Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I was very excited about this product for its price, but after reading the other customer reviews, I was a bit leery. I bought it anyway, figuring that I could just really take my time and care in assembling it.
A few other reviewers mention that this shelf unit is difficult to assemble. I couldn't disagree with them more. It took me all of 25 minutes to unwrap, lay out the pieces, and put the thing together. It's all pegs and holes, reinforced with two long rods that run down the sides keeping everything secure. I'm kind of crazy when it comes to my stereo equipment, and I wouldn't tolerate a product that I felt was not going to protect my stuff. Assembled, this unit is sturdy and I have no concern about my electronics.
One other reviewer mentioned that the veneer is fragile and easily chipped. I was particularly careful on this point while assembling, and as long as you're careful and not rushing, you should be fine. The veneer is not of the highest quality, and I can certainly see how it would chip or scratch if you're shoving your cable box in there, or letting heavy cable ends bang around on it, but just keep this in mind and you'll be fine.
Among the positives:
--Price: the quality of this product competes with your standard mall-based/brick and mortar home stores (see my list below), but at half or 1/3 the price. Plus, with my Amazon Prime membership, I got 1-day delivery for $6.99. That's amazing for a 65lb box!!
--Attractive: the dark finish is nice and more or less matches all of my other furniture (mostly Crate & Barrel dark wood pieces). I would imagine that it would basically fit in with most chocolate/espresso/dark wood finishes on your standard mid-range furniture (Crate & Barrel, West Elm, Pottery Barn, Target, etc).
--Exceptionally well designed: for the last two years, I've been using a media stand from C&B, which I hated. It did its job, but I could not put my components in the shelf AND install the glass doors; both my receiver and cable box were too deep for the so-called media stand. After deciding to ditch that monster (its footprint in my living room was too big for my new, smaller apartment) and mount my TV, I was looking at all kinds of much more expensive items than the Echo A3. I looked at Target, C&B, West Elm, all those places, and the same problem kept coming up: not deep enough for my 19" deep receiver. When I saw this on Amazon, I was really happy to see that it was deep enough to accommodate real stereo equipment. My receiver, my DVR, and my blu-ray player all fit in perfectly; in fact, there's room to spare, so all my cables and wires are not shoved up against the wall in back of the unit. In addition, along the back sides, top, and bottom, there is a fairly deep groove in which you can run your cables, more or less hiding them from view and preventing that rat's nest of wires typical of home theater set-ups. The unit comes with covers that snap into these grooves, providing a good and realistic cable management system that minimizes how many cables you can see through the shelves. If you have a very basic set up, you could likely hid all your cables in there; I have enough wires and cables running around that I can still see a few of them, but only if I really look.
--Happy Surprises: as you can see from the pictures, the legs, which are about 2" high, are chrome, and they include these covers that snap into the bottom of the leg. Not only does this plastic foot finish the legs nicely, but much to my happy surprise, it allows the whole unit, fully loaded, to slide on carpet! If I need to switch a plug, add a component, or whatever, I can just carefully slide the thing from wall without jeopardizing its legs' integrity, without over exerting myself at all, or without needing any help. This is excellent, and coupled with the cable management system, and the generous depth of its shelves, speaks volumes to Omnimount's thoughtful design. I was also ready for a pretty involved assembly based on the other reviews, but this was so easy to put together. Just be aware: when you put the pegs in the top and bottom sides, after having assembled the sides to the shelves, only put the pegs in the two center holes, not all four. You'll see what I mean, but I had to get my pliers to pull one of the dowels out that I put in the wrong place...so, add 2min to my assembly.
--Size: the footprint of this shelf unit is very compact, and for a smaller space it's ideal. It's not so high that can't mount your TV above it, not is it so wide that it's all you can put along a given wall. It's the perfect size for an apartment, a minimalist decor scheme, or a bedroom. I have this shelf, a magazine organizer, my subwoofer, and room to spare for a large vase, a plant, or, actually, even a bookshelf on this wall. I'm putting the TV above the fireplace, so I was also have room for some art above the unit. Sweet!
Complaints:
--Veneer: you do need to be careful setting it up so as not to damage the finish, but as long as you know this going in (thanks to the other reviewer who mentioned this!), you're golden.
--3 shelves: obviously I knew when buying the product that it only had three shelves, but I didn't really think this through. I have a DVR, receiver, blu-ray, and Wii to hook up. I have had to put my Wii on top of my blu-ray, which is no big deal, and I could easily set the Wii on the top of the unit, but I'm trying to move to a more clutter-free life, so I need to save the top for decor, and not let the shelf become a place of netflix envelopes, Wii cases, and whatever else I decide to put up there till I get to it (read: bills). Basically, just think about the fact that there are three shelves and a top. If you've got a DVR, a game system, DVD, tuner, CD player, and more, you might want to think about a different shelf, or get two. I am certainly that I could stack my components on top of each other (say, blu-ray on DVR) in one shelf--there is plenty of room, as these shelves are deep and high--but I would be worried a bit about sufficient ventilation for the components.
--Space underneath: my last complaint is that there is only a few inches of space under the unit. This is fine, because it's attractive like that, but my surge-protector won't fit underneath it with the plugs plugged in. So, I have placed my power-strip along one side of the shelf and hidden it behind my magazine organizer (I could have put it behind my subwoofer, too, or whatever. Just know that you're not likely to be able to slide a power strip with plugs under it unless all of your plugs are slim-profile type. None of my are, of course.
In the end, I just can't find a reason not to give this product 5 stars at this price. If it were $399, I'd be bellyaching more about the negatives, but for $150, you don't get solid oak. Surprise, surprise. Enjoy this great product.
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