AV Chicago

My experience with AV Chicago was pretty horrible from start to finish. I am from NYC but was hosting a corporate event in Chicago. AV Chicago was actually recommended by the venue I was using because they had all worked together many times in the past. Upon our first call, I explained what my event entailed, what I would need, etc. and recommendations were made for me and I was told that I should be able to pick up the equipment when I arrived from the airport. The gentleman I worked with also assured me that I would be able to carry everything back to my hotel myself.
Once I arrived in Chicago a few weeks later, I find out that a tech was never included in my order and no one could be staffed at that time. I actually had to have a tech from a different, MUCH better AV company come help me at the event.
Aside from that, I wasn’t able to carry the 8 foot projector as I had been told, but Geoff at AV Chicago let me know that I would be able to have one of their guys come pick it up at the venue after the event. Great!
I arrived at the venue for my event the next day to find out that the cord I would need to play sound through the projector was never included with all of my equipment. I called someone at AV Chicago who let me know that the cord was back at their warehouse, but there was «no one to come bring it to me». With an hour before my show was starting, I had to jump in a cab during rush hour to get it myself. AV Chicago was aware that I needed sound, and assured me that I would have everything I needed when I went to pick it all up. Which obviously was not the case.
This is the first review I have ever posted on Unilocal,not because of every inconvenience I experienced working with this company, but for the total lack of consideration the AV Chicago employees have. The next morning, after my event, I called AV Chicago to make sure someone was going to pick up the equipment as Geoff and I had discussed when I arrived the day before. That’s when I was informed that it would be an extra $ 75 charge because it was an «emergency pick up» that was never scheduled. Despite the fact that Geoff and I had SPOKEN about it in person, I guess they don’t believe in good customer service and need require everything in writing.
Besides the complete headache that using AV Chicago was through the entire process, everyone that I spoke to there was completely unaccommodating and rude. If you just want to rent equipment, go for it. But I am an event manager, and if you want a professional company that cares about their clients, definitely don’t use AV Chicago.

Great place to grab gear.
Great gear at a great price. I can not recommend AV Chicago enough. They my choice for gear in the Chicago area. The staff is very accommodating and is willing to work within your budget.

I needed DJ equipment for my graduation reception and looked all over for great priced places with good equipment downtown Chicago. I called these guys and the rest was history. They recommended the perfect set of speakers and a mixer to meet my DJ’s needs. We picked up the equipment (well packaged for travel) and had a great event. Their customer service was very responsive to all our inquiries and accommodating to our schedule. If youre getting equipment downtown chicago, this is the place to go. Only watch out is they are not open for Sunday delivery/​pickup so if you have a Saturday night event, keep that in mind.

Prosumers — this is your place. We rented the Panasonic AG-​AC160A HD Cam with a Lowell Light Kit, and two Sennheiser wireless mics. Everything was inventoried properly, batteries were charged, manuals included. Great experience. This is the only place we will rent from for future projects.

We enlisted AV Chicago as our AV partner in a yearly gala. We walked our contact Jeremy through the space and described what we had in mind for the multi-​floor event with various bands, DJ’s, speakers, dance performances and fashion shows all running concurrently in different areas. We quickly received a quote and were patiently walked through the «megaclaws» and «Elation ELAR108 3W RGB…“s.
We had very specific electrical needs to work with in the old building and Jeremy went through everything with the site electrician and they put together a plan to address our needs and the building’s power supply. Everything went off without a hitch and the ambiance they designed was exactly what we wanted. Every time I went to check if someone was ready to queue music, microphones, lights, whatever, an AV Chicago team member was there. I really couldn’t imagine working with another company after this experience.

Can’t recommend AV Chicago enough. I have a video production company, and occasionally we need more gear than we have. The folks are AV Chicago are who we turn to for rentals.
The equipment is in good condition, but you’d expect that. What sets AV Chicago apart is the customer service. They really do a great job.

I used AV Chicago to rent an enitre setup for my wedding as my DJ (who is a personal friend) was flying in for our event from LA. Not only was the staff extremely helpful in determining what I would need, but they did it all at the most competitive price. I highly reccomend using them for you next event.

AV Chicago always has the random equipment we need for video editing. Once we were in a pinch and needed to convert an old format and we called them up and within a half hour we had our equipment. They even supplied all the cords for ANY setup. We only needed it that day, but had to return it after their office closed. I called them, and the guy stuck around so we could return it. AWESOME.
They’re always knowledgeable about set up and they help with any troubleshooting.
I know they always have what I need, they’re considerate, and I’ll use them forever.

I used AV Chicago for a large event that I was planning after I got tired of comparison shopping the places online that were trying to convince me that what I really needed to do to save money was to have eight walkie-​talkies shipped to Chicago from DC. To be fair, I didn’t need anything complicated, I was free during the day for picking up and returning the equipment, and I wasn’t spending my own money, which, after reading the other reviews, may explain why I had such a positive experience, but everyone I spoke to was extremely helpful and knowledgeable. The walkie-​talkies worked, they sent an invoice and demanded no payment upfront, and everything went according to plan.

Wow… where do I start? Let me see, they do have functional video equipment which is always a major minimum that a video equipment company should have but aside from that, the customer service was horrible. We turned in the video equipment a couple of minutes late but did notify them beforehand that we did hit traffic.
Unfortunately 2 minutes late to them means that they charge $ 150 or so even though they had a guy inside tapping his watch behind the door. What fine bunch of gentlemen, right? Well at least the kid the next morning took his thorough time checking the equipment so I’d be late only an hour to work.
I would definitely avoid using this place altogether. What a rip-​off!!!

Of all of my wedding vendors, I am the MOST disappointed with this company. We had our videographer fly in from out of town and he rented his equipment here. First of all, their hours are super inconvenient and the customer service that I received was NOT helpful at all. My wedding was on a Saturday and they were told that they had to return the equipment on Monday (since they’re closed on Sunday) — however, they forgot that Monday was Labor Day and they were closed. So, on weekdays, their hours are 8am — 5:30pm (not at all convenient to the normal working person). Anyway, I took off of work an hour early to drive from the North suburbs to downtown (AND I don’t have a car so I had to rent a zipcar but had some problems getting into my zipcar) and I called them to say that I was running about 10 – 15 minutes late, could someone PLEASE wait until 5:45pm for me since I rented a car just to return this equipment. They informed me that no, they would not wait for me and I would be charged an extra $ 150 per day until I returned it.
I RUSHED down there and still stuck in bad traffic and got there at 5:32pm — two minutes after their closing time and they still wouldn’t take it then. My husband then had to take two hours of his workday the next morning to return it. We were charged an extra $ 150 which wouldn’t have been necessary if they had just let me in there at 5:32PM the previous day.

Ever need to a camcorder so you can record yourself being stupid for a reality tv show? Ever need a camcorder so you can post 90 348 234 videos of your cat doing the same thing over and over again to post on Youtube? Do you just want an opportunity to have a sexy tape released of you like Paris Hilton?
For $ 35 you can rent a camcorder and make all your creepy video recording needs come true.
They also have a large selection of audio equipment and they have 2-​way radios in case you want to feel like a spy as you record people doing really boring things.
If you wanted to try being a Bar Mitzvah DJ, you could rent all that equipment here and have it delivered.
Reservations by phone are highly recommended. This is the cheapest AV rental place I’ve ever known.