Are you having problems with Upscale Audio?

I have had nothing but good experiences with Upscale. Have bought quite a few items,a streamer,a pair of speakers and current production tubes.Every interaction was pleasant and professional. I found their staff to be engaging and enthusiastic about their products .Hopefully , they can continue to be a positive presence in our hobby. I think Uncle Kevin would be fun guy to work for. His staff seems to truly like him.

I can compare them to a few other shops and they definitely come out on top. I did not like that they discouraged me from coming over to listen to an amp before buying it but they were honest about it ("we are busy, no one will be here to assist you") so it feels more like an online shop. 

They are not pushy, very transparent, generous return policy, impressive selection.

They are not very friendly, no one like Kat anymore but not rude either. Just professional and helpful which is better than friendly and clueless. 

They are also not on the cheap side, which is a disadvantage when you are an online shop.

Yep, I've been having 'our of stock issues'

Trying to purchase a simple drive belt for my Michell Table.

It's really just a big 'O' Ring, Not rocket science.....

When they think a sale may result, they are very helpful. If you have any issues, they are far lass helpful in my experience. I suppose that can be said of most businesses nowadays. 

I've had two experiences with them, both of which were satisfactory but also less than fully satisfactory.  The first is when I was interested in some NOS tubes that they were selling, and I called to discuss the different characteristics.  This is supposedly their thing, right?  Expertise about tubes?  I was told, "I am sorry but my boss will not allow me to give that kind of advice."  No offer to have me talk to someone who CAN give that kind of advice or anything.  Just...buy the tubes and either like them or don't.  OK, fine.  I bought them.  They were fine.  I got better sounding NOS tubes from someone else who did converse with me about the sonic characteristics, so now the tubes I bought from UA are here as backups.

More recently, I had a tube go bad, and I need a matched pair.  I just asked if they could match a tube to my bad one.  (This was going to be added to the purchase of a full set of new output tubes.  This extra tube, along with all of those currently in use, were going to then be set aside as a complete backup set).  Well, yes, they can do that.  They asked me to tell them the measurements printed on the box of the tube I needed to match.  That tube, however, did not have measurements on its box.  I asked if I could just have them test the existing tube to match it.  They clearly have the ability to do that, but the answer was no.

So, both of these transactions were fine...for a high-volume/low service retailer.  They are not consistent with the image UA wants to convey as a retailer who will provide good, personalized service and expertise.  I doubt I will buy tubes from them again unless I am looking for new-issue stock tubes of a type with which I am already familiar, but only if their price is lower than other suppliers.  I do not see much value being added by their service model.