California-based, Upscale Audio, has become one of the best audio/video dealers in North America for a myriad of reasons; Kevin Deal understands his customer base, delivers superb customer service, and doesn’t sell the flavor-of-the-month products that hi-fi magazines love to drool over. He’s not afraid to says things that make some people uncomfortable; and we need a lot more of that in the high-end industry.
In another lifetime, I worked for a hi-fi brand that sold a lot of product though his store and he was one of the few dealers that never caused us any real headaches; he understood the product, trained his staff to properly install and service it, and genuinely knew how to sell it. I recommend his store without any hesitation.
He is also the type of dealer and distributor that is extremely loyal to the brands that support him; Tannoy, PrimaLuna, and VPI took center stage in their primary room at T.H.E. Show 2023 and it definitely delivered from a performance perspective.
The Tannoy Kensington ($19,790 USD) driven by the PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Tube Integrated Amplifier ($7,295 USD), PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube Phono Preamplifier ($3,695 USD), and PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube DAC ($3,395 USD) delivered enormous presence and tone that made eCoustics, Vintage Audio Editor, Eric Pye, run back to the vinyl ballroom to find more music to play.
A VPI Signature 21 Turntable ($10,250 USD) running a Soundsmith Hyperion ES MKII Moving Iron Cartridge ($7,999 USD) was the primary source in the room; a Lumin U2 Digital Transport ($5,000 USD) connected to the EVO 100 Tube DAC was the digital front-end. All cabling in the room was provided by Cardas Audio.
“Huge, smooth, and just intensely moving,” remarked Eric Pye in his comments later that day.
T.H.E. Show 2023 Tannoy/PrimaLuna System List
| Tannoy Kensington Loudspeakers (pair) | $19,790 |
| REL Acoustics S/812 Subwoofer | $3,299 |
| PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Tube Integrated Amp | $7,295 |
| PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube Phonostage | $3,695 |
| PrimaLuna EVO 100 Tube DAC | $3,395 |
| Lumin U2 Digital Transport | $5,000 |
| VPI Signature 21 (Rosewood) | $10,250 |
| Soundsmith Hyperion ES MKII Moving Iron Cartridge | $7,999 |
| Audioquest Niagara 5000 Power Conditioner | $5,900 |
| All Cabling by Cardas Audio | ? |
| Total | $66,623 |
For more information: upscaleaudio.com
Related: See more coverage of T.H.E. Show 2023
