Note 14 - Related Parties (Details Textual) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Cable TV Business Segment [Member]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration	$ 14,200
Company Owned by Employees [Member]
Payments for Rent	$ 100	$ 200
David E. Chhymiak [Member]
Percentage of Outstanding Common Stock Owned by a Related Party	26.00%
Kenneth A. Chymiak [Member]
Percentage of Outstanding Common Stock Owned by a Related Party	19.00%
Leveling 8 [Member] \| Transition Services [Member]
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction	$ 38
Leveling 8 [Member] \| Cable TV Business Segment [Member]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration	$ 14,200

Percentage of outstanding common stock owned by a related party

No definition available.

Name:	aey_PercentageOfOutstandingCommonStockOwnedByARelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	aey_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of consideration received or receivable for the disposal of assets and liabilities, including discontinued operation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperationConsideration
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cash payments to lessor's for use of assets under operating leases.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3536-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsForRent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of transactions with related party during the financial reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39622-107864

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39603-107864

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=aey_CompanyOwnedByEmployeesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=aey_DavidEChhymiakMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=aey_KennethAChymiakMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=aey_Leveling8Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=aey_TransitionServicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: