This review goes out to Stereo, depot, El Cajon, California, Ali and staff Very knowledgeable and skilled in Auto music customizations, where you think you can't add some type of music Ali can I took my 2026 mat dog 150 cc to him and ask him if he could put music on this and to make it happen and this is the final results if anyone wants any stereo equipment Alarms go see Ali he's good at what he does read more

See all

Call another place! Stereo Depot tried to take advantage of me with pricing I went elsewhere and charged me HALF to have an amp and sub installed. Adrian acted like he was gonna "hook me up" pffffft!! I can't stand dishonest businesses and people!!!! Don't bother with this place. DO NOT RECOMMEND!!! read more

All I can say is WOW I came here looking for help and I was greeted with low budget energy. Absolutely Unprofessional ,short and negative is what this store gave me. It's obvious by the lack of people skills this man has. It just Seems like this dude is pretty soulless very vapid and just extremely unhelpful.. his first question was who do I bank with?????? to have me take out some credit when I told him I didn't want that and then he just walked away from me. Such arrogance he quickly showed his petulant nature and very limited experience dealing with people but this individual Acted like he was going to help me and and didn't once he realized he couldn't suck thousands of dollars from me it's just sad you know the type with zero personality and very limited understanding of the world that type that assumes so quickly and seems to think he knows it all. Needless to say im in a bad mood cause i still cant listen to my music I didnt get any help and i wont forget how this made me feel as a customer and will talk about this Until i grow old. Dont come here!! they are hurting for sales and thats all your worth to them. Its my pleasure to share this with the many many people i know and thats their fault for being so near sited. Shut em down friends read more

Great people! Costumer service focused. They did a great job on my stereo and got me right in to make some adjustment to the components. Bring your electronic needs to these guys!!! read more

i walked hoping to find a fuse the auto shops don't often carry (60amp). They had one on had and game me the deal if a lifetime on it. Polite, friendly staff made my visit quite snd easy. Check out these guys for your hard to find parts for audio. read more

I needed to have the speakers in my 2012 CRV. I had already gotten quotes from several other places in SD & wasn't excited about doing business with them. I came to Stereo Depot and Adrian was great about working with my budget and got me in same day for service. Highly recommended. Nice guys, exceptional customer service. read more

I'm not gonna say it's horrible because the place does good work.. but I bought my car for 3500 got a great deal 2013 mustang convertible looked amazing when I got it brand new condition. I take it there to get a stereo & a nice system to bump with the top down. This guy has the urge to tell me it'll cost me about 4500 and that if he's gonna do all that work he wants nothing less. I said bro that's more than what I bought the car for I had like 1000 or 1500 max in my mind can you make something happen? He says nah. I went got it done somewhere else for 1000 and I'm happy. read more

I had an issue with my BMW's door actuator and came into Stereo Depot expecting a headache but Ali turned the entire situation around. Even though the problem wasn't caused by his shop, he still stepped up and took care of me like a true professional. Ali ordered the part I needed right away, kept me updated, and had his technician inspect the door thoroughly. Once the part arrived, they got everything installed and fixed up perfectly. No excuses, no runaround, just solid customer service and real accountability. You don't find shops like this often. If you want a place that treats you right and stands behind their work, Stereo Depot is that spot. Appreciate you, Ali! Highly recommend read more

Had a great experience changing my car radio out here! Adrian was super helpful and laid everything out for me so I could understand. Definitely will be back when ready for more upgrades read more

Stereo Depot - Alpine 301 - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - El Cajon, California

Allen & Ali went above and beyond in regards to our Equinox EV. I thought we had some engine noise but Ali showed us a method unique to the EV and it just disapeared. We initially had a miscommunication on price but Allen stepped right up and took care of us. Rarely seen in today's world. We drove from Escondido to El Cajon to get the system installed and it was definitely worth the trip. read more

So I went to this location in El Cajon. They had installed an alarm went there for three days in a row which the alarm is still under warranty and kept telling me that the installer is busy the installer is not available. Come tomorrow the early in the morning give me the runaround. I had to go to the other location in San Diego, which I was taking care of up there not here. I personally wouldn't do business they need to change management or do something shame on them for not honoring a warranty. read more

Never have I been treated like a valued customer at a stereo depot and this place was no different don't waste your time and just go to audio shack down the street read more

Fantastic install. Highly recommend! Same day delivery. Very clean and easy experience.

The staff was helpful and didn't try to upsell anything once we explained what we were looking for. Set an appointment and the installation was quick and easy. Will go back again read more

It looks like I forgot to add what happened after the body shop repaired the bumper. After bringing the vehicle to Stereo Depot, the owner didn't want to work on it because he didn't want to be held responsible for damaging the repaired bumper... basically the very thing I tried to tell him about in the initial meeting that he effectively refused to listen to. I also just recently found out that the same company they use for backup sensors also sells a product that doesn't require drilling into the bumper. Would've been nice to know that instead of being attempting to sell me on a camera instead. prior review: Not professional, at least not the owner. Multiple times I asked about how the backup sensors would be installed. I got different answers practically every time I visited as to where it'd be wired. I mentioned concerns about my bumper, which were promptly ignored and talked over how the "body shop isn't gods" and how he just wanted to see my car. (My bumper was being repaired and they advised it'd be better to drill the holes themselves instead of them having to remove it, but he didn't care to listen to any of it.) So my question is, why would I want to give my car to a place that could care less about my concerns? read more

Jacob and the rest of the team were very kind and helpful with the installation of a new radio in my car.

The shop installed a Viofo (front and rear camera) in a 2024 Corolla. The install was prompt and came out well.

Took my car in to get something installed. They said "oh yea we can do it, we'll call you when it's done." 2 hours later they called me saying they can't do it. Quoted me 375 for 2 hours. Took the car back and let my mechanic friend do it and he did it in under an hour. read more

They did amazing at getting me in and out for my CarPlay stereo install and tint install. They were very patient and very good customer service. read more

Incredible window tint! There is nobody better in the business for stereo install, car alarms, window tint and service. Moji did my windows and I am very picky, it came out better than expected. He did a better job than the dealer did on the back and even installed a bright green safety warning over my power window buttons to help remind me to not roll them down for three days. The shop manager kept me informed during the whole process and treated me with incredible professionalism. They have my business for life. read more

See all

Quick service, knowledgeable reasonable prices, Gave me a complete tutorial once it was installed which was helpful read more

I'm 5k into upgrades and the sound quality has deteriorated compared to the 13 year old Kenwood I replaced. Over the course of 2 1/2 months I have been back requesting help more than 6 times. During 6 return visits they continued to find many mistakes from the original installation that were causing sound quality problems including: front speakers were wired to the rear amp instead of the front amp; HDMI was not connected when stereo was installed; back speakers were not connected/playing; then front speakers were not connected/playing; static and engine whining through speakers. Additionally, the installer mentioned that they found a fuse blown when doing the original installation, they had to replace the fuse in order to get the newly installed stereo to play. The reason I went there in the first place was because my stereo stopped playing---there was power to the stereo just no sound and Ali said the stereo and the amplifier were blown but is seems it was only the fuse in the first place according to the installer. Still attempting to regain good sound quality after 6 return visits, they recommended upgrading both amplifiers again from what they had already installed, another 1000. But Ali did not complete the job as indicated on the proposal, and decided mid job without consulting me to leave the pocket amplifier in the dash which is still sounding bad and cannot be accessed for tuning because it requires removing the dash, I was very unhappy and all he said was he decided this was better, I wonder better for whom? This is the second time Ali has changed the proposed agreed upon installation, I never approved the in dash pocket amplifier on the original installation, explained this several times over the course of several visits and continually asked for it to be replaced with a better amp, installed in a location where it can be accessed for tuning. Yet, again he did not do as I asked him to do and it was outlined in writing on a proposal, he did not call me to discuss this. During this upgrade Ali found an aftermarket alarm system that was deactivated, and activated it. Ali was trying to sell me an alarm system, tires, batteries, TV system, always trying to sell me something more when I am there. Well the aftermarket alarm system that had been in the vehicle deactivated, now shorted out the vehicle Theft Deterrent System, the vehicle locked itself and would not start. Had to call a tow truck to get it to the shop. Took a week of troubleshooting to discover that the Body Control Module was also shorted out by the newly activated aftermarket alarm system. Repairing the damage caused by the activated aftermarket alarm system cost 1500. I was never interested in this system so never activated it, wish Ali would have just focused on fixing his bad stereo installation work and left this old alarm system as it was. Of course I explained this to Ali and asked him to pay this repair bill, he declined any responsibility, said he was doing me a favor. The mechanic garage was able to replace the shorted out BCM for 1500, but they were not able to reinstall my new Kenwood Stereo I bought at Stereo Depot, or reconnect my backup camera. Obviously Stereo Depot can't be trusted to reinstall the Kenwood they sold me because after 6 all day visits to their shop the system they installed still sounds bad, and they also caused me a huge repair bill 1500 when they messed around with that aftermarket alarm and shorted out the BCM. So, total spent now over 6500, the stereo doesn't play, back up camera doesn't work, and I need to spend more money to get this fixed. I could not be more disappointed in Ali and Stereo Depot. I have been more than patient over the course of 2 1/2 months and tried to get them to tune a 5000 system after a poor installation it sounds horrible. Then they cause damage to my vehicle costing 1500, and I will spend more now getting the stereo reinstalled. I am going to file a complaint at the Better Business Bureau, and post another review on Yelp. read more

Stereo Depot - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - El Cajon, California

Jazz was amazing Friendly, great customer service Very knowledgeable Explained how to use features in newly installed Radio Offered very good price Great value for the installed radio Will highly recommend him More than 5 read more

Jazz really helped me out. Very knowledgeable and guided me to the best stereo for my needs. He also walked me through the features on my new stereo. Installation was professional and looks great. Would definitely purchase from here again. read more

Brought in my 2022 Polaris Pro R for a Memphis audio full system install I was also under a time constraint for a planned trip and there were able to knock it out in one day. They killed it and customer service was top notch read more

Stereo Depot - The PRO R they installed the system on thank you guys - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - El Cajon, California

Pros: I walked in and was greeted by Jazzy. I wanted to do a full sound system replacement in my 2019 Subaru STI. He was very knowledgeable and put together all the sound system components that would best go with my car. I can say that I am very pleased with the way my car turned out. It brought the car to life. It sounds amazing!! Cons: The one thing that was inconvenient was how long the install took. It did take longer than usual; they quoted me for 1 day but I had to keep the car there for 2 days. I picked it up on the 2nd day. Other than that, I can say I love the way it came out. Thank you guys! I definitely will be back. read more

Stereo Depot - 2 JL Audio amps with Audio Control and 10in Subwoofer - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - El Cajon, California

I was installing a sub in my wife's car and got stuck with some wiring troubles. I brought in the car with the dash torn apart and seat unbolted and they were able to get it wired in less than 30 minutes with good attitudes. Would recommend. read more

The CD changer in my 2004 Honda Accord stopped working so I decided that it was time to purchase an aftermarket head unit. I searched Yelp for a car audio business and was provided with 5 recommendations. I contacted all 5 businesses via Yelp messaging and chose Stereo Depot in El Cajon because Allen (owner) responded to me in a timely manner. By the way, I live in Chula Vista. I stopped by Stereo Depot on Friday, 29May and was greeted by David. I explained to David that I was looking for a head unit that plays CD and has Bluetooth capability. He showed me a Pioneer head unit that would fit my needs. He quoted me a price and I agreed. I also asked if he can add window tinting to the service. He said that the window tint would take longer than usual and I told him I was ok with that. I paid for the service up front. He told me to return the next day (Saturday) at 9am. I didn't want to deal with the protesters later that Saturday, so I picked up my car on Sunday. The tint work came out very nice. David informed me that they changed my head unit to a Kenwood KDC-BT278U instead of the Pioneer. I was ok with that. The stereo install appeared nicely done as well. But when I got home and began to get acquainted with my new stereo system, I noticed that the bass was not up to my expectations. So I messaged Allen via Yelp on Monday, 6/1, to let him know that it appeared that the speaker wiring needed to be looked at because it was not pumping out enough bass. Ali contacted me and asked if I can stop by so he can check it out. I returned Wed, 6/3. Ali checked my system to identify the problem. He was able to figure it out and asked me to leave my car with him for a few hours to correct the wiring issue. I picked up my car later that day and was very pleased with Ali's work. He was able to get the bass response that I was looking for and to top it off, he upgraded my head unit to a Kenwood Excelon KDC-X704! I was pleasantly shocked he did that! This place is very busy. But Ali took the time to take care of me and I appreciated that very much. As mentioned earlier, the tint work is curing very nicely and I find myself not wanting to get out of my Honda because it sounds so good in the car. So 5 stars on the tint work and 5 stars on the install and customer service. Thank you again, Ali, for your excellent customer service. I will recommend your business to those who are looking to fix and/or upgrade their car audio systems. Take care and be safe. Peace. read more

Stereo Depot - Clean install. - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - El Cajon, California

Even though I didn't get any work done yet Jazzy was AMAZING. He clearly explained everything I would need to get done and the cost and acted like he genuinely cared about what I was doing with my car. read more

I want to speak to the owner before I leave a review!!!!!!!!! Went in with a promise and a working stereo turns out they couldn't figure it out now $1200 later and no working stereo. There is more to it but I will only speak to the owner then update this review read more

Carlos spent some time trying to figure out what was wrong with my stereo and recommended I go to the dealership. Even the dealership couldn't figure it out. read more

Took my car in twice for issues "disclaimer"this shop did not install my system. They "diagnosed" my issue and told me my Amp was blown..... took it to another shop and the Amp was fine. Returned Back and told them my Amp was fine so then they looked at my car for an additional 30 seconds and said "we Just have to rewire the whole car" I was like wait you want to rewire the whole car without doing any additional troubleshooting? I obviously said No. took my car back to another shop and they did actual troubleshooting and found a RCA cable was Pinched and cut. That fixed the issue. Wouldn't attempt to go back to this shop again or the other one in San Diego. I paid $20 By the way to get a new RCA cable instead of paying probably hundreds to rewire the car. read more

These guys are awesome. Had to replace the navigation unit on my Honda Accord EX, I was able to pick up a reconditioned unit off eBay, and Carlos (Charlie) installed and got it working in less than two hours for a most excellent price. These guys are expedient and do great work, definitely 5 stars. read more

Too Expensive stay away!!! I brought in my own equipment 10 in. double din stereo deck, Wiring harness and all necessary equipment including two amplifiers, one 10 inch subwoofer. for a 2009 Toyota Corolla OK nothing serious. I asked how much it would cost for them just to connect and set up.? First initial Representative was uncertain so went inside and he asked his manager sitting behind the computer employee describes situation and set up, manager responds with well over $800 for installation. Wow.!!! I went to Joe's Stereo on market Street in San Diego and they installed for $120 in the system looks great clean. So take my advice you're better off going elsewhere you'll save a lot of money. read more

Stereo Depot - $90 from Amazon 10" double din Android deck - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - El Cajon, California

We went in to the store to see our options for my sons vehicle. Ali helped us, he was very helpful and worked with us to find something affordable. We left the car there and it was done within a few hours. They did an amazing job. My son was super happy with his investment. Everything worked and all the factory buttons and the camera were all hooked up correctly and worked like they should. Very happy with his purchase! read more

These guys are amazing they did such a great job on my highlander. I told them I wanted to make it look different and bad ass as possible without me having to get a new car lol. They went above and beyond. Had it lifted, new tires and rims, satin matte red wrap, roof rack with extra wheel, blacked out emblem and front grill, brand new head and rear lights and DVD players built into the headrests for my kids to enjoy. Adam and Ali were fantastic. They have great product options and awesome customer service. I highly recommend these guys and will continue to use them in the future. read more

See all

Jazzy has been such an amazing help he was so nice and definitely gave me the best price possible for my stereo. He truly wanted to get me the cheapest price and was so genuine and he really cares about his customers. 100% would come back again! Such a generous and happy man! read more

Service is great! I feel taken care of by the gentlemen at Stereo Depot! Did what they promised and did it with quality and care. I have more work to do and I'm assured that they can handle it for me at an unbeatable price. Thank you Jazzy! Thank you Ali! and thank you technicians !! read more

Normally I come here but never again. Trying to charge me $80 for install on a radio my friend and I already had and the mounting kit, we already had as well. Up it to $150 just to add a backup camera install we already had. Just trying to get money from me. My friend installed this herself within an hour. Do it yourself and save your time and money. By the way a radio I got installed from them had power shortages constantly. read more

Stereo Depot - Car Stereo Installation Near Me - El Cajon, California

When you walk into their shop you can tell that these guys are professional and do a good job it's organized it's clean they have a huge selection and their staff is really knowledgeable I had cameras put in front and back of my truck and also one of my windows tinted the front window and they beat the nearest competitor by more than $200 and the work was excellent great quality I'm really please with this busines s and I will return read more