Devialet
MONO AND STEREO HIGH-END AUDIO MAGAZINE
It seems, that my listening of Devialet intrigues many of you with a constant interested. Here are a few more of my thoughts. Thank Guy for "firing" me up for writing.
I've heard Devialet in quite few setups before, but wanted to ensure my correct findings with enough listening/testing time. I'm still in the process, but here are few more insights. Noise floor is far out. You practically don't hear anything even with ear close to the drivers and at 91dB. Regarding performance... One have to get accustom to a different approach, that in the beginning makes you wonder what is actually a correct reproduction:). With Devialet you'll start hearing the little nuances, that were mostly hidden before and everything get so wide open. It's not typical Class D with Devialet ADH circuit. While it holds on to what I would call best attributes of Class D, the ADH circuit adds three dimensionality and more lifelike feeling of instruments, timbre etc. Like I've wrote in my preview, I strongly feel how this amplifier is highly speakers dependable from what I've experienced in different setups. This is why for most systems two units are mandatory for the best impact. Now to my speakers. With Sonus Faber Olympica III. If I listen in the "golden triangle" radius/position, then it works very very nice. When moved to a bigger room, the impressive performance quickly disappear.
What many audiophiles are missing with their scepticism of a Devialet thin, slick all in one box is practicality, no cable cluttering, shortest signal paths, simplicity and hands on approach. I've been long enough around (actively over 20 years) to share a dream about one high-end audio machine, that can help you stop thinking about all connectivity, warmup up, changing tubes, cables, system approach, finding right synergy etc. Devialet is the closet thing ever being done to embrace this and I truly love it for this. And it feels premium down to remote, the chassis, on/off button, display etc. The geek inside of me cannot resist all the fine tunings and adjustments ready to be made with Devilalet online Configurator. This can kind of fill the gap of an urge to play around with gear, etc. The ever changing need.
Devialet rep in Munich said, that they could "simulate" any sound of typical character from high-end audio legendary companies and products like McIntosh, Conrad Johnson, Audio Research and others. But, they rather went with neutrality. I do think, that in one of their future updates, they might bring this functionality on board. In the software part of pro-audio high-end simulators of different legendary gear are existing for years and industry adopted them for real life production long time ago. I always wondered, why this didn't happened at the high-end part or the high-end audio segment. Conservative approach? The purity? All in all we always deal with some sorts of coloration with audiophile components. For sure we strive for the neutrality, but in matching our preferred set up the cables, preamplifiers, amplifiers, speakers and all other accessories always help in joint venture of shaping a certain prefer sound. So its a bit
I'll continue the elaboration on Devialet soon. Regarding the above mentioned "imprint" approach perhaps Wadax is doing the closest at present. Stay tuned...
http://en.devialet.com/home-en-us/
Matej Isak. Mono and Stereo ultra high end audio magazine. All rights reserved. 2006-2014. www.monoandstereo.com. ..:: None of the original written text, pictures, that were taken by me, links or my original files can be re-printed or used in any way without prior permission! ::..