I have a well used Harmon Kardon T60 Turntable. I was slow to get to speed, The Semi Auto return was "iffy" and needed a general refurb to bring up to specs and operation. Met with Waterman and dropped off the turntable. Within 4 or 5 days he called me and let me know it was ready. He was very thorough. He brought the unit back to life, replaced parts that needed and added a new Audio-Technica LS300 cartridge, made in japan. The whole process was painless and turn around great. There are not too many people around that have the ability to do this kind of work I am glad I found Waterman. My other components are in great shape but if something goes amiss I will certainly contact him again. He manages his business by his own rules, kind of like Digital vs Analog. In some ways it's refreshing. Thanks - Recommended. read more

Dion may or may not be a gifted stereo/video repair person, I'll never know. Like others have described, his interpersonal communication skills are terrible. I called to inquire about repairing a high end component. From the moment he answered the phone, he seemed annoyed. I said, "Hello, I ..." and he interrupted, "who is this?" and I started to introduce myself. He interrupted again, "why are you calling, do you know it's a Saturday!?". I acknowledged I did know what day it was and decided I had no desire to entrust this person with my equipment or my time. I suspect he may be on the ASD spectrum. Not that there's anything wrong with that, however is sure is off putting and not conducive for working with others. Additionally, after reading other reviews & replies, Mr. Waterman should consider staying at his workbench and having a 'front office' person handle his customers. read more

I have a couple old turntables, one in particular a technics Japanese made from the 80's that stopped working, made annoying humming sound and controls stopped working. Started to try to fix myself but decided to give it up to an expert. Brought it in and Mr waterman knew exactly what was wrong and repaired/serviced and picked it up next day! read more

Called Diablo Stereo & Video about my dads Packard Bell record player console. It had been sitting for many years. I have all my dad's vinyl and wanted to bring dad's record console back to life for my mancave. All I can say is this..... Mr. Waterman did his magic for sure. Came by my home, took the record player, and the tuner. About 2 weeks later........ I'm playing Miles Davis, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Charlie Parker on vinyl. The sound is crystal clear. The crackle from the needle touching the vinyl just makes me think about my Mom & Dad dancing in our living room when I was a little boy. Thank you Mr. Waterman. You are the best! read more

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In good faith, I cannot recommend Diablo Stereo and Video based on my own experience. The owner has been in business over 30 years but now works out of his garage. With that kind of experience, I felt confident that DS&V was the right outfit to repair my vintage cassette deck. Unfortunately, that's not how things turned out. The repair bill came to $485 and entailed three roundtrips (delivery, pickup, and one extra) between Santa Rosa and Alamo (c. 10-12 hours of driving). As soon as I got the unit home the first time, it was immediately obvious that the tape speed was far too fast, a problem that it didn't have initially. This necessitated a third roundtrip to dial down the tape speed. Luckily, Mr. Waterman graciously offered to regulate the speed while I waited -- which I greatly appreciated since it saved me another roundtrip. Once back home, I was able to listen to just ONE cassette before the deck stopped working again. Even more upsetting was the fact that it exhibited the exact same problem that I had initially taken it in for. To me, that meant that the $485 repair had not addressed the real problem. I called to let Mr. Waterman know, and asked how much he would charge to fix the problem. He replied that he couldn't quote a repair estimate without looking at the machine to say what was wrong. That is exactly what I was told the first time I contacted him: in other words, I was back to square one, only $485 poorer! Paying for additional repairs, and spending several more hours driving back and forth to Alamo, holds ZERO appeal to me. Since it was a cash transaction, no refund would be available. I learned an expensive but valuable lesson: work with reliable local businesses that are committed to making things right for their customers. And don't pay cash. read more

Mr.Waterman repaired a rare British cd player(roman kandy) in a matter of 4 days...parts and labor in 4 days!!!AMAZING!!!...thanks for a fantastic repair!!!Looking forward to have my Thorens turntable out of storage and repaired by Mr Waterman!!! read more

Quick service on our Onkyo receiver. Mr. Waterman diagnosed and repaired our uncooperative receiver in no time! I appreciated his thoughtful approach and transparent communication about the diagnosis and cost of repair. I recommend his service if you're looking to extend the lifespan of your audio equipment! read more

Diablo was knowledgeable, friendly, and timely. Completed a repair and service on a vintage Kenwood turntable and it is now working great.

This jerk sounded confused about why I was even calling after I asked if they do repairs. The first thing he said was that he only works 2 days a week. When I told him I need my cables repaired and described them he started talking about his opinion on the sound of cables which is not only irrelevant but he was wrong. I would not trust this man with any repair even if he does a good job repairing you have to deal with his attitude. Total rube. read more

Dion is the man to work on your audio components! I'm so glad that I found him before he retires. Get him while you still can!!

My uncle passed away a couple of weeks ago and I inherited a Yamaha receiver and Nakamichi cassette player. I took them to Mr. Waterman, and after a short discussion, he agreed to take a look at both units. Within a couple of days he called me to give me an update on the cassette player and a day later for the receiver. In less than a week, the repairs were complete, I retrieved the units, and quickly had both units plugged in, and sounding amazing. Mr. Waterman even cleaned both units, which I hadn't expected. His attention to detail and honest evaluation were very much appreciated, and to top things off, I believe his fee was very reasonable. I will certainly utilize his services in the future. read more

An update to my previous review of this business. I had my ACOUSTIC RESEARCH AR9 woofers surrounds repaired by a speaker repair company in Southern California. The company did an EXCELLENT job. My speakers sound like new. I reviewed my previous review of this business and I stand by everything I said about my encounter with Dion. BTW, I know a lot more about audio electronics than this individual thinks I don't know. I was wiring triode tube amplifiers when I was in 7th grade back in 1960. I went on to go to medical school, but I still enjoying using VINTAGE audio equipment and VINTAGE SPEAKERS despite the fact I can afford to buy very expensive modern audio equipment. BTW Dion, "jurk" is spelled incorrectly! read more

I called and described a problem with my Stereo. The guy talked over me. Did not listen to my question. When I asked him to allow me to finish my question before he answered it, he called me an "IDIOT" and hung up. read more

Despite the note that the Pleasant Hill location is closed, Mr. Waterman is still very much in business and working from home. The number posted is still good so don't hesitate to call him for help with your vintage stereo equipment. I just had him diagnose and repair my 1978 Pioneer CT-F9191 cassette deck that I had given up for dead. He had it figured out and fully operational better than new in a day! I was thrilled to say the least and only wish I had found him years ago after trying other local less capable repair shops. read more

Mr. Waterman is phenomenal. He's old school and so full of knowledge of everything you need (radios, speakers, and so much more). He's not a throw-away kinda guy. He fixes things and you can 100 percent believe you're getting your item fixed well. He's awesome. What a pleasure to find an old school shop that repairs your equipment. They're no where to be found anymore. Bravo Mr. Waterman. Keep up the wonderful work! Thanks Mr. Waterman. J Bonelli. (You fixed my Bose system). read more

Received expert repair and set up of a broken Pioneer fixed drive turntable that was powering on but not spinning. Was charged a fair price matching the estimate given with no surprises. read more

Diablo Stereo & Video I called Diablo Stereo on a Thursday afternoon, and I left a message and received a call about 30 minutes later...I was greeted by Mr. Waterman, he explained his services and fee. I told him that I have an Onkyo A-8087 Integrated Amplifier with a channel that is not working. This unit is original to me and my first foray into HiFi in 1988, I wanted to get it repaired but feel that there are not many available technicians out there that you can trust to get this work done. Mr. Waterman exuded confidence and began to tell me that this is a great unit as it was "made in Japan". I never thought about that, but he explained further that this integrated amp is a quality unit and worthy of repair. He asked me if I could bring it by on Friday, I said "tomorrow? "YES, I can" I was not expecting that! I have been looking for someone to trust and read a lot of reviews of many repair shops. He has many positive reviews repairing many unique electronic devices that other would not touch...He has many happy clients like the 1980" Boom Box for one and he will work on other items such as intricate cassette decks or older turntables of old that many of us want to keep to remember the good ol' days of our past when we cherished these items. I dropped off my Onkyo to him the next day and he said it will be ready on Monday! "Really, Awesome". He called me later that day with an assessment with parts and labor. in detail on what it needed, and I gave him the go ahead. To my surprise, he called me the next day on Saturday saying it's all fixed, and then he cranked it up over the phone to let me know that it was working...I asked if it was okay to pick it and he said yes come over... I was blown away and think that this guy is a "Real Treasure" and I really mean it. To find someone with the skill and passion to execute his work is Rare and Mr. Waterman is one of these folks that you hope will still be around for a while. Most of these technicians are retired or will be retiring soon, so make sure you get your cherished electronic devices assessed and brought back to life! Before it is too late. Mr. Waterman is your man! I am a very satisfied customer and will refer him to my friends and you should too. Thank You Mr. Waterman ! read more

Honestly, I was really surprised about this business. I called just to get some feedback and some information. The owner responded so rudely I can say the customer service here is really poor and honestly pathetic is all I had to say I'm surprised his business is still running. Honestly, recommend anybody to go spend there hard working money somewhere else read more

Working with Dion (pronounced dye-on) was great! I had a broken VCR and while he wasn't able to fix it, offered a replacement. It was $95 cash for the "diagnosis". Have the cash ready! He communicates strictly through talking on the phone and in person, so just be mindful of that. Cool guy, avid Harrison Ford fan. Obviously VCRs aren't made anymore, nor are movies on VHS tapes. So someone who knows how to fix these (sadly) obsolete treasures is valuable!! read more

Great greeting and won customer service. I had a VHS player that was not working. Diablo Stereo repaired it perfectly over the weekend, and I am able to watch my father's last video along with my collectio of videos. This means a lot for our family. Much thanks!! Patricia read more

Best place to take your vintage stereo. Equipment to be repaired my stereo from the 80s. I was not working properly. I brought it there and now I have brand new equipment. Thank you so much for your help. I recommend this place if you have vintage equipment, that needs to be repaired.This is the place read more

I couldn't be happier with the repair of my 30 yr old Sony CFD-510. It was the first big purchase of my adult life and it's collected a lot of memories for me. Unfortunately it's also collected dust as one-by-one its features crapped out. We shouldn't grow attached to things, especially things built with planned obsolescence, but I really didn't want to say goodbye to this old boombox. Dion made sure that won't happen soon, as he restored every feature to it's original ability and it sounds just like the day I bought it. I brought it outside today to bump some tunes while gardening and it sounded so good that my neighbor leaned out her window to ask which bluetooth speaker I was using hehe. None, my friend, you can't buy 'em like this anymore. read more

Diablo Stereo & Video - I wish I could add video, the sound for all three features (CD, radio, tapedeck) is wonderful - Electronics Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

I brought in an old cassette recorder that wasn't functioning properly. It works perfectly now. This guy knows what he's doing. read more

Mr. Waterman is a true professional, and a fountain of knowledge. He recently got my technics turntable running good as new, and kept me updated along the way! He's retiring soon so get him while you still can! read more

Dion is a true craftsman and exceptional technician! I recently brought in some vintage gear for repair, including an old Luxman receiver and a Technics turntable that I'd unsuccessfully tried to fix myself. Dion exceeded every expectation--he's meticulous, ensuring things are always done the right way. Beyond repairs, Dion offers fantastic prices on vintage equipment, going the extra mile to make sure every piece performs at the highest quality before it leaves his shop. It's rare these days to find someone with such integrity, skill, and attention to detail. Highly recommend--you won't find a better technician! read more

I had a great experience with Diablo Stereo and Video. In my parent's move I inherited a bunch of slides and an old slide projector. On my first attempt to view the slides the bulb on my Vintage (1960's) slide projector blew. I called Diablo Stero and he amazingly had a bulb that fit. He respond on his day off and we were able to get the projector up and running. He was knowledgeable and kind. read more

One day service. Reasonable price. Convenient hours. Knowledgeable and expert repair.

Mr. Waterman knows his stuff about electronics. He is very reasonable in prices. He repaired my denon in one day I lost volume in my receiver and found other stuff that he took care of. Nice guy . read more

Great experience. I took in my McIntosh 2125 amplifier two other " experts" tried but failed to find the problem. The problem was found and fixed with music back in my house in 7 days. Highly recommended. read more

Brought a DUAL turntable in that was gifted to me and had it tuned up here. Work was done fast and he explained to me what he did. Very happy with the result. read more

I had my Zenith record player serviced today. I am very happy with the result and would recommend to anyone looking for repairs on any audio and video systems. Mr. Waterman is super experienced and knowledgeable and was able to explain my repair to balance the audio channels on my record player. My system sounds better than ever. read more

Diablo Stereo & Video - Electronics Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

It's so nice to know that there is someone in the area who is knowledgeable about such a wide array of electronics, especially since I hate the idea of throwing things away that can be easily fixed. My Marshall amplifier was buzzing and the connector was spinning in it's housing... I was about ready to just buy a new one, but I was absolutely overjoyed to find out that I could get it repaired for less than the price of replacing it. I mean it when I say that it is as good as new now! And the repair only took a couple of days. I will easily be back for any future repairs on sound equipment! read more

Took my Warm Audio WA1B tube compressor which had short circuited. Found the shop on Google and saw the good reviews so I decided to reach out. From the start, he was very professional and was more than happy to take the job. I left my equipment with a deposit, which is normal since we don't know the extent of the damage yet. He was very communicative Let me know exactly what was wrong and what needed to be done in a very timely manner. I was actually surprised with how quick the turnaround was. The dates that were promised were upheld. And the equipment I got back was tested with the new parts and sounded perfectly. Now keep in mind this is a $1200 piece of audio recording gear, so the fact that I was able to get a repair that was so affordable compared to sending it back to the manufacturer was honestly a lifesaver. 10 out of 10 experience. Will definitely be reaching out if I ever need any other equipment repairs. A true pro at what he does. Highly Recommended I read some of the bad reviews and let me tell you they are not true. Most of the time it's because people don't really know how the process works and don't do their due diligence learning about the equipment that they have which is super important. read more

Diablo Stereo & Video - War Audio WA 1B Compressor - Electronics Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

Took my "vintage" 1980's Yamaha receiver to Dion for repair to one of the speaker terminals that had broken. Parts no longer available, but he was able add in a second set of terminals to get it back up and running. Gave it a full cleaning and tune up while he was at it. It works and sounds like new again! This is actually the second time he has worked on this for me - many years ago (when he was still at what was the Montgomery Ward shopping center) he replaced the amplifier integrated circuit that had gone bad. Quality work and done as promised. If I have issues with any of my other components he will be the first person I go to for repairs. read more

I highly recommend you find another establishment to work on your vintage sound system. I believe in supporting small businesses and try to spend my money locally when possible. I tolerated this guy's moods and overlooked his less than desirable business practices to do so. I was a repeat customer. He fixed a turntable and worked on a receiver for me. All came at a price more than what he charged me. The state of this guy's work shop says a lot. I should've known when I walked through the door the first time and saw mounds of equipment piled haphazardly on top of each other. He fixed a turntable for me. It took some time and more follow up calls than I would have liked. I was even willing to overlook the significant scratches on the top of the turntable cover when it was returned to me. The turntable worked great after sorting out a needle issue (the new one I had purchased and had him install seemed to have been replaced with a different one which broke after a week. He replaced it with an upgrade.) I was satisfied with his work and was glad to be listening to my vinyl again. I blame myself, again I should have known better. When I took my receiver in to be worked on, I preemptively removed the wood case to prevent any unwanted scratches. When I walked through the door, the owner caught me by surprise when he proceeded to yank the receiver out of my hands. Unfortunately, the tuner string got hung up on my thumb and broke. He was quick to say "you broke your tuner string." Once again, I should have known better and just left but I didn't. After replacing a part that I approved to be fixed I didn't hear from him again. I called, left messages multiple times and even stopped by during posted business hours to find his shop closed. Ater a considerable amount of time I went to his shop to pick up my receiver from the top of a pile of equipment. Sadly, my Yamaha receiver has surpassed its value in the cost of repairs. I can purchase an upgraded refurbished unit cheaper than what it would cost me to repair. Another repair business, further away, informed me in less than an hour that not only is a tuner string expensive to fix, the other presenting issues were not worth the time and money. May you have a better outcome and learn from my mistakes. I should have known better. read more

Very quick and quality service all while the owner is in the middle of a move of his business. Very prompt initial assessment and very detailed estimate provided prior to service of my guitar amplifier, all in less than a week. I highly recommend Dion (pronounced "Dye on") and Diablo Stereo & Video. read more

Mr. Waterman is a magician! I brought in a pair of older model Definitive Mythos speakers that were starting to hum. Parts for these very expensive speakers are impossible to find but Mr. Waterman spent the time to find what was needed and the speakers are better than ever. As part of the tune-up he also found & replaced leaking capacitors in the old circuitry. The attention to detail and quality of work from this man is impressive. He is one of a kind and a dying breed of electronic customer service. read more

Doesn't answer the phone, when he answers is unprofessional, bad attitude, and even after talking the attitude doesn't wear off. They recommended I go to Custom Car Alarms. I have used custom car alarm in the past numerous times, and they were always great, but are booked out several weeks. My recommendation would be just like the owner said and go to custom car alarm. ENDED UP USING BAY RADIO AND ALARM IN WALNUT CREEK. GREAT SERVICE, GREAT VALUE, REPLACED OUR STEREO SAME DAY WE CALLED. read more

Diablo Stereo & Video - Electronics Near Me - Pleasant Hill, California

Dion is a gem in the neighborhood! I recently brought in a 90's era CD player that had suddenly stopped working. He fixed it fast (I was able to pick it up the following day) and for a very fair price. He even called the next day to make sure it was working properly once I'd gotten it back home. I'm very thankful that there are still guys like Dion around to fix these older systems that are really worth hanging on to. Many years ago, he also fixed the CD player in my husband's car. Dion really knows his stuff! read more

I thank and highly recommend Dion and Diablo Stereo. Work was thorough, fast, and reasonably priced. It's nice to keep vintage audio alive, not have to replace components with new ones that are more expensive and not made as well. I took my decades old, reliable Yamaha CD changer for repair after knocking the tray out of whack. It was stuck partially open. I was quickly told that it was repairable, and worth repairing. Got a call early next day that it would be ready that afternoon. The damage was repaired and beyond that original belts were replaced, connections were cleaned and/or resoldered, and basically it was brought back to its youth. The front panel had also become very dim so he is researching finding a replacement for that. read more