Upscale Audio Announcement!

We have a promo on Focal headphones:

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Also we have some OG HD580's laying around the warehouse. Let me check the price on those on Monday for those interested.

At $3k for Utopia + QP2R, you could flip the QP2R BNIB for probably $1k and keep the Utopias for a total net of $2k w/ a little legwork.

 

Damn, sign me up for an hd580. Crazy that there are still some laying around unsold so many years after being discontinued.

 

Ohhhh snap , nos hd580 sounds very interesting indeed

 

We have 6 pairs of NOS 580s. Not the "jubilee" version or the massdrop version. Just plain old 580s. They're listed on the website at $199 but I'll double check this on Monday - many of the headphone prices need to be updated.

Here's a brief overview of what Upscale is hoping to do with the personal audio department and how I will fit into the equation -

Upscale, in the past, has sold 99.9% 2-channel and analog gear, very little solid state electronics outside of streamers (unless we get used trade-ins). We have one of the largest selections of NOS tubes & tube gear.

They brought me on to completely overhaul the headphone department. I was basically given free reign to pick whatever products I feel there is an untapped market for here. As such, we're trying to liquidate a lot of our old stock to make room for new things. Hopefully within a few weeks we'll have a huge three-shelf display with at least 15-20 different headphones (and a variety of tube amps and desk-appropriate DACs) available to demo.

I'm not sure how many details I can go into just yet until we get dealer agreements signed and PO's put together, but it's looking like we'll be the first dealers in the US to stock products from European manufacturers whose DACs and amps are highly respected here on SBAF but were previously difficult to audition.

I've completely crowdsourced trustworthy impressions from here and what's left of changstar, and from the various meets and trade shows I've been to and threads I've read (I was a lurker long before I was a member), I feel like I have a fair view of known synergies (which will be featured as a part of our display).

The hope here is that we can help customers to not simply purchase one component here and there, but piece together entire systems collaboratively that will satisfy our clients at whatever budget can be afforded. Plus give people an opportunity to audition and purchase European gear without having to deal with VAT, customs, etc. This venture will also greatly benefit the lesser-known overseas (and domestic) manufacturers that are hoping to expand their market and gain some brand presence.

So thank you, SBAF community, for endowing me with this knowledge and experience. Hopefully this will be fruitful for everyone involved. We're just getting started.

In the spirit of collaboration with the community, I'm totally open to suggestions about which products or brands to carry, known synergies, and display methods. If you ever find yourself in SoCal, feel free to drive over and speak with me personally as well. I'll update here as things come together.

(mods feel free to edit/move this post if it might fit better in a new or existing thread)

 

Holo Spring, Denafrips, Lampizator, Soekris, Chord, Feliks, iFi, Viva,

 

Stock 2a3 tubes please. I would have thought you did considering you have the "largest private collection of NOS tubes in the world" according to uncle Kevvie himself.

 

Yeah, many heads perk up when you whisper HD580. Please keep us up to date on how many is available...

 

They were my first high end headphone back in '95. Have considered getting a pair again but have been held back by all the changes over time. So nos . . that is appealing ..dB

 

There is one left according to the site. Posting here hoping someone on sbaf grabs it.

https://www.upscaleaudio.com/products/sennheiser-hd-580-headphone

 

I say we all hold off so Marv can have it.

 

We only had 6 pairs, and it appears all have sold (edit: an order for 3 pairs was cancelled, so we have 3 available). $199 is indeed our best price - I know Sennheiser dropped it a bit at some point but this is the best we can do given how much we bought them for way back when. Edit - some of these pairs have been here since 2002!

Also, with the Utopia + QP2R bundle @ $3000, we might have a buyback offer for those who don't need the QP2R. PM me for details if interested.

 

Hate that I missed the 580. If anyone decides they don't want them, please shoot me a pm.

Also, I was looking for a qp2r if anyone wants to go in on the bundle for the Utopia let me know.

 

3 are available from the website Matt.

 

And now there are 2