Oakland Audio-Visual Services

Back in 95 when I arrived in the Bay Area and was working at The Westin St Francis, they said Henry call OAVS (pronounced Ovis) and I said what’s his number? They said who’s number? I said Ovis. Is that the name of the guy that we get extra gear from?

Steve and OAVS helped us put on an incredible event at the Blackhawk Auto Museum! The service leading up to the event and then the support we received during the event were all top-​notch! Thank you Steve and OAVS for your help in putting on a fantastic event!

I called OAVS to inquire about a wireless mic and battery powered speaker for my outdoor wedding ceremony. I described to Reid (sp?) what I was looking for and the type of event I needed it for. Once I told him it was outside, he told me that I shouldn’t rent any equipment and should just ‘speak up’. I explained to him that I didn’t think it was a good option to have to be worrying about projecting our vows to an audience and would really prefer to rent a speaker. He pushed back again and told me that I should call another rental business that is closer to the wedding location. When I explained to him that I was going to have someone else pick up the gear that lived close by OAVS, he said he would call me back and let me know if he had gear that would work for me. I never got that callback.
While I appreciate that Reid was trying to warn me against possible wind interference, I do not appreciate that he was sloughing off my business on someone else and then told me he’d call me back just to get me off the phone. This was a poor experience all around and I would not recommend you bother with these guys when there are other highly rated vendors in the area.

NOW ADDING «ROADIE» TO MY RESUME!
I was planning an event at which people were flying in from across the country. I had to make it right. I was also on a budget. OAVS understood exactly what equipment I needed and was able to provide me with a quote the same day. I was given the choice to pick-​up the equipment myself, or pay extra to have someone deliver and set-​up for me. Being on a budget, I opted for the self-​setup option. No worries. The guy walked me through all the equipment and showed me where cables would be plugged in. Then he loaded my car for me. Indeed, setting up was as easy as he had shown me.
The event was a smashing success in no small part to having such great A-​V equipment avail.

I have dealt with these guys on and off for years until finally I gave up. They have all the gear and are very capable but their customer service is shocking. Arrogant and condescending, they always try and bamboozle the client.
They will even argue with you if you dare to stray outside of their suggestion. They are also very expensive but are one of the few choices in town.
I hope I will never have go to these guys again. They also have this reputation despite what the other 3 reviews say. I have spoken to many folks who have the same experience as me.

I had one of the best experiences here. James was thorough with his explanation of the services and products we were getting and was very considerate of my budget. I look forward to working with OAVS.

I’ve been using OAVS since I started my video production company 25 years ago. In fact, it was Duke Dukleth, the founder of this family business, who gave me one of my first video production assignments. Now the sons are carrying on the good family name with excellent customer service and a level of expertise second to none.
Over the years I have rented, video switchers, video projectors, wireless mikes, choir mikes, PA systems and even a snake! Yes, a snake is a thick cable that accommodates about 16 microphones. They usually throw in extra mike cables and adapters if I ask.
They deliver and set up equipment. They operate equipment, and they maintain their equipment in top condition. I can’t think of any time I had a problem with any of their equipment.
They seem to treat their employees well, since most of their staff I seem to see year after year.

I was in search of a battery powered (wireless) PA system for an outdoor event recently and, after much trial and error, found my way to OAVS.
They had exactly what I needed — a rechargeable amplifier, two speakers and a couple of microphones — and were able to get everything together for me with about 30 minutes’ notice. I paid $ 150 for the weekend rental — a bit more expensive than I might have thought, but as I discovered during my search, there are not a lot of people in this rental business and the stuff in question is clearly worth a few thousand bucks… so it’s hard for me to complain about the price.
I dealt with a guy named Reid, who was very friendly and helpful in getting me setup and out of there quickly. They also offer a service hotline (which I fortunately did not need) that will allegedly get you 24 hour assistance if your equipment has any problem on game day.
OAVS also appears to have a wide range of other equipment and services available: from computer projection to video systems to lighting and staging stuff. On their website, they currently claim to have all of the equipment you’d need for an event ranging from 10 to 10,000 attendees. Having glimpsed their warehouse, I believe it.