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Audio Advice, Inc.

4.5(
14
)
Electrical for Home Addition or Remodel - Install, Electrical for Home Addition, Electrical Wiring or Panel Upgrade,

About us

Audio Advice, with locations in Raleigh and Charlotte, is the premier home entertainment provider and systems integrator in North Carolina and was named Best Specialty A/V Retailer in the United States by TWICE Magazine. We’ve won the Metro Bravo award for best place to buy a home media system every time since the creation of this prestigious Triangle area award. Since 1978 we have served our clients as both a retailer and custom systems installer. Over the years, we have continually expanded product offerings and services as the home entertainment industry has changed. Audio Advice has grown from stereo retailing to providing home theater, home contol, high performance audio, shading, and lighting control. Home security and computer networking are also part of our wide range of installation and integration services. The level of performance we provide for our retail, homeowner, and builder partners has earned us a reputation second to none. We are committed to good corporate citizenship, with an emphasis on energy conservation and environmental responsibility in our work. We have won more local and national awards than any other provider in the Carolinas. Our mission is to deliver unparalleled experiences and solutions to our customer every single day. If you are interested in how Audio Advice products and services can enhance your home and your life, please check here about how to work with us. Our History- Audio Advice turned 34 years old in 2012. Here is a brief overview of some of our changes and a look at where we are now for our long time friends and first time visitors. A Service Emphasis- For 34 years Audio Advice has served our clients as both a retailer and custom systems installer. Leon Shaw founded Audio Advice in 1978, and grew the company to be renowned in the Carolinas for high performance audio. His passion for great sound and video has fueled our growth as the leading provider of home entertainment systems in the Carolinas and gained access to the finest products and brands worldwide. From the beginning, Leon’s focus on customer service has set Audio Advice apart. Today as Chairman of the Board, Leon continues to place a top priority on great customer service, and has learned techniques from a variety of sources. He attended the Walt Disney School of Customer Service twice, each time bringing back ideas to help improve customer relations. “It can be as simple as bringing a lunch to a client at their home],” he says. Or it can be something more complex, and even more remarkable to the customer. “We had a client whose system went down during a lightning storm with guests at his house,” recalls Leon. “We were able to dial into his system while we were on the phone with him and correct the problem instantly.” A Systems Approach Adding additional expertise is Leon’s partner, Scott Newnam, company President and CEO. Prior to joining Audio Advice, Scott was CEO of a multi-million dollar software company that sold interactive technology to television networks and cable and satellite companies. His company won an Emmy Award for their technology work on DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket. With a Harvard Business School background and experience leading his own software company, Scott brought Audio Advice unmatched experience in system building and delivery. A passionate consumer himself of home entertainment and home automation systems, Scott has led the Audio Advice initiative in designing and delivering music distribution and home automation systems. Our most notable development is our flagship Signature Series home automation system. It’s designed to be the best of its kind and has been featured in numerous publications. Scott started focus groups to learn exactly what people wanted in a home control system. Every single new version of our Signature Series goes through hundreds of hours of beta testing by Scott in his own home to make sure its perfect before w...

Business highlights

Emergency services offered
47 years of experience

Services we offer

Home theater design, home theater installation, home theater sales, home theater service, outdoor sound system, surround sound system design, surround sound system installation, universal remote control system, whole home entertainment & home entertainment equipment sales.

Amenities

Emergency Services

Yes

Free Estimates

Yes

Accepted Payment Methods

  • CreditCard
Reviews
4.514 Reviews
Write a review
Number of StarsImage of DistributionNumber of Ratings
5
86%
4
0%
3
0%
2
7%
1
7%
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Showing 1-14 of 14 reviews
David K.
Aug 2024
1.0
$31,000
I hired audio advice in 2/2024. I paid over 30K for a job to connect existing home theater, existing speakers and internet network. Price is outrageous especially at that price point when you ask them to make the job right, they come back and ask for more money. I wished I have done my homework and hired another reasonable company that stands behind their work. I would never hire them again for the price mark and quality of work done.
Kenneth T.
Jul 2023
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
Chris and Anthony installed a Dual turntable for me yesterday. They were friendly, polite, and very competent and professional. The turntable is working as expected, and they provided helpful information on how I could add an additional turntable to my stereo system in the future, In short, they did an excellent job, and I enjoyed their company very much.
M S.
Jun 2017
3.0
$6,000
Audio Advice, Pineville. They came the next day to review specs and offered a quote the following day. They were the most expensive. Their rep looked in the attic and told me speakers could not be placed in the ceiling. They didn’t carry some components that I wanted…so I would have to purchase those on my own. They were the most expensive (over 2 times Carolina Custom Mounts price) and had the longest lead-time. . . over 3 weeks.
Kelly C.
Jun 2017
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
It was free. ?They?ve been to our house probably 15 times.
Kelly C.
Jun 2017
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
We didn’t pay it, insurance paid it. We didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket.
Shane S.
May 2016
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
unknown
David R.
Sep 2013
2.0
$6,000
Obviously they are not interested in small purchases.
John C.
Nov 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$5,000
Looked like the house had been affected by an indirect lightning strike; insurance called and told me to obtain estimates: many components were damaged including a 55and quot; flat screen TV. Visited Audio Advice and they took it from there.Coordinated the purchase of the new TV, Dusty called me to set and appointment, technicians Steve and Mike arrived at exactly that time, brought in the new TV in the box, uncrated and installed, and began the hook up. Next they were able to diagnose further problems with other components including my receiver, converting equipment, and even the DVR cable box, which incidently they could replace as well since they have a relationship with Time Warner. They even had a new battery for my remote. It was perfect. And except for all the time it took the two guys this would have been ideal. After a point I was even able to leave them in the house alone to take care of an appointment I had. Both guys seemed to know their stuff. They explained it all to me step by step. They were used to dealing with homeowners, new construction as well (they put booties over their shoes before they entered the house), and I always felt that they were competent. Since their visit everything is working great again - actually better than before and my closet looks 100% better as the wires are all tie wrapped and off the floor. Cant say enough good things about them. I believe they are out of the Charlotte office not South Park, since that is where I went initially for consultation.
Johnny T.
Jun 2012
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$13,000
I entered the Audio Advice store interested in a quality Home Entertainment System for my family. I was confused about what type equipment to purchase. I had been researching the internet but all the articles or ideas seemed to be confusing, maybe lets say slanted to me. I sat down with Dustin Clemens and began to discuss the information I had gleamed from the articles I had read. I dicussed with him the ideas of what I thought I was interested in. Dustin shared with me the FACTS about Home Entertainment Systems. I knew at this point what I thought I understood was far from resolute. Dustin took the time too show and discuss what products would meet my needs. Dustin took the time to lead me through the process, alot of Qand A to direct me to the products that would meet my expectations. Thank you Dustin for your patience. I made the decision to follow Dustin's advice. I am glad I went to the professionals. I purchased the new Home Entertainment System, then scheduled the install. On installation day I met two more professionals from the Audio Advice Team, Steve Walker and Mike Patton. They arrived at my house early to do the install, EARLY?? These gentlemen were meticulous about their work. What a breath of fresh air these days!!!! They completed my system install as promised, my satisfaction was of utmost importance to them. The reult was an organized, clean professinnal install that I could not be more pleased with. I would recommend that if your searching for a new or upgrade to your current Entertainment System that you begin here at Audio Advice in Pineville NC. They will save you a huge amount of wasted time and confusion in the pursuit of your Home Entertainment needs. Thanks Guys!!! Iand quot;LL BE BACK..
Satisfied Customer
VHRIS L.
Sep 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,500
It was a very professional and pleasant experience from start to finish. .I had done alot of research and gotten 5 proposals from professional installers before I talked with Mark Kess at Audio Advice/Zobo TV. Mark clearly listened and understood our wants/needs and then scheduled a home visit during which he took the time to throughly understand the challenges and constraints of our space. He then presented a detailed proposal that fullfilled all our wants/needs and maximized the cost/benefit ratio. While we received several very good proposals, Mark's depth of knowledge, integrity, availability clearly stood out. He also checked in during the installation process( the installation team was first-rate in every respect). Then after giving us a week or so to live with it, Mark came back to answer any questions and do a final 'tweak' of the systems. We could not be happier with Audio Advice/Zobo Tv's work, and I recommend them without reservation.
Craig F.
Sep 2011
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$500
They did a great job. The technician was an expert. He was thoughtful and on time. The salespeople tried to fuss with me for some more money, which I didn't appreciate. They are high on the prices, but you get what you pay for.
GARY L.
Jul 2011
1.0
See the services performed section - but overall this was a waste of time. Luckily no money was lost.
SHOHN B.
May 2011
1.0
We visited the local showroom for Audio Advice in Pineville to view their selection and to investigate different options that may be available to use in our living room renovation project. We were expecting to review our budget, the layout consideration for the room, what we would like to accomplish and general recommendations for options available. What we received was the representative spending the majority of his time attempting the undermine the integrity of another installing company, whom he admittedly wasn't familiar with, and making unprofessional degrading remarks concerning their equipment recommendations. It is important to note that some of the equipment referred to as "garbage" was in fact manufactured by a company under the umbrella of one of Audio Advice's subsidiaries. When asked to quantify why one speaker system was better quality than another, he simply repeated ly indicated that the speakers they offered were superior and others weren't worth having. There was no useful information to take away for comparison purposes. After demeaning the other installer for not having a showroom, the demonstration we requested was incorrectly configured and unimpressive. My wife and I are both technical people who want to understand details of our investments. We probably could have been persuaded to purchase a more expensive system if we had it explained to us and we deemed it would provide a better quality system. However, in this case, both of us felt our time was wasted and that the attitude of the floor representative was not informative at all and a bit condescending. All of these places may not be the same, but I would not waste my time returning to this location.
David H.
Jul 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$17,000
From start to finish, it was a pleasure working with the team at ZoboTV. Their salesperson came to my home to look at the space prior to giving us a quote. The quote was clear and fairly priced. The pricing on equipment was comparable to what I could buy it for direct on the Internet. Installation was completed in one day and the system has worked great since. Over the last 9 months or so, I've received several e-mails from my salesperson asking how the system was working. The few times I've called with questions they've been very helpful and eager to provide information. If you're looking to install a home theater system, you won't go wrong with ZoboTV.
David H.
Jan 2010
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$18,000
I couldn't be happier with the team at ZoboTV. Before making a purchase decision, I met with just about every high-end audio visual company in the Charlotte area. My initial contact was with Kyle in their Pineville showroom. Their Pineville facility provides an excellent introduction to their various systems and the capabilities the company can offer its customers. I first visited the showroom about three months before making a purchase decision. I found Kyle to be helpful but not pushy during the sales process. Zobo does represent certain brands of equipment but it's easy to search online to compare their recommendations in terms of both quality and price. Their showroom also displays various brands of home theater seating. Since I was also in need of seats for my room, this was helpful as well since few furniture retailers actually display any home theater seating in their showrooms these days. During the sales process Kyle visited my home to walk through the unfinished theater room and advise me on what type of system he recommended. Before recommendations were provided, Kyle made sure he knew what I expected from the system they would install. When Kyle made his recommendations for electronics and home theater seating, he did not try to sell me the most expensive system I could afford or would be willing to purchase. His recommendations actually cost me less than I was willing to spend. When I asked him about more expensive equipment, he said spending more wouldn't be worth the money in the long run. Before selecting Zobo, I asked Kyle for several references which he quickly provided. I called all the references and heard nothing but praise for the company. I also compared pricing online for the recommended components and found that Zobo's prices were consistent with the MSRP in all cases. No huge markups at all. While I may have been able to source individual components a bit cheaper, the difference was not worth my time and effort to do that. Purchasing all of the items through Zobo also ensured they would support any warranty or technical questions I might have later. I scheduled the install about two weeks in advance, as Zobo needed to order and receive the equipment first. The install was for a fairly compex system, but they finished in only a day. The installers were great. Very efficient, made little mess, and they cleaned up the work space competely when they left. They also put paper covers on their shoes before they walked in my house. The installer came back about a week after the install to calibrate the equipment after I had broken in the speakers a bit. When he came back, he also took the time to answer all the questions I had on the system. Since the install, I've called Zobo a few times with questions and they were always very helpful. Kyle has also communicated with me to make sure I was happy with the system. Spending $18,000 on a home theater system was not a decision I took lightly. I'm very happy I went with Zobo and I'd recommend them to anyone.
AMY O.
Oct 2008
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$150
Some issues - but they went over and above to correct them.
Frank R.
Oct 2007
2.0
$1,600
Not what well. We decided to buy ONLY a plasma TV due to the fact someone had obtained a gift certificate toward Zobo that we did not want to loose. They install only one specific entertainment system using their Pioneer brand sound system an dif you have existing equipment you would like to integrate they will not help. However, they are not forthcoming in telling you this until they exhaust you either.
Response from Audio Advice, Inc.
"Zobo was a company whose assets we acquired some years ago. Many experiences like this were what led to their downfall. We don't operate this way as a company and would welcome the opportunity to provide you with proper support."
MARY R.
Sep 2007
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$11,000
Zobo TV came to my home before moving and disconnected all the electronic and home theater equipment and personally transported it to my new home where they totally set up my Family Room, Basement Home Theater Room and Master Bedroom with Hi-teck electronics and televisions. I wanted everything "IDIOT" proof so when I hit a button everything I want the system to do responds. They did that and more. I can't say enough about the installers, or my sales person Nick. They bent over backward to make sure everything was attended to and that I was happy (even after I had to change the install and disconnect appointment four times).
LEE Y.
Jun 2006
5.0
Yes, I recommend this pro
$8,000
Technicians were quick, clean, vacuumed before they left, showed us how everything worked. Did a great job and better pricing than any in the area and beyond.

Licensing

State Contractor License Requirements

All statements concerning insurance, licenses, and bonds are informational only, and are self-reported. Since insurance, licenses and bonds can expire and can be cancelled, homeowners should always check such information for themselves. To find more licensing information for your state, visit our Find Licensing Requirements page.

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FAQ

Audio Advice, Inc. is currently rated 4.5 overall out of 5.

Audio Advice, Inc. accepts the following forms of payment: CreditCard

Yes, Audio Advice, Inc. offers free project estimates.

No, Audio Advice, Inc. does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.

No, Audio Advice, Inc. does not offer a senior discount.

Yes, Audio Advice, Inc. offers emergency services.

No, Audio Advice, Inc. does not offer warranties.