Crutchfield
reviews and complaints

I always have liked shopping at Crutchfield for car audio. Navigating their website and finding equipment that works with my car has always been top notch. The tech support is fantastic. If I have an issue, I'm always greeted with a patient person who understands my problem and immediately is available to help me troubleshoot the issue. I've had a tech stay on the phone with me for almost an hour while talking me through a simple car stereo installation. Once, I accidentally punctured a hole in my new car speaker during installation, and Crutchfield sent me a replacement pair next day. This was several years ago, so I'm not going to say they would honor this careless mistake today. Needless their service is exceptional.

Now, the biggest contention with Crutchfield is that they are more expensive than several of their competitors. I could easily by the same car stereo for $50 less at Amazon. However, I won't get any technical support if I buy from Amazon. Also, most sales on car audio receivers are not honored by the stereo's OEM. I'd rather pay an extra $50 to get an added piece of insurance and support from Crutchfield than have to file a dispute through Amazon.

These are attractive. They appear to be made sturdy and the connectors snug. Having the option to select the length of the cable to fit my needs was a nice touch. I upgraded because the speaker cable I was using was over 30 years old and stored in my garage. Being able to take the new cables out the pack and connect to the speaker and be up and running in less than five minutes was beneficial. No measuring, crimping the cable and fighting to twist the ends and connect. The sound was an immediate improvement over the old cable. I had to reduce the volume. I am sure as I get more playing time the cable sound should improve slightly as well. Even at reduced volume, I could tell the highs were better and the bass was effortless, The fit and finish is great. I would recommend these cables for anyone wanting to upgrade without breaking the bank. Even if you don't think cables make a difference, if you have old cables it would still be worth upgrading with these cables. It will take you 5 minutes to setup. If you are trying to decide if cables better than stock would improve sound, I would recommend these cables. The extra benefit is they look expensive and perform very well.

I purchased a home audio system from Crutchfield after having done a ton of research, listening to other systems, listening to other audiophiles, and then becoming completely overwhelmed. Crutchfield had a reputation of being very helpful - so, I took the chance, called, and got to speak with Wes as my sales consultant. I told him my story - had a system in college, sold it to pay bills, was now about 45 years past that point and wanted to start listening to music again. I spent the next 40 minutes talking, listening and learning from a very patient person who could have sold be a bill of goods, but took the time to work with me and set me up with a system that would meet my needs, be fun to use, and not make me part with my 401(k). Placed an order, the system arrived, and while there was some "operator error" involved in connecting everything up, I worked through it and got absolutely fantastic sound! So much so that I have been up late every night listening to old vinyl until around 2:00 a.m. - just like back in college! Very positive experience all around - very happy with the results - and really love the new system. Thanks, Crutchfield, for bringing back old memories and helping make some new ones!

Shipping was fast and items safely packaged. All items worked as expected; head unit sounds great. Went with a single DIN so the buttons are smaller. Wiring harness and adapters all worked and instructions were mostly accurate and helpful; I did not need to call for help. The head unit and replacement dash mounting kit fit my vehicle with one flaw. The curvature along the top does not match up tightly with the air vent trim (as the original dash mount did). Otherwise the dash mount looks and feels the same as the original. I was expecting an over-blown price tag for all the items I ordered but turns out the cost was reasonable and I got what was necessary to install without looking all around for the correct items and directions. I checked several other online retailers and overall Crutchfield had the best options for head units, kits, adapters and clear directions. Though some individual items can cost a bit more, it may be worth paying more to get the whole package and support (if needed). Be aware that some adapters (steering wheel functions) do require external website use for access to specific directions and updates. As a novice installer of car audio systems, using Crutchfield was a positive experience all around; I'll come back here first, when needed.

Crutchfield is one of the best companies that I have ever done business with. I was a car stereo installer back in the early 80's. Things have changed so much since then. Without Crutchfield's expertise you could not undertake a stereo installation today. It's not just connecting power and ground and 4 speakers anymore. Today's cars are way more sophisticated than that. I installed a new head unit in my older 2007 Lexus RX350 only to discover that the factory radio was way more sophisticated than I ever imagined. The car had an existing amp which was all digital from the head unit to the amp. The solution that Crutchfield had was not too complicated to figure out and it worked flawlessly. My new Kenwood DNX696 worked incredible right down to my steering wheel controls. I had to call Jeff at Crutchfield to get the location and color of the reverse light wire and the parking brake wire. You must tap into those 2 circuits to enable reverse camera and DVD playback. I tried for hours to find this information on the internet to no avail. Jeff gave me the 2 color possibility's and my issue was solved in 30 minutes. I have used Crutchfield many times in the past and will continue to use them when my new Lexus 450h s radio goes bad. Great customer service and support you can't ask for more.

Decided to finally replace my 2017 Ram 1500 speakers. Interior sound is somewhat nonexistent in these trucks (without alpine sound). I was on the fence about what headunit to get, as I was looking at an OEM fit and finish headunit from carnaviplayer.com VS an aftermarket brand name; so I started with speakers. I chose the dash speakers due to volume. The volume in this truck goes to 38... and I listen to it on 38. I personally never found the volume to be loud enough, so after some research and reading reviews, I decided to go with the JL audio C2 3.5" speakers. The speakers were a direct fit without any issues at all. I wired in 600hz bass blockers to avoid any "popping or cracking" that I had read about. After just installing one, and testing it before I moved to the next, I noticed a HUGE difference, so much so that I thought the balance was only on the left; but it wasn't. So, after finishing the install and taking a ride around the block, I can tell you that these are MUCH louder over stock, with the stock headunit and no aftermarket amp. Also, this is huge, the clarity and difference between the different sounds coming out of the speakers is unbelievable; almost as if I was hearing things that I had not before. I would recommend these speakers to anyone, and also say they are a MUST for any Ram owner. I bought these, the bass blockers, and direct plug and play harness and I believe the total was ~120. These are worth every penny, wish I had done it sooner!

Since I last upgraded my home theater system 20 plus years ago the world of electronics has changed immensely. I needed a new receiver and some peripherals. I stumbled on Crutchfield and I'm certainly glad I did.

I already had very good speakers, a good television, a good Blu-Ray player, and an aging but still functional VCR. I receive my television programs via satellite. I needed help in choosing a receiver that would support all this equipment of various ages and manufacturers.

I sent specific information on my equipment to Crutchfield and was assigned a technical consultant. Within 24 hours he responded and asked some follow up questions so his recommendation would be on target. His wasn't a canned response; it was specifically tailored to my needs. My new receiver is even better than I expected.

Before I committed to buying the recommended receiver I compared it's price on three other websites. The Crutchfield
Price wan no more expensive than the others that didn't offer lifetime support. It was delivered in 2 days and setup was incredibly easy.

Since got my new receiver I've had occasion to contact my technical consultant again. I wanted to replace the 5 remotes that I now use with a universal remote. Once again I got a recommendation along with the rationale for it. Once again I comparison shopped and once again I found Crutchfield to be no more expensive than anyone else.

What more could anyone want? Competitive pricing, pre-purchase advice, prompt delivery, and lifetime technical support.

John

"Crutchfield" is one of those businesses that as an "old school" audiophile, you are well aware of, but rarely use.
However, I have a 25 year old SONY 5.1 surround sound receiver which was failing. I needed something to be compatible with a turntable, CD player, satellite receiver, flat screen TV and Blu-ray player. I did have to buy a pre-amp for the turntable, but that was a small sacrifice.
In my search for something compatible, the Crutchfield website was one that I came across. It was easily accessible, had helpful information from website personnel and reviews from customers. The price seemed very reasonable and had 2-day shipping. I ordered the receiver and preamp on a Thursday and everything arrived on a Monday. Wow. (of course it's 4 days, but there was a weekend in there...) Still, that's pretty damn fast considering they're in Virginia and I am in Washington State.
The new receiver was more than I expected for pretty much an entry level surround sound system, but totally adequate. My long playing records have never sounded better. Even Blu-rays of musical performances sound better than before.
Although the SONY I had for so many years was really good, the technology has progressed where whatever media I use sounds better than ever.
I did have to contact their Customer Service with a basic question which was answered very quickly. The added touch of adding several sheets of free "cable labels" was very helpful.
I'm extremely pleased I made a switch to the new receiver and am pleased with my experience with "Crutchfield".
I would have no problem recommending "Crutchfield".

I had placed an order for an on Onkyo receiver when the receiver had come to my house and was installed professionally it was defective write out the of the box. I called Crutchfield customer service which the people in the work the customer service line are excellent m. Unfortunately they're limited to what their can do for the customer the young lady on the phone tried to assist me but when she was unable to do to the fact that there were none replacement receivers available until May I then asked is there any kind of different receiver equivalent or upgraded did they be willing to offer me some type of special price due to the circumstance. She put me on hold spoke to manager and the manager said start with the technical support group 1st they switch me over to the technical support spoke to the technical support rep which is also an excellent person to deal with he agreed right away that the Akio receiver was defective at that point he issued a return shipment. And a credit for the receiver that I had purchased at that point unfortunately I needed to call back in so that's what I did I called back and spoke to another customer service rep which was also excellent that went above and beyond trying to get my difficult situation taken care of due to the fact it now I've already paid for and professional installer to come out to my house once they couldn't do it now I have to pay them again to come out because I didn't buy product from him I bought product from Crutchfield. Unfortunately the only receiver that would fit what I need which is a 7.2 was a Marantz which was $1000 which is almost double what I paid when I had asked if they could speak to the manager about some type of compensation of a happy medium to meet in the middle due to the circumstance she spent over an hour and a half trying to communicate with a manager of the situation and unfortunately got no resolution other than I need to pay more for the receiver not even the slightest bit of an offering off of that that now thousand dollar receiver I had to purchase. Unfortunately Crutchfield had me in a rock and a hard place because I had over $450 worth of gift cards that I got for Crutchfield and so therefore I had no other option but was forced to pay over $500 more for a receiver due to the one that I originally purchased was defective out of the box and could not be replaced until May which is a ridiculous amount of time when I have no stereo at my house due to the fact that it was torn down waiting for this receiver. I feel that the right thing to do would be take care of the customer I feel that customer service representatives at Crutchfield have the best interest in mind for all their customers they speak to but are handcuffed by the management that does not appreciate customer support their business and does not see the customers frustration and concerns or they don't have any type of caring to take care of the customer I would hope that's not the case but the customer service reps at work on the front line are excellent their managers unfortunately lack of desire to take care of the customer

Once they got your money they don't want to know you anymore. That's how they are.
I wish I had read all of those reviews before buying from them.
Their customer service department is a branch of the hell. I was unlucky enough to encounter all of their treatment in full.
What I wanted is to find out how I can replace the item I got. It was already defective. I don't know, maybe they broke it at the warehouse or when it was on its way. Whatever it was, this problem had to be solved. And it was the hardest thing. Reaching their support is something impossible, they are always busy, not talkative, not helpful and even rude sometimes. All of this didn't meet my expectations probably because I was too naive.
So long story short: it's been 2 months since I called them for the first time. Nothing has changed. And it will probably never change.

Thank god they provide the warranty. But when you have a problem be prepared they will blame you and you will have to prove that their low-quality item is not your fault. Saying this because I had to go through this process of exchanging and not happy with this.
I don't think it's an appropriate attitude toward customers who buy your expensive products. Maybe you should be more polite, no?

I attempted to purchase a Pioneer AVIC-5200NEX by phone. The discussed price was $599.99 with a $100.00 rebate to show up some time in the future. It was made perfectly clear the installation was going to be in a 2010 Prius II with JBL audio. Steering wheel controls, backup camera, GPS, Bluetooth, USB connection. The works. I also indicated the need for professional installation. I was informed that would not be a problem if I pre-purchased a $199.00 InstallNet installation card. Assured that I contact the installer, set a date and time and everything would be prepaid. I also inquired where these installers were located to insure local availability.

Now the fun begins. Initially my credit card company flagged the transaction as suspicious, blocking the transaction. I left the salesman at Crutchfield to contact my credit card company. Expecting to need to recontact Crutchfield to complete the transaction. Much to my surprise. Once the hold was removed on my card. Crutchfield continued to process the sale, without my further go ahead. I did received a call from the sales person at Crutchfield to inform me the transaction had processed. It was not five minutes later another person from Crutchfield contacted me. This guy immediately breaks into a monologue expecting me to accept additional installation charges implying the install card I had purchased was merely an estimate and most assuredly my installation costs would be more than $199. What in the world is going on with these individuals? What are they involved in? What ever the answer is, it can't be good. You be the judge. In any case I cancelled the order and no better to do further business with people that do not stand by their word. I fully expect the need to go through a full dispute process to get this rectified.

I have ordered a drone from www.crutchfield.com and when it arrived it was damaged. I contacted Crutchfield customer service and said I wanted to return it for a refund. Their customer service rep said they did not accept any returns on drones no matter what the reason was. I lost my money because of their ridiculous rep who did not provide me any hep! I regret I did not read the reviews and I will definitely not buy from them again.

I have purchased a drone from www.crutchfield.com and the one arrived was defective and did not work at all. So I contacted them and asked for a replacement. The rep I spoke with was very kind and helpful. They immediately inspected my case and sent me another drone. It arrived and was working fine but only for about a month. Contacted them again and asked for a refund, but they refused and said that 60 days already expired. No! I had 30 more days left and I tried to tell them that but they refused to even listen. Scam!

Never, ever buy a product from Crutchfield. I ordered a Sony camera for my husband for his birthday and when he used it, the picture had multiple lines through the camera. Crutchfield's response was that it it was now Sony's problem. Sony, in Texas, has been contacted multiple times, and they are hopeless. We sent the $400 camera back only to have it returned to us in the same condition. We have been on the phone with "support" and they will review the camera again...what a run-around without any relief. Sony has a 4 month warranty that they seem to say will run out...So my story is first, never order from Crutchfield, their policy is anti-consumer. Second, order from an on-line company whose policy is generous on returns or order from a store in person. This is so unfortunate and I aim to spread the word all over the internet.

On Sunday 11-16-2008 Crutchfield showed a price of 1369.99 for a Samsung Hl61A750. I put it in my cart. On Monday I called to ask some questions and wanted to order the television. I was told the price was incorrect and was suppose to be 1599.99.-same story from the supervisor. Sure enough when I tried to go to my cart and check out, the price changed to 1599.99. The following day I checked the cart and the price had changed to 1799.99. Talk about your bait and switch! Their attitude on the phone convinced me that this was intentional. It seems Crutchfield has gone to deceptive business practices to bolster their sales in a sour economic time. Bottom line-beware of their posted prices!

Attorney Mark E. Crutchfield of New York City signed separate contracts with my partner and I took our money and was never heard from again! Then learned he has done this to many many people and multiple complaints have been filed about him.

Hopefully he will soon be disbarred and won;t be able to scam anyone else. he advertises on Craig's list and other places and has "offices" in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Claims to do a lot of work for wronged NYC tenants.

Stay away! If you are a victim too complain to the Grievance Committee as we did already.