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The Upgrade Company
David J. Schulte, President 1222 Walkabout Lane Harbor Springs, MI 49740 1+231.242.0946 MrHiEndAudio@aol.com
Acapella Audio Arts
Black Gate Capacitor Explanation
The Strain Gauge Cartridge "Now with one giant leap, your strain gauge cartridge has leapfrogged the finest moving coil cartridges... I was completely stunned...."
"To
Upgrade -or- not to Upgrade, there is no Question"
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Audio Research Testimonials
Unsolicited Customer Testimonials
NEW October, 2009
You'd be a little nuts to expect two "top-of-the-line" components like the ARC Ref 2 Mk 2 pre amp and the Reimyo CDP-777 could be improved. But that's exactly what David Schulte's, Upgrade Company achieved with a little bit of technical magic. For considerably less than $1000.00, David truly "upgraded" almost $24,000 (when new) units. The enhancements include expansion of the musical space, dead-quiet, far more detail in the most complex musical passages and, that foolproof marker something's a lot better: "old" CD's suddenly seem new and exciting. I'd recommend Upgrade Company without hesitation!
Jon F.
NEW June, 2009
I have been an audiophile for well over forty years and a music lover too .The system I recently build is the third one I have owned. I started modestly in my teen’s bedroom to end up in a dedicated den. I have collected more than 4000 L.P’s over these years. As I am nearing retirement, I decided to make my last system as musically satisfying as I possible. With that in mind I bought new VMPS speakers and ARIA Audio amps, but I was not satisfied with the preamps I bought and demo'd so I looked forward to finding one that could fit my requirements.
I had planned to buy an AYRE Kx-r and was perusing along AUDIOGON’s pages when I read that there was an ARC LS-10 for sale. I made a mistake when I e-mailed David Schulte at The Upgrade Company to inquire about an LS-10 advertised on Audiogon by a private individual thinking it was really Upgrade Co selling it. I was wrong. But there was a blessing behind my mistake. Upgrade Co had a later LS-10 for sale that was more recently upgraded by 2 years with an IEC inlet installed and newer capacitor selections. I needed 240v conversion to operate here in the French West Indies, so I agreed to purchase the newer upgraded LS-10 and have David at Upgrade Co. send it to Audio Research for installation of new 240v transformers. I received the LS-10 two weeks ago but I refrained from listening to it immediately. David told me that the 240v conversion made at Audio Research Corporate would take at least 500 hours to reach fullness. He also said that if I didn't like it he would buy it back. How could I refuse such an offer?
Once I received the SE upgraded LS-10 from Audio Research in MN I let it cook for a long week to give the new 240v transformers some burn-in time. I started listening finally on Mother’s day. My wife told me that she and all the women I love (mother, mother-in-law, sister-in-law) would be leaving the house to have their own celebration. That was the second blessing. I switched everything on and started my listening session bright and early at 9am.
David is not stretching the truth here folks. The Upgrade Co. Signature Edition LS-10 took off to new heights and fathomed depths I thought were mere reviewers’ hype. I heard things in the music that had gone totally unnoticed for years. My system finally came together: ultra quiet background, incredible dynamics, subterranean bass weight and depth, the purist highs and mids I have ever heard. I was stunned that a preamp alone could produce such a major shift in the sound quality.
I have owned ARC gear before (REF1, LS3, Classic 60) and I have heard many other more recent and much more expensive preamps in my system recently and in friends’ systems trying to decide which one to get, and I can tell you that ARC components make real music. Their strong suits are known all the world around: fast, nimble, precise, good soundstage, not rolled off on top or bottom.
I stopped listening @ 5 pm to have dinner and resumed listening an hour later. I was well beyond 10 pm when my wife called to tell it had been three hours or so already. The music just flows. The sound is effortless yet extremely fluid and detailed. Simply amazing that a preamp upgrade can make such a big improvement.
If you really want to lift the veils and hear all that Audio Research equipment can do, then send yours to The Upgrade Company in Michigan. He will tear them apart replaced everything that is poor or with super top of the line parts and….that will be the start of another love story. You won't find anything better. I sure can't. My LS-10 is 15 years old and it performs better then new, and better then any preamp have I have heard anywhere. Extremely ripe and full yet crystal clear and highly informative and detailed.
Don’t just take my word for it. You'll never believe this unless you heard it for yourself. Give David a call and see to it . I can guarantee that you will not be disappointed.
Patrick Griffith |
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