The Devialet thread

[James7]

Some quick and dirty initial impressions of the Dev after 24 hours of ownership.

It’s hard not to lapse into pretentious metaphors here. Bear with me. If I said the presentation was smooth, you’d know what I meant. Not the slightest hint of roughness anywhere. The complete absence of grit in the top end is remarkable. Even when pushed to the limits of my hearing’s tolerance, it’s utterly smooth.

And if I said it was sharp, i.e. percussive strikes cut like a razor (particularly noticeable in the higher register of the piano), again you’d find that pretty clear.

What this is leading up to is that the combination of smoothness and sharpness is extraordinary. It has the quality of (cue pretentious metaphor) a cut diamond. That’s the best I can do.

I’m also enjoying the long decays. In the wine business people talk about a wine’s length, how long the flavour lingers on the palate after the wine’s slipped down. 30 seconds is good. Two minutes is exceptional. Somehow with the Dev the decay of acoustic instruments remains audible for longer. I guess that may be something to do with the fact that the noise floor is so low.

OK, enough already.

:cheers:

Matt

Another eloquent review. As I hoped, perhaps this is indeed the beginning of a new era of subtle 49 write-ups, and not the end at all. I am crossing fingers for a significantly larger room once you move that will force a whole stream of purposeful commentaries on larger loudspeakers. Bring on the Dev / Quad ESL review!

 

[DocG]

Some quick and dirty initial impressions of the Dev after 24 hours of ownership.

It’s hard not to lapse into pretentious metaphors here. Bear with me. If I said the presentation was smooth, you’d know what I meant. Not the slightest hint of roughness anywhere. The complete absence of grit in the top end is remarkable. Even when pushed to the limits of my hearing’s tolerance, it’s utterly smooth.

And if I said it was sharp, i.e. percussive strikes cut like a razor (particularly noticeable in the higher register of the piano), again you’d find that pretty clear.

What this is leading up to is that the combination of smoothness and sharpness is extraordinary. It has the quality of (cue pretentious metaphor) a cut diamond. That’s the best I can do.

I’m also enjoying the long decays. In the wine business people talk about a wine’s length, how long the flavour lingers on the palate after the wine’s slipped down. 30 seconds is good. Two minutes is exceptional. Somehow with the Dev the decay of acoustic instruments remains audible for longer. I guess that may be something to do with the fact that the noise floor is so low.

OK, enough already.

:cheers:

Matt

I really love how it handles trumpets. Not talking about Chet-Baker-plays-My-Funny-Valentine trumpet, but wildly roaring mambo music. It is so dynamic, raw and coarse: that's what a trumpet sounds like! Think I'll start demoing speakers sooner than I had planned after all. The Dev deserves so much better than it gets now!

 

[matt49]

I really love how it handles trumpets. Not talking about Chet-Baker-plays-My-Funny-Valentine trumpet, but wildly roaring mambo music. It is so dynamic, raw and coarse: that's what a trumpet sounds like! Think I'll start demoing speakers sooner than I had planned after all. The Dev deserves so much better than it gets now!

That reminds me of an exchange on the 'Wam (or was it PFM) recently. Someone had heard a Dev and was complaining that it made trumpets sound too raw. A Dev owner, who plays in a brass band, replied: yes, that's exactly what live trumpets sound like.

 

[davedotco]

I really love how it handles trumpets. Not talking about Chet-Baker-plays-My-Funny-Valentine trumpet, but wildly roaring mambo music. It is so dynamic, raw and coarse: that's what a trumpet sounds like! Think I'll start demoing speakers sooner than I had planned after all. The Dev deserves so much better than it gets now!

That reminds me of an exchange on the 'Wam (or was it PFM) recently. Someone had heard a Dev and was complaining that it made trumpets sound too raw. A Dev owner, who plays in a brass band, replied: yes, that's exactly what live trumpets sound like.

For a short time I used to live with a sax player, I can relate to this........ :rockout:

 

[Macspur]

Thanks for the high quality review that we've come to expect, the more cliches the better.

Good news Doc, pleased for you.

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[matt49]

I've just had my first go at using the 'configurator'. As with all such things, you need to do it once or twice before you feel really confident. But once the confidence is there, it really is a doddle.

Slip the SD card out of the back of the Dev and into your laptop. Log on to the configurator. And a world of settings opens up before you, which are accessed by clicking on an image of the Dev's back panel. (I'm not sure how good support for visually impaired users is.) It's all very nicely presented and, for the most part, clearly explained. Contextual help opens when you hover your mouse over the different areas of the back panel.

I wanted to configure two of the inputs as analogue pre-outs for use with headphones. Easily done, and you can configure the remote to turn these on and off and to mute the other inputs. All good, and even better if I had a hybrid RCA-to-headphone jack connector so that I could actually use it. (More likely I'll buy a nice little headphone amp.)

The pre-outs can be used for a sub, of course. There are high-pass and low-pass filters with configurable parameters. You can configure the frequency range of the tone controls: a primitive kind of room correction, I guess. Full room correction can't be that far away.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[iQ Speakers]

Hi doc, leave the 'easy listening' to one side and try a bit of Ornette Coleman.

I recommend you try 'Free Jazz', played by the 'double quartet'. I you can make sense of this your system really is the canine cojones..... :rockout:

If you find that a bit too much, start with something easy, the classic "Shape of Jazz to come".

Hi Dave, Yep the "Free Jazz" was a bit to much!! but loving "Shape of Jazz to come". Cheers.

 

[Macspur]

I've just had my first go at using the 'configurator'. As with all such things, you need to do it once or twice before you feel really confident. But once the confidence is there, it really is a doddle.

Slip the SD card out of the back of the Dev and into your laptop. Log on to the configurator. And a world of settings opens up before you, which are accessed by clicking on an image of the Dev's back panel. (I'm not sure how good support for visually impaired users is.) It's all very nicely presented and, for the most part, clearly explained. Contextual help opens when you hover your mouse over the different areas of the back panel.

I wanted to configure two of the inputs as analogue pre-outs for use with headphones. Easily done, and you can configure the remote to turn these on and off and to mute the other inputs. All good, and even better if I had a hybrid RCA-to-headphone jack connector so that I could actually use it. (More likely I'll buy a nice little headphone amp.)

The pre-outs can be used for a sub, of course. There are high-pass and low-pass filters with configurable parameters. You can configure the frequency range of the tone controls: a primitive kind of room correction, I guess. Full room correction can't be that far away.

:cheers:

Matt

The configurator sounds a bit scarey, but Matt, I didn't realise the Dev had tone controls!

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

 

[davedotco]

Hi doc, leave the 'easy listening' to one side and try a bit of Ornette Coleman.

I recommend you try 'Free Jazz', played by the 'double quartet'. I you can make sense of this your system really is the canine cojones..... :rockout:

If you find that a bit too much, start with something easy, the classic "Shape of Jazz to come".

Hi Dave, Yep the "Free Jazz" was a bit to much!! but loving "Shape of Jazz to come". Cheers.

The 'Free Jazz' is seriously wierd, the 'double' quartet setup really does sound like two different bands playing at the same time, there are one or two occasions when I think something is coming together, then it all falls apart again.

'Shape' of course is one of the three albums that define 1959 as possibly the greatest year in 'modern' jazz and is the perfect introduction to be-bop. If you liked that then look out for Dexter Gordon 'One flight up', another very accesible example of the genre.

For a superb mixture of music and recording quality in a live venue, check out Art Pepper's 'Blues for the Fisherman', a multi album series recorded live at Ronnie Scotts, a venue I know well.

 

[matt49]

The configurator sounds a bit scarey, but Matt, I didn't realise the Dev had tone controls!

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

Yes, there's all sorts of stuff to fiddle with, if you're prepared to get your hands dirty. However no dancing needles or tactile buttons or knobs. Part of me will always yearn for a beautiful Accuphase.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[davedotco]

The configurator sounds a bit scarey, but Matt, I didn't realise the Dev had tone controls!

Mac

www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

Yes, there's all sorts of stuff to fiddle with, if you're prepared to get your hands dirty. However no dancing needles or tactile buttons or knobs. Part of me will always yearn for a beautiful Accuphase.

:cheers:

Matt

I'm getting quite envious here, haven't had any serious toys to play with in a pretty long time.

When I was looking a year or two back the Accuphase was out of reach cost wise, I was contemplating this, for all the obvious reasons......

Jungson JA-88D, pure class A, $750 fob Hing Kong. I reckoned I could land one in the UK, duty paid under £1k.

Fantastic reputation but a lot of money for an amp you have never heard.

 

[matt49]

Jungson JA-88D, pure class A, $750 fob Hing Kong. I reckoned I could land one in the UK, duty paid under £1k.

Fantastic reputation but a lot of money for an amp you have never heard.

Looks fascinating. They love their Class A in the Far East, and with good reason. It's a shame we get to see so little of that stuff in the UK.

You'll be pleased to hear I've ditched the "easy listening" tonight and am doing Ornette Coleman.

Nice.

 

[DocG]

The configurator sounds a bit scarey, but Matt, I didn't realise the Dev had tone controls!

Well, actually it's not that scary. As long as you save your settings to your computer before transferring them to the SD-card, you can always return to your previous settings should you mess things up. Just reload the old settings on the card again, shove it in the amp: problem fixed!

BTW, Dev came home yesterday! The dealer brought her (it's definitely a 'she'!), and helped me to configure her, including WiFi-access (and thus enabling the AIR-module and the iOS app). As I have some days off next week, I also plan to dive a little deeper into the settings. Luckily she doesn't need the SD-card to play music. So no dilemma. I can listen and fiddle around with the configurator at the same time.

 

[davedotco]

Jungson JA-88D, pure class A, $750 fob Hing Kong. I reckoned I could land one in the UK, duty paid under £1k.

Fantastic reputation but a lot of money for an amp you have never heard.

Looks fascinating. They love their Class A in the Far East, and with good reason. It's a shame we get to see so little of that stuff in the UK.

You'll be pleased to hear I've ditched the "easy listening" tonight and am doing Ornette Coleman.

Nice.

Just call me the Jazz Guru.......

In reality I am a complete novice in the world of Jazz, over the years there have always been some recordings that you come across and really like but that has always been in a completely random manner, like the client I had who was a huge Duke Ellington fan who always played me a piece or two that I always thought was great but could never find again.

There is a huge amount of Jazz that I really do not like so the idea of buying stuff that I wasn't going to enjoy was offputting, but now with Spotify, the world of Jazz really is my mousetrap. (© Arther Daley)

Few things to do around the house this morning, put together a playlist starting with Dexter Gordon 'Up one flight' and 'Art Pepper meets the rhthym section', great albums and very accessible. Maybe a bit of Miles to follow something I am not so familiar with, 'Birth of the Cool' maybe.

 

[davedotco]

The configurator sounds a bit scarey, but Matt, I didn't realise the Dev had tone controls!

Well, actually it's not that scary. As long as you save your settings to your computer before transferring them to the SD-card, you can always return to your previous settings should you mess things up. Just reload the old settings on the card again, shove it in the amp: problem fixed!

BTW, Dev came home yesterday! The dealer brought her (it's definitely a 'she'!), and helped me to configure her, including WiFi-access (and thus enabling the AIR-module and the iOS app). As I have some days off next week, I also plan to dive a little deeper into the settings. Luckily she doesn't need the SD-card to play music. So no dilemma. I can listen and fiddle around with the configurator at the same time.

Are you going to give 'her' a name....... :?

I am getting worried now, coveting my neighbours amplifier, even if female, is a little wierd, even for me....... :shame:

 

[DocG]

The configurator sounds a bit scarey, but Matt, I didn't realise the Dev had tone controls!

Well, actually it's not that scary. As long as you save your settings to your computer before transferring them to the SD-card, you can always return to your previous settings should you mess things up. Just reload the old settings on the card again, shove it in the amp: problem fixed!

BTW, Dev came home yesterday! The dealer brought her (it's definitely a 'she'!), and helped me to configure her, including WiFi-access (and thus enabling the AIR-module and the iOS app). As I have some days off next week, I also plan to dive a little deeper into the settings. Luckily she doesn't need the SD-card to play music. So no dilemma. I can listen and fiddle around with the configurator at the same time.

Are you going to give 'her' a name....... :?

I am getting worried now, coveting my neighbours amplifier, even if female, is a little wierd, even for me....... :shame:

:? Yes, maybe I should try and make her 'it' again, before my wife gets jealous... :stare:

 

[nopiano]

I’m also enjoying the long decays. In the wine business people talk about a wine’s length, how long the flavour lingers on the palate after the wine’s slipped down. 30 seconds is good. Two minutes is exceptional. Somehow with the Dev the decay of acoustic instruments remains audible for longer. I guess that may be something to do with the fact that the noise floor is so low.

I recognise that very good description of a fine system. In my head at least, it seems that you hear the notes decay and yet the acoustic 'signature' of the room remains - the contrast being with badly mastered CDs where you are plunged into digital darkness (no signal) between tracks. For me, this characteristic more closely resembles the 'live' music experience.

Thanks for sharing your joy.

 

[matt49]

BTW, Dev came home yesterday! The dealer brought her (it's definitely a 'she'!), and helped me to configure her, including WiFi-access (and thus enabling the AIR-module and the iOS app). As I have some days off next week, I also plan to dive a little deeper into the settings. Luckily she doesn't need the SD-card to play music. So no dilemma. I can listen and fiddle around with the configurator at the same time.

Really glad to hear that's all sorted.

I took delivery of a pair of GIK bass trap panels this morning. You might remember I was having trouble with boomy bass. The traps have certainly dealt with that: nice and tight now. :bounce: The traps will hang on the wall behind the speakers. The builder's coming in next week to do a few things, so I'll get him to hang them properly.

:cheers:

Matt

 

[DocG]

Hi doc, leave the 'easy listening' to one side and try a bit of Ornette Coleman.

I recommend you try 'Free Jazz', played by the 'double quartet'. I you can make sense of this your system really is the canine cojones..... :rockout:

If you find that a bit too much, start with something easy, the classic "Shape of Jazz to come".

Ha! Wife's out with the kids this morning. Time for some Ornette Coleman! Being a chicken, I started with "Shape" (always dipping a toe before jumping in the water!): energetic, but easy on the ear. Nice!

While listening, I adjusted the amp's settings for my speakers. High pass cut-off at 50 Hz (no need to feed my little 760 SEs bass they can't handle anyway) and maximum output on 75 W (so I can play somewhat louder without the risk of frying the tweeters). Save. SD-card in the amp. Two seconds of silence. Ready!

OK. 'Free Jazz' then. Hmmm, Spotify doesn't want to play the album, only the "First Take" bonus track. Sounds great. By no means background music, but very enjoyable if you pay attention. Turning the volume up, things get muddy, but I'm sure that's cos the little Missions can't swallow it anymore. At more reasonable volume, double bass and cymbals stand out particularly.

You got me started, Dave! Dave Weckl coming up (with Chick Corea and John Pattitucci), some Yellowjackets and Dr. John in the waiting cue... Wife will be back too soon, for sure...

 

[Macspur]

Hi doc, leave the 'easy listening' to one side and try a bit of Ornette Coleman.

I recommend you try 'Free Jazz', played by the 'double quartet'. I you can make sense of this your system really is the canine cojones..... :rockout:

If you find that a bit too much, start with something easy, the classic "Shape of Jazz to come".

Ha! Wife's out with the kids this morning. Time for some Ornette Coleman! Being a chicken, I started with "Shape" (always dipping a toe before jumping in the water!): energetic, but easy on the ear. Nice!

While listening, I adjusted the amp's settings for my speakers. High pass cut-off at 50 Hz (no need to feed my little 760 SEs bass they can't handle anyway) and maximum output on 75 W (so I can play somewhat louder without the risk of frying the tweeters). Save. SD-card in the amp. Two seconds of silence. Ready!

OK. 'Free Jazz' then. Hmmm, Spotify doesn't want to play the album, only the "First Take" bonus track. Sounds great. By no means background music, but very enjoyable if you pay attention. Turning the volume up, things get muddy, but I'm sure that's cos the little Missions can't swallow it anymore. At more reasonable volume, double bass and cymbals stand out particularly.

You got me started, Dave! Dave Weckl coming up (with Chick Corea and John Pattitucci), some Yellowjackets and Dr. John in the waiting cue... Wife will be back too soon, for sure...

Hey Doc, hope you're not depriving the good lady of www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

Do like a bit of Jazz myself too, nothing too heavy though.

Mac

 

[DocG]

Hi doc, leave the 'easy listening' to one side and try a bit of Ornette Coleman.

I recommend you try 'Free Jazz', played by the 'double quartet'. I you can make sense of this your system really is the canine cojones..... :rockout:

If you find that a bit too much, start with something easy, the classic "Shape of Jazz to come".

Ha! Wife's out with the kids this morning. Time for some Ornette Coleman! Being a chicken, I started with "Shape" (always dipping a toe before jumping in the water!): energetic, but easy on the ear. Nice!

While listening, I adjusted the amp's settings for my speakers. High pass cut-off at 50 Hz (no need to feed my little 760 SEs bass they can't handle anyway) and maximum output on 75 W (so I can play somewhat louder without the risk of frying the tweeters). Save. SD-card in the amp. Two seconds of silence. Ready!

OK. 'Free Jazz' then. Hmmm, Spotify doesn't want to play the album, only the "First Take" bonus track. Sounds great. By no means background music, but very enjoyable if you pay attention. Turning the volume up, things get muddy, but I'm sure that's cos the little Missions can't swallow it anymore. At more reasonable volume, double bass and cymbals stand out particularly.

You got me started, Dave! Dave Weckl coming up (with Chick Corea and John Pattitucci), some Yellowjackets and Dr. John in the waiting cue... Wife will be back too soon, for sure...

Hey Doc, hope you're not depriving the good lady of www.macsmusic.blogbubble.net

Do like a bit of Jazz myself too, nothing too heavy though.

Mac

No no, Mac's is for late night listening, while quietly reading, side by side in the sofa .

Dave's reminds me of my student years - to be played at substantially higher level, and hard to share with *normal* people :twisted:...

Yin and Yang, if you wish. :cheers:

 

[Electro]

I’m also enjoying the long decays. In the wine business people talk about a wine’s length, how long the flavour lingers on the palate after the wine’s slipped down. 30 seconds is good. Two minutes is exceptional. Somehow with the Dev the decay of acoustic instruments remains audible for longer. I guess that may be something to do with the fact that the noise floor is so low.

I recognise that very good description of a fine system. In my head at least, it seems that you hear the notes decay and yet the acoustic 'signature' of the room remains - the contrast being with badly mastered CDs where you are plunged into digital darkness (no signal) between tracks. For me, this characteristic more closely resembles the 'live' music experience.

Thanks for sharing your joy.

Brilliant ! The above description makes perfect sence to me , you have both managed to describe what I have been experiencing with my current system but have been unable to describe to others .

:cheers:

For a fantastic Jazz Cd that people who normally don't get Jazz can still enjoy try Lee Ritenour , "Wes Bound " It is just fantastic stuff .

This track is called Boss City .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqwKzGBPhuM

 

[DocG]

Been listening all afternoon: Spotify on laptop --> WiFi --> Devialet. To ensure good data transmission, I installed a WiFi-extender in the living room (the router is in the garage and coverage was below par). So now laptop, extender and amp are in the same room. Works excellently. The Devialet is used as an outboard soundcard and plays whatever you have on the computer.

After several hours of hassle-free listening, all of a sudden the transmission was brutally interrupted and the music was produced by the laptop's inbuilt speakers again... Wifi signal is excellent, Devialet AIR-Streaming enabled on the laptop, good WiFi reception on the amp. All is perfect, but no transmission... Maybe I should hardwire the PC to the amp? Should be more robust... The Devialet baseline: "The best wire is no wire" doesn't seem to apply here. :?

 

[davedotco]

Been listening all afternoon: Spotify on laptop --> WiFi --> Devialet. To ensure good data transmission, I installed a WiFi-extender in the living room (the router is in the garage and coverage was below par). So now laptop, extender and amp are in the same room. Works excellently. The Devialet is used as an outboard soundcard and plays whatever you have on the computer.

After several hours of hassle-free listening, all of a sudden the transmission was brutally interrupted and the music was produced by the laptop's inbuilt speakers again... Wifi signal is excellent, Devialet AIR-Streaming enabled on the laptop, good WiFi reception on the amp. All is perfect, but no transmission... Maybe I should hardwire the PC to the amp? Should be more robust... The Devialet baseline: "The best wire is no wire" doesn't seem to apply here. :?

Firstly just check that you haven't deselected the Dev, ie that your laptop is seeing the Dev and that it is selected.

If that doesn't work, go through the usual routines, switch every thing off and back on in order, checking any settings as you go.

If that does not work you need expert help, where is Matt when you need him...... :doh:

 

[DocG]

Been listening all afternoon: Spotify on laptop --> WiFi --> Devialet. To ensure good data transmission, I installed a WiFi-extender in the living room (the router is in the garage and coverage was below par). So now laptop, extender and amp are in the same room. Works excellently. The Devialet is used as an outboard soundcard and plays whatever you have on the computer.

After several hours of hassle-free listening, all of a sudden the transmission was brutally interrupted and the music was produced by the laptop's inbuilt speakers again... Wifi signal is excellent, Devialet AIR-Streaming enabled on the laptop, good WiFi reception on the amp. All is perfect, but no transmission... Maybe I should hardwire the PC to the amp? Should be more robust... The Devialet baseline: "The best wire is no wire" doesn't seem to apply here. :?

Firstly just check that you haven't deselected the Dev, ie that your laptop is seeing the Dev and that it is selected.

If that doesn't work, go through the usual routines, switch every thing off and back on in order, checking any settings as you go.

If that does not work you need expert help, where is Matt when you need him...... :doh:

Yes, looks like a logical algorithm. I'll give it a try tonight. Too busy with the children at the moment (have to see to it that they don't kill each other before mum is home).