Upscale Audio is up front with customers

I've never purchased from them (yet - I would like to try my hand at rolling tubes for my preamp) but I've had the opportunity to meet Kevin and he seems genuine and very easy to talk to. The industry needs more like him.

I bought a used Primaluna in 2007, had questions, needed some help. Kevin was great.  Bought a number of tubes from him later on.

I've purchased several items from them. I have to say, though, getting them to take a VPI TT purchased from them in trade for a new Rega was anything but straight forward. First they flat out refused (!) then eventually I got them to take it. 

They have some good incentives such as discounts for repeat customers. I also found discussions with reps helpful, and certainly not pushy. 

I think Upscale is fine, and I appreciate their tube burn-in services. I’ve bought several dozens of power tubes from them over 15 years, and never had a dud.

But as far as Kevin being a "friend in the business" and "upfront"? Hah! Only as far as it doesn’t impede profits. Which is fine - he’s running a business. It’s neutral; neither good nor bad.

With the whole Tannoy kerfuffle - I feel like he was only forthcoming after the fact, when it was well & clear he had to move on from being their dealer. There’s no way he took those shipments and didn’t see they were NOT being manufactured in Scotland, well ahead of when this was actually disclosed. Then all of a sudden "hey we have these crappy B-stock models at a discount" (not even much of a discount).

Again, its his perogative to run the business as he likes, and he’s clearly very successful at it. But being praiseworthy, beyond business acumen and salesmanship? Nah.

Here is a customer service story from me about Upscale Audio. A true story. I recently bought a turntable from them. They had to order it from the company. I told them I had a used cartridge that I wanted to send to them as they offered free setup on the tonearm/cartridge. No problem as stated by the salesman. I sent the cartridge in and waited. About a week had passed since the cartridge had arrived and I didn’t hear from them so I called Upscale. Long story short, they lost the cartridge. Yes this is true. They even looked at security cameras and was able to see the carrier bring in the package. After I got a call from the manager of the analog department, he asked me how I would see this come out as a fixed situation after I had canceled the purchase of the turntable. I told him you would have to gift me a NEW cartridge of the same brand and model, mount it and send the turntable and cartridge. I re-purchased the table. They did as I asked and they bent over backwards to correct the situation. I left out prices but the cartridge was not a budget model. Good work Upscale Audio.