client testimonials
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Great people, great products. Consultants do a great job of qualifying the customer and matching their needs/tastes to the product.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!!
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Great product across all price ranges. Knowledgable and helpful staff. A+
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
Industry testimonials
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The Sound Environment has a long history of providing the folks in the Midwest with quality products along with the skill and dedication to optimize their performance in the home. Nordost is quite proud to have been selected as one of their premiere product lines. They have committed to showing our complete range of products including our Nordost Supreme Reference range; Odin 2. To be authorized to sell our finest products a dealer must prove that they are skilled in demonstration and set up along with providing all the rest of the reference products necessary for a state of the art system. Very few dealers around the world qualify. The demonstration facility in the shop in Omaha is second to none. I have personally visited some of the finest stores in the country and few anywhere can provide an experience like you will find at The Sound Environment. No longer do folks in the center of the country need to travel to the east or west coast to hear the finest in audio systems. I have personally known owner Charlie Santmire for decades now and have always admired and respected his single-minded approach to satisfying his customers with some of the finest products available. He has surrounded himself with a crew of professionals whose main purpose is to educate and serve their customers. Many shops compensate their staff primarily on commission sales. This usually results in selling products that have higher margins or “spiffs” for the salesperson with little regard to the long-term pleasure of their clients. The Sound Environment sales staff is compensated with salary and are encouraged to go over and above the simple concept of selling products. They are skilled, well trained, enthusiastic, and truly love what they do and this is evident when you first walk in. They concentrate on the client’s needs and preferences much more than merely moving boxes with little care of how they will be employed or the environment in which they will be used. The set up and calibration of sophisticated systems is the key to maximizing performance and they have the skillset to back it up. Nordost is very proud to be a part of their toolbox. You can be assured you will be treated fairly and honestly in any aspect of dealing with The Sound Environment from a simple one-box solution to a state of the art reference system.
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From the moment you walk into The Sound Environment you will experience unbridled enthusiasm for great music and its reproduction. I visit many stores worldwide and the large sound room is one the finest meccas of sonic reproduction on the planet. If you know high performance audio, just look at the brand list and you know that this store knows what they are doing. As a manufacturer representative I found you don’t just get your product into this showroom because you have a big name or even big demand for your product, you get there because the entire staff sits and listens and determines it is better than what they now have at that price point. This process has gone on for over 45 years and the same man is at the helm making sure everyone knows how to evaluate equipment regardless of price point. Most connoisseurs of audio could still learn a bit about how to evaluate equipment from Charlie and his team and save a lot of heartache buying the latest hotly reviewed piece of equipment. Further, everyone who just wants a great music system would do well to put your trust and your dollars in the hands of these experts. They won’t limit your possibilities nor will they make you feel lesser if you must limit your budget. There is not hard sell here so just go have some "Fun on Elm Street.” During my many years of selling high performance audio to dealers there is always a great point that is reached by a few dealers. The point is when they come back and teach you something about your product you did not already know. When I approached Sound Environment originally with Transparent Cable I was told the chances were not good of getting into the store but they would listen…and listen they did. Not just to the cables I sent but over time to every level of cable on its appropriately matched system. With time and some open minds we both learned together how to optimize the performance of my products with the ones they had at the Sound Environment. During that time, I believe we developed a trust with each other. Since that time I have gone through a similar process with Harmonic Resolution Systems stands and dCS electronics. If you don’t believe me, go in and ask Todd to show you how to make an ethernet connection sound better.
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Having had the opportunity to visit the majority of hi-end audio stores around North America, I can say without hesitation that The Sound Environment ranks among the very best specialty retailers in the US. The sound rooms and variety of equipment on display is no doubt impressive, but the thing that really sets TSE apart from the crowd is the people. The team at TSE is one of the most passionate and knowledgeable I have had the pleasure of working with. Designing and installing hi-end music systems is more challenging than one might expect, and TSE takes great pride in delivering systems that connect people to music in a truly meaningful way. They genuinely love what they do and their enthusiasm is infectious - I can’t recommend them highly enough.