Music to Your Ears - Selecting, Buying, and Repairing Audio Equipment

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Monday, November 23, 2009

Who Rates Best (& Worst) in the Washington DC Area? Now You'll Know.

Audio Equipment--Selecting, Buying, and Repairing

	Options to play music have exploded in the Digital Age. We'll summarize the different choices available, give the pros and cons of each, point you toward sources of advice, and tell you how to get a good price. From Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK Magazine
	Read our article and findings (available exclusively to CHECKBOOK subscribers)	Back to Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK Table of Contents.


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	Name	Number of ratings	Checkbook's top rating ()		What percent of customers rated firm "superior" on our survey for "overall quality"	Firm's price index score
	Name	Number of ratings	for quality	for price		Firm's price index score
1.	Audio Buys 11252 Balls Ford Rd Manassas, VA 703-335-1125	13 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
2.	Audio Video Solutions 14621 Baltimore Ave Laurel, MD 410-792-7566	20 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
3.	Bang & Olufsen 2001 International Dr McLean, VA 703-288-4414		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
4.	Belmont TV 9101 Marshall Ave Laurel, MD 301-498-5600	15 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
5.	Belmont TV 12500 Layhill Rd Silver Spring, MD 301-942-1300	48 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
6.	Belmont TV 4723 King St Arlington, VA 703-671-8500	83 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
7.	Best Buy All locations combined	988 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
8.	Best Buy 4500 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington, DC 202-895-1580	32 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
9.	Best Buy 20914 Frederick Rd Germantown, MD 240-686-1221	25 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
10.	Best Buy 15800 Collington Rd Bowie, MD 301-464-3080	12 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
11.	Best Buy 14160 Baltimore Ave Laurel, MD 301-497-1890	57 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
12.	Best Buy 11725 Berry Rd Waldorf, MD 301-632-5740	12 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
13.	Best Buy 7300 Guilford Dr Frederick, MD 301-662-6130		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
14.	Best Buy 10901 Georgia Ave Silver Spring, MD 301-942-1877		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
15.	Best Buy 1200 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 301-984-1479	140 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
16.	Best Buy 15750 Shady Grove Rd Gaithersburg, MD 301-990-8839	89 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
17.	Best Buy 9031 Snowden Square Dr Columbia, MD 410-312-4900	45 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
18.	Best Buy 2643 Housley Rd Annapolis, MD 410-571-9011	14 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
19.	Best Buy 7665 Sudley Rd Manassas, VA 703-257-7474	22 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
20.	Best Buy 2730 Prince William Pkwy Woodbridge, VA 703-385-6030	37 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
21.	Best Buy 1201 S Hayes St Arlington, VA 703-414-7090	66 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
22.	Best Buy 45575 Dulles Eastern Plz Sterling, VA 703-430-2150	25 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
23.	Best Buy 3401 Jefferson Davis Hwy Alexandria, VA 703-519-0940	14 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
24.	Best Buy 13058 Fair Lakes Pkwy Fairfax, VA 703-631-3332	107 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
25.	Best Buy 600 Potomac Station Dr Leesburg, VA 703-669-4100		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
26.	Best Buy 5799 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 703-671-0184	79 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
27.	Best Buy 8449 Leesburg Pike Vienna, VA 703-748-9814		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
28.	Best Buy 1861 Fountain Dr Reston, VA 703-787-3760	66 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
29.	Best Buy 6555 Frontier Dr Springfield, VA 703-922-4980	94 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
30.	Bose 7101 Democracy Blvd Bethesda, MD 301-767-3988		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
31.	Bose 10300 Little Patuxent Pkwy Columbia, MD 410-884-8525		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
32.	Bose 2001 International Dr McLean, VA 571-633-0401		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
33.	Bose 241 Fort Evans Rd NE #1131 Leesburg, VA 703-771-3834		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
34.	Deja Vu Audio 1361 Chain Bridge Rd McLean, VA 703-734-9391	17 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
35.	Gifted Listener Audio 5720 Pickwick Rd Centreville, VA 703-818-8000	23 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
36.	Graffiti Audio-Video All locations combined	268 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
37.	Graffiti Audio-Video 4914 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington, DC 202-244-9643	61 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
38.	Graffiti Audio-Video 1219 Connecticut Ave NW Washington, DC 202-296-8412	80 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
39.	Graffiti Audio-Video 7810 Old Georgetown Rd Bethesda, MD 301-907-3660	109 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
40.	Guitar Center 12401 Twinbrook Pkwy Rockville, MD 301-231-6100		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
41.	J S Audio Video 4919 St Elmo Ave Bethesda, MD 301-656-7020	20 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
42.	Kmart 14014 Connecticut Ave Silver Spring, MD 301-871-6640		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
43.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video All locations combined	437 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
44.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 2241 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington, DC 202-342-9200	58 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
45.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 2 Bureau Dr #B Gaithersburg, MD 301-208-2100	34 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
46.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 10492 Auto Park Ave Bethesda, MD 301-468-2000	65 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
47.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 1030 W Patrick St Frederick, MD 301-663-3807		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
48.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 3511 Carlin Springs Rd Falls Church, VA 703-379-8800	81 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
49.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 2800 Clarendon Blvd Arlington, VA 703-528-9600	13 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
50.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 12300 Price Club Plz Fairfax, VA 703-803-9400	66 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
51.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 8138 Watson St Tysons Corner, VA 703-893-0700	49 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
52.	Myer-Emco Audio-Video 47100 Community Plz #118 Sterling, VA 730-948-0800	26 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
53.	ProVideo 1592 Rockville Pike #B Rockville, MD 301-231-9800	11 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
54.	Sound Images By High Tech 7700 Old Georgetwn Rd #B-2 Bethesda, MD 301-718-2824	12 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
55.	Sound Images by High Tech 6541 Arlington Blvd Falls Church, VA 703-534-1733	30 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
56.	Sound Solutions 14508 Lee Rd #B Chantilly, VA 703-631-4104		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
57.	Soundworks Audio & Video 10526 Connecticut Ave Kensington, MD 301-929-8600	62 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
58.	Tweeter All locations combined	161 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
59.	Tweeter 11611 Old Georgetown Rd Rockville, MD 301-230-9830	28 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
60.	Tweeter 6455 Dobbin Rd Columbia, MD 410-997-8338	14 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
61.	Tweeter 10890 Lee Hwy Fairfax, VA 703-218-1766	50 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
62.	Tweeter 7381 Sudley Rd Manassas, VA 703-367-7390	11 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
63.	Tweeter 5857 Leesburg Pike Falls Church, VA 703-845-8707	30 ratings	Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
64.	Tweeter 8365 Leesburg Pike Vienna, VA 703-893-2065		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.
65.	Wal-Mart 6000 Burke Commons Rd Burke, VA 703-250-9280		Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK has ratings of 50 local audio equipment stores. Subscribe now for ratings, articles and more.

Washington DC audio equipment stores by neighborhood

DC
Audio Equipment Stores in Washington, DC
MD
Audio Equipment Stores in Annapolis, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Bethesda, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Bowie, MD
Audio Equipment Stores in Columbia, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Frederick, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Gaithersburg, MD
Audio Equipment Stores in Germantown, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Kensington, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Laurel, MD
Audio Equipment Stores in Rockville, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Silver Spring, MD	Audio Equipment Stores in Waldorf, MD
Audio Equipment Stores in Wheaton, MD
VA
Audio Equipment Stores in Alexandria, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Arlington, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Burke, VA
Audio Equipment Stores in Centreville, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Chantilly, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Fairfax, VA
Audio Equipment Stores in Falls Church, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Leesburg, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Manassas, VA
Audio Equipment Stores in McLean, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Reston, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Springfield, VA
Audio Equipment Stores in Sterling, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Tysons Corner, VA	Audio Equipment Stores in Vienna, VA
Audio Equipment Stores in Woodbridge, VA

Subscriber Comments/Reviews

CHECKBOOK provides subscriber comments on their experiences with the firms they use. Please remember that individual subscriber comments are informal. Subscriber comments may give you insight into the types of features and problems that exist in a service field, but are not the best basis for selecting or rejecting a specific firm. To assess the quality of a firm's performance, we recommend that you give more weight to the percentages of favorable ratings. Those percentages are generally based on much larger numbers of consumers' ratings (the number of consumer ratings is noted above).

Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Bethesda, MD on 09/24/09: matched internet price on my purchase.......

Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Falls Church, VA on 09/22/09: Canned solutions. Long wait for a salesperson even when empty store. Three visits and I..........

Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Falls Church, VA on 09/20/09: You're better off at Audio Buys........

Subscriber from ARLINGTON, VA wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Arlington, VA on 09/15/09: Incorrect information, far too casual attitude about creating an inconvenience, lack of follow through.......

Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Arlington, VA on 09/09/09: I was sad to have had a bad experience with this company. They had a..........

Subscriber from SILVER SPRING, MD wrote about GRAFFITI AUDIO-VIDEO, Bethesda, MD on 09/09/09: For a very reasonable fee, Graffiti sent a knowledgeable staff person to my home to..........

Subscriber from OLNEY, MD wrote about SOUNDWORKS AUDIO & VIDEO, Kensington, MD on 08/27/09: This firm small firm was the only local vendor of a unit I needed. Unfortunately,..........

Subscriber from CHEVY CHASE, MD wrote about GRAFFITI AUDIO-VIDEO, Bethesda, MD on 08/19/09: Fantastic store with super owners and staff. They totally stand behind their sales, and their..........

Subscriber from FAIRFAX, VA wrote about BEST BUY, Fairfax, VA on 08/02/09: A service person was there to help while I was deciding which stereo system to..........

Subscriber from FAIRFAX, VA wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Fairfax, VA on 07/31/09: They do not get what they order for you in a decent time - the..........

Subscriber from SPRINGFIELD, VA wrote about BELMONT TV, Arlington, VA on 07/28/09: knowledgeable Staff and friendly.......

Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote about GRAFFITI AUDIO-VIDEO, Washington, DC on 07/28/09: wonderful advice on buying "basic unit" with potential add-ons later. Delivery and installation were prompt..........

Subscriber from FAIRFAX, VA wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Falls Church, VA on 07/21/09: You can mostly likely find better prices on the internet. However, the knowledge of the..........

Subscriber from ALEXANDRIA, VA wrote about BEST BUY, Alexandria, VA on 07/15/09: Although one sometimes has to wait to get an associate, generally I have found everyone..........

Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote about BEST BUY, Rockville, MD on 07/06/09: Least knowledgable sales staff I've ever encountered. It's a wonder they can still stay in..........

Subscriber from BETHESDA, MD wrote about MYER-EMCO AUDIO-VIDEO, Bethesda, MD on 06/23/09: Very good about matching local prices, and meeting half-way on internet prices...but you have to..........

Subscriber from RESTON, VA wrote about BEST BUY, Reston, VA on 06/20/09: Whatever you do, do not buy a car stereo from these folks (or any Best..........

Subscriber from POTOMAC, MD wrote about SOUNDWORKS AUDIO & VIDEO, Kensington, MD on 02/19/09: Understaffed. Long wait times. Staff members have a "I'm so superior" attitude. List price or..........

Subscriber from POTOMAC, MD wrote about J S AUDIO VIDEO, Bethesda, MD on 02/19/09: Very snobbish. Bad attitude. Spend all their time making the point that they know everything..........

Subscriber from VIENNA, VA wrote about MYER-EMCO, McLean, VA on 01/20/09: Meyer-Emco sales and service has been first rate. The salesman did try to get me..........

Subscriber from FALLS CHURCH, VA wrote about TWEETER, Falls Church, VA on 10/13/08: Came out to house to recommend product and provide proposal for instalation of product, but..........

Subscriber from GAITHERSBURG, MD wrote about PROVIDEO, Rockville, MD on 10/05/08: My experience with Provideo has been great. Paul was very informative and responsive. His paperwork..........

Subscriber from COLUMBIA, MD wrote about BEST BUY, Columbia, MD on 09/02/08: the employees at Best Buy know very little about their merchandise........

Subscriber from WASHINGTON, DC wrote about GRAFFITI AUDIO-VIDEO, Washington, DC on 08/20/08: Dealt with both Graffiti stores for years and never experienced a disappointment........

Subscriber from ROCKVILLE, MD wrote about SOUNDWORKS AUDIO & VIDEO, Kensington, MD on 08/14/08: These guys really know their business. They're great about providing advice when you need it..........

See more comments at Washington Consumers' CHECKBOOK.

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