Gramophone — Local services in Columbia

Firstly, I would like to preface this note of appreciation by saying that I am not one that typically leaves reviews for anything. My experience with Gramophone’s team certainly compelled me to do so. I would like to formally and sincerely express my gratitude for the amazing work Gramophone did on my home theater project. The quality of work was definitely apparent throughout the various stages leading up to the install. I would also like to take a moment and acknowledge a few of Gramophone’s team members: Luke, Gus, and the "Christians" who were the keystone in making my dream theater come true. Firstly, from the moment I met Luke in my local Columbia store, I knew I wanted to establish the relationship with Gramophone. At the time of speaking to Luke, I was concurrently shopping around other vendors and determining who would ultimately gain my business. I already had a few other competitors come out and look at my space. In meeting Luke, there was a complete 180 degree feeling that naturally made me want to work with him and most importantly, learn from him. He was never "trying to sell me equipment" but instead, educate me on the process and learn more about what I was envisioning at the time. He was the chief reason for going through Gramophone. Aside from his tremendous range of knowledge he possesses on home theater/audio, he is ABSOLUTELY one of the most personable individuals I have ever met. His admirable qualities such as, commitment, integrity and respect for others is unfortunately becoming a rarity in today's times. Luke is someone I could rely on throughout the entire process that made multiple trips to my home just to ensure we were accounting for every nook and cranny of the home theater planning process. Quite simply-he was AMAZING to work with and actually view him as a friend that I now share the same passion for everything home theater related. Next, I would like to praise Gus who was the individual that came by our home to take all the detailed measurements of our theater room and ensure proper configurations were addressed accordingly prior to the final install stage. He was a PLEASURE to work with and finalizing my overall thoughts in terms of what I was already envisioning the space to look like. Gus was instrumental in fortifying my decisions on the design phases and tweaked several of my ideas which made situations much more advantageous and running them to fruition. His engineering plans for the space were quite impressive and his attention to detail was something I simply had never seen before. You could say Gus was the very critical conduit between the planning phases and install phases of the overall install. Had it not been for Gus, the room layout would not have been as robust nor would the performance of system be as evident. At a point where there may have been a spacing constraint, Gus was quick to advise on workarounds and provide other alternative solutions. His PASSION for design was indicative of our final room layout that is quite simply magnificent! Last but not least, would like to thank the individuals known by the Gramophone community as "the Christians". Their PROFESSIONALISM and EXPERTISE was evident throughout the two days of installing all the different equipment in my space. They did a wonderful job hanging my projector, installing the in-wall speakers, setting up my large screen and situating my rack enclosure...etc. Both Christians were very ACCOMMODATING and although they each focused on a certain area of the project, it was great to see the level of teamwork that was constantly on display. Overall, Gramophone’s incredible employee's breadth of knowledge exceeded all of my expectations and I cannot say enough about their level of customer service. They are truly unsurpassed when it comes to their level of precision and attention to detail! In fact, Gramophone has been highly praised and recommended to all of our family, friends and neighbors--you have gained a...

I heard about Gramophone from a friend while we were designing a new home theater for our basement, which was in the process of being finished. My family and I walked into the showroom without an appointment, just to check out a few speakers, but the sales consultant (Ricardo) was so incredibly helpful that we ended up having Gramophone design our entire theater. While my wife and I discussed options with Ricardo, he allowed our kids to sit and watch a movie in one of their demo rooms, which helped us focus on the discussion and kept the kids from getting bored. (They didn't want to leave when we were done!) Another consultant (JP) volunteered to come to our house that same day (a Saturday) to help provide us with an accurate quote. He pointed out a few areas where extra Ethernet cables would be useful and provided the cable for me (before I had even signed a contract). The initial quote was a bit higher than what we budgeted for, and JP worked with us to fit the project within our budget while still providing an amazing setup. JP’s solutions were innovative and focused on providing us with what we wanted without sacrificing quality. For example, rather than simply substituting a higher-cost projector for a lower-cost projector, JP paired a lower-priced projector with a MadVR Envy Core video processor, which made the $5,000 projector operate like a $15,000 projector. Installation was fast and easy — the installation team was quiet and courteous and cleaned up after themselves. They explained all of the components and demonstrated how to operate the system. We have had many enjoyable, immersive movie nights since then and have had zero problems with the system, though I know that Gramophone is only a phone call away if something does happen.

Things I appreciated during the process: The personal touch. This company is truly interested in delivering the best possible solution for you. The employees absolutely love what they do, and it shows. They are happy to work with you within whatever budget you have and whatever level of DIY vs hands-off that you prefer. The attention to detail is superb. It is clear that their business survives not by squeezing out the most profit from the customer but by creating the most satisfied customers possible. I don’t write a lot of reviews, but this company’s performance has truly blown me away. Competitive pricing for a well-integrated product. I priced out all of the components in the package that Gramophone provided, and I honestly could not have designed and built my own solution for much less than what I paid. In return for the small increase in cost compared to a DIY theater room, I was able to get professional advice and solutions that I would never be able to achieve on my own. I LOVE that I can go into the theater room and use a single remote to operate the lights, AV receiver, projector, etc. The system is so easy that my elementary school-aged kids can operate it. Ongoing relationship. Even though the project is completed, I continue to get updates from Gramophone, not only to address any potential issues with my system but also to invite me to special events and inform me of new product releases. I was able to attend a special event about the MadVR Envy Core video processor (a component of my system), and I learned how to get the most out of my equipment. I’m glad that as my equipment inevitably becomes obsolete (as all equipment does over time), Gramophone will be there to provide the best solutions...

We had our entire basement redone, installing a theater room with an AV rack (and 3 other smaller TV's throughout the basement), ceiling speakers, a wet bar/half kitchen with cabinets and countertop, a home gym, updating the bathroom, replacing the carpets with LVT and new carpet, painting, furniture, electrical, and lighting. Everything is automated and on WiFi controlled devices. The permitting and inspections were handled by Gramophone; all I had to do was open the door when they arrived. It took about 2 months to complete the entire job. Everything was designed with a professional and the AV technicians customized all the equipment to our requirements and everything still works great after 6 years.

What really impressed me was their customer support. One of the new circuit breakers kept tripping and their technician made multiple trips to diagnose, discuss with the manufacturers, and correct the problem. The same thing happened to one of the light switches and they found a solution to our issue. That was in the first couple of months after completing the renovation. I then had an issue where the remotes weren't turning on the TV's; this is just this week, 6 years later. I e-mailed them on Sunday morning, and I had multiple responses by noon that day. I was pleasantly shocked to receive such a rapid response, even more happy when they were able to access our account and diagnose the problem remotely. Their fix was simple and I was able to make the change on my own. I was back up and running that night.

So, if you're wanting to get a theater room or do a whole renovation, then Gramphone provides designers, technicians, equipment, furniture, and licensed contractors all in one place. Sure, I could've probably done everything myself, but I'd still be working on it even now, 6 years later. And their customer support is absolutely top shelf! I highly recommend Gramophone and the very capable and friendly folks at the...