About us
Audio Expert is a small business based in Clearwater, Florida that specializes in automotive stereo, security, and video systems. We take pride is offering customized solutions to suit your needs and desires. We can take of anything from basic repairs to full system upgrades. We appreciate your business and will always provide the best service possible.
Business highlights
Services we offer
Car Stereo, Video, Security, Accessories, Custom & Standard Installation, Wiring Services
Amenities
Emergency Services
Yes
Free Estimates
Yes
Warranties
Yes
Accepted Payment Methods
- American Express
- Visa
- Discover
- MasterCard
Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
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Filter reviews by service
I contacted Luke last Friday, the 21st, and he scheduled us for the following Monday, today. Our car radio was stuck on LOUD! Luke was polite and professional on the phone, he knew exactly what our problem was. He told us the base price for the radio and labor depending on the type of radio we chose. The phone Luke was the same in person, we were greeted warmly and professionally. He showed us our options, asked for features we wanted, and told us that the least expensive Sony would do everything just fine! The entire job was done in less than two hours, and we are VERY happy! 1 yr. warranty on the radio and lifetime on the labor. Once again, Angie's List came through!!
I decided to visit Audio Expert because of the 100% positive reviews on Angie's List and from other sources. About 2 weeks before the actual installation I took my car, a Nissan 370Z, down to the shop and met Luke, the owner. He was very helpful and listened carefully to the needs I expressed for a new system. I listen to a wide variety of music and the factory installed Bose system did not sufficiently carry the mid range or bass that I like. I wanted a system that was Bluetooth enabled to sync with my iPad and iPod, as I use those more now for music than I do radio or compact discs. I also wanted good sub bass sound and the factory system in the car did not have a sub woofer. However, the space in my car is very limited and therefore the setup had to maximize my sound while minimizing the component footprint to preserve what little cargo area I have.
After listening and looking at my car, Luke recommended ARC Audio speakers, amplifier and two 8-inch sub woofers, with a Sony touchscreen head unit. He gave me a quote for the system and we talked about various options. Having never heard of ARC Audio before, I went home to do some research. I subsequently sent a couple of follow-up emails to Luke asking some questions about the component specifications. He promptly responded (within a day) to each of my emails and gave me detailed information, including links to the specifications for each component so that I could look at them, search customer reviews, etc. Customer reviews of the ARC Audio products were overall exceptional.
Luke advised that the installation would take approximately 2 days, because in addition to removing and replacing the old system, he had to install a dashboard kit, the housing for the amp and sub woofers and better sound insulation in the doors and cargo areas. He also graciously offered to be flexible on times for drop-off and pick-up because of my work schedule and drive distance (I live about an hour and a half away from his shop).
I dropped my car off at Audio Expert in the evening after work on Wednesday, June 5th and arranged for pickup on Saturday, June 8th. When I arrived the car was done and the system tested. The installation was extremely well-done - the dash kit looks like a seamless fit and the housing Luke built for the amp and sub woofers fit in perfectly with the color and carpeting in the cargo area. Luke took time to show me the basics of the Sony head unit, although it has many functions that I'm sure it will take me a long time to learn. I tested the system using a wide variety of music from my iPad. The Bluetooth syncing worked perfectly. Every piece of music -- from alternative metal, to classical, to A Capella vocals, to electronic, to roots country, to medieval chant -- played clearly and beautifully. I also tested the sound using system test tracks from Bass Mekanik. Even at very high volume with the sub output turned up there was very little noise - just some very minimal rattle of the plastic pieces of the car itself. During silent spots in the music there was no hissing or popping that sometimes occurs with speakers.
I know I am going to enjoy my new system. The improvement over what I had is amazing. I would go to Audio Expert again, and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great customer experience.
I joined Angie's List and found Audio Expert in Clearwater. After a visit to the shop, Luke explained the available options and I chose to update the speakers with a component system of woofers and separate tweeters in the front. I had hoped to keep the original radio and add iPod control to it. Luke gave me a quote and I made an appointment.
Over the next few days I thought through what I'd planned to do and decided that it would more sense to replace the radio with a new one that could control my iPod if such a radio existed. I discussed this with Luke and he made a recommendation of a Sony radio that had built-in iPod controls but wouldn't support my ancient iPod. I decided to have him install the speakers and that Sony radio and buy a new iPod Nano that the radio would support. I chose this route as my iPod was already 7 years old and was not supported by current radios.
Luke did the installation on time and as quoted. When I picked up the car he gave me a thorough explanation of the operation of the radio and returned the original speakers and radio so I could put them back in the Highlander when I sell it.
The installation was flawless and the sound is far better than I had expected - it just blows me away. The more I listen the more I love it. We discussed future upgrades of an external amplifier and subwoofer but I doubt I'll ever find that necessary - it sounds that good.
Luke is the kind of craftsman I enjoy working with. He knows his products inside and out. He listened, asked probing questions about my needs and wasn't the least bit frazzled when I changed the plan in midstream. He never tried to up-sell me. His prices are fair and his workmanship is excellent. Highly recommended!
Licensing
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