BLOG AV

When flat screen and Plasma TV screens were first released on the market glass TV stands were released as a modern and practical solution for housing these new thin TV sets. However as time has passed TV furniture has become more sophisticated than ever before, no longer are TV stands and cabinets designed with only function in mind. A large number of manufacturers produce high quality TV cabinets in a range of tasteful finishes.

Although some consumers are unsure about TV furniture, as the need for TV furniture is quite a new concept many consumers do not think about a TV cabinet in the same way as they would a bedroom set, a dining table or a new leather sofa.

The dining table is a place close to our hearts. It symbolizes the center of the home and family activities to most of us and when we decorate our homes, there is always some part of us that wants to keep that traditional view of the dining area. A range of contemporary dining tables are available online and in store and consumers have always had a huge selection to choose from.

TV furniture however is different, even though Plasma, LED and LCD TV stands are a piece of furniture which will be seen and used on a daily basis many consumers are apprehensive about purchasing quality TV & AV furniture. Big AV specialize in TV stands and TV cabinets from a wide range of manufacturers offering a large variety ensuring quality and value throughout. The new Gecko TV cabinets offer modular designs and intelligent performance features and Jahnke TV cabinets are also a popular choice for consumer with a wide range of LCD, LED and Plasma TV cabinets in wooden TV stands. Most of our cainets are made from real wood veneer, this is because solid oak furniture may warp due to the heat emitted from AV equipment.

We deal with hundreds of enquiries and posts on AV forums regarding TV and AV furniture every single day, we have found that not everybody needs the same thing, it is often the case we have a customer who loves a particular product but is unable to purchase what they really want because the equipment they own will simply not fit in. On the other hand sometimes our customers finally find a rack which will accommodate all of their equipment only for their other half to complain about the finish.

Thankfully, TV stand manufacturer  Optimum understand this, and they have created the Optimum modular range, comprising of a mix of AV stands, TV stands and Hi-Fi racks, the Optimum modular range features five different styles all of which can be customised.

Each of the products in the Optimum modular range of AV stands and racks can be modified in terms of the number of shelves, the colour and (in the case of some models) the glass thickness, the colour of the supporting legs and perhaps the most useful option is a choice of eleven different rod heights, this ensures that no matter how tall your AV amplifier is you will be able to fit it into an Optimum modular AV stand.

Here at Big AV we are always looking to improve upon our customer servicin all departments, we have had recent requests to stock office furniture in addition to our wide range of TV stands, TV furniture and TV cabinets. Like the glass TV stand there is now a wide range of glass office furniture. Why should you have to put up with a boring MDF desk from Ikea?

The TV stand world was once very similar, the explosion of trendy glass stands has enabled us to provide you the consumer with a huge range of TV stands for flat panel TV’s to improve the aesthetics d atmosphere in your living room, whilst we were once limited to selling glass TV stands a great variety of wood TV stands have now emerged onto the market.

Office furniture would be a whole new sector for us at Big AV and we are leaving it up to you the consumer to decide if you would like us to stock it. There are already good websites out there providing home office furniture but we think that our satisfied customer base should hopefully provide enough word of mouth promotion, so let us know what you think, should we sell just TV stands or move into the office furniture market.

Once considered a functional commodity item, TV stands and TV cabinets have risen up from their dismal eighties existence and stepped into the modern world with ultra funky and stylish designs. Considering how much you will spend on your TV, and on other pieces of furniture like modern coffee tables, dining tables and home office furniture it does make sense to purchase a quality TV stand as this is one piece of furniture you will see every day.

Some manufacturers prefer to produce TV stands and TV cabinets which ooze quality through  sleek understated design, the BDI range of TV cabinets is particularly popular and despite it’s premium price tag, BDI satisfy customers with superlative design and build quality which is unsurpassed in the current UK market, our personal favourites include the BDI Marina cabinet and the BDI Vista cantilever TV stand.

Techlink on the other hand have produced funky designs in high gloss finishes. The Techlink Opod has been one of the 2009 TV stand success stories, with an essence of sixties style combined with a modern finish the Techlink TV stand is the perfect accompaniment for modern town houses and town centre flats, Techlink have also created a larger version of the TV stand for LCD and Plasma screens sized up to 40″. Aailable in ultra high gloss white, black and red the stands will add abit of style and flavour to any living room.

Check out our website for the latest TV stands and new TV furniture releases.

We are now midway through November which means the majority of brands have released their final product lines and are ready for the peak season. As always with Big AV we strive to bring you the latest products as quickly as possible so here is a breakdown of the new items we expect we will be sending out over the next couple of months.

The Just Racks JRA series of TV cabinets are a line of products we expect to do very well over the Christmas period, combining the German build quality of their sister company Spectral with the a design essence which is not dissimilar to the ever popular BDI TV stand brand, the intersting point to make about these LCD, and Plasma cabinets is the price point, at around half the cost of their American counterparts these LCD TV cabinets are superb value for money, the Just Racks JRA series is supplied in a range of different finishes and styles making the some models in the product range suitable for traditional living spaces and others are suited to contemporary surroundings.

Other interesting arrivals include the latest offerings from Stil Stands aka Stilexo TV stands, some unique combinations of wood and glass at Stil’s trademark budget pricepoint are likely to be hugely popular during the festive period. Iconic have also released a new cantilever TV stand which looks abit different and Alphason have some good quality budget cabinets for sale.

There are so many quality TV furniture units on the market why should you accept the tacky glass stand curry’s throw in with the TV?

We are now approaching the end of 2009, it may be remembered as a year of financial hardship and woe but here at Big AV we would rather take a more positive look and in this post we will be nominating some of the most innovative and interesting TV stands worthy of being classed as the best TV stands of 2009.

Glass TV Stands-

As the bread and butter of the TV furniture industry glass TV stands make up a large proportion of TV furniture so which ones provide the best style and value for money?

The portability GT-7 combines a stylish corner shape design with good quality toughened safety glass, available as a clear glass and silver stand, black glass with chrome or as an all black TV stand the portability GT-7 is an ideal budget solution and we don’t think there is anything as stylish and dependable for such a small sum of cash.

Cantilever TV Stands-

The cantilever TV stand market has come on leaps and bounds through 2009, old favourites like the Stil Stuk 2053 CHBL still present excellent value for money, the clear glass Stil Stuk 2053 now has stiff competition from the budget Alphason AA-2G-BR which is a fabulous budget option with a swivel facility, Alphason have also enjoyed great success with the Iconn ST600 and the BDI Vista is a sensational high end option, but all in all we think the best blend of value, style and quality is provided by the Aquila at just £249.99 this beautiful TV stand looks a lot more expensive than it really is and make a superb home for the latest ranges of flat televisions and with a class leading cable management system the Aquila cantilever TV stand will really take some beating in 2010.

TV Cabinets-

2009 was the year of TV cabinets, when flat panel TV’s came into the market glass TV stands were modern, trendy and cool and the TV cabinet was seen as old fashioned, that has all changed now with the release of some ultra smart TV cabinets from US manufacturers BDI and Salamander Designs as both have released inspirational designs, the Wenge wood finish of the Salamander designs berlin cabinets looks superb, for anyone who is interested in one of these we have one in our Huddersfield showroom, it is well worth taking a look as the finish looks much better in real life than on a picture, our favourite TV cabinet of 2009 is the glossy BDI Marina, combining modern styling and contemporary features the BDI Marina has been a roaring success as a high end home for your LED, LCD or Plasma TV.

So that’s what we think, let us know what you think, have we missed any killer products, is there a brand that we have not mentioned you think offer superb value or design?

2010 will see the release of even more quality products including the release of ultra slim wall brackets, more closed Hifi racks and a whole range of cinema seating.

There are many new types of TV furniture being launched onto the market, you only have to look at a free web directory to see what we mean, the level of competition in this new furniture market is fierce and manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to get one up on their competitors. Techlink have produced the funky Opod and Ovid series of TV stands which would not look out of place in an Austin Powers movie, but the retro design has become very popular in funky town houses and flats. One of the most remarkable TV stands I have seen is a TV stand with a built in fireplace, this TV cabinet has a funky electric fire built into the lower compartment, I don’t know how that would affect AV equipment and if the cabinet is designed to provide cooling to the equipment but it is certainly a novel idea and a unique product.

Other manufacturers like Salamander Designs TV Cabinets combine traditional styling with powerful modern features for use with high quality AV equipment, in a contrary manner to the above TV stand Salamander Designs do everything they can to keep the cabinet interior cool with an active cooling system which has it’s own thermostat. Jahnke are a German manufacturer of TV furniture and they have released the highly inventive Luxor range of TV cabinets and media walls, some of these have built in speaker systems to provide an all in one home theatre solution. Check out our full range of TV units for more examples of high quality TV cabinets with built in speakers from Sharp and Spectral.

We have now truly entered the winter period of 2009, yes that means the weather will be colder, your car won’t start in the morning and it will be dark on your way to and from work but it also means that electrical manufacturers will be releasing wide ranges of new products, expect to see many more of the latest technology in television LED. LED TV’s produce a brighter picture than previous flat panel TV’s but the most notable feature of these new TV’s is that they can be manufactured much thinner than ever before. With new televisions of less than 2cm in depth there is clearly a need for some ultra stylish TV furniture to accomodate these beautiful new glossy televisions.

Here at Big AV, we believe that cantilever TV stands are one of the best TV furniture products on the market, providing a practical variation on the wall moutning concept these taller Plasma, LCD and LED TV stands are perfect for the latest generations of flat panel TV’s, due to the natura of the design these stands will enable the ultra slim dimensions of the new TV’s to be displayed in their full glory without sacrificing functionality or practicality. Expect to see Big AV’s extensive collection of cantilever TV stands expand in the future with old lines being reinforced and completely new lines being launched.

Big AV are proud to announce we have added the high quality Audinni range of TV Stands and TVcabinets to our product range. The Big AV list of brand names is now well in excess of 20 of the world’s leading TV furniture brands, Audinni produce high quality and elegant TV stands and TV cabinets with real wood veneer finishes. Each product is available in a choice of natural oak or black oak finishes and the Audinni stands are an excellent option for both modern and traditional living spaces.

The Audinni range is made up of a small TV cabinet ideal for Plasma and LCD TV’s sized between 19″ and 32″, the AU 104 and the AU 105 also has three shelf spaces for AV components. The sleek design and understated styling allow it to integrate into well furnished rooms easily and provide a tasteful alternative to the many gloss black and chrome TV stands which have swamped the UK TV furniture market. The Audinni TV cabinet range also includes AU 102 and the AU 103 which are basically bigger brothers of the AU 103 and AU 105, these strong wooden cabinets are able to support televisions up to 52″ with a maximum weight of 70kg. The AU 106 and AU 107 are larger wood TV stands and feature closed cabinet doors enabling DVD’s, CD’s and remote controls to be effortlessly hidden. The final TVstand in the Audinni range is the AU 114 and the AU 115 which combine Audinni’s high standards of finish with a funky, retro shape, these stands are ideal for all makes and models of Plasma LCD TV’s sized up to 50″.

If you have any questions regarding specification or ordering of Audinni stands give us a call at Big AV, on 01484 420088.

Norstone manufacture superior quality TV stands. With many brands of AV furniture recycling the same concepts of design over and over again, Norstone have produced some truly innovative products, each of the TV stands is built from fine materials and features an innovative design ideal for anyone looking for something a little bit different in their home.

The PIU AV stands are wooden TV stands for TV’s sized between 37″ and 55″, available in an oak or black finish. The wood frameworks are complemented with tempered piano black glass leaving a look of understated style. Norstone TV stands are abit pricier than many brands of TV furniture, but the quality of finish and design more than justify the price tag.

Other models in the Norstone TV stands collection includes the Century range, innovative stands with frosted glass. Available in black and chocolate finishes, featuring elegant carved legs and unobtrusive styling make the Norstone century TV stands the perfect piece of TV furniture for a traditional home.

The Norstone Coda range is another innovative line of products, available in black and oak finishes with clear glass, featuring a step design the Coda range of TV stands are ideal for larger rooms. The final part of the new Norstone range is made up by the funky Esse TV stands, featuring a contemporary design available in a varied range of colours the Esse is a trendy product which will liven up a modern town house or apartment.