When a home-theater-in-a-box just won't give you the high you're looking for anymore, and you are ready to take the plunge and invest in an entire system or search for choice components, the specialty AV retailer is the place to shop, especially if you aren't a do-it-yourselfer. Generally, specialty AV retailers will specialize mostly in audio and video, but some offer cameras, video cameras and other products.

Product Expertise and Personal Attention
While mass-merchant consumer electronics stores have their utility--they are great for first-time buyers, or for purchasing single, oftentimes low- to mid-priced components--they don't always provide a high level of service and product knowledge. A specialty AV retailer, on the other hand, provides this heightened level of service. Bill Anderson, owner of Genesis Audio in Irvine, California, explains: "Instead of being just a store, we offer a wide variety of services, such as initial consultation, in-home consultation and design consultation. We establish a lasting relationship with our clients." A specialty retailer can assist with something as simple as providing and helping you put together the components that will go in your system, to something as complicated as pre-wiring a new home theater and building it from the ground up. Rather than just selling black boxes, a specialty store will most likely guide you through the entire process of selecting a component, installing it and making sure that you're happy with it down the line. "Our staff understands that our job is to recognize the customer's needs and then provide for those needs, rather than simply selling the customer product," says Israel Halberstam of Audio House in Brooklyn.

In addition to providing more-complete service, a lot of specialty A/V retailers (especially the ones we interviewed) regard A/V as a favored pastime, not just a job. Dave Tovissi , vp of in-home services for Tweeter (headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts), says, "The advantages of shopping at Tweeter over a "big box," or even online are that we offer an assisted sales floor. You can get lost in a mass retailer, so if you're shopping there, you better do your own research. It's even more difficult to shop online, when there isn't anyone to help you in real time."

In fact, a lot of retailers' audio-video habit has evolved from a hobby, such as music. Of the seven specialty stores we looked at, four of them had former musicians on staff who had developed their penchant for A/V by trying to tweak A/V systems to the Platonic ideal of perfect audio.

Likewise, you'll find many specialty retailers who focus mainly on audio. Many folks want two-channel listening rooms instead of dedicated home theaters installed in their home, and that is a whole different ballgame. If you fall into this category, you need different equipment (two speakers instead of five), will probably want a separate amp and preamp instead of a receiver, and may even want a turntable to play all your LPs. Check with your retailer before you enlist their services to see if they have experience designing two-channel systems. Two great examples are Living Stereo in Manhattan and Optimal Enchantment in Santa Monica, California.

Another advantage of shopping at a specialty A/V retailer is that, instead of buying your A/V system based on reviews and word of mouth, "You're given the opportunity to have fun with, interact with, touch, feel, and hear the components," says Mike Hagg of Showcase Entertainment in Scottsdale, Arizona. "We blend home theater with decor and lifestyle, and try to do what we can as far as fulfilling the clients' needs and educating them on products they might want in their homes. We also want to make sure people are aware of their options--not just sell them this component or that." The ability to try out components and see how they interact with other components and the particulars of your room (i.e., room acoustics, lighting, dimensions) lets consumers make educated decisions.

"We can offer a breadth of information, whereby we can talk to clients about different disciplines of home theater like wholehouse music, lighting control, security, wiring, and vacuum. We're sort of bringing them up to date so that they can really use their system to its maximum performance," says Randy Wilson of Wilson Home Theater in Woodland Hills, California.

Not only is the employees knowledge at a specialty store important, but the personal attention you'll get is an added bonus. Michael Heusi of Audio Concepts in Houston, Texas, suggests that AV retailers offer more-personalized service and a greater level of expertise. More time is spent with the client, learning about their lifestyle.

Of course, it's also very important that you make sure the retailer you're thinking of using to design and implement your AV system is a good match for you. You want someone you feel comfortable with and can trust. If you feel uneasy about asking questions or intimidated by the custom installer's attitude, look elsewhere. Also, make sure the retailer offers the services you're seeking. Take, for example, interior design: If they don't offer it, they may have an independent contractor that they work with on an ongoing basis.

Demo Gear in a Room Environment
Probably the most pleasurable part of shopping at a specialty A/V retailer is the showroom experience. This is where the little devil on your right shoulder tells you, "The road of excess leads to wisdom." Whether you choose to listen to him or not is up to you, but you'll have an interesting experience regardless. Each showroom has its own unique characteristics.

You'll find that most showrooms have several different rooms with different types of systems--from low-budget to higher-end to projection systems to plasma TV setups. A tour of a showroom offers you a very hands-on experience. Israel Halberstam explains, "Our showroom is set up so that the client can touch, feel, and see how the equipment operates within different budgets. We have a dining room, a living room, a bar, and a patio. So the client can sit around, relax, talk, and see how all of this technology lays out within a house. Rather than being confronted by a whole wall of individual sets of speakers or equipment, the client is confronted with a smart house with a high level of capability. They can see what fits their budget."

If you want to see how gear is going to perform in your home, specialty AV retailers often have vignettes that mimic the conditions of a home environment.

Tovissi adds, "At a Comp USA or a Circuit City, you aren't going to have complete systems compiled for you, you're going to have the receivers in one area of the store, the plasma displays in another part of the store, the entertainment PC somewhere else altogether. We demo the system together, as you will experience it in your home. And of course, with online shopping, you don't have the opportunity to demo anything."

Be prepared for a lengthy diagnostic process. The installer will likely ask you a series of questions to determine your needs. Then they will show you different products and systems to let you know your options. Mike Hagg adds,"Just like a doctor diagnoses a patient, we make notes and consult with our clients to determine what they need. So, when it's time to do an installation, it's relatively seamless."

Some of these retailers get really crazy with their showrooms, demonstrating just how far you can take your home theater or audio system. This fosters in new clients the aspiration to continue upgrading their AV system as time goes on, which in turn means that they will be continuing the retailer-client relationship for years to come.

The relaxed setting also fosters a sense of intimacy with the retailers, and the environment encourages questions, brainstorming and is a more creative process than simply buying something off the shelf at Best Buy. Contrarily, you won't get the speed of a quick purchase and the convenience of having a Best Buy or Circuit City right down the street.

The Product Mix
The kinds of products a retailer offers usually vary. Most retailers have access to any sort of gear you can imagine--from a $199 DVD player to the highest of the high end. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when choosing an A/V retailer is selecting them based solely on the brands they carry. You should examine a retailer's selection of products and ask questions to determine why certain brands were chosen.

The product differentiator between Specialty and Big Box stores is rapidly detiorating. You will see different brands at specialty retailers, because vendors realize that to sell a more-expensive product, you need knowledgeable salespeople, not just a fact tag on a TV. That requires an assisted sales team. "Chances are," says Rudy Temiz, vp of marketing for New Jersey's 6th Avenue Electronics, "you aren't going to find certain types of products at a Mass Merchant, such as separate preamp-processors, amps, or certain types of projectors and screens. Likewise, however, don't expect to find any commodities products at a specialty AV store, such as a 13-inch TV set. When things become a commodity, we cease to add value to that purchase, and therefore don't sell it, which isn't to say we can't get it for you."

Also make sure that the retailer is a factory-authorized dealer for their products so that you can get repairs under warranty. If a dealer gets you a product that isn't in their product mix, make sure to inquire about warranties and service on the equipment. Even if the component is in the retailer's product mix, it's still a good idea to ask about warranties and continuing service on your system.

Make sure to explore what sort of training the employees at the store you're shopping at have gone through and the knowledge of the installer. "On the technical end, we do manufacturer- and CEDIA-sponsored training, in which we learn from other custom installers, exchange ideas, and discuss problems. With product training, each of us has the opportunity to interface with a product and see how it works," says Mike Hagg. The retailer should have some sort of ongoing product training, either internally or from the manufacturer, CEDIA, and/or PARA (the Professional Audio-Video Retailers Association).

It's also a good idea to ask the installer if they provide training on how to use your system after the installation. Most do, in fact that is another benefit of shopping at a specialty AV store—they usually provide a high level of "aftersale" service. If a product is broken, they'll take a peek at no charge to see what the problem is.

Disregard Myths, and Don't Jump to Conclusions
There are a lot of myths and misconceptions that consumers have about shopping at a specialty A/V store that can really stunt their technological growth. A lot of installers agree that their clients usually expect to pay a lot more at these stores. "I think the biggest misconception is that we're too expensive," says Randy Wilson. People think it's intimidating to walk into a store that specializes in something like this. So what we try to do is put in products or have products available that are recognizable." Along with the expectation of higher prices comes the intimidation factor. People will walk into the store and get sticker shock when they see some of the higher-end components. Audio Concepts' Richard Heusi (Michael's brother) says, "Along with the perception of higher prices comes the perception that we have a snooty attitude toward the client." Although specialty A/V stores do have higher-end components that chain stores don't carry, they aren't going to charge you more for the same gear. "Clients think that they're going to pay more. That is certainly not so. What won't happen is you won't buy products that you don't need--and the products that you do buy will be suited to what your needs are. You aren't going to be paying more money for the same product,"says Halberstam.

Avoid Common Mistakes
When we asked each of our specialty AV retailers what the biggest mistake a person shopping at a specialty retailer can make is, their answers varied. Mike Hagg thinks the biggest mistake is walking into a store and making a purchase without learning what the equipment is all about--without understanding how the equipment should function in your house with your room. "Being educated on the product and how it will interact in your house is very important. That education can be sidestepped, though, when customers don't listen," says Hagg. "They have predetermined thoughts and ideas that cause them to get confused because they listen to too many different people...Also, sometimes we get customers that are looking to buy things at the biggest discount. What happens is that the customer gets all these different products home and doesn't know what to do with them. So they really don't enjoy the system--it's not set up properly, it's not programmed properly, and it doesn't sound or look good."

Michael Heusi believes the biggest mistake you can make is to put yourself in a position where you are doing business with more than one source. He also believes that not putting your trust in the folks you've contracted to do the work is a major shortcoming. "Just like you trust your architect and wouldn't try to read up on how to build a house yourself, you need to have that trust with us if you want the system to come out successfully. We are all in this together."

Use Good Judgement
Whether you're a first-time digital shopper or a theaterphile with a serious addiction to gear, you'll want to exercise good judgement and be prepared for your trip to the specialty A/V retailer. It can be intimidating if you don't know what to expect, and now you do. So go forth, young grasshopper, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Good luck.