The Devialet thread

[matt49]

Now this hifi-shop in Rotterdam, where I might go and audition the Wilson Duette (if my wife doesn't kill me before I go there), seem to have both Devialet and the Atohm GT1-DV (for Devialet) in demo. Could give that combo a try too...

The reasons in favour of the Rotterdam trip are stacking up.

If it helps, you can tell your wife that I've advised you to go there. I know about these things, and I'm a doctor. (Actually the last bit isn't true, but I do have the 'Dr' title ...).

Alternatively you could tell her that it's either Rotterdam or Munich. I'm guessing Rotterdam's a lot closer.

 

[CnoEvil]

Matt, how are you getting on with those power cables?

Do they make enough difference to justify their cost?

Do the more expensive ones sound better?

 

[DocG]

Now this hifi-shop in Rotterdam, where I might go and audition the Wilson Duette (if my wife doesn't kill me before I go there), seem to have both Devialet and the Atohm GT1-DV (for Devialet) in demo. Could give that combo a try too...

The reasons in favour of the Rotterdam trip are stacking up.

If it helps, you can tell your wife that I've advised you to go there. I know about these things, and I'm a doctor. (Actually the last bit isn't true, but I do have the 'Dr' title ...).

Alternatively you could tell her that it's either Rotterdam or Munich. I'm guessing Rotterdam's a lot closer.

Well, I could try telling her that you're a real doctor (as opposed to myself: I'm just her husband).

Or I could convince her how much money this trip will save us(not save me, but save us!), compared to a pair of brand new Duettes -- and AFAIK there is but one Wilson dealer in the Benelux, so I would then have to go to Rotterdam anyway...

Yes, that's a cunning plan! :cheers:

Oh, and here's the picture I wanted to add in the previous post. Don't know where that went wrong!

 

[matt49]

Matt, how are you getting on with those power cables?

Do they make enough difference to justify their cost?

Do the more expensive ones sound better?

I managed to persuade myself that the mains cables did make a difference. But I also persuaded myself that I don't believe myself. :?

The story is that the manufacturer wanted to trial three cables, specially designed to fit under the Devialet hood. The three cables only differed from one another in one respect: the plug pins were made of different materials, rhodium, silver and copper. Otherwise the cables were identical. I don't know exactly how much they'd sell for, but the non-Devialet version seems to be about £500.

Anyway, these three cables were sent out to three Devialet owners in turn. (This is beginning to sound a bit like a fairy tale: I'm Goldilocks.) I won't go into the complexities of who said what about each cable. My view was that all three were better than a stock cable, but that the differences between the rhodium, silver and copper were minimal. FWIW I ranked them and put rhodium first, copper second and silver last. This was before I knew what the differences actually were. (Expectation bias would obviously have led me to prefer the rhodium because rhodium is a really cool element.)

Oh and the premise of the whole thing was that each of the testers would be given one of the cables to keep, free of charge. So I've ended up with the copper one. Nice.

I'm going to do some tests on the copper cable using Audiodiffmaker. I can take a digital feed out of the Devialet's pre-outs and record this to my PC. I can then null out the recording of the Sablon copper cable against a stock cable. I'm that kind of guy ...

:cheers:

Matt

 

[matt49]

Well, I could try telling her that you're a real doctor (as opposed to myself: I'm just her husband).

Or I could convince her how much money this trip will save us(not save me, but save us!), compared to a pair of brand new Duettes -- and AFAIK there is but one Wilson dealer in the Benelux, so I would then have to go to Rotterdam anyway...

Yes, that's a cunning plan! :cheers:

Oh, and here's the picture I wanted to add in the previous post. Don't know where that went wrong!

Interesting pic. Why have they put a Dev label on the Atohm speaker? Surely it's the Dev that's adapted to suit the Atohm and not vice versa!?!

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

I managed to persuade myself that the mains cables did make a difference. But I also persuaded myself that I don't believe myself. :?

The story is that the manufacturer wanted to trial three cables, specially designed to fit under the Devialet hood. The three cables only differed from one another in one respect: the plug pins were made of different materials, rhodium, silver and copper. Otherwise the cables were identical. I don't know exactly how much they'd sell for, but the non-Devialet version seems to be about £500.

Anyway, these three cables were sent out to three Devialet owners in turn. (This is beginning to sound a bit like a fairy tale: I'm Goldilocks.) I won't go into the complexities of who said what about each cable. My view was that all three were better than a stock cable, but that the differences between the rhodium, silver and copper were minimal. FWIW I ranked them and put rhodium first, copper second and silver last. This was before I knew what the differences actually were. (Expectation bias would obviously have led me to prefer the rhodium because rhodium is a really cool element.)

Oh and the premise of the whole thing was that each of the testers would be given one of the cables to keep, free of charge. So I've ended up with the copper one. Nice.

I'm going to do some tests on the copper cable using Audiodiffmaker. I can take a digital feed out of the Devialet's pre-outs and record this to my PC. I can then null out the recording of the Sablon copper cable against a stock cable. I'm that kind of guy ...

:cheers:

Matt

Would you pay for the improvement that you are hearing, and if so, how much?

Do you know what the other guinea pigs thought, and did they hear the same differences as yourself?

 

[DocG]

Oh, and here's the picture I wanted to add in the previous post. Don't know where that went wrong!

Interesting pic. Why have they put a Dev label on the Atohm speaker? Surely it's the Dev that's adapted to suit the Atohm and not vice versa!?!

Matt

Well apparently the Devialet designers collaborated with the Atohm team to match the amp to the speakers and vice versa. It's just not clear (to me) if the 'Devialet treatment' is purely cosmetic (matching the looks of amp and speakers), or if they made technical changes too (like the cross-over or what have you): wait for Munich, I guess?

 

[matt49]

Would you pay for the improvement that you are hearing, and if so, how much?

You've put your finger on the question I was avoiding.

Until I've done the tests I'm going to say I wouldn't pay more than a tenner. In the unlikely event that the tests come out positive that might go up a bit.

Do you know what the other guinea pigs thought, and did they hear the same differences as yourself?

One of the others ranked the three cables in the same order as I did, but apparently with a much stronger degree of confidence. (This chap runs a Dev 170 from a Moon MIND streamer into Raidho speakers.) The other tester seems to have put them in a different order, but didn't really think much of them.

Matt

 

[CnoEvil]

Would you pay for the improvement that you are hearing, and if so, how much?

You've put your finger on the question I was avoiding.

Until I've done the tests I'm going to say I wouldn't pay more than a tenner. In the unlikely event that the tests come out positive that might go up a bit.

Do you know what the other guinea pigs thought, and did they hear the same differences as yourself?

One of the others ranked the three cables in the same order as I did, but apparently with a much stronger degree of confidence. (This chap runs a Dev 170 from a Moon MIND streamer into Raidho speakers.) The other tester seems to have put them in a different order, but didn't really think much of them.

Matt

Odd bod that I am, i prefer Copper to Rhodium (which I have found sounded a bit cleaner, but also bolder and more analytical).

 

[matt49]

I've just been polishing my crystal ball a bit more. It's now telling me that Devialet will be showing off SAM with the Wilson Sophia 3s at Munich.

No sign of the Wilson Duettes. I'll carry on polishing though.

Matt

 

[DocG]

I've just been polishing my crystal ball a bit more. It's now telling me that Devialet will be showing off SAM with the Wilson Sophia 3s at Munich.

No sign of the Wilson Duettes. I'll carry on polishing though.

Matt

Must be quite an investment, such a crystal ball, but I guess the VFM is excellent!

I just mailed Devialet to ask it straight away. And the answer is: SAM will be available after its launch in Munich (but no details about the speakers they will match)...

 

[matt49]

So the beta of the new firmware is now out. This is a power upgrade as follows:

Devialet 110 becomes 120

Devialet 170 becomes 200

Devialet 240 becomes 250

Devialet 500 becomes 800

How does that work? Assuming these upgrades do actually enhance performance, why have 110 and 240 owners done so badly and 170 and (especially) 500 owners done so well? I smell marketing!

Anyway, I'm now going to download the new firmware and will report back on my new Devialet 200.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[matt49]

Well, it works. It's playing music in that sweet and transparent Devialet way.

Is it better? Well, it must be: it was 170 and now it's 200. So it's better by 30!

:bounce:

 

[nopiano]

Well, it works. It's playing music in that sweet and transparent Devialet way.

Is it better? Well, it must be: it was 170 and now it's 200. So it's better by 30!

:bounce:

But does it sound any different or better? Must admit I don't understand firmware in this context but since most Devialets I have seen tested in HFN&RR seem to produce significantly beyond their rated output i guess it is possible.

 

[matt49]

But does it sound any different or better? Must admit I don't understand firmware in this context but since most Devialets I have seen tested in HFN&RR seem to produce significantly beyond their rated output i guess it is possible.

It may be something to do with remapping the PSU control firmware.

I think I'm getting a touch more solidity and control, but I might be imagining it.

Matt

 

[DocG]

But does it sound any different or better? Must admit I don't understand firmware in this context but since most Devialets I have seen tested in HFN&RR seem to produce significantly beyond their rated output i guess it is possible.

It may be something to do with remapping the PSU control firmware.

I think I'm getting a touch more solidity and control, but I might be imagining it.

Matt

Power chord level of improvement? 😉

 

[matt49]

Power chord level of improvement? 😉

Well, this morning I'm getting a lot more out of the system. Really a lot more. Hard to say what exactly, as the improvement seems general: it feels more solid, more muscular and even more detailed.

More research required ...

Matt

 

[matt49]

Lower mids and mid-bass seem to have more impact.

The MLs are really singing.

:rockout:

 

[Neuphonix]

I would also be interested in how they achieve more power via a firmware upgrade?

Does Dev give you the opportunity to go back to the previous version of the firmware if you're not happy?

Over on the Linn forum there's always lots of discussion evaluating the qualities of most recent versions of Davar. Some owners are still using very old versions as they feel that they're more musical than the current versions. Often people hold out on upgrading until there is feedback or reinstall previous versions if not satisfied.

Another little thing to tweak & play around with 😛

 

[matt49]

I would also be interested in how they achieve more power via a firmware upgrade?

Does Dev give you the opportunity to go back to the previous version of the firmware if you're not happy?

I don't profess to understand how the Devialet power supply works, but I do know that this isn't the first time they've rejigged the firm/software to generate more power. They did so back in 2011. I assume it's something to do with remapping the control of the PSU.

The current firmware upgrade is only a Beta, and it's fully rewindable. The same applies to all the software upgrades. You're right of course that in theory an upgrade could be a downgrade, but I haven't yet heard anyone complain of a deterioration of SQ as a result of firm- or software upgrades.

:cheers:

Matt

EDIT the power supply is described on p. 4 of this white paper: http://en.devialet.com/assets/Uploads/D-Premier-White-Paper-Munich.pdf.

 

[DocG]

Oh, and here's the picture I wanted to add in the previous post. Don't know where that went wrong!

Interesting pic. Why have they put a Dev label on the Atohm speaker? Surely it's the Dev that's adapted to suit the Atohm and not vice versa!?!

Matt

Well apparently the Devialet designers collaborated with the Atohm team to match the amp to the speakers and vice versa. It's just not clear (to me) if the 'Devialet treatment' is purely cosmetic (matching the looks of amp and speakers), or if they made technical changes too (like the cross-over or what have you): wait for Munich, I guess?

Devialet's Thierry Massoubre just confirmed me that the 'Devialet-part' in the development of the speakers consists of a specific white lacquer and the omission of the +/-1.5 dB trebble knob on the back of the speaker. So basically, you pay more for less (and a Devialet badge)...

 

[matt49]

Well apparently the Devialet designers collaborated with the Atohm team to match the amp to the speakers and vice versa. It's just not clear (to me) if the 'Devialet treatment' is purely cosmetic (matching the looks of amp and speakers), or if they made technical changes too (like the cross-over or what have you): wait for Munich, I guess?

[...]

Devialet's Thierry Massoubre just confirmed me that the 'Devialet-part' in the development of the speakers consists of a specific white lacquer and the omission of the +/-1.5 dB trebble knob on the back of the speaker. So basically, you pay more for less (and a Devialet badge)...

Yes, the picture is becoming clearer. SAM is an interesting and enticing project, which offers Devialet all sorts of marketing opportunities.

And in other Devialet news today: over on the 'Wam a chap testing SAM with his Wilson Sophias can't get it to work. Early days I guess, but also not long to go till Munich! :O

 

[matt49]

Latest Devialet news. Two new products are announced: Devialet 200 Slave and Devialet 250 Slave.

The 200 Slave allows Dev 200 (formerly 170) owners to run two units in dual mono. Both new units come without the AIR module and remote. No news of pricing yet. One would hope they'll be a bit cheaper than the non-Slave models.

The 200 Slave has obviously been released expressly in order to relieve me of my money. Gulp.

 

[matt49]

Oh and apparently both Slave units come with a digital interconnect cable.

I hope it's a good one 🙂

 

[DocG]

Latest Devialet news.

Devialet hasn't imposed an embargo on your crystal ball yet? 😛

Two new products are announced: Devialet 200 Slave and Devialet 250 Slave.

The 200 Slave allows Dev 200 (formerly 170) owners to run two units in dual mono. Both new units come without the AIR module and remote. No news of pricing yet. One would hope they'll be a bit cheaper than the non-Slave models.

Isn't a 250 (formerly known as 240) + 250 Slave the same as the 800 (formerly known as 500)?

Or maybe now you can spend your whole budget on a 250 first, and add the Slave separately as soon as you have some money again?

The 200 Slave has obviously been released expressly in order to relieve me of my money. Gulp.

Haha, I'm not at risk, so it seems! :rofl: