subsequently gave up!!...

Eventually, I bought my ARCAM from a different HiFi retailer who allowed me a home demo (foc) so I could listen to the amp in my own environment. All this took 2 weeks.

Rayleigh HiFi you upset a long standing, loyal customer and, what's more, I feel so incensed and disappointed I had to leave this damming review.