It's not often you come across someone in business who reminds you that basic human kindness still…read moreexists. Jake at Barker Tech did that for my wife and me. Our home has an older AV system installed years ago by another contractor. Over time, the system became outdated, complicated, and the contractor became harder to reach and increasingly expensive. My wife and I separated several years ago, but she still lives in the home and has always struggled with the universal remote and the setup's complexity. Recently, she called me in distress because she couldn't turn on the television in the living room. Under normal circumstances, that would be a small inconvenience. But my wife is currently battling stage-four ovarian cancer and only has a few months left. All she wanted was the simple comfort of sitting on the couch and watching TV. I called Jake and explained the situation. Without hesitation, he said he would come take a look. The next day, he and one of his technicians, Wilson, showed up and spent over an hour patiently troubleshooting the system until they got everything working again. When the work was finished, I asked what I owed him. Jake said there would be no charge given my wife's condition. I was honestly taken back. In a world where it often feels like everything is transactional, Jake chose compassion instead. This wasn't just good service, it was humanity, and I'll never forget that kindness. If you're looking for someone who truly cares about his clients and takes pride in his work, Barker Tech is the real deal.

I'm torn writing this because I honestly want to keep Barker Tech a secret so they're always…read moreavailable when I have an issue! But the work Jake has done is too good not to share. I previously used a big Bay Area AV/home automation company. I spent over six figures on the initial install when I was rebuilding my house, and after that, every "fix" cost thousands. They had me on a Savant system where even a simple upgrade--like adding a new Apple TV 4K--was quoted at $4,000 because I needed new video cards. I was tired of the "gatekeeping" and not being able to make simple changes myself. I hired Jake to fix the mess, and Barker Tech has been incredible. He didn't just patch things up. he completely updated my network and AV, removed the bloated Savant system, and simplified my entire home automation setup. The result? A system that is high-end, significantly more dependable and simple, I'm able to DIY some things and I don't need to worry about explaining to my wife why a simple change to the system costs more than our first car we bought. The responsiveness is what really sets them apart. I recently had a troubleshooting issue: Jake responded within 5 minutes and had it totally resolved in 15 minutes. Barker Tech feels "too good to be true" because the knowledge and attention to detail are world-class, but the prices are actually reasonable. If you're tired of being overcharged by the big firms, call Jake. (Just don't take up all his time!)

The technician was on time and communicated clearly throughout the process…read more The installation was done very quickly and efficiently, and the quality of both the mounting and cable management was great. Overall, a smooth and professional experience. Thank you!

Ismat, was very fast, efficient and professional! I really love how he mounted all 3 TVs. We are…read morevery satisfied with his service and will recommend him to others as well as continued business

Kurtis's team set our house up with a wired and wireless network and security cameras. He also…read moremounted our TV on the wall and hid all cables to make it fit well in our living room. Aside from being very knowledgeable about his domain, Kurtis and his team are also able to think creatively about different solutions. The pathway they created for all the wiring took them a great deal of effort, but it's almost invisible, both inside and outside the house. Their team worked tirelessly to make sure everything was installed well while maintaining the esthetic of our house. Asking for small adjustments, like lowering the TV after the first installment or removing older cameras, was never an issue. It was an absolute pleasure to work with Kurtis, and I'd be more than happy to approach him again for future projects.

We had our house-wide theater system upgrade and wifi mesh installation done by Kurtis and his very…read moreprofessional team 18 months ago. I just ran into him and seeing him reminded me that I meant to write a review after I decided whether their work was worth the money. Ours was probably a small-to-mid-size job for him, but it felt big to us, and Kurtis and team were sensitive to our concerns, as well as very efficient at getting the job done. We have been extremely happy with our new TVs with upgraded sound, our extended wifi, and mind-blowing theater system in our "man cave". I 100% recommend Kurtis Company.

Another good experience with First Tech Networks and John Jiang…read more He installed a Doorbird entry system for us a few years ago and it was malfunctioning. John responded to my emails on a Sunday evening and he even power-cycled the system for us, which temporarily restored functionality. John contacted Doorbird on our behalf; happily, Doorbird were able to make a remote fix for us.

Since December of 2016, I have been a loyal customer of John's for a reason - his products and…read moreservices have never disappointed me. Initially, when I was in search of a top-notch security camera system, I explored the options of buying and setting up one by myself. Residing in a three-story building, I understood the importance of having a reliable security system in place.

Do not hesitate. Full stop. Henry and his crew (shout out Ramon!) packed all my gear, set it up in…read morea new house, and attended to everything. I was super picky and he and his crew accommodated everything and the quote was the exact price I was charged. They answered all my dumb questions, explained all the options, and came back TWICE to tweak things I wanted. One of the best customer experiences I've had. Don't hesitate to hire these guys.

Super disappointed... we have used them before and were very happy. The quality is not the same…read more They came out today to mount a Samsung frame TV. The person said to make it easier he would need to drill some holes to help hide the wires. He asked if we had paint and said he could patch it. Next thing you know we have a 5"x5" hole in our fireplace along with holes in another wall. The patch was left unfinished. He said he had a paint brush initially and then later said he didn't. Pretty sure he was using a paper towel. Then told me I should paint it in an hour. Called their office and Nikki told me their team doesn't do paint or patching...ok. Why say you can? She couldn't tell me when someone would be back out and never called me back. So we have a mounted tv but now we need a professional painter to come fix the botched patch. Not to mention I spent 30 mins cleaning up after they left.

Orlando is an absolute pro! He mounted two TVs in our home (a 77" in the living room and a 65" in…read morethe bedroom) and the results are flawless. He arrived right on time, was super friendly, and took the time to understand exactly where we wanted the TVs placed for the best viewing angles. He expertly hid all the cables in the wall for a clean, sleek look - no ugly wires anywhere. Both mounts are perfectly level, rock-solid, and he even helped us connect everything and get the soundbar working. If you need TVs mounted in the Bay Area, do yourself a favor and call Orlando. He made the whole process easy and stress-free. Highly, highly recommend!

Amazing service! I got a response to my quote within minutes. I also received same day service…read more They quickly installed the tv mount exactly how I envisioned it! The technician set up my Roku and replaced my plug to be appropriate for where my tv was mounted. Lastly, The technician wore booties and vacuum up any plaster from the install! I had nothing to clean up. I just got to sit down and watch my TV. Amazing!

Worked quickly and knowledgeable Quick turnaround…read more Highly recommended 50 year old technics turntable now works perfectly

Gene is amazing. Hands down…read more I brought Gene my Technics 1200MK2 turntable that I thought needed rewiring -- started experiencing sudden bursts of static and feedback out of nowhere. Gene diagnosed the issue and made the repair within 24 hours. Incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and fast. Sounds amazing once again. Highly recommend him.

We met with Si the other day and learned so much in our consultation. First, his respect of "No…read moreShoes" in our home. He was easy speaking and very good at showing and saying what he was explaining to us. We asked for an audit of our system and to help us understand our system. We truly received great information and the how to's leaving us feeling confident and able to assess issues should they arise. He got us back on track with our system and took unnecessary components that were of no use to us. He complemented the system install and products chosen. He let us know that our system was very well done and that we have at least five to 10 years of great use. We were very happy with the visit and the outcome of the visit and are now truly enjoying it all. Thank you, Si and Hidden Connections for your awesome help and informative answers to our questions.

Hidden Connections are good people. Si and his daughter were very nice and did exceptional work…read more They arrived on time and quietly installed both of the cat 6 lines in my home and now we have Ethernet instead of wifi in our house running off of fiber. So much faster although I'm not sure we need it :) I only wish I had more jobs so I could hire them again. Thanks Hidden Connections!

Submitted a request for quote/more info on Oct 16th and to date Oct 30th have not received a…read moreresponse back. Yelp quotes response time of 24 hours ------------------- Update: received a call within a couple hours of my post. The gentleman apologized for not getting back to me sooner and we discussed my project and he pointed me in the right direction. I need a contractor to come out first to do what I need before having AVI come out.

I was interested in MSB products but I wanted to listen before making a decision. MSB guided me to…read moreTony at AVI, who welcomed me with his positive, enthusiastic vibe. Together we arranged a couple of demos of the DAC I was interested in, so I could listen over time and get a good feel for what it had to offer and whether it was right for me. He is a fun, fascinating guy whose genuine passion seems to be to expose his customers to the best audio equipment available and then gently guide them with recommendations that fit their budget. I ended up buying through him, and I am very happy with the decision... I highly recommend both MSB and AVI - both businesses are first class. Thank you, Tony!

Short version: 5…read morestars. Best of class in San Francisco for people who love music. Go there for good gear selection, good conditions to try stuff, honest expert opinions (that will challenge you), and professional service. Long version: I have been shopping at the San Francisco location for close to a decade now. Over that period, I bought three or four pairs of headsets, a turntable, and a tube amplifier, along with a set of random accessories. So, presumably, somewhere under $10k total. I am not rich by any standard, and every purchase usually takes me months, sometimes years before I make a decision. I have also, during that period, bought equipment from other shops as well (specifically a number of DACs that they do not carry), and sometimes online. On the "issues" side, I brought back my amp and they got it serviced for free, working with the company (something was defective with the power unit). I also had to replace the cartridge of my turntable (broken by a (now) former friend), and they got me a good discount on the replacement. Every time, this was handled seriously and professionally. What I like with Music Lovers: - I never feel pressured to buy anything - they let me hang out in the store for extended headsets listening sessions (yes, you have to show that you are serious about this, not just passing by) - when asking ahead of time, they will setup a listening room for me with a reproduction of my existing system for a test session (just that is gold) - they know what they are talking about - they are not afraid of having opinions and sharing them - not (too much) audiophile bullshit - their brand selection is satisfying - you can score good deals on pre-owned, demo units, or previous-gen - they are responsive Now, reading some of the negative reviews, I thought I would add a few words to help people make the best of it - or decide it is not for them. The most recurring complaint is that "they are arrogant", "customer service is disrespectful". Yeah well, this is audiophile territory. People in this are driven by passion before anything else. So, what do you want exactly? Passion, but without passion? Yes, they will dish out on gear WX, or push gear YZ, or might look down on you if you claim that your gimmicky Wirecutter-recommended-gizmo is awesome. Deal with it. Drop the entitled American customer attitude. Just because you have money does not make your every dumb view worthy of respect. If you can't tell the difference between an honest opinion and "bad" customer service, then you should go to Walmart. "Talking down to you" and out of your shitty takes is them doing you a big service, instead of sucking up to you and selling you whatever overpriced cool-aid. No one is forcing you to agree with their opinions, or get passionate yourself. Just take these in for what they are (informed, expert views), do some side reading and research, develop your ear, and test yourself to figure out what is good for you. Agree with what you can confirm. Then ignore the rest. Simple. At the end of the day, this is not so much about their attitude than it is about yours: are you in it to find gear that you objectively like? or for the "shopping experience", to have people polish that oversized ego, hypnotizing you into buying the latest over-hyped idiocy? Loving music is very much like loving wine. It is hard. Nothing is obvious at first. It is exclusive. It's about honesty, and developing that ability to focus on intrinsic qualities rather than whatever a gullible market say is good. It takes a lifetime of commitment to developing that organ. So, do you expect reverent staff feeding you, ad-nauseam, that disgusting, sticker-buyer $500 Napa Chardonnay? Or do you want to learn something about wine and get to experience that Chablis Grand-Cru? Have fun, music lover :-).

I've had great experiences at both the San Francisco and Berkeley Music Lovers locations…read more Everything I said about Berkeley is true for San Francisco. Additionally for San Francisco they have Spencer. Spencer has been the most knowledgeable, helpful, and patient person I've ever worked with at any store. Every time I've come into the store over the years with an idea about what I want to try out he sets it up, alongside some (generally much better) alternatives. Not better as in more expensive, better as in something I will personally enjoy more. He can do that because he cares and he listens. I've never felt pressured to buy something beyond my stated price range, and I've never felt like I was judged for not wanting to buy the most expensive things. He showed me Ayre Acoustics and I've totally fallen in love with their products. Paired with Sonus Faber is sublime. I've really enjoyed all the Paradigm Founder series speakers I bought from them, as well as the Anthem home theater processors. There are also often great deals on pre-owned products from their customers who've traded up. All of those are almost brand new quality. Everyone I've worked with at Music Lovers has been great, but Spencer has been especially great. I recommend this store to everyone I talk to who wants to buy any hifi products in San Francisco