This is my issue with Maplin. As you say, they chiefly seem tobe sellers of cheap disco gear and computer parts these days - none of which interest me. What happened to the great audio kits you used to be able to buy?!
It's funny how you progress though. I remember discovering Tandy as a child and thinking it was a wonderful place, until I got more into electronics in-depth, and so moved on to Maplin. Then I discovered that RS and Farnell had much wider ranges and were cheaper, although it took a while before they'd sell to the general public.