The Devialet thread

[DocG]

As I understand it, the DSP anticipates on the phase shifts and timing errors that will be caused by the passive cross-over, thus neutralizing these problems. Hence the lively, fast presentation.

Yes, that sounds right to me. And more reason to suspect that Devialet won't SAM my speakers, which have no passive crossover.

Matt

So they are already as good as SAM would ever be able to get them! Enjoy!

 

[DocG]

There is a SAM-button on the remote, but that's not an on/off button; it's a 0-100% scale, with 1% steps. And it's not clear to me what is changed here: the bass extension? or the whole 'SAM-trick', including the phase correction? I think I'll drop Devialet a mail to ask for clarification here...

Got a reply from Devialet today.

With this you can adjust the level of SAM correction applied to your speakers. I would advise to leave it at 100%. We will most probably get rid of this adjustment anyway as it doesn't make sense at all.

So I suggested to keep the dial, but make bass extension the only variable. Who would oppose to SAM correcting for phase and timing errors after all? I hope they consider this suggestion...

 

[Paul@HiFi-Lounge]

Thanks for the above DocG, I wondered what the SAM adjustment did, good suggestion on your part though.

I have to say that I am slowly being won over by AIR, I signed up to Spotify Premium last week after our Sonos Spotify dealer accounts were shut down by Spotify and have been running Air from my MAC ever since, to be fair it has dropped a couple of times but in the whole it has worked faultlessly, next I need to try Qobuz, anyone using that? how's the depth of content?

 

[James7]

Hifi Choice leads with a review of the Dev 120 / SAMed Atohm GT1 system this month - absolutely glowing review suggesting SAM gets the best out of both products. I am looking increasingly closely at the trip to Bedfordshire next weekend for Paul's Dev / SF combo!

 

[matt49]

For anyone connecting a PC/Mac via ethernet, there's a nice way to avoid drop-outs.

You can connect the PC/Mac direct to the Devialet via ethernet, so avoiding your network completely. In the PC's and Devialet's network settings, turn off DHCP, and set both to the same subnet mask ( 255.255.255.0 ).

The only downside of this is that it introduces quite long latency between a mobile control point (e.g. iPhone, iPad) and the PC/Mac, so it's probably best used only if you're controlling your media player software direct from the PC/Mac.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[matt49]

I was passing my local dealer at lunchtime and dropped in for a quick listen with SAM.

The dealer has a 120 set up with B&W 805Ds. I only listened for 10 minutes, and I didn't try a range of music: I just heard enough to get a feel for the differences between SAM and no SAM.

Talk about night and day! Everything about the LF response was better: extension, speed, detail, dynamics. The rest of the picture was better too. The image had bigger dimensions, the mid-range seemed more vivid.

And turning SAM off made the music feel flat.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[davedotco]

I was passing my local dealer at lunchtime and dropped in for a quick listen with SAM.

The dealer has a 120 set up with B&W 805Ds. I only listened for 10 minutes, and I didn't try a range of music: I just heard enough to get a feel for the differences between SAM and no SAM.

Talk about night and day! Everything about the LF response was better: extension, speed, detail, dynamics. The rest of the picture was better too. The image had bigger dimensions, the mid-range seemed more vivid.

And turning SAM off made the music feel flat.

:cheers:

Matt

I have mentioned elsewhere my experience with the Tact Millenium with room correction, your description of the SAM system is exactly how I would have described the effect of the room correction.

Suggests that there is room for another project beyond Sam....... :O

 

[matt49]

I was passing my local dealer at lunchtime and dropped in for a quick listen with SAM.

The dealer has a 120 set up with B&W 805Ds. I only listened for 10 minutes, and I didn't try a range of music: I just heard enough to get a feel for the differences between SAM and no SAM.

Talk about night and day! Everything about the LF response was better: extension, speed, detail, dynamics. The rest of the picture was better too. The image had bigger dimensions, the mid-range seemed more vivid.

And turning SAM off made the music feel flat.

:cheers:

Matt

I have mentioned elsewhere my experience with the Tact Millenium with room correction, your description of the SAM system is exactly how I would have described the effect of the room correction.

Suggests that there is room for another project beyond Sam....... :O

Yes, I recall you mentioning Tact. Funnily enough, my dealer chappy also mentioned it today. He used to sell Tact back in the day.

Matt

 

[Paul@HiFi-Lounge]

Hope to see you tomorrow James, really don't know what to expect to be honest regarding turnout as Devialet is not as well known as say Naim but with all the amazing press it has been getting then I guess there are alot of people curios about Devialet so it will certainly be an interesting one, I would say it is definately worth the trip just to hear SAM in action, everyone I have demoed it to really are amazed at the difference.

Been busy setting up all day, below are a couple of pics

Right time to sort some playlists out

Cheers,

Paul.

 

[James7]

How's it been going Paul? Much interest?

i am afraid childcare in the end got the better of me, so hearing Devialet in action, and its SAM implementation, will have to wait for another day. Still, I get over to Bedfordshire for family reasons on occasion - I will give you a call as and when.

Hope it's been a success. Are those the Olympica I in the second system? Very attractive speakers. No-one quite makes them with such style as SF.

 

[Paul@HiFi-Lounge]

It was a great day James, thanks, shame you couldn't make it but please feel free to come in any other time, we weren't running the olympica 1's as we used the Venere 2.5's to show off SAM and the gorgeous Guarneri Evolutions to demo some real high end Sonus Fabers, they sounded stunning driven by the Devialet 250, like you say no one makes speakers like Sonus Faber.

I really didn’t know what numbers to expect to be honest and really thought it would be one of our quieter events what with Devialet not exactly being a household name, yet, but how wrong was I, another great turnout with people driving 3 hours+ and real nice steady flow all day from 9am till 6pm, comprising of familiar and new faces, just showing how much interest there really is in Devialet, I guess having the Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolutions playing all day didn’t hurt either

I think everyone agreed that the star of the day was SAM, Devialet’s ‘Speaker Active Matching’ technology, like myself many were quite sceptical before hearing SAM in action, but once heard everyone agreed that SAM could be a real game changer is Hifi as the difference with SAM on and then off was really quite stark.

So thanks again to everyone who came along.

 

[Brit]

David,

Thanks for the comprehensive report. Your insights into the differences between the 200 and 400 are very interesting. Somewhere down the road I'll get a 200 Slave in for a home demo: maybe that'll be next year's birthday present to myself. You're right, of course, that the extra power of the 400 wouldn't benefit the bottom end of my speakers much. I think with Martin Logans the top end is as much if not more of an issue because of the sharp imperdance drop in the HF.

I guess having heard such clear improvement from the 400 you're now contemplating whether the improvement merits the cost. :?

As for your speakers, they seem to have passed the 100-vote threshold with some ease. What you say about them not being a current model is no doubt an issue for Devialet. As things stand, 4 of the top 7 models in the voting are no longer in production. I wonder whether Devialet considered this before they launched the SAM campaign. One would hope so.

Do stick around and let us know what you decide.

:cheers:

Matt

Hi all,

Sorry not to have been in contact before now, but new Devialet 400 only arrived today - over a fortnight late! Anyway now safely installed and running in (not that they need much running in as they sound good straight out of Box). A bit frustrated by SAM process as my Wilson-Benesch ACT 1 speakers have well over the 100 votes needed, but Devialet are being a bit cagey over priorities :shifty: ! Now that I am a bona fide Devialet owner, I will not now be so shy about pushing for some sort of priority list! Anyone out there any the wiser? All doubly frustrating when I read all these glowing reports about the improvements that SAM seems to bring to those speakers which have been "SAMed" !

Cheers

David

 

[matt49]

Hi David,

Wow, a fully fledged 400! I'd be very keen to hear that.

I understand your frustration about the whole SAM thing. Of course, you want to hear what SAM could do for your W-Bs. And knowing what it's done for other speakers must make the wait painfully tantalizing.

If it's any consolation, from what I'm hearing so far the SAM effect is more dramatic with standmount speakers. That's not to say your W-Bs wouldn't benefit; I'm sure they would. But the effect might not be quite a seismic as for the B&W 805Ds I heard last week, or for DocG's KEF LS50s.

Anyway, hang in there, and stick around here for Devialet news! My crystal ball is due an outing soon ...

:cheers:

Matt

EDIT: I'd love to hear a report on your system when it's bedded down, and I'm sure others would too.

EDIT EDIT: my crystal ball says Wilson-Benesch have some speakers at Devialet's Paris HQ!

 

[James7]

It was a great day James, thanks, shame you couldn't make it but please feel free to come in any other time, we weren't running the olympica 1's as we used the Venere 2.5's to show off SAM and the gorgeous Guarneri Evolutions to demo some real high end Sonus Fabers, they sounded stunning driven by the Devialet 250, like you say no one makes speakers like Sonus Faber.

I really didn’t know what numbers to expect to be honest and really thought it would be one of our quieter events what with Devialet not exactly being a household name, yet, but how wrong was I, another great turnout with people driving 3 hours+ and real nice steady flow all day from 9am till 6pm, comprising of familiar and new faces, just showing how much interest there really is in Devialet, I guess having the Sonus Faber Guarneri Evolutions playing all day didn’t hurt either

I think everyone agreed that the star of the day was SAM, Devialet’s ‘Speaker Active Matching’ technology, like myself many were quite sceptical before hearing SAM in action, but once heard everyone agreed that SAM could be a real game changer is Hifi as the difference with SAM on and then off was really quite stark.

So thanks again to everyone who came along.

that's good to hear. Glad the say was a success!

 

[Brit]

Hi David,

Wow, a fully fledged 400! I'd be very keen to hear that.

I understand your frustration about the whole SAM thing. Of course, you want to hear what SAM could do for your W-Bs. And knowing what it's done for other speakers must make the wait painfully tantalizing.

If it's any consolation, from what I'm hearing so far the SAM effect is more dramatic with standmount speakers. That's not to say your W-Bs wouldn't benefit; I'm sure they would. But the effect might not be quite a seismic as for the B&W 805Ds I heard last week, or for DocG's KEF LS50s.

Anyway, hang in there, and stick around here for Devialet news! My crystal ball is due an outing soon ...

:cheers:

Matt

EDIT: I'd love to hear a report on your system when it's bedded down, and I'm sure others would too.

EDIT EDIT: my crystal ball says Wilson-Benesch have some speakers at Devialet's Paris HQ!

Hi Matt,

Will indeed report back when it is bedded down, but it already sounds great straight out of box! What drew me to the Devialet right from the start was its transparency and smoothness and so far this is what I am still hearing, but will give more detailed thoughts later. Will be on Holiday for a couple of weeks as from this Thursday, so report will be after I return home. If you are ever in the Guildford area you are more than welcome to pop in and have a listen - might help you decide whether you want to add another 200 to your kit!

Re Devialet and Wilson-Benesch, I believe that they had a pair of W-B Square Five speakers in their Paris Boutique last month. Will also quizz Devialet further, on my return from holiday, about progress with the SAM process.

Cheers

David

 

[BrianRostron]

I am trying to run my "250" with 24bit files. I am trying JRiver, I have set up on a Windows 8 PC using WASAPI to run the Devialet amp / DAC. Everything is working fine, sounds ok but I am "only" getting 48khz on the Devialets display. Plus the "Audio Path" in Jriver is also showing 48khz 24bit. I thought that the point of WASAPI was that it delivers files unaltered. So why has 192khz become 48khz? I have checked all the obvious stuff like Windows sound card settings, Devialet settings. All are at 24bit 192khz.

What am I doing wrong?

Has anyone witnessed the full 192khz on the Dev's display. I am using hard wired ethernet AIR. (and getting very frustrated!!)

 

[nopiano]

I am trying to run my "250" with 24bit files. I am trying JRiver, I have set up on a Windows 8 PC using WASAPI to run the Devialet amp / DAC. Everything is working fine, sounds ok but I am "only" getting 48khz on the Devialets display. Plus the "Audio Path" in Jriver is also showing 48khz 24bit. I thought that the point of WASAPI was that it delivers files unaltered. So why has 192khz become 48khz? I have checked all the obvious stuff like Windows sound card settings, Devialet settings. All are at 24bit 192khz.

What am I doing wrong?

Has anyone witnessed the full 192khz on the Dev's display. I am using hard wired ethernet AIR. (and getting very frustrated!!)

Hi Brian, I've posted a suggestion over here:-

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/any-jriver-users-having-sucess-with-192khz-files-i-only-get-48khz#comment-2970185

but one of the Devialet users may have a better answer!

 

[BrianRostron]

An update on my 24bit 192khz issue. After some research and fine tuning the settings, everthing appears to work. I can play 24bit 48khz files, with the Devialet display showing 48khz. Moving on to 24bit 96khz files, these play fine, with the Devialets display showing 192khz. So far so good!

Playing 24bit 192khz files, they play ok for about 5 seconds, with the Devialets display showing the full 192khz. Then AIR "disables" it self on the PC. I can then re-enable AIR, and it will run for anoother few seconds, then cut out.

At this point I was starting to think what splendid things CD's are with there glorious 16bit 44.1khz. Indeed, one of the fine things about the Devialet is how good the DAC performs, even with 320bit files etc. Indeed, there is almost nothing music wise available at 24bit 192khz that I am particularly interested in.....

But that's not the point, if something is not working it eats away at you..... What can it be ..... I am doing something stupid ..... and yes, I am so close with everthing upto 24 / 96 working fine......

After another couple of hours of wasted life that I will never get back, I found the solution to the 192khz issue.

When first setting up the Devialet to my PC via ethernet, which was many months ago, I set the AIR's "target device buffer" to 5000ms (5 seconds).

My logic for this, more buffer is better! (simple) However, it would appear that with full fat 24 / 192 files, the Dev must simply run out of memory. Reducing the buffer down to 2000ms or less, everthing now works fine. I don't know if any of the other Devialet users on here have ever messed with the buffer settings or 192khz files. If not, maybe this is something you might try in the future ...... So at least this is one error I have made, that you have read, and you lucky people do not need to wast the hours I have just done.

Never mind, and now just remembering the good old days of 70's hi fi, truely intuitive. Big knob with "volume" written above it, a switch with "on" and "off" on each side, even a knob with "bass" on it. (an early itteration of SAM, along with the even more advanced "loudness" button)

I'm starting to rant now, but evering sorted. Thank's for the advice from previous posts (and some elsewhere), I got there in the end.....

 

[BrianRostron]

Just noted that the Blades have been updated to SAM soon (with some other the other speakers with 500+ votes gone!)

Very exciting, Blades with SAM will be intersting.

Although the way things have been going for me recently, either SAM will cause my ceiling to collapse, the Blades to explode, or mybe my eyeballs to explode first, followed by the Blades and the Dev?

We shall see.... I'll report back on this one....

 

[matt49]

Brian,

Please make sure you report on Blades with SAM here before any of the catastrophes happen (ceiling, eyeballs etc).

:cheers:

Matt

PS good that you sorted out the 192kHz problem.

 

[matt49]

So the latest Devialet firmware upgrade is out. Most of the changes are housekeeping or minor new functions. The one big change is that the USB socket is now bi-directional. This means you can use your Devialet to record your precious vinyl to a PC (with e.g. Audacity). Nice. I can really see the appeal of archiving "virgin" vinyl purchases to digital.

I've not tried it (don't have a TT), but users have reported that it works well. There's a detailed tutorial on the Devialet website.

*yes3*

Matt

 

[Jota180]

Hey Dev owners!

I currently have a UQ2, NAP100 and KEF LS50's. I stream all my music off a Synology NAS and listen a lot to Radio Paradise at 320kbps AAC and it's as good as CD. I'd like to keep the sound quality on that Radio Paradise stream (courtesy of Naim as you wont find that bit rate online). Good background music.

I find using the N-Stream app intuative and my music collection is a swipe and a touch away.

Forgive my ignorance but how would a Devialet best fit into this system? Would it just replace the NAP 100 and accept the digital out from the UQ2? I like being able to play music in my room with the PC off (just from the NAS).

 

[matt49]

Hey Dev owners!

I currently have a UQ2, NAP100 and KEF LS50's. I stream all my music off a Synology NAS and listen a lot to Radio Paradise at 320kbps AAC and it's as good as CD. I'd like to keep the sound quality on that Radio Paradise stream (courtesy of Naim as you wont find that bit rate online). Good background music.

I find using the N-Stream app intuative and my music collection is a swipe and a touch away.

Forgive my ignorance but how would a Devialet best fit into this system? Would it just replace the NAP 100 and accept the digital out from the UQ2? I like being able to play music in my room with the PC off (just from the NAS).

Hi Jota180!

Devialet doesn't do radio streaming, so yes you would need to keep the UQ2. You could connect it digitally to the Devialet via the UQ2's 75 Ohm BNC output (might need a special cable, but it will definitely work).

As for the NAS, you'd have two options. You could feed it via the UQ2, or you connect it directly to the Devialet via USB. In the latter case you'd use the Synology control software (Audio Station?) or install third-party software on the NAS -- though I recall that the Synology NAS models using ARM processors are quite limited in their software compatibility.

Your speakers have been given the SAM treatment. DocG (of this parish) has a Devialet 120 with LS50s and loves the sound.

I hope that helps.

Matt

 

[Jota180]

Hey Dev owners!

I currently have a UQ2, NAP100 and KEF LS50's. I stream all my music off a Synology NAS and listen a lot to Radio Paradise at 320kbps AAC and it's as good as CD. I'd like to keep the sound quality on that Radio Paradise stream (courtesy of Naim as you wont find that bit rate online). Good background music.

I find using the N-Stream app intuative and my music collection is a swipe and a touch away.

Forgive my ignorance but how would a Devialet best fit into this system? Would it just replace the NAP 100 and accept the digital out from the UQ2? I like being able to play music in my room with the PC off (just from the NAS).

Hi Jota180!

Devialet doesn't do radio streaming, so yes you would need to keep the UQ2. You could connect it digitally to the Devialet via the UQ2's 75 Ohm BNC output (might need a special cable, but it will definitely work).

As for the NAS, you'd have two options. You could feed it via the UQ2, or you connect it directly to the Devialet via USB. In the latter case you'd use the Synology control software (Audio Station?) or install third-party software on the NAS -- though I recall that the Synology NAS models using ARM processors are quite limited in their software compatibility.

Your speakers have been given the SAM treatment. DocG (of this parish) has a Devialet 120 with LS50s and loves the sound.

I hope that helps.

Matt

Thanks Matt. I use Minimserver on my NAS and transcode the FLAC files in real time on the NAS to WAV, this is then streamed to the UQ2. I take it this wouldn't pose any issues to a Devialet?

 

[matt49]

Thanks Matt. I use Minimserver on my NAS and transcode the FLAC files in real time on the NAS to WAV, this is then streamed to the UQ2. I take it this wouldn't pose any issues to a Devialet?

That will work absolutely fine. Of course, if you wanted to, you could connect the NAS direct to the Devialet via USB. I'm not going to argue that this would sound any better (who knows?), but it would shorten the digital signal path, and as a Devialet rep once said to me, 'You can go from London to Edinburgh via Exeter if you want to, but why bother?'

Am I right in thinking you control Minimserver using the Naim nStream app on a tablet/phone? If so, that would be a strong argument for routing the NAS via the UQ2: one control point to rule them all ...

Matt