Next Level Audio & Video

From Winnipeg, MB, Canada (on building his home theater)

Andrew:

My first introduction to Next Level Audio and Video was via a link to their forum. It was on the forum that I found Andrew Pratt of Winnipeg (My home town). I emailed him a paragraph of questions as I was looking to build my system, and am very new to the audio world. I was extremely impressed with how he responded in a very elaborative manner to each question in that paragraph, to an extent that no other company has. He proposed many options to what I was looking for regardless of what he would be able to sell me. He didn't push a product or a product line on me like the others. Instead he educated me. It was then that I new that the most difficult part of building my system was over. I had finally found what I was looking for. A company that would educate me and help me in the decision making processes, rather than push a product that they have in stock at the moment, and move on. Dealing with the Next Level Audio and Video team is more like getting free professional consulting than purchasing products from a retailer. I highly recommend Next Level Audio and Video to anyone looking to purchase some gear, on any budget, or even if you just have a question. You won't regret it!

Mike
Winnipeg

From Cyrus, HI (on the demo of the NuForce amp's)

Tyler:

I live in Hawaii and I was interested in hearing the NuForce Reference 8s. There is no NuForce dealer in the state so I contacted NextLevelAV because I'd read on the internet that they had a home audition program for NuForce amps. NextLevelAV only lent Reference 9s at the time; I was prepared to try those, although I would have needed to save a little more if I wanted to buy them. Tyler Mueller was able to have a pair of Reference 8s sent to me through NuForce, and as a result of the audition, I ended up buying the pair. As far as I'm concerned, Tyler went beyond the call to arrange the audition. Even though Hawaii is a state, I'm not sure if there are many other dealers who would even consider extending their loan programs out to us. I'll be checking the NextLevelAV site any time I need to make a purchase in the future.

Best Regards,
Cyrus

From Nick Salvi, Oak Creek, WI (on the purchase of his Earthquake speaker system)

Jim:

I’ve been traveling an awful lot lately, which has delayed my writing this letter. I wanted to let you know how happy my family is with the Earthquake speaker system you installed this summer. I love the 7-speaker set-up. Your approach to customizing the job based on my needs and budget made the process easier than I expected. Also, a special thanks for managing the installation process. The wall and ceiling speakers look and sound excellent. We listen to all of our music, watch DVDs over the same system, and really enjoy it.

Best Regards,
Nick Salvi

From T. MacCudden, Waukesha, WI (on the purchase of his Toshiba HD) RPTV):

Jim:

Just wanted to drop you a quick note of thanks for all your guidance and assistance with our new TV. We continue to enjoy it and really appreciate all you did --- pre and post sale.

My wife and I are somewhat savvy on this technology but you really helped us a lot with your expertise on the different htmlects to consider. In addition, we really appreciate the time you took in the setup process and all the corrections you performed with the setup we previously had. As you know, we went through a well-known local store that we thought had our system set up the way it “had” to be. You took the time to thoroughly explain what they did and listened to what we really wanted. From there, you made the corrections based on our preferences.

Most notably, too, was how swiftly you came to our house on Super Bowl Saturday to set up our HD cable we had just purchased through our local cable provider. As you know, they were telling us all we needed was one set of cables. Not to be; we called you and within one-half hour you came to our house with an assortment of cables we needed and did this installation at no cost to us. Man, you just don’t see service like this from ANYONE!

I just want you to know we will be eagerly spreading the word about you and Next Level to anyone considering purchasing audio or video gear or for anyone that needs assistance with their home theater installation.

Thanks again and we look forward to doing business with you in the future.

From J. Klein, Glendale, WI (on the purchase of his Earthquake CineNova Grande 5 amplifier):

Dear Jim:

As I continue to sit back and marvel at my new Earthquake Cinenova Grande amp you sold me, I wanted to pause and provide you some observations about the process you and I embarked on.

Throughout the entire process, you went above and beyond what I have found over the years regarding the service and attention to detail that I have witnessed from a host of other equipment dealers in our area. You have restored my faith that there are dealers out there that care and truly listen to what their customers want and need.

As we discussed, I had been visiting a number of the dealers in our market and was disappointed that none of them seemed to listen to me regarding my needs today as well as tomorrow. Certainly they were eager to sell me an amplifier but were disinterested as to my application and what my overall goal was. You were the only one that did this. We met as a result of a referral from a friend of mine that recently did business with you and like he, I found you, your products, and your service exemplary.

I had been strongly considering purchasing a Rotel amplifier and would have been content with it. My demo session with the Rotel revealed it was a very good amplifier yet I felt something lacking and one of the reasons I didn’t jump at the purchase opportunity. Then I met you. We talked a lot about the Rotel amp as well as the Cinenova. What impressed me too was that you never focused on the negative htmlects of the Rotel but rather, zeroed in on the virtues and positives of the Grande 5. So many dealers seem to enjoy ‘downing’ their competitors rather than sell the htmlects of their equipment. I visited your showroom for a listening session and was floored on how incredible this amp performed (not to forget how impressive it looks). I am still picking my jaw up off the floor as I listen to the amp (and it probably isn’t totally broken in)! Even my wife has commented how incredible our system sounds now since we added this beast. That is no small feat!!!

Like my friend, you have gained a long-term customer. As you know, I will be upgrading my system yet again in the coming year (looking forward to the ARCAM AV8!) and I look forward to working with you on this project. Please know as I said earlier, I will strongly recommend Next Level Audio and Video to any and all of my family and friends.

Thank you once again!

From N. Tran, Houston, TX (on the purchase of his Earthquake Cinenova Grande 5 Amplifier):

…Again, I want to exclaim that this amp is out of this world. Thank you so much for selling me on this amp. Everything you said is apparent and then some. Everyone that has heard it has agreed that it is indeed a few steps above the Rotel. I watched Alien vs. Predator this weekend and I found myself flinching a few times during the movie. It is a pure adrenaline rush to hear this amp in action. I really do think that I would have to spend much, much more to achieve an improvement over this. I wonder how high-end amps like Bryston, Classe’, McIntosh, or Krell compare against this.

One big improvement that I noticed with this amp is that it seemed to have taken care a lot of the brightness and harshness that my Rotel had fallen victim to. Now, I have a full, lush and enveloping sound that has given my speakers a totally different signature. And boy, you were right about the bass. There is much, more mid and low-end performance. During 2-channel playback, I found myself walking up to my SVS sub to check to see if it was playing. This is indeed leaps and bounds and even light years ahead of the Rotel. I was REALLY hesitant on making this purchase even after I spoke to you and was VERY skeptical and scared that I would not like the amp. But this has proved to be my most beneficial decision I have made thus far for my system.

Again, you are my hero!

From D. Phillips, Sydney, Australia: (on the purchase of his VMPS, LRC, Centre Channel Speaker):

Jim and I first met on a Definitive Technology forum about 18 months ago.

Being in Australia which is a very small market (only 20 million people and almost double the USA price for audio and video equipment) advice and demos are very limited.

During the course of numerous email exchanges over the period, so objective and non forward were the emails from Jim, that I actually wasn’t aware until about two months ago that Jim was actually in the HT industry at all – I thought he was an enthusiast like me.

Having followed Jim’s Def Tech advice all along without even a hint that we could possibly do business together I was truly surprised when he announced on the forum that he was switching his personal HT speakers from Def Tech to VMPS.

I'd been having a problem with my Def Tech centre and I emailed Jim on the 25th November to obtain information and he directed me to a local importer.

On the 26th November I learnt that there was no distributor in Australia and that Jim is in fact a VMPS dealer.

I then commenced email correspondence with him regarding a VMPS centre and based purely on his knowledge and integrity decided to order a VMPS LRC without ever having heard the brand or seen the speaker.

Due to an unexpected illness on my part and inexperience with local quarantine regulations etc by us (the manufacturer and myself) delivery took longer than expected but Jim was most obliging, helpful and patient.

When the speaker finally arrived, I immediately installed it and with in 60 seconds knew that my faith in Jim's advice had once again been justified – thanks again Jim!

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