The Upgrade Company

Frequently Asked Questions 

  Question 1: How do I feel/hear RFI/EMI distortion?  I do not hear or feel any distortion in my system.

1. In the industry full of exaggerating sales people and magazine reviewers hungry for ever more free gear to sell for $$$, forgive me for saying it's hard to believe. How in the world do you get midfi and discontinued models etc to outperform the latest Class A rated Editors choice Top Pick Recommended Components praised models?

2. What does the " Signature Edition " upgrade provide?

3. What does the " Signature Edition " upgrade entail?

4. What is the warranty period?

5. How do you certify the newly upgraded unit as "State of the Art"?

6. How long does the typical upgrade take until it ships back out?

7. What models does The Upgrade Company upgrade?

8. Does The Upgrade Company use a stock version of the same model for developing the upgrade?

9. How does your 30 Day In Home 100% Return Guarantee work?

10. Do any of The Upgrade Company's upgrades alter the original functionality, any options in the menu, frouttons?

11. Do any of your upgrades affect software or firmware updates or future changes or cause the unit to run warmer?

12. Do you offer any "DIY" Do-It-Yourself kits for any of your upgrades?

13. Why doesn't The Upgrade Company post pictures of their mods on the web and on their website?

14. What have we found?

15. Why should I not mix n match power amplifiers?

Don't see your question here?  Please contact Us!

  1. In the industry full of exaggerating sales people and magazine reviewers hungry for ever more free gear to sell for $$$, forgive me for saying it's hard to believe. How in the world do you get midfi and discontinued models etc to outperform the latest Class A rated Editors choice Top Pick Recommended Components praised models?

Because ALL brands are compromised built to a price point and moreover constantly, every fraction of every millisecond, collecting RF pulses out of the airwaves all around us everywhere, which RUINS signal fidelity.

Just 1 WiFi router emits 2.4 billion RFI pulses per SECOND, (your electronics are also collecting all your neighbors WiFi and another 10-20 RF generators in your household emitted by all kinds of devices) which the buck naked 
non-RF attenuated stock models at all price points, become overloaded by, amplifying & consuming most of the power supply storage within each unit in your system.

Remember music signals are 16Hz at low end up ~30,000Hz with overtones at the high end averaging just tens of thousands of pulses per second, just a small fraction of the BILLIONS of total pulses the buck naked top
of the line megabuck models are also collecting and amplifying, which constantly drain & empty both local & main power supply reservoir capacitors, giving a thin sound,  weak bass, shrunken soundstage, hazy gritty peaky and forward as a result. A spectrum analyzer proves this out.  Remember humans cannot hear RFI. 

Listening is unmistakable.  Remarkable. Cumulative & exponential as each TimePortal Cable & SE Upgraded RFI EMI RIDDED product is inserted into your system.  

We KNOW you’ll agree.

That’s why we offer a full 30 day in-system trial period to find out for yourself, backed up by our 5 year parts & labor warranty.  

  2. What does Upgrade Co's "Signature Edition" upgrade provide?

1. 100% Guaranteed ultra high performance in writing.  Performance that meets or exceeds magazine top rated models 
2. "Signature Edition" certificate of authenticity & SE foil sticker. Date the upgrade was performed, brand & model, serial number, warranty and more...
3. Installation of hand-picked custom chosen high cost electronic parts/wiring/connectors chosen from measurement & listening comparisons, RFI/EMI shielding and dampening
4. Huge return on investment: Our "Signature Edition" upgraded models SURPASS top magazine currently rated models costing tens of thousnds of dollars more, so you are essentially getting back many times your investment in the upgraded unit by not having to spend tens of thousands of dollars MORE, for LESS performance
5. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. You get our world famous "30 Day In Home Return Guarantee" 
6. 5 year parts and labor warranty on the upgrade and we match the manufacturers warranty on new models we sell.

3. What does the " Signature Edition " upgrade entail?

1) New high end hand picked electronic parts

2) New Wiring

3) New RFI/EMI Shielding

4) New RFI/EMI Dissipation

5) New RFI/EMI Dampening

6) New RFI/EMI Attenuation

7) New Vibration Dampening

8) New Furutech NCF non magnetic 24k rhodium (white gold) IEC inlet

9) Dramatic reduction of digital jitter, analog jitter, power supply ripple

10) Dramatic increase in available power supply storage affording many times more power available every millisecond over the stock unit

11) Voice unit to State of the Art sound quality through A-B comparisons against top references

12) Clean & deoxidize all jacks with DeOxit

13) Tighten all fasteners inside and out

14) Ensure unit exceeds all factory

15) Certify and document unit as "Signature Edition upgraded"

16) Clean unit both inside and out

17) Issue serialized & dated Signature Edition upgrade certificate

18) 100% Buy Back Guaranteed to best or least match the performance of any magazine rated top cost is no object model costing tens of thousands of dollars more.

4. What is the warranty period?

On SE upgraded products we deliver brand new to the client, the warranty period is the same as the manufacturer's warranty period + 5 years parts and labor on our SE upgrade. On customer owned units, the warranty period covers the "Signature Edition" upgrade for 5 years parts and labor.  Warranty concerns must be returned to The Upgrade Company. If we cannot solve the issue over the telephone, in some cases we may authorize you to take it to the nearest manufacturer authorized service center for inspection & repair. You must first obtain our permission in writing to take it to an outside repair shop.  Returning the unit here to the experts who installed our unique "Signature Edition" upgrade & unique "RFI EMI RIDDANCE Technology" circumvents local repair shops & the manufacturer from installing back into your unit their low cost generic, unshielded naked parts and naked wiring back into the unit.  Further, repair shops cannot re-install our proprietary RFI EMI RIDDANCE technology per U.S. Trade Secret Law.  Returning the unit to The Upgrade Company assures that the unit will remain fully "Signature Edition" upgraded.  We are also able to install performance enhancing updates during repairs,  at no additional cost to the client.

5. How do you certify the newly upgraded unit as State of the Art?

The Upgrade Company employs expensive reference level models that have been judged by veteran high end audio magazine reviewers as "State of the Art", "Class A rated", "Editor's Choice", "Top Picks" etc.  Our "Signature Edition" upgrade is 30 Day In Home 100% Guaranteed to FAR Surpass the highest reviewer rated models made today.  Every "Signature Edition" upgrade The Upgrade Company performs must readily surpass a recently published "Class A rated" "Editors Choice" "Top Picks" model to become certified by The Upgrade Company as "State of the Art".

A wide variety of "State of the Art" models have been employed by us to judge against, including the stock and upgraded top of the line models from McIntosh, EMM LABS, Wadia, Esoteric, Krell, Mark Levinson, BAT, CJ, Audio Research, dCs, Burmester, MBL, and more.

We use high cost MIT Oracle MA-X and MA interconnect & loudspeaker cabling and power cords, WireWorld Silver Starlight 6.0 HDMI cables.  4 systems employing various high end power cords and power line conditioning, 3 ISF Certified displays, various stock and upgraded high end tubed and solid state pre and power amplifiers, upgraded surround processors and DVD Blu-Ray universal players all used for direct comparison to develop and to certify each upgrade as "State of the Art".

The Upgrade Company continues to push the present "State of the Art" through our "Signature Edition" upgrades by extracting significantly higher performance out of the latest high end models.

There is still much more performance on tap from today's top rated models.  Top of the line models are STILL being built with a serious lack of high end audiophile parts, vibration dampening, and most importantly a TOTAL lack of RFI or EMI internal shielding. No manufacturer or modification outfit does what The Upgrade Company does, nor do they achieve our remarkable results. For example, an internal metal dividing panel inside is not shielding. It has gaps around the edges allowing RF to continue full strength around the gaps and through holes, even holes smaller then the tip of a pencil.  There are typically 6-8 sources of high volume RFI inside a modern AV Controller or Universal player.  RF radiation is absorbed and reproduced at the rate equal to the sum total of all the clocks in the unit, typically today that is noise that is back fed and reproduced 100x the actual signal content. This constantly and prematurely depletes the power supplies and ruins performance. Our SE upgraded models have 10x-100x the available power supply energy on tap over the identical stock unit, FAR more effective then a larger naked outboard power supply. Bass slam and speed, overall ease, articulation, liquidity, depth, sparkle and air on our SE upgraded units is State of the Art as a result

6. How long does the typical upgrade take until it ships back out?

5 -7 business days after your unit arrives to us, depending on model.  Many brand new models are already in stock and ready to ship.

7. What models does The Upgrade Company upgrade?

The Upgrade Company has developed a reputation for successfully upgrading & warranteeing both solid state and tube HiFi gear including preamplifiers & AV Controllers, stereo/mono/multi-channel power amplifiers, integrated amplifiers, transports, DAC's, CD players, LP phono preamplifiers, active & passive speaker crossovers,  DVD & Blu Ray Universal players, surround processors & receivers, satellite & HDTV tuners, AM/FM Tuners, pro audio gear, etc. We do not do perform upgrades or restorations to older or vintage models.  We specialize in recently manufactured latest technology models which are already designed and built to a much higher performance level then obsolete models. 

SEE PHOTOS

8. Does The Upgrade Company use a stock version of the same model for developing the upgrade?

Yes.  This is not always necessary because the circuit layout and parts are highly similar and plain to see from model to model.  There is no guesswork involved. Each upgrade involves careful measurement and analysis.  All electronic parts from all manufacturers are  labeled.  The same electronic part brands are repeated from one manufacturer to another.  Manufacturers do not make their own parts.  Manufacturers routinely use the exact same generic low cost electronic parts and wiring from their cheapest model to their most expensive model:  the same parts are used, all in the name of bulk ordering to save costs.  The difference in the high priced models is found in the circuit layout , power supply design, number of functions, expense of outer casework and remote control.  The more expensive models simply have more of the same parts with more unshielded wiring, which collects even more RFI & EMI, which  negates much of the claimed benefits manufacturer's charge a fortune for.  There is always increased performance to be extracted. through upgrading

The Upgrade Company employs double blind, multiple-participant A-B listening sessions when developing an upgrade and choosing parts selections for each upgrade.  We measure, record and quantify the performance of the stock unit in order to determine it's strengths and weaknesses.   The objective data further aids in determining which brands and types of ultra high end parts to install.  We employ both measurement equipment and recording equipment to record and quantify each unit's stock performance prior to any work being done.  Using an advanced recording system, we make recordings of each unit before during and after the upgrade.    We quantify the unit's performance both in it's stock OEM condition and just prior to shipping it back to the customer to have a very clear "before and after" record of the parts, shielding and wiring improvements.  Manufacturer's do not like The Upgrade Company showing customers the truth that  .05 cent capacitors were used for example heavily in top of the line models, or that for a few dollars more, quality shielding should have been installed at the factory for large measurable and audible improvements.

As high-end audio consumers, we must depend on our own ears and our own listening preferences to decide what we each like best.   After more then 33 years of upgrading & comparing nearly every brand available, The Upgrade Company has proven itself to be highly skilled and effective at transforming both the measured and perceived performance of high end audio and video.  By employing scientific methods of evaluation and testing, we continue to satisfy our clients today.

9. How does your 14 Day In Home 100% Buy Back Guarantee work?

All of our products and services come with our famous "no hassle -no questions asked" 30 Day In Home 100% Return Guarantee.  To be eligible, you must notify us in writing within 30 days of the unit arriving as confirmed by the shippers tracking number.  Once the merchandise is received back complete with all of the manufacturers included accessories including the owners manual & warranty card, Signature Edition upgrade certificate, original remote control, packed in the manufacturers packaging double boxed like we sent it.  Merchandise must be received back in "As New" condition with all paperwork, SE upgrade certificate, wiring, remote and OEM packaging and received by us within 21 business days from the date of delivery. 

On customer-owned used units sent to The Upgrade Company for upgrading, we will pay the Audiogon Blue Book average of most recent sales and refund the upgrade fee less the shipping cost we paid or we will replace the unit with a stock identical unit and refund the upgrade fee paid.

If a new unit is returned which we sold new, we will issue a full & prompt refund less the shipping cost we paid.  We'll perform inspections and measurements and any updated to be sure it exceeds OEM specifications and meets our stringent standards for "State of the Art" performance. We then re-certify the unit to "Signature Edition" and issue a new Signature Edition serialized and dated certificate to offer the unit for sale discounted as a demo model since the unit is no longer "Brand New".  The Upgrade Company does not sell factory refurbished equipment.  Every new model offered for sale is "A" stock and arrives factory sealed before upgrading. 

We have received hundredsof unsolicited client endorsements, with more every month from new clients.  We've been upgrading for 33 years.  We're here to help you get State of the Art performance in your system without going into debt to do so. 

Our "30 Day In Home Trial 100% Buy Back Guarantee" is totally unmatched in the high end audio modification & upgrade industry. 

10. Do any of The Upgrade Company's upgrades alter the original functionality or options in the menu or front panel buttons?

No.  The Upgrade Company does not alter the original engineering or functionality.  Nothing is ever disabled or compromised. There is no need to re-engineer.  RF & EM shielding and high quality parts and wiring are what is required to make a low cost unit outperform Class A rated magazine top picks.

11. Do any of your upgrades affect software or firmware updates or cause the unit to run warmer then usual?

No.  With our upgrades there is never an issue ever with firmware updates.  Each unit we deliver has the very latest firmware updates since it is brand new factory fresh.   Our upgrades allow every model to run cooler then before, because our extensive RFI/EMI shielding/attenuation/dissipation/dampening has been shown to dramatically reduce the workload on the power supply, audio, video, digital circuits and especially chipsets that have been shielded.  Since the power supply and circuitry are no longer reproducing radio frequency contamination, the reduced workload affords cooler operation.  The shielding out of RFI increases the lifespan of the unit by affording cooler operating temps.   

12. Do you offer any "DIY" Do-It-Yourself kits for any of your upgrades?

No. We cannot warranty someone elses work or workmanship.  Nor could we be certain the parts/wiring/shielding/dampening were installed correctly. Nor would we have possession to test the unit afterwards to be sure it meets or exceeds OEM specifications and objective listening and comparison tests directly against cost-is-no-object models.

SEE PHOTOS

13. Why doesn't The Upgrade Company post pictures of their mods on the web and on their website?

We're not going to post pictures to educate a multitude of manufacturers how to properly install RFI & EMI Riddance to achieve amazingly higher performance for free in violation of U.S. Trade Secret Law.  Our upgrades are highly unique to consumer electronics and we have spent a lot of time & money pioneering RFI/EMI shielding, attenuation, dissipation and dampening techniques which no other modifier or manufacturer to date has provided consumers worldwide.  We have invested in patent protection to be able to continue to provide consumers the very highest performing consumer electronics in the industry.

We successfully deliver hundreds of upgrades every year without a return in years. 

There is no specification or measurement set that has been devised anywhere in the world that can be taken to indicate wether or not a product will sound good.  

If there were a measurement set or device which could accurately predict excellent sound, magazine reviewers would simply take and publish these measurements and rank the results in order of best to worst.  Hence the need for HiFi reviewers to opine on what sounds good.  The fact remains that Mid-Fi measures the same as Hi-Fi.  Top of the line stock models do not measure any better then middle of the line models.  Yet they sound very different.

A testament to our claims being met is the sheer number of upgrades we have put into the systems of enthusiastic music lovers.  To attempt to convince you or others of the merits of our upgrades we can claim many things, but nothing speaks louder than the appreciation our customers have.  The only way you or anyone else will know if our upgrades elevate a component to State of the Art is to hear it with one's own ears in one's own system.

 14. What have we found?

We have found over the past 30 years through our extreme high resolution systems that 600 hours of use achieves 80% of burn-in irregardless of cable or equipment brand. For a path of least resistance to become formed, it really takes 1,000 hours of actual signal flow, in use, not just being left powered on, although that helps. Numerous clients and even some non-audiophile spouses have commented unsolicited upon hearing new performance plateaus reached at roughly 600, 800, 1000 hours on our SE Upgraded models. This is due to the extreme high performance potential which no stock or other modified brand can match.

 15. Why should I not mix n match power amplifiers?

Most dealers & consumers are ignorant of the fact that the phase response and phase vs frequency plot is totally different with each model amplifier messing the sound bubble enveloping listeners biggtime when speakers are emitting sound that is not phase coherent.

Mixing brands or even models of power amplifiers often results in sound that is 30-40-50-70 degrees out of phase with the other speakers being driven by mismatched power amplifier amplification. It is always best to go with identical power amplification in any system to match the same phase angle and frequency response and gain and design of each channel so that they are all 100% identical and totally phase coherent and not cancelling one another out at various frequencies.

Better yet: match the same brand of stereo preamp & AV controller with same brand of power amplification to match the signal path design and maintain phase coherency through out.