I've known Soundings since 1986, and I have bought four or five systems. I know them on an intimate basis. I don't think they advertise enough, and if they could find good marketing resources, I think that would improve their communication with potential customers.
Having bought many systems from Soundings, I can tell that they are very knowledgeable about the products that they carry, as well as the competitions' products. I think that they offer tremendous value, both in product and in service, and by service I mean their ability to communicate what their products are capable of, including what setup and peripherals do to maximize the audio/video experience. I've also found them very helpful in their technological expertise and customer support aspects. If you don't know how to do something, they can help you make it work, and make it work better than you could imagine.
I also appreciated the way they welcome people into their store, people like me, who just come in to utilize their facilities to experience their equipment, even though I may not be buying that day. They let you come in, hang out, and don't pressure you into buying anything. They answer all your questions well. I have a lot of confidence in what I buy from them, be it products or service, and I know that it will work, and work extremely well.
I've recommended Soundings to many people that have since bought from them as well. I have no hesitation in recommending them at all. I live in Raleigh, North Carolina now, and I wish they were here!
The other thing I like about them is that they're very interested in learning what music the customer likes to listen to so that they can match certain equipment and really maximize the experience at any price. They're not snobs. They sell very high-end equipment, and they also sell very reasonably priced equipment, and stuff in the middle-range. I never fell bad about buying a less expensive piece from them. They are very able to work in the customer's comfort zone and still provide a match to all the gear so that the customer gets a really good experience. That's what I mean by value! If you have a budget, and still want a good audio/video experience, they can do that, and I don't think many other places even know how to do that! They will also tell you not to buy something, even if it's more expensive, if it's not the best way to go. They will give you really good advice, so you can feel comfortable that you've made a good choice.
The other thing that they'll do is that they'll come to the your house and analyze the space you want to put the equipment in. I thought it was nice that they make an informed recommendation that fits the acoustical potential of the room. It's really incredible how they find a way to locate the speakers, what kind of equipment to use where, and all that kind of stuff, and whatever price range you're working at, you can still get a quality experience. I have a moderately priced system and I love it!
The last system I bought from them I decided to setup myself. My wife couldn't appreciate the quality of the sound, and she wanted me to stop spending money on stuff like that. I called Rod from Soundings and he came over and reset the location of the speakers and did whatever he does to fix it. I came home the next day and my wife had the system on and was listening to it because it sounded so good! That's their know how, not just about the product, but how it fits the environment of the room. They understand how it all works. Rod is a genius when it comest to setting up a system to maximize the acoustic potential of the room.
When we decided to move from Denver, Colorado to Raleigh, North Carolina, Rod's guys packaged up the system for us in the original boxes and sealed them up for the moved across the country. He later sent Shankar out to my house in Raleigh to set up everything. That is incredible! I was very grateful for that, and I thought he was very reasonable and fair on the price.
Gene Bressler
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