I went to audio lab because a friend recommended me to go there (I'll bring this back to the conversation later) For someone new to HIFI Tom was great. He sounded like he knew his stuff, had a lot of equipment and my friend said he was willing to barter. I bought a pair of Martin Logan quests that he had on consignment from a kid. These are 6ft tall Electrostatic speakers that sounded awesome in his shop from 8ft away. I got them home and noticed that they always made a static hum when plugged in. After I spoke with Tom he actually sent the kid who had them in consignment to look at them at my house. The kid literally showed me photos of where he bought them, how he refurbished them and actually showered with the panel's to clean them. Yes he had a video of him in the shower with them... Needless to say, even if the hum could be solved I wanted these things gone since i knew they were a RIP off since the kid bought them for a hundred bucks and tom told me they were a steal for 2500. Tom gave me a junk old sony tower to replace these things until my 8,000 kef order came in. After a month I asked for shipping information and Tom said they were making them in the factory still. Smelling something rotten I told him to give me an email from the manufacturer saying there was a delay in shipment. Then Tom said they were shipped and on the boat. Another month later I asked for the speakers and Tol gave me a story about how there was a shipping error. I told him I know how to ship and the way it works, there was no error you never ordered them. He came clean and said yes, Kef wouldnt send him speakers unless he paid them first and he didnt have money to ship them. I was amazed that Tom didnt use my money to order speakers i.bought. After threatening lawsuits and sending him a convincing demand letter (I am good at making them) he gave me 2 checks to cash 2 weeks apart. Tom is a nice guy but a horrible businessman. He also gave me great NIB speakers that were probably 10 years old and were sitting in a warehouse but he said they were new, 10 year old new speakers are still 10 years old. Back to my friend. I told him the story and he said "sounds like Tom" basically he bought a subwoofer from tom that ended up being completely broken because Tom never even hooked it up. Tom refunded my friend all his money and my friend was smart enough to call the manufacturer to get all the replaced parts for the sub, so basically my friend got a pair (another story) of $2500 subs because Tom is an idiot. Buy his stuff, but DO NOT GIVR HIM MONEY WITHOUT PRODUCT IN HAND read more

Tom is fun to talk to, just don't do business with him. He is NOT RELIABLE. Gave him $5,000 for subwoofers 5 months ago and have been listening to excuses and "it will ship in two weeks" ever since. A good deal from Tom is NOT a good deal. My advice, BUYER BEWARE!!!! read more

Great hi to mid-end stereo equipment sells some of the best audiophile equipment in Honolulu been getting equipment from Tom for 20 yrs.

When you pass all the car dealerships on Ala Moana Boulevard, you wouldn't know that there's a high-end audio store nestled between them. But in a generic building near the now-bankrupt CompUSA is Audio Lab Hawaii. While Audio Directions Ltd. is purely Stewart Ono's personality, Audio Lab is closer to how the mainland high-end audio stores are set up. Owner Tom Choy carries lots and lots of brands. He has always been patient and friendly. The good thing is, he always gives you plenty of time to audition stuff. The store is dark, and when you escape from the outdoor's oppressive heat, that darkness indoors sometimes puts you to sleep. Not to worry, Tom never ever rushes you. I've never felt pressured at Audio Lab. While Tom does leave it up to you to decide, the flip side is, he's not definitive. He will not come out and say, "Product 1 does A, B, and C right, but does D, E, and F wrong. Product 2 does G, H, and I right, but you don't care about G, H, and I, so forget about it. Product 3 does do J, K, and L, which you did ask about, so therefore, you should seriously consider Product 3, and see how it compares to Product 1." When I was living in Honolulu, I lamented the lack of high-end audio stores, and thus the utter lack of product availability. Though I spent whole summers in Hawaii, I would often just wait 'til I got back to the mainland, to do my high-end audio shopping. Well, with Audio Lab carrying a plethora of brands, you no longer have to make that trip to the mainland. read more

He set up our system and there is no follow up. Finally got someone back to house and they hooked up the wrong cable box. He is unreliable. Schedules appointments and then no shows. This happened twice so far. His phone has an answering machine but will not take a message. He never answers his phone. Would never recommend this guy at all. read more

I've passed by this business many times over the years, when it was located at it's former location on Ala Moana Blvd (across the Gold Bond Bldg), only once stopping inside. As far as I remember, I've always thought of the place as an audio/visual installation company until one day through a chance meeting with the store owner's classmate; he recommended that I check-out "Audio Lab". When I did, boy was I in for a surprise! It was no installation company! The store is owned by Tom Choy, who is a very intelligible and helpful when assisting in making decisions regarding HiFi equipment. This place has it all, from the affordable to the outlandishly expensive. If you have the time, Tom is more than willing to demo any one of the equipment for sale. Note: The location of the store has moved to a little strip-mall just off of Ward Ave. If you're in the market for a new home stereo (including A/V) or just wanted to see some of the best that money can buy, check this place out! Highly recommended! read more

Tom promised to fix my Velodyne mini-vee subwoofer. That was almost two years ago. That was 2 years ago, and I haven't heard a word about it. Tom seems like a nice guy, but he just doesn't communicate. I'd recommend staying away from this place. read more

I have been buying stereo equipment, flat screens, and other items from Tom for many years, back when he was located on Ala Moana Boulevard. As far as I know his is the only shop on Oahu that sells higher end audio/video equipment. He is extremely patient, knowledgeable and pleasant explaining anything one might be interested in. A rare person indeed in today's frenetic business world. Customer service is outstanding. He always strives to insure that what he sells is operating properly and that the customer is happy with it. He also occasionally handles consignment items which is nice. I would not hesitate to recommend Tom's Audio Lab unreservedly to a friend. We're lucky to have him in Honolulu. Go and visit his store. It's worth the trip. read more

Awesome shop if you are into high end audio. The owner is more than happy to help in any way even if you aren't knowledgeable. You can tell that he's passionate about helping people. The first time I stepped in I knew very little (and still don't know enough) but he was willing to help and spark an interest even if I wasn't about to spend $20k on hifi. He even let me listen to a system in the back that probably cost more than 3 years salary. It's a deep deep hole but I find myself dipping my toes in. Thanks for encouraging me to swim. read more

I've been buying stereo equipment from Tom since the '90s when he was at Epoch Electronics. He knows his stuff. I've always been pleased with my transactions with him. Pretty much whatever your budget is, he'll reccomend the best fit for it. read more

Rep didn't even know what he was talking about, yet was still trying to teach me. Going around in circles without any help whatsoever. Unless staff. read more

He was hard to get a hold of after telling me he could fix a mic and after waiting weeks he gave it back to me completely not working. Prior to when I gave it to him it was working but wire needed to be replaced. When I got it back it didn't work at all. He said he'd try fix it again and went MIA in responses. I was better off before I took it to him now my mic is completely broken. read more

The previous review is spot on. Tom is, indeed, knowledgeable, patient, and will let you sit and listen to gear as long as you want. For purchasing, this is a good store (and, admittedly, the only high-end store around). When it come to repairs, however, that is a different matter. I dropped off an expensive CD player for repairs in May 2009. It is now almost June 2010 and it still is not fixed. I have called repeatedly. Tom rarely returns calls. If I am lucky enough to talk to him about the problem, he promises to call back the next day with an update, but has never done so. I have refrained from filing a report with the Better Business Bureau, but am about to do that. read more

I bought a JL Audio F112 sub-woofer from Audiolab a few years ago. Last month Pablo Escobar blew it up in one of those moments in Narcos when you have everything turned up because they're talking quietly and then a bomb goes off. The foam round the cone had ripped and I thought that was the end of it, but when I contacted Tom he offered to fix it for a very reasonable price. I took it in and he replaced the foam, using original manufacturer parts, as well as all the supporting pieces that keep it all together. I got it back today and it's now working as good as new. Absolutely fabulous customer service. read more

In music, we talk about "paying our dues", learning the history in order to develop our tastes, style and vision. Tom had paid his dues and is now at your service. In addition to being knowledgeable, he is also patient and enthusiastic. I can't imagine him selling anyone junk, just to get rid of it. He's got stuff-for-days in his shop: new used, classic, current. Part store, part living museum and great source of knowledge and inspiration. read more

Stopped by here on a visit to Honolulu and wished we had this store in NYC. So much audio gear new and used. Skip the front and head to the back of the store for the juicy stuff. Oh and don't go in unless you want to hang for hours listening to some of the best systems in Hawaii. Tom is more like an audio host than a salesman. read more

Tom is awesome! I needed some specialty connectors for the wiring on my project electric bicycle. I went everywhere looking for the connectors I needed, and I only found them here! Tom didn't feel the need to split my $100 bill so he gave me my connectors free! I highly recommend Audio lab! Excellent Business, and amazing owner! read more

Went to visit Tom in person. He took care of repairing my Linn and sending it back to me on Kauai. He's got some neat stuff.

I don't like to write bad reviews. But in this case, it warrants one. I had purchased an used turntable that Tom listed on Audiogon back in July 2014 for $3,750. He is the authorized dealer in Honolulu. After a few communications, I sent my payment via PayPal. But a month had gone by and I had not received the item nor communication from Tom. I contacted PayPal to hold payment as well as Audiogon to initiate an inquiry. That was when Tom finally responded and promised he would ship me the item right away. It took him another month and 3 separate shipments before I finally got MOST parts of the turntable. It turned out the motor was not working properly, and I was missing a belt. Tom promised to send me a new motor plus belt, and he would throw in an arm board that I was considering purchasing for all the troubles. At that time, we spoke on the phone, and Tom promised the item would arrive in 2 weeks. He asked me to release the payment and I complied on good faith. Well, it's been 8 months. I get the usual '2-weeks" answer whenever I called or e-mailed and Tom actually decided to pick up the phone or reply to my emails. I've documented every exchange on Audiogon. Unfortunately, I just checked there, and Audiogon has conveniently "deleted" the transaction completely. Fortunately, I have documented the entire transaction with PayPal, BBB (Honolulu), as well as file a complaint with the Consumer Protection Agency of Hawaii. You can request to see the documentation with either entity. The last communication I had received was an email dated 1/22/15, in which Tom stated that his distributor had just received these items and will be shipping them out to me within two days. I know for fact that the distributor had these items since September or October last year and they've been waiting for Tom to make payment to "claim them". I've spoken to the distributor a few times regarding this matter as well. I've exhausted all my avenues to try to get Tom to finalize this transaction to no avail. I've since got the power supply (controlling the motor) fixed on my own dime and told Tom that I would only require him to send me the belt and the arm board and call it a day. But he has not replied. Short of filing a suit at the small claims court, I am posting this here as a warning to others before dealing with this outfit. You might think dealing with a brick-and-mortar store is safer than internet transactions. But beware... read more

Back in December of 2014, I left my high end audio equipment with Tom to be serviced. I have called him over a dozen times to follow up on the status of the repair and I always get some excuse if I get a response at all. Its been over 8 months of frustration, lack of follow up, and promises that have not materialized. Its now over 8 months and I get the same run around. Ask yourself if this is the type of service that you want before bringing your equipment to Tom. read more

Been purchasing various audio equipment from Tom for many years now and he is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about high end audio. His storefront has multiple listening rooms all equipped with the latest audio/video equipment which is very impressive considering this is a small local business. On occasion, he is difficult to get a hold of but I believe it's because he is basically a one-man shop and dedicates his time to the customer in front of him. Tom repaired one of my speakers within a few days so I haven't had an issue with that part of his business. With regards to purchasing, since this is all high-end equipment, I found it is much easier and quicker to just purchase the items he has in inventory or on display. read more

Fantastic store and friendly staff. I visited the store during a work trip to Hawaii and found a wealth of audio treasures of vintage and current production.I especially liked their collection of turntables, of which I purchased a pre owned Acoustic Signature Final Tool (80 lbs) and had it shipped to New York. It was well packaged and arrived in two boxes in flawless condition. I highly recommend this store! read more

Tom Choy knows what's out there. Check out my review that for some bizarre reason yelp has chosen to not count as one of the reviews they "recommend." Go figgah. read more

If I could give 0 stars I would. This has absolutely been the worst retail experience I have ever had. I paid in full ($7,000+) for my equipment one year ago; at the time he claimed he had to "specially order" the items. After 4 months, no equipment. Following many phone calls I finally told him to cancel my order. Only then did he deliver equipment -- but they were loaner used items for me to use until my "specially ordered" equipment came in. It never has. I have called, written, and emailed him many times. No response. Or more promises that are never kept. I threatened to sue him, he finally responded but has not solved the problem, only more promises with deadlines that have come and gone. In my opinion he is either a crook or one of the most incompetent business people I have ever dealt with. I will be filing my lawsuit this week. I strongly recommend that you do NOT do business with this clown. read more