Loud & Clear Scotland

We’ve used Loud & Clear a fair few times over the last year or so as we have been planning out a cinema room in our house, so this review is based on their advice and paid for services in relation to that. We are not yet at the stage where we have purchased any equipment from them.
You can kind of tell as soon as you walk in that this is high end shop, there’s not a lot of equipment on display in the front end of the shop and what is there is big and shiny and expensive looking! The staff are very friendly and happy to chat if you just pop in, but if you need some detailed help I advise phoning in advance and arranging an appointment.
They have demo rooms at the back of the store, so you can see and hear some of the equipment, which is clearly very useful. They do stock certain brands though, so clearly they will try their best to make these fit your requirments but I think most places would be the same as they can’t stock and be experts on every single speaker manufacturer.
We used them to create a bespoke wiring diagram for our cinema room, which they did for a fee, and we were happy with. The only slight niggle is that there was no height specified for the wall speakers and on a follow up call the advice they gave didn’t seem to make sense given the dimensions of the room. It turns out it was a mix up (they were looking at the wrong drawings as the original person who helped us has sadly left the business) but we did get an answer in the end.
They offer a full fit out service which includes set up and teaching you how to use the system, if like me you would need that! A really good Glasgow business.

This review has a pretty big caveat — what you think of this shop its wholly dependent on how much money you’re prepared to spend on hifi equipment. Let’s be honest, the really good stuff on sale is eye-​wateringly expensive; some stuff costs the same price as a second hand small car, some of it costs as much as all of the cars I’ve ever owned combined. If you think this is truly excessive, then it’s probably not worth it. Having said that, if you fancy getting yourself a Sonos wifi speaker they do them, and the cheapest one is £160.
What this high-​end stuff gets you though is an exceptional level of service. Knowledgeable, friendly and relaxed, I was able to spend a decent amount of time in the place, talking through what I was considering, discussing the strengths and weaknesses of different options, and talking about what I currently own without being patronised or feeling like I needed to be rushed out the shop. Once we had narrowed into my potential new system they didn’t have a problem setting it up in the demo room (really nice, purposefully a good place to spend some time and listen to music) so I could give it a go, and I was given a respectful time on my own to pick my own songs and give it a testing.
The second caveat here is I didn’t actually buy anything at this visit, as I had a few other things to try out, and now need to save a little more (it easy to get carried away and convince yourself to hit the upper end of your budget!). I get the feeling that the level of service will be maintained if you do get a system, as it appears that they will spend a lot of time getting it all set up for your needs. The experience at this visit did make me feel like I would consider using them for whatever I decide to get, they were very good indeed.
Some other wee things to note: they do servicing as well, so if you’ve taken a turntable out of the loft you can get it looked at for a pretty cheap price (£35 for the initial review, plus any additional costs and labour), and it looks like they do a number of different events and seminars that could be worth a visit if you’re that way inclined.
Looks like I’ll be doing a bit more saving, and I’ll hopefully be able to post an update soon if my dream hifi gets installed!

God I hate place, I will never forgive them…15 years or so ago my dad and I «popped» into this place for a browse. He loved to browse in HiFi shops with no intention of buying anything. Suffice to say that visit was no different, other than the staff were very accommodating and at their insistence took us into the pulp fiction-​esk cellar gimp room demo room for a listen. «What music do you like? Choose anything you like» they said… fine I said as I spotted a copy if tom waits’ mule variations which I felt I knew pretty well…
Within a few minutes my ears were being pummeled by High Fidelity drums, guitars and croaks my student ears were unaccustomed to, which was weird as Pink Floyd or Dire Straits this was not. By the time we were half way through, I was wiping off tom waits’ phlegm and had tears in my eyes. Partially due to the fact tom waits’ sounded more amazing than ever and also because the guy informed me that this particular set up would cost well over 50k and that just the speaker wire alone would cost more than a few years worth of rent… a few minutes before I’d made a pact that this would be my HiFi goal…
We left obviously buying nothing, but the feeling lingered, Tom on my pretty-​decent-​for-​a-​student-​loan Richer Sounds set up still sounded good, but not AMAZING… I’ve been chasing that sound ever since. After several visits and upgrades over the years and much parting of much £, I’m getting a tiny bit closer, but the nice (evil) folk at L&C have always been welcoming, knowledgeable and accommodating despite the fact I often appear to dress like a tramp out of one of Tom Waits’ songs… Some of the reviews have made comment about snobbery or elitism, but I’ve never encountered this in L&C, whereas I have in other HiFi places.

I got a turntable cartridge supplied and fitted in June which gave a humming noise through the speakers.
I contacted them about it expecting to get the rubber ear treatment. But no– they fitted an upgraded one free of charge with no quibble.
The noise was probably not their fault and was possibly to do with my set up, who knows. Anyway, I was happy with the outcome. I dealt with John who seemed pleasant and user-​friendly.
Bling-​tastic products in the shop– get down there when yer PPI claim comes through!

loud and clear is the sort of Hi-​Fi shop where you can start with a £1000 Hi-​Fi and progress to a £100.000 Hi-​Fi or home cinema.
in fact its the sort of place where you can get MTV cribbed with full home automation audio and video in every room with lighting control and the ability to close your curtains fill your bath and turn off your oven at a touch of a few buttons on your remote control
but don’t let this intimidate you when you go in the staff will happily let you look around without pestering you or give you great advice if you ask for it although when they are busy they can sometimes be a little distracted
loud and clear are one of the last remaining independent Hi-​Fi shops in Glasgow it shows why they are still here with solid advice and and some of the best kit around i hope they continue for years to come
so to sum up if you are looking for the best in Hi-​Fi home cinema or home automation or just solid advice this is a fantastic Glasgow shop to go to
highly recommended

I am starting this review off on a badfoot because I have a strong distast for snobbery and the pretentious individual that you will find in this shop. I do not know why some shops that sell things over a certain price need to make themselves feel that bit better than you. What annoyed me even more, when I went another time with my DJ friend to look at some equipment, at which point I was not dressed in lazy uni clothes, I was entertained with a hello and can I help you… and a what are you interested in?! Wow I was being spoiled today.
You actually can’t knock it for top of the range equipment, it is haven for some I can imagine, who dream of walking in and spend spend spend…

These guys are at the top end of the music equipment scale, the Mercedes Benz equivalent in all sound and vision type gear for those among us who desire to have there eyeballs caressed and there ear drums tickled by the most expensive and high tec of equipment.
Based in Finneston in a fair sized shop, they are one of these places that has all the gear and all the ideas. Just don’t expect to be welcomed if you look a bit scruffy or don’t arrive in a platinum plated Bentley, private jet, motorbike or horse… its a credit check afore ye get in kind of establishment.
However, despite its obvious appeal to the elite, its the kind of place where you can ask questions if need be. Any-​who, not for the likes of me, but if i win the lottery i may well have to pay then a visit.