Ladies and gentlemen of the jury - *sigh* - I'm just a boomer. Your modern Home Theater systems frighten and confuse me. I come from a simpler time with simpler equipment. Multiple remotes accessing multiple menus and sub-menus cause me to hyperventilate and yearn for my plug-n-play 2-channel days. Thankfully, Larry was able to come to my place and, within a minute, solve the problem of my two (and only two) speakers playing the side channels of whatever movie I'd be trying to watch on this newfangled audio-video system. Now, if I could just find a good set of rabbit ears for this whatchacallit flat screen tv... read more

I was looking for new KEF speakers and found Monaco through KEF's list of authorized dealers. Ian and Larry were very knowledgeable and friendly. They gave me a great deal on a speaker/stand/amplifier combo. Even though orders were delayed due to the COVID semiconductor shortage, Ian kept me up-to-date on my order. After I received my equipment, Ian gave me tips for getting the most out of them. Will definitely go back for whatever audio equipment I need in the future! read more

They offer a good variety of high end products, their service is so good and helpful. They make AV stuff so easy to understand. Even after your install they are always there for you. Very reliable people. Thank you guys! read more

My wife and I , retired baby boomers , decided to do a household makeover this year . The makeover included repurposing many rooms in our home, DEPLEATING years of STUFF and realigning our home such that it met our needs and desires for the next few years. As part of the REDO we decided to change a main floor bedroom into a combination office and OLD SCHOOL audio visual room, upgrade our nearby family room into a theater of sorts and better utilize built in speakers in the kitchen, pool area and outdoor cooking center. As BOOMERS tech is just not what we do but we had a sense as to what we wanted. In the office we wanted to keep our old school turntable to spin 45's, LP vinyl's, VCR tapes mostly containing memories of our family from years gone by , our laserdisc , cassette tapes , CD s and DVD s. To round out our equipment we added a new T V as we knew it would have to be current in order to function properly as a system. Our hope was we would have a rock em sock em home theater experience in our family room , be able to add music or shows from a variety of sources and listen to them through most of our speaker locations ( we have 5 ) using WIFI technology that my wife and I could master. I wasn't really capable of describing the products that we wanted but I was fairly clear about the outcome we expected. ( the truth is this whole audio visual project was more husband driven than wife but she was very supportive ). I first checked out the Geek Squad at Best Buy and then checked in with Larry & Ian at Monaco. Neither were inexpensive but Monaco seemed to understand that this was a home project and not the MGM Grand ! Ian came to our place same day to check out our needs and the only 2 must haves appeared to be a fairly new TV s ( say less than 1 year old ) in both rooms and internet capable of driving the system from both inside and outside the home. We passed ! In the end we purchased a SONOS sound system for our family room, 2 new Blue Ray DVD s and tied our kitchen, cooking center and pool side built in speakers to the SONOS system. The OLD SCHOOL room tied into new Wharfedale speakers in that room but the system also played our vinyl's throughout the property . That was a bonus that Larry added in the end due to the way he programmed the system and it was just so cool. Now we can hear Jimmy Hendrix banging out the tunes on our old vinyl's we remember from 1968 while floating in the pool hoisting a cool one ! We can listen to radio stations including talk radio from local LA stations or Melbourne Australia over the internet. The sound rocks and the entire system can be controlled from either a SMART device or their "BRAIN" located in both the family room and OLD SCHOOL room. Now, here's the kicker. WE KNOW HOW TO RUN THE SYSTEM and it doesn't take a second college degree. I had a few ( normal ) getting started operational questions on days 1 and 2 which is to be expected and both Larry and Ian responded to me by email and by phone very quickly. By day 3 I was an "expert" but as with anything new I highly recommend the old " use it or lose it " adage. These systems aren't cheap by any means ( because they use advanced branded equipment ) and it does require expertise to install and program. In the end we are at peace with the price/value ratio and we are really enjoying the product ( which is what it's all about in the end ). We now have OLD SCHOOL devices working flawlessly through NEW SCHOOL technology in one room and iPhone driven sound and video throughout the rest of the property--even pool side. The installation process experienced a few conflicts in terms of timing to be fair, so my suggestion is the customer needs to be patient. I can honesty say we were very pleased with the final outcome and since we were in the middle of so many other projects these delays weren't deal breakers for us. And back to the cost. When I look at how quickly people check boxes on vehicles they order with respect to up end stereo and other new technology I'd say our decision to purchase an in home higher end audio visual system (which doesn't depreciate the next day to zero as it does in a vehicle ) was a much wiser choice as we'll own it and use it far longer than we would in any vehicle. It also makes the cost / value decision much easier to assess. We are happier baby boomers with our new AV system from Monaco of Pasadena. And, they like to talk hockey too . Anyone who talks hockey is more than OK ! . read more

In a world of big box stores and online shopping, it's very nice to see a specialized store that offers A+ personalized service for my A/V needs. I met with Larry (owner) and Ian initially looking for a home theater setup for my living room within a certain budget and after clarifying my needs they came up with a solution that was actually LESS than the amount I was planning to spend based on what I was trying to achieve which immediately earned my trust... imagine that! Ended up going with a SONOS Playbar 5.1 system with a LEON Tonecase custom mounted to a Sony OLED XBR A1E + a Play 5 I can move around the house as needed and it has exceeded my expectations! Larry and his team are extremely passionate and knowledgeable about A/V and will make sure you are comfortable with every aspect of selecting a solution that meets YOUR NEEDS. Monaco offers very fair pricing and their team of installers are top notch. They have earned a customer in me, deal with CONFIDENCE! read more

I was looking all over the place for businesses to demo some floorstanding speakers and everywhere I tried I couldn't get anyone to answer the phone. I luckily found Monaco AVs number on Google and gave them a call to see when they closed so I could swing by and demo some speakers. When I called Ian gave me the best phone experience I've ever had from a business. He was so nice and helpful when I just wanted to know when they closed. He went out of his way to find out what I was looking for instead of just saying the time they closed and hung up like every business I've ever called before. Once I got to the store they were extremely helpful, knowledgeable and extremely enthusiastic about the products they were demoing for me. Once they narrowed down the type of music I like and what I wanted from the loudspeakers I was looking for, Larry the owner of the company demo'd me a set of electrostatic speakers from Martin Logan. I've never heard of either the type of speaker and the brand. Regardless these things blew me away with what they could do. The soundstage was incredible as well as the overall tonal range it could deliver. After some more talking with the team there about the speakers I knew I wanted these speakers but I needed more time to think about it as well as look up some more information on speakers I demo'd. I ended up coming back a few days later to demo them again because I had to be sure if I was going to end up buying them. Once I did I realized that I had to have them. We discussed the price and they were willing to work with me to help me stay around the budget I had to work with. I would HIGHLY recommend these guys to anyone looking for Home Theater equipment or Hi-Fi equipment and service. These guys know what they're talking about as well as have the enthusiasm you rarely see in this type of business anymore. I will always recommend anyone I know to them and I will always be using Monaco AV for any of my future Home Theater/ Hi-Fi needs. read more

Just called Monaco to inquire about setting up my home theatre system and explained that some of the speakers are in-ceiling speakers and came with the house (which I just bought and moved in to) and that I was looking into purchasing a receiver as well. The response on the other end was as follows "Quite frankly if we won't be installing our product we're not interested in installing your speakers." When I asked if I were to purchase the receiver from them if they would then hook everything up the response was, "Look, lemme be real honest here. It would cost $125 an hour to hook up the speakers." Which was then followed by an extremely long and silent pause in which I thought we had been disconnected. I said hello and asked if he was still there to which he finally responded "Yeah, I'm here I'm just waiting for you to respond." Clearly they're doing well as a business if they can afford to be as rude as this guy was, regardless of knowing how extensive or profitable the job would be for them. He simply assumed it was a waste of their time because it wasn't their product and couldn't care less about how he spoke with a potential customer. One star in place of not being able to give your business ZERO stars. read more

Jesus Christ I have never met a more incredibly rude and unprofessional staff. I ask a simple question about speakers and they responded with no and hung up on me. I called back and they said they don't want my business. Unless you buy every part of your home audio here they'll refuse to talk to you. Just so incredibly rude. How are they still in business. Seriously look else where, this place is pretentious and has horrible customer service. If you buy from them you're guaranteed to be over charged and be screwed in the long run. 0/10 would not recommend read more

Looking for retailers to demo higher end (higher than big box retail) audio equipment is not an easy task, but luckily I found Monaco AV through KEF's authorized dealer website. When I first called to inquire about listening to some KEF towers, I was greeted over the phone by a gentleman named Ian. Not only did he answer my initial inquiry, but he took the time and interest and asked what I listed to, what other equipment I may be using, and remembered my name at the end of the conversation. Wow!! Notice to all other retailers - It doesn't take alot, but does take some effort to establish a relationship with a potential customer. When I arrived for a demo, Ian was helping another customer, but Allen was available and assisted my wife and I through not only the demo, but demo'ed other speakers available. Allen was very accomodating and personable and when Ian was free we all were listending and discussing the various speakers attributes. It was THE BEST listending experience at a retail store. It was as if we were listening to music and speakers with friends that were very knowledgeable enthusiasts. I thought I would just go and listen to 1 or 2 sets of speakers, and ended up there for over 90 minutes listening to an array of options, because they were so accomodating and it was a very comfortable enviornment...there is an art to sell without being pushy, and letting the product along with the sales knowledge sell itself...and that's what it was. It gets better....I wasn't exactly enthused with the original speakers I came to listen to (everyone's ears and preferences are different), but Ian suggested I listen to Martin Logan Motion Series towers (same price range), and he was spot on with his recommendation. It gets even better....I wasn't initially looking to purchase that day, but when I inquired about a quote, they were very competitive, and they even carried the media console I was also separately interested in. Larry even went online to show current online pricing and showed his prices were competitive...that was an impressive move as we all know shoppers are always price checking online, and instead of ignoring or coming up with excuses, he cut all that out of the equation. In today's day and age of onlline e-commerce, Larry, Ian and Allen reminded me of how its still crucial to have an inperson discussion with fellow enthusiates who CARE about their customers, take the time to understand their listening preferences, take the time to curate a good blend of different options, take the time to take into account everyones different budgets, and take the time to find the best option based on those budgets. EXTREMELY impressed on the focus to customer service, and will definitely recommend to others that I know for Audio / Video / Home Automation inquires. read more

This is a review of my in-store purchase. I purchased some bookshelf speakers here a couple years ago and their in store service was A1. I was only 19 at the time (probably looked alot younger too) but they treated me really well and attended to me the entire time I was there. Got to demo the speakers I was interested in (kef ls50's) and walked out with them that day for $150 less than amazon had them listed for. If I was ever interested in purchasing something audio related from one of the brands they carry this would be the first place I checked out. read more

If you want a discount AV system go to Best Buy and overpay for cheap equipment. If you want high quality AV equipment, highly personalized serviced, and not to be overcharged or pushed into equipment that doesn't suit your needs go to Monaco AV. Moncao AV not only identified the best equipment for me, they came to my house and fine tuned the system, replaced any underperforming pieces, and never hesitated to upgrade my system with no additional charges. If you want anything better than cheap Best Buy equipment but don't want to get ripped off at typical snobby Beverly Hills outlets of to Monaco Av and ask for for Larry or Ian. read more

We were renovating our family room and wanted to upgrade our TV and install a home theatre system. Larry and Ian were very knowledgable and suggested a great solution to install in-ceiling KEF surround speakers, which was exactly what we were looking for since we did not want stand-alone speakers. Larry also proactively suggested that we install wireless access points throughout our house in order to allow better signal and streaming throughout our house. Prior to these ports being installed, we had two wireless routers because the signal from each router do not reach certain parts of the house; this caused us to have to switch between wireless router depending on where we are in the house. Now we only have one wireless router and the streaming is seamless all throughout the house. They were very friendly and easy to work with from beginning to end and we've been happy with our systems thus far. Thanks Larry & Ian. read more

We've been doing business with Larry for over 10 years now and can't say enough great things about him. He has a great work ethic, great customer service, and is very knowledgeable. Over the years, he's always been available to offer the support we've needed for our system and answer any questions we have about upgrades. He has gone above and beyond to get to know us and what we care about when it comes to our home entertainment. All of his employees/partners have been great too. I really enjoy working with Larry and his team. He's more than fair and cares about what he does. We know we are lucky to have found someone like him. Thanks Larry for the years of service and for always being fair and as helpful as you've been. We look forward to many more years of business, great sound, pictures, lighting, etc! read more

I met Larry at an event and was immediately impressed by Larry's friendliness and knowledge of home entertainment systems. I visited Larry's store in Pasadena, which was very nice and both him and his staff were very knowledgeable about all the different options for lighting, entertainment and sound systems. They are pleasant, honest, punctual, considerate, kind and remarkably talented. I reviewed his contracts, which were very thorough and fair, and helped me to understand exactly what they were going to do in building a system for my home. I know they employ a specialized permanent team of experienced technicians and installers, rather than other companies who hire unskilled workers. Their mission is to clearly satisfy their clients by building great home theaters! read more

Larry, Ian, and Louie are a great team. Larry takes a lot of pride in his work, if it's not perfect or done right he won't do it at all. They do a great job with reasonable pricing. read more

Im extremely disappointed in how I was treated today when I walked inside this record store. As soon as I walked in, the old gentlemen immediately gets up and guards his computer as if Im about to rob the place! (Im not sure if it was his cash register but I def know it was a computer screen) I must say, the rest of the mall employees were really nice as I and a team were giving out free water we were promoting. I totally understand if your annoyed by me giving away free water. (Weird) But people do still come in peace these days and mean well. I didn't get a single greeting before I even uttered a word of offering the water. Im immediately told "Im not interested!" Cool. Fine. But when I said "Have a blessed day" the guy still stands there guarding the computer screen for his dear life and doesn't say a word back. read more

Loved this place - went in looking for a new 5 channel amp. Wasn't sure I was ready to take the plunge into the NEXT level of audio....2 hours w/ Larry and Ian and my mind was made up! Not only are they incredibly knowledgeable, they're also very friendly - which is rare in the sales world. I didn't feel like I was being sold anything, more being introduced to the potential of my already existing system. Will continue to shop here as often I can (and as long as my wallet will oblige), can't believe the difference this Krell amp has already made in my home. read more

Wide variety of higher end audio that can fit various budgets, plus the monaco team is so friendly and fantastic to discuss everything home audio...they even sell SONOS which I ended up buying there. Will def do business again, thanks again guys! read more

Just recently purchased the KEF LS50 from Larry and Allen at Monaco. Met them originally at the audiophile T.H.E. Show in Newport beach. Both were very knowledgeable and helpful--and fun to talk to. They were very responsive to my questions and let me spend several hours auditioning gear at the store. Great selection and service. Great team! read more

I used this company to install my TV's, AC controls and sound system for my new condo. They were not on time , didn't finish their work, and I had to hire a third party to finish the installation. When I called the owner he listened but did not offer to correct the problem. (one issue was they sold me a Sonos system and after installing it said current TV's would not work with it and I would have to purchase new TV's) When I told him I would bring in one of my other installers to correct the problem he chuckled and said go ahead. After my installer arrived he made the Sonos work with current TV's and professionally installed all wires and systems. I recommend that anyone who does business with this group have a signed contract before they start work and that the home owner is present to make sure they complete their work. read more

I bought a pair of speakers from Monaco Audio Video. Larry and Ian are very knowledgeable in the AV industry. They are not fussy and will work with you to make a sale. All in all, I recommend checking them out if you need anything AV related. read more

This review is in regards to Monaco helping build our Home Theatre and setting and fixing Creston for us We recently built a new home in Arcadia, Pasadena, and we were shopping around. we were recommended by a friend to check out Monaco. During this whole process we were assisted by Larry. Him and his team were a great help and a very friendly group. Any questions you have, Larry will answer them and then give you more. Larry would also always recommend you the most fitting equipment for your home. He would not give you any cheap knock-offs or third-party compatible alternatives(which i will explain in a bit). He always provided us the equipment that would meet our needs. He is very forthcoming and honest with his opinion, nor does he sugar coat his words like many salesmen do. With our home theatre, he helped us pick the audio equipement(KEF) which met our tastes and needs, and he made sure he met all deadlines, and kept in communication with us, letting us know if there would be any potential issues/delays. He was also very open with his opinions, letting us know, what he personally feels would be good for the home, but would not push us to do as he says. He leaves the choice up to us, but always lets us know his own insight. Also if we ran into any questions or issues, he would be there to help us and respond to us asap. As for Creston, our home lighting system, we went with Czar to install Creston for our home system, in which we absolutely regretted. They were very sloppy and delayed. They told us they would have our system finished by November, but it was not complete until January. Also, after they did finish, within a week, we ran into a blackout, and our system ran into some issues, in which the creston lighting was not able to communicate with the main system, and thus would not turn on/off. When we contacted Czar, they came and just said "this is an IP issue, and not our problem. If you want to get this fixed, you need to call a Creston certified technician who will be charging 150 an hour". Our home was JUST finished one week, and we had a blackout, and that was their response and left. During that time, Larry was still helping out with our home theatre, and noticed the mess we were in, and told us that Czar has been giving us third-party alternatives instead of actually using Creston's actual products for our lighting system. This was when we realized the improtance of Larry's work and products in that, he would not give us these cheap alternatives just to save costs, but would give us plenty of headaches and annoyance in the future. And i feel for this, this is quite important and very great quality of Monaco. In anycase, if this is what you're looking for in Service, where they are helpful, and honest, and will give you their opinion and the best quality you would be looking for, then Monaco is the place to go. read more

I finally decided to buy some proper equipment to listen to music. I moved to Los Angeles from Germany 2 years ago and, only having my computer desktop loudspeakers, started to be seriously music-deprived. While I am used to the serious high-end equipment of my dad, I am no way able to spend that kind of money. But I hoped I could find a store to sell me some quality 2-way system for what I can afford. I tried Monaco in Pasadena. Well, I only can say: I was very lucky to find a place like this in my first attempt. They listened carefully to what I wanted and walked me through the possibilities. They didn't spare any effort to play different combinations of loudspeakers and amplifiers for me. They gave real expert advice (I did a lot of reading afterwards, and everything they said turned out to be well reasoned), and when the system I liked most (Parasound P5 and A23, KEF R500, MIT SL3/5, very balanced for piano and voice) turned out to be too expensive, they helped out with selling to me the system on display for a substantial discount. They really helped me to realize my affordable dream stereo. No need to emphasize that they have a large range of fantastic systems in their store to listen to anytime. Their home theater section also look breath-taking, although I am no expert in this. If you are interested in high-end audio this is definitely the store to visit. They deserve everybody's business and will have mine soon again. read more

I have to HIGHLY Recommend Monaco AV Solution Center Store, they team is very knowledgeable, the products are Top Notch, and the home audio solutions they have are almost unimaginable. I was looking for an upgrade of my Home Theater and ended up finding out about the Home Automation solutions that are just so cool! After my visit there I realize that I have several projects ahead to achieve total Home Automation and I am looking forward to working with the Team of Monaco AV Solution Center Store to get there. read more

I was walking down Lake Ave. when my gf and I spotted this store. I recently started getting into the more serious HIFI/Audio equipment when I first approached this store. And I was amazed at the different high-end equipment in the store and what was on display. I had approached one of the sales reps (I sadly forgot to get there names throughout the whole time :( ) about purchasing and learning more about vacuum tube amps and definitely walked away learning alot. Biggest thing though was the fact that I had the chance to demo what I wanted and with what they originally had set up on it and what they suggested with it. This is definitely the type of customer service that is a lost art. I ended up walking away with the Primaluna amp and would definitely come back to flesh out any of my audio systems needs in the future. read more

This is definitely a hidden gem in the Audio world here in LA. I came to Monaco Audio Video to inquire about tube amplifiers and Ian was great at helping me decide which system to get. Larry, the owner of the store, was also incredibly helpful with tons of knowledge, providing honest advice. Their customer service is definitely top notch! I ended up purchasing a primaluna amp and I'm very happy with my decision thanks to Ian and Larry! The transaction process was smooth and very pleasant. It's hard to find people who are honest and that truly care about customers' needs. These folks are absolutely outstanding! I highly recommend this place and encourage you to check them out at their Pasadena store. read more

Larry and Allen personally delivered KEF R900 speakers this afternoon as soon as they received them in their store. They set up the speakers for my PeachTree GrandIntegrated x1. The speakers sounded wonderful. Larry and Allen tell me that after about 100 hours of the break in period R900 speakers should sound even better. They were professional about ordering, informing me about delivery, and setting up the speakers. Not too many stores sell just an A/V component any more. Many stores sell audio/video systems and charge a lot more. I highly recommend Monaco Audio Video. read more

Smart guys with creative solutions. I explained my need of wanting a "high end" amp for pure audio and an "mid range" amp for video surround sound. Larry & Ian came up with a killer, cost effective solution. If you have high expectations and like collaborating with experts, I think you'll be happy with the result! read more

I bought a pair of Dynaudio Focus XD speakers from Ian at Monaco. The speakers are great! Everything I wanted. Ian's customer service was excellent as well. He was helpful from the start, auditioning several models for me. Once I ordered the XDs he followed up with me regularly, and he pulled some strings to get them shipped quickly, all the way from Denmark. Very impressed. read more

I purchased my LS50 wireless speakers here. Everybody was very knowledgeable and ready to help. Great experience and will definitely come back here! read more

Purchased Kef R series speakers here. The place was still setting up when I visited. Larry and Ian is very knowledgeable about their products, as well as other brands they don't carry. Delivery of products was prompt, as promised. They were a pleasure to deal with. Would definitely go back for future products to complete home theater system. read more

I'm so glad that we got our LS50 Wireless from Monaco. My husband and I have been looking for a good pair of speakers for a while. We didn't plan to spend more than $1000 at first. When we were in the store, Larry showed us various kinds of speakers and they are really good speakers but we just couldn't make up our minds. And that was when John came and recommended the LS50 wireless to us. We were blown away immediately. After a week of consideration and mind torture (it was way beyond our budget but at the same time we just couldn't get it out of our mind), we came back and brought it home. The speakers are INCREDIBLE! Thank you John! Bach rocks! read more

I recently upgraded my amp through Monaco, and I am satisfied with their service once again. I spent a bit more than what I had budgeted, but now after spending approx 3 months with the new amp (primaluna dialogue premium), I am very happy that they twisted my arm for something better. It may be the last amp I ever buy. Very pleased with it, and the price Larry was able to get for me. Thanks again! read more

It's rare in this modern age of "big box stores" and online retailers to encounter truly stellar customer service. However, today I encountered just that. A little over a month ago I purchased a pair of Klipsch Hersey IIIs from Allen and Larry at Monaco, and about a week ago I noticed a problem with one of the tweeters. So today I boxed them up and took them to the store. I was expecting the standard run around and to end up having to ship my speakers back to Klipsch for repair. What I got instead was one of the best customer service experiences of my life. Alan and Larry took my speaker apart, confirmed the problem and then, using the tweeter from their floor model repaired my speaker and sent me on my way. From the moment I stepped in the door to when I left 90 minutes later I was the most important customer they had. When you step up to the world of high-end audio, Klipsch, Martin Logan, KEF, you're purchasing an elite product. So it is fitting that the customer service provided by Monaco is on a par with the brands they sell. I look forward to having an opportunity to do business with these two fine individuals again. Thank You again, Allen & Larry! read more

Monaco is amazing! For me, it is the customer service that means so much. I am just not a very technically savvy person. The people at Monaco were so patient and helpful teaching me how to use my system and when I screw something up or have a problem, of any kind, they are always available to help me. I just call, they walk me through it, and I'm back on track. They are the best! read more

Larry did an amazing job and his knowledge is great. I highly recommend him. He was always very responsive and available. He troubleshoots over the phone and stays on top of things. I would definitely use him again. read more

Great store. Very helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable staff. It was great to go to a store that had product to listen too. Their mini theater room was a great demonstration. read more

I highly recommend Monaco's. I walked in just as they were closing, and yet they spent 30 - 45 min with me. I didn't know much about audio equipment and they were very patient, answering all my questions, and showing me various amps and speakers. I don't live in the area, so they worked with me over the phone once I got home to set me up with a GREAT amp, a power conditioner and various cables. I would shop there again in a heartbeat. read more

ian and larry helped me fix the big box store issues , prices were right and they were very helpful in all i asked of them , their installer tech quincy ( q'') was also on the money he was able to find work around on our unisersal controller to make the new and older components work better than before , we hae purchased a marantz this week and a hapse about 1-2years ago same great service both times read more

I strongly recommend Monaco AV Solution Center. I had a very good experience buying a pair of speakers there. Larry and Nick were very helpful and knowledgeable about the product. I had a problem with one of the speakers and they quickly had the manufacturer send me a new pair; they take customer satisfaction very seriously. After receiving the new pair, I have been enjoying the speakers. read more