By Clay Hankins
We often get asked if we have a preference on the products we recommend.
Well, the short answer to that is no.
If we represent a product, we already like it. However, unlike traditional retail stores that can only carry so many brands, custom home theater stores can offer a larger variety of products to choose from.
Generally, we try to recommend the right equipment for a specific budget or need. Some speakers are better suited for the home theater experience while others are better suited for stereo music listening.
Some surround sound receivers are better equipped for certain applications as well. So, based on the clients’ listening preferences, the room acoustics, and the overall budget, we make our recommendations.
Also, given the pace at which technology changes, we work very hard to recommend equipment that won’t be outdated in a few months. We want our clients to be informed so we try to offer a few choices based on the answers to some of our questions.
The second element of how we pick a manufacturer is reliability. We choose the manufacturers because of the durability of their product, and also because they stand behind their product if something doesn’t work properly.
You don’t want a product that doesn’t work right, and we don’t want to have to come back several times to get a product to work right that should have worked right in the first place. However, sometimes things do break so we pick manufacturers that stand behind their product.
Third, we pick manufacturers that offer up to date training on their products. We want to be sure that we are informed so that we pick right piece of equipment for the job and that we are knowledgeable in setting it up to get the most out of the product.
Finally, we try to pick manufacturers that make products that easily integrate with other products. What does that mean to you? Ease of use. You won’t use your home theater if it’s too difficult to operate so we try to utilize equipment that "plays well in the sandbox", so to speak. We want your home theater experience to be a relaxing, enjoyable one, not a source of frustration.
-Clay Hankins is the CEO of The Audio Guy, LLC located in the Dallas, TX area and serving the Dallas Home Theater and surrounding area markets.
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