Simple enough – I want to buy a subwoofer. Don't want to blow the doors into the garden, just need to give my venerable hifi a little oomph. Can't pay hundreds, but don't want a boom box better suited to the back of a tarted up Corsa. Richer Sounds seem to get a half decent shout on here. Can I get any sense out of them? Can I heck. 2 visits, umpteen options from 69 to 600 pounds.
Any suggestions where else to try for sensible advice?

Exackly!

NOT RICHER SOUNDS

The staff earn peanuts as a basic wage and build up their wage on commission from stuff they sell. Some items carry ZERO commission whilst other items have a fair bit

I wonder what you'd try to sell more of….

My mate is an assistant manager in one. He started off trying to do the right thing until he saw his colleagues wage packets at the end of the week….

search forums and do the rounds of review sites then make up your own mind or try to listen to some but in my opinion, if you need one with "normal" hi fi speakers (as opposed to satalite / sub systems) then change your speakers or even upgrade the speaker cable or amp.

I am running some AVI bookshelf speakers with an old Audiolab amp and added an Audiolab pre amp, it rocks now! just by adding more POWER.

Find a decent local shop that will let you dem them.

If RS let you take stuff back then try a few there – it'll be very room/system dependant

I have to say richer sounds for me, just talk to the manager and all should be OK.

Have just spent over a grand with them in the last month and am happy about it.

Integrating a sub properly into a music setup is a PITA, even with a very good sub. As suggested you really would need to try it in room. I'd always suggest better speakers rather than adding a sub. Sorry, just reread your post. If you can't spend much, you're wasting your time with a sub since you will only get nasty one note bass. Definitely get better speakers. You can pick up some really nice ones s/h.

Running Ruark speakers via monster cable from a Rotel amp. Recently moved house and I've lost some bass. Only needs a little extra help, so I'm not going to buy a preamp. Any other suggestions?

Find a second hand REL sub for peanuts?
Very controllable, easy to integrate in to a system (relative), self powered so no need for extra kit, win win!

A Q100 can be found for less than £100.

Cheers.

Move speakers closer to the wall behind them, and closer to the corners of the room. If you've got any solid walls in the room, use them in preference. Experiment with moving the furniture around, rug on the floor between the speakers etc.

Which Ruarks are they? Had some prototype Talismans for a while, they were good. If yours are ported, you could try stuffing the ports to see if you prefer them that way.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The speakers are swordsman, really nice kit. I've filled the stands with sand and tried moving them from up against the wall to a foot away, and taken the spikes off the stands. Good bass at higher volume, but the treble is then too bright. I give up.

If you're near Plymouth, try ETS in the new centre
mate of mine works in there and couldn't give a toss about commission if he can speak about hifi all day, playing around in the demo rooms and generally avoiding white goods

is the room a different size and shape, it all makes a difference.

I decorated the front room a while ago and my Mission 761 sound so much different, I would say warmer.

If you have confidence in your kit, try the room