Intriguing, but does it work? Given the track record of Devialet it looks extremely interesting, even if one of the few expert reviews so far is the Telegraph.
Devialet phantom
- Thread starter SteveR750
- Start date
DocG
Well-known member
Al ears
Well-known member
Basically Devialet's take on an all-in-one network system a la Muso but I'm sure there will be a little more to it than that (two power versions available).
Note of its appearance at CES is recorded in other hifi publications but nobody has actually reviewed it yet as far as I am aware and release date is still March
Note of its appearance at CES is recorded in other hifi publications but nobody has actually reviewed it yet as far as I am aware and release date is still March
Frank Harvey
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matt49
Well-known member
For the price, it's worth ordering some direct (I had an email with a special "early bird" code). If the mainstream newspapers start proclaiming stuff is brilliant most people will buy it (think Bose) no matter if it's really any good or not.
SteveR750 said:
Well, it is very good, based on my own experience at their Paris shop.
My only regret is that I forgot to put one or two familiar pipe organ tracks (tracks that I heard live on the very same organ, like this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCjLaqBd00M) on my pendrive when I went there; they seem to base their low-end frequency response claims on pipe organ notes reproduction.
A recent half-hour video for those who understand French:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcPypxrE2-Q
tino
Well-known member
SteveR750 said:
Got one of those codes as well ... they are time limited ... mine runs out on the 20th.
tino
Well-known member
SteveR750 said:
Hmmm .... got too much hifi to contemplate yet another purchase (2 x Phantom + Dialog = Euro 3700 !!). Plus I think I would rather go to a dealer for a purchase as big as this. Some fauxtrepeneur already has one up on sale on that auction site for £1999.
As Vlad said to me today people buy HiFi with there eyes, its a thing of beauty just like the Amp and remote. Looking forward to see it at Bristol on Friday, already ironed my anorake. Actually I dont wear one, honestly.
matt49
Well-known member
I dropped in at Harrods on my way into town yesterday, as one does. (I was going to the ROH to see Der fliegende Holländer.) Time was short, and I only spent 10 mins listening (the Gergiev Walküre streamed from Qobuz).
Putting to one side the absurd hype about zero distortion, the Silver Phantoms do pretty much what it says on the tin. They deliver a remarkably rich and full sound that goes very loud without any signs of roughness or hardness -- a proper orchestral sound that could fill a decent-sized room (I'm guessing) with a satisfyingly big picture. Being point-source speakers, they do sound very coherent. It's hard to say much about imaging and soundstage, since they were placed fairly close together. Clearly they can't approach the sound-stage of a single-driver line-source speaker (my reference point), but that's not what they're for.
The sound reminds me of some other active stand-mount speakers I've heard: punchy, smooth and coherent. There's no evidence of the top-end fizz or flabby bass that you get with many passive speakers.
My reservations concern the mid-range. There's something about the presentation that feels nasal and closed in. I'm not sure I could live with the slightly plasticky sound (OK, that may be expectation bias: a plastic speaker will obviously sound plasticky ...). There's a lack of ease and space towards the top of the mid range. I also suspect (admittedly on the basis of a very short listen) that they'd have difficulty reproducing instrumental timbres accurately.
Having said that, they do what they do in a mightily impressive way. And IMO they will sell, especially to younger folk who enjoy the sheer weight of bass the Phantoms can produce. In fact I'd go so far as to say that if you don't want your music "implosive", they probably won't be right for you. If I were in the market for a smallish pair of speakers priced around £3.6K, I'd go for some active monitors, an MDAC and a Sonos.
The SPARK app looked nice enough, though there's no excuse for designing a poor app these days. The DIALOG was hidden behind a curtain. (Er, why?) I didn't ask any penetrating questions about the roll-out of a fully functional Devialet ecosystem, though I was reassured to hear that they plan to have the DIALOG working with the "Expert" amps in time for Munich. Until then the DIALOG I have on order can sit in a cupboard.
Matt
Putting to one side the absurd hype about zero distortion, the Silver Phantoms do pretty much what it says on the tin. They deliver a remarkably rich and full sound that goes very loud without any signs of roughness or hardness -- a proper orchestral sound that could fill a decent-sized room (I'm guessing) with a satisfyingly big picture. Being point-source speakers, they do sound very coherent. It's hard to say much about imaging and soundstage, since they were placed fairly close together. Clearly they can't approach the sound-stage of a single-driver line-source speaker (my reference point), but that's not what they're for.
The sound reminds me of some other active stand-mount speakers I've heard: punchy, smooth and coherent. There's no evidence of the top-end fizz or flabby bass that you get with many passive speakers.
My reservations concern the mid-range. There's something about the presentation that feels nasal and closed in. I'm not sure I could live with the slightly plasticky sound (OK, that may be expectation bias: a plastic speaker will obviously sound plasticky ...). There's a lack of ease and space towards the top of the mid range. I also suspect (admittedly on the basis of a very short listen) that they'd have difficulty reproducing instrumental timbres accurately.
Having said that, they do what they do in a mightily impressive way. And IMO they will sell, especially to younger folk who enjoy the sheer weight of bass the Phantoms can produce. In fact I'd go so far as to say that if you don't want your music "implosive", they probably won't be right for you. If I were in the market for a smallish pair of speakers priced around £3.6K, I'd go for some active monitors, an MDAC and a Sonos.
The SPARK app looked nice enough, though there's no excuse for designing a poor app these days. The DIALOG was hidden behind a curtain. (Er, why?) I didn't ask any penetrating questions about the roll-out of a fully functional Devialet ecosystem, though I was reassured to hear that they plan to have the DIALOG working with the "Expert" amps in time for Munich. Until then the DIALOG I have on order can sit in a cupboard.
Matt
DocG
Well-known member
Living in London, it has its advantages...
My main concern with the Phantoms is the lack of a room correction protocol. I think people will run into major trouble here, when putting the speakers close up to the wall, or in the corners of the room: bass overkill and nasty room modes galore.
And the current factory direct sale (for most of us, without a Harrod's within reach) doesn't allow home demos, which won't help.
And should I consider a purchase, I wouldn't want to skip my dealer either... My invitation code's expired, needless to say.
My main concern with the Phantoms is the lack of a room correction protocol. I think people will run into major trouble here, when putting the speakers close up to the wall, or in the corners of the room: bass overkill and nasty room modes galore.
And the current factory direct sale (for most of us, without a Harrod's within reach) doesn't allow home demos, which won't help.
And should I consider a purchase, I wouldn't want to skip my dealer either... My invitation code's expired, needless to say.
Frank Harvey
Well-known member
I believe the Devialet systems will be getting a room EQ upgrade this year, so I'm guessing that this might not be out of the question for a future update for the Phantoms.
Infiniteloop
Well-known member
David@FrankHarvey said:
Oooh, I do hope you're right. My Devialet sounds great already but it will be interesting to see how much of a difference room EQ would make. If it works as well as SAM, Devialet owners could be in for a treat!
matt49
Well-known member
David@FrankHarvey said:
David, that would be big news indeed. Was it from the horse's mouth? Any idea what form the room EQ will take?
Matt
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