who we are

We are a group of eight experts in how to get best music reproduction from an audio system. We have been in business for 50 years. We eight have a combined tenure at The Sound Environment of 135 years. We stress great music reproduction, ease of use, and continued performance of your system over the years. Our Trade Up policy allows easy upgrades from beginning systems to truly amazing systems. Our consultants are not commissioned. They are inspired by a love of music. They will work passionately with you to get the best music reproduction possible, no matter your level of investment.

Finding great value components, where performance for price is key for us. If we wouldn’t want it in our own homes, we don’t want it in yours. Any home stereo or theater system we work with you on is done so with great care and consideration and is individualized to your situation, music choices, budget, and home environment. 50 years of treating people right and continually pushing ourselves to learn more and grow in our craft has made for a rewarding history and promises a compelling future.

What Defines Us

Unparalleled Trade Up & Trade In Program

Unparalleled Trade Up & Trade In Program

Unique History and Experience

Unique History and Experience

Dedication to System Design and Setup

Dedication to System Design and Setup

Ability to Offer Great Demonstrations & Comparisons

Ability to Offer Great Demonstrations & Comparisons

Where We Are

store-front-1×1
Located in Rockbrook Village11021 Elm Street

OMAHA, NE

KC Showroom – 1611 Oak Street
Located in The Crossroads Arts District1611 Oak Street

KANSAS CITY, MO

Omaha is a really nice city with great restaurants, exciting events, quality museums, and the best Zoo in America. Whether you come just to visit us and spend some time listening to great audio or for a complete vacation with sporting and cultural events, Omaha will surprise you.

We opened our Kansas City location in 2018. We are happy to be part of such a wonderful city. Over the last few years, we have expanded our showroom and introduced more systems and components for audition. We will continue to grow, evolve, and offer Kansas City music and cinema lovers incredible systems to experience.

We complete high-level installations throughout our region and across the nation from Florida to Hawaii. Our consultants work with our customers from introduction to The Sound Environment to long after we set up a system or new component in their home. Customers spanning the country have been with us for decades. Owning a great music system is enjoyable and buying one should be too. We bring it to you. No fuss. No bother. We do it all.

Speaker Room Integration

For us, speaker setup means fine adjustment of speaker placement in a room to achieve the best possible music reproduction we can for that speaker in that room. Integrating speakers into a room is more important than any component in an audio system. Few do it and fewer do it well.

SRI is our Multi-faceted speaker placement process developed over 50 years and hundreds of installations. We have evolved techniques to position speakers that achieve great, musically accurate results. It is time-consuming and exacting, requiring a good ear and careful movement of each speaker. 

Almost all music and home theater systems are purchased and placed in homes without reaching even half of their potential. With The Sound Environment, SRI is included with all eligible speaker/system sales – completing your investment by getting every bit of the performance you paid for. The execution of a high-performance system begins with the selection of the highest value components that build a synergistic system that is right for you and is completed with our SRI process – unlocking the full potential of your system. Read more HERE.

trade up program

We offer a generous trade Up program that allows you to keep improving your system over time. Purchase any eligible product and you will automatically join our industry-leading Trade Up Program! Enjoy your new audio gear and then within a year, you can trade it back for the full amount you paid towards a product that is at least twice the price.

We want you to get the best sound possible for your budget initially and discuss thoughtful upgrades with you down the road. This program gets you started on a great path. Absolute dedication to great sound is what we do and what we have done for 50 years. We apply everything we have learned to help you get the best possible sound in your home with systems that make sense and that are easy to use.

purchase

Any eligible products

trade

Trade back any purchase within one year and receive the full amount you paid towards any new products that are at least twice the price

enjoy

Your brand new audio gear

grow

Grow your system from modest beginnings. Continue this process and over time you will upgrade your audio system into a truly high performance system

Our Showrooms

Click Images to See Full Size

Our Team

  • Gale Cooper
    Gale Cooper Consultant | Omaha
  • Todd Snyder
    Todd Snyder Consultant | Omaha
  • Zach Born
    Zach Born Consultant | Omaha
  • Dane Vedder
    Dane Vedder Consultant | KC
  • Ben Sloup
    Ben Sloup Online Sales/Shipping
  • Charlie Santmire
    Charlie Santmire Founder/CEO
  • Doug Robinson
    Doug Robinson Partner/Resident Audiophile
  • Jim Wichita
    Jim Wichita Installation Specialist
  • Eric Baines
    Eric Baines VP Operations

What our clients are saying

  • When you have vast knowledge, passion, and commitment for what you do, you have a 5 star company. These guys check all the boxes. It does not matter where you are on your sound system: beginner, expert, or in between, they are here to help. I wish I found them 10 years ago. Keep up the great work fellas.

    Jeff H.
  • Ten years ago I wandered into The Sound Environment and ended up listening to one of their demo systems. It was not outrageously high-end but had the ability to make you feel like you were at a live performance. This was unique in my experience and several months later I purchased a very similar setup from them. Over the years between then and now I have done many incremental upgrades based upon the sage advice that was provided there. Now in the present, I have a system that is all that I will ever need to enjoy music in my home. The level of support provided is flat-out excellent. What is unique is that the listening, attention, and quality of service that has made me a loyal customer is extended to everyone that walks in there. Regardless of how much or little you spend their full attention is on getting you the best sound for your situation and resources. And they carry options suitable for any fiscal constraint. Their process goes the extra yard, always. Speakers purchased there often include SRI, or speaker room integration. This meticulous and long process can do more to improve the sound in your listening room than thousands spent on more exotic equipment. The results from SRI are just one indicator of their passionate dedication to service and impeccable sound. There are many more which are apparent if you spend even a few minutes there. Much thanks to Todd and Gale and the entire staff for what has been the highest quality working relationship during the past decade. For anyone seeking a more immersive and rewarding listening experience, I simply provide the strongest recommendation possible. Walk on in and listen. You will not be disappointed.

    Bruce L.
  • This was my first time at this store and I am astounded at how knowledgeable the folks here are. Tim was probably one of the best salespeople I’ve ever dealt with in any industry, and you could tell that he and the rest of the team are psyched about what they do for a living. The equipment is absolutely top-notch. Jim is a very talented installer as well; he did my parent’s home theater system in the early 2000s and knocked it out of the park. These guys are still killing it! I don’t have enough great things to say.

    Sean S.
  • Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. The guys could not have happier to demo a few systems for my two year old daughter and I, even after I mentioned that we were just taking a look around and not in the market for a new stereo. The showroom is well laid out, clean and (most importantly) has a range of products from mid-tier to absolutely bonkers. I will be back!

    Jake A.
  • I recently stopped into the Sound Environment one evening where I met Gale. Despite closing within thirty minutes, Gale thoughtfully answered all of my questions related to turntables in a kind and knowledgeable way. Based on this positive experience I returned a couple of weeks later and met Todd. Todd provided fantastic, no-pressure coaching on the areas that I wanted to upgrade my system (new subwoofer and turntable), and allowed me to audition better RCA cables. I ended up purchasing a new subwoofer, turntable, and phono preamp on a subsequent visit. While there have been delays in shipping on the subwoofer, Todd did a magnificent job installing and setting up my turntable and phono preamp at home. Of note, Gale had optimized the turntable at the shop before Todd brought it over. During the installation, Todd also optimized my television picture/sound settings as well as my amp settings. While I have purchased equipment online, you can not beat the outstanding hands-on service provided by this company. I am looking forward to receiving my new subwoofer and am planning on purchasing a high-res streaming component in the future based on their amazing upgrade program. I highly recommend this company and staff, especially Todd and Gale for their personalized service and professionalism.

    William C.
  • I'm not a customer, unfortunately (I live almost 800 miles away) but I had to stop in for a visit while I was in Omaha for the first time. I'm so glad I did! What a great place! I let them know I was merely visiting from out of town and they were still very generous with their time (they even offered to play for me what is, to date, the best HiFi system I've heard - Rockport speakers & Gryphon electronics). Great selection and a great staff with a very good ear for system matching and set-up. If you love music, and, I suspect, home theater, these guys can easily set you up for maximum enjoyment at any price point from budget-conscious to ultra high end.

    David G.
  • It's always a pleasure to drop by and talk to Dane. He is always welcoming and enjoys talking about Audio. I plan to purchase more audio gear in the future at The Sound Environment - great to have high-end audio in Kansas City. If you're an audiophile, or just getting started in the wonderful world of music, check this location out and support The Sound Environment. They will not let you down.

    Dan W.
  • Best money I ever spent for a surround sound/2-channel stereo system. Todd, Gale, and Zach are great at listening to your needs and will exceed them. If you're looking to upgrade or just starting, you need to go there. You won't be sorry you did. Big box stores can't do what these guys can! highly recommend! You won't be disappointed.

    Pat D.
  • I have been working with them for nearly 40 years and never had anything but positive results! Recently, we have been working on a new system and waiting for things to break in. I've been somewhat reserved with my opinion until this past weekend. Zach and Todd showed up with the last large bits and what they accomplished with this is nothing short of miraculous!!! I would not trade them or the Sound Environment for any other audio shop, and I have seen a lot of them over the years.

    Dan R.
  • Great product across all price ranges. Knowledgable and helpful staff. A+

    Kevin H.
  • Bought many components through the years. Great knowledge, great products, great people = great systems. If your looking for a great system this is the place to go to. They have the best products available at all price points!!

    Richard H.
  • I have been working with Dane in the Kansas City store. What a great experience. He has (literally) gone out of his way to make sure that I purchased the right system and that it was properly setup. Highly recommended.

    Richard C.
  • I have to give a shout out to The Sound Environment in Omaha. I was there last summer just to see what the inside of the store looked like, and I had my wife and three kids in tow. Not only was I treated with kindness and respect even though I'm sure they probably sized me up as someone who didn't have much expendable income, they took all five of us into the demo room and demonstrated for us a stereo that was easily worth north of a quarter million dollars. It was a fantastic listening experience we all enjoyed, and I left with some speaker wire that I spent less than $30 on. I didn't buy much that afternoon, but next time I need to update my speaker wire or interconnects or have a long lost relative leave me a lot of money, they will be the first place I go to.

    Anonymous
  • I can’t count the number of hi-fi shops I’ve been to all over the Midwest and Montreal, but the Sound Environment is hands down my favorite. They provide a welcoming, customer-centric experience, along with a range of products from mid-fi to world class.

    Cory H.
  • The sales staff aren't paid commission, they simply love high end audio like myself. It's a very relaxed atmosphere, no pressure. While you can find entry level gear here, know that they have some of the highest hi-fi gear money can buy. It's always a pleasure to spend some time listening to the systems they put together and conversing with other stereo nerds. I highly recommended you stop in.

    Robert H.
  • I've been a customer of The Sound Environment for 40 years. We have worked together on home theater, whole house audio and high-end audio. The Sound Environment has done design, consulting, and installation in my homes in Illinois and Colorado. Through all the years, The Sound Environment treated me like a king and treated my installation like it was the most important project they had. They always offer excellent product selection to fit any budget. If you want the ultimate, they have it. If you want an affordable basic music system, they have it. Either way, it will be tuned to perfection to give you the best possible experience. I can't say enough about Jim. He is passionate about matching clients with the right solution for their lifestyle and budget and implementing an installation that is second to none. Charlie has the same passion and has helped me build my music library. Todd is freakishly good at setup and tuning speakers and components. Gale is another go-to guy. I wish I had the ears that these guys have! For music or home theater, don't look anywhere else. If you don't live in Omaha, still don't look anywhere else.

    Mark H.
  • I have written about 2 online reviews. The Sound Environment is world class. I walked into the store hoping to get something a little better than Nebraska furniture mart or Best Buy to compliment our TV. Instead I walked out with the best sounding speakers I have ever heard, and also a breadth of knowledge on how to get the best sound quality. I have been back several times to buy and also just to hang out and listen to great sound quality. They are great people with the best customer service.

    Michael R.
  • Awesome place! The people are very helpful, not pushy and educate you with out sounding snobby which can often happen at high end stores selling anything. Also just because its high end doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. I am a college student and I was able to get into a budget pair of speakers which sound amazing. Go check the place out.

    Anonymous
  • The event yesterday was truly over the top! I had been under the impression that I had a good analog system, and it’s not bad, but not even close to the big system featuring the Air Force turntable… I will survive, but with loss of innocence.

    Doug R.
  • I remember how cool it was checking out the Klipsch speakers Charlie featured when the Sound Environment was located in his home in Lincoln back in the day. Since then The Sound Environment has become one of the country’s premier quality high-level home theater companies serving clients throughout the region with installations from Florida to Hawaii. I’ve been working with Gale Cooper for several years, first from the Lincoln store (now located in Omaha’s Rockbrook Village), who’s designed my entire home theater system and who I’m continuing to work with. I’ve been in stores featuring the highest quality audio, visual, home theater, etc… equipment from coast to coast and in my opinion, The Sound Environment’s one of the nations best.

    Jaye O.
  • I’ll try to keep this as on point as I can but that’s not an easy task because The Sound Environment (TSE) is so far ahead of their competitors they are on an entirely different level. In my opinion TSE is among the absolute best in terms of sound and video reproduction in your home. They emphasize value at all price points whether that be a mega-bucks world-class system or simply a small desk top system you could use at your computer. Regardless of your budget TSE will provide you with the highest quality sound and video for your money. Period. Beyond that, they have an immensely helpful and patient staff of experts that are as passionate about what they do as anyone in any field. I would absolutely, without hesitation or equivocation recommend TSE to anyone who values high quality sound and video. If you’ve got a budget give TSE a shot before dropping your hard earned money into something from a big box retailer. TSE is locally owned and operated and it shows. I hate to sound over-the-top effusive but I just cannot say enough about these guys. They are the real deal. Give them a shot. I’m extremely glad I did.

    Ryan C.
  • Great people, great products. Consultants do a great job of qualifying the customer and matching their needs/tastes to the product.

    Andy E.
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