Almost got arrested trying to buy an expensive speaker
Title: Buyer Beware – My Upscale Audio Devialet Experience I’m not even sure where to begin. I ordered a Devialet Phantom I 103 dB speaker from UpscaleAudio.com, and the experience has been a complete nightmare. It started when I called to confirm they were an authorized dealer for Devialet. The first employee confirmed this, but then told me the unit does not come with a manufacturer’s warranty — major red flag #1. I called back and spoke to someone else who correctly stated that it does include the warranty. That inconsistency alone should have been enough to walk away. Against my better judgment, I purchased the last unit in stock. Delivery was the next issue. Rather than delivering a high-value, fragile speaker to my door, they stuffed it into a parcel locker, which I consider reckless handling for an item of this cost and fragility. When I finally unpacked it, the remote wouldn’t pair out of the box. Then I noticed the chrome grill on one side wasn’t seated properly—it had dislodged during shipping or came that way, and due to the radiator vibrations, it slid out further as music played. The other side was fixed properly, confirming it was not by design. When I contacted Upscale, their response was slow and dismissive. They took hours to send me a basic PDF pairing guide that I had already found myself online. Customer service? Barely. After multiple issues, I asked for a replacement and was met with radio silence. Only after filing a claim with my credit card company did they finally respond — suddenly now that payment was on the line, they started replying daily and arranged a courier pickup. Then came the real circus. The courier was scheduled between 3–4 PM on a holiday. No one showed until 7:50 PM. The person was in plain clothes, driving an unmarked, beat-up van with children inside, and could not provide any ID or paperwork. She didn’t even know what item she was supposed to pick up. When I expressed concern and asked for verification, she refused to contact her boss — then threatened to call the police on me. I was sick with a high fever, trying to navigate this bizarre situation, and had to speak to actual law enforcement over returning a speaker I didn’t break or damage. Eventually, I managed to speak to her boss and verified she was legitimate. But the fact that I was put in this situation at all is beyond comprehension. I’m not sure what Upscale Audio and Ken Davis were thinking by sending someone this unprofessional to pick up an item valued at over $3,000. Whatever they’re trying to pull here — threatening a customer with police for questioning a shady pickup — is something I’m now speaking to legal counsel about. I’m holding Upscale Audio, Devialet, and the unlicensed logistics company accountable for this entire ordeal. If you’re considering purchasing from Upscale Audio, I strongly suggest you go elsewhere. I’ve never experienced anything this unprofessional and borderline dangerous from any online retailer. You might end up with a defective product, poor service — or worse, being treated like a criminal for simply asking questions. Just my two cents. Proceed with caution.
By Yong K.