Thread: Devialet 400 review by Soundstage Magazine

Senior Editor Jeff Fritz reviews the 400 monoblocks:

SoundStage! Ultra | SoundStageUltra.com (UltraAudio.com) | Devialet 400 Mono Integrated Amplifier-DACs

“Would you believe that the best match I’ve heard for the $185,000/pair Magico Q7 [speakers] is the $6495 Devialet 120? I know -- hard to fathom.” That statement was a problem for a lot of people. Was I crazy? Could I not hear? What the heck was going on?! So it’s important that I make my comments about the Devialet 400 as clear as possible. But first, a bit about my amplification biases

I’ve always gravitated toward large, powerful, solid-state amplifiers, and I’ve had a lot of them in my system over the years: Ayre, Boulder, Gryphon, Halcro, Krell, Levinson, Musical Fidelity, Simaudio, Vitus, and ten other brands I can’t recall right now. The areas of amplifier performance that most matter to me are a low noise floor, tonal neutrality, and absolute control of the loudspeakers. If those qualities are present, it has been my experience that most of the rest of the audiophile hot buttons naturally follow: precise imaging, resolution of detail throughout the audioband, and overall clarity, to name a few. Having laid that groundwork, I’ll tell you what I heard with the Devialet 400s -- starting with what I didn’t hear.

The Devialet 400s were the quietest amplifiers ever. They just didn’t make any noise. While it’s true that I heard virtually nothing from the tweeters of my speakers when I fired up these amps -- and man, was that cool the first time I tested it -- it was what I didn’t hear at the listening seat that most impressed me. That quietness led to the most complete retrieval of detail I’ve ever heard from my system. I could simply hear deeper into the music -- more information, both spatial and musical, reached my brain than did from other amplifiers

... the Devialet 400s were more quiet than any of them, which made them the most resolving I’ve heard. There was more tangible space around notes, more depth in recordings -- simply more information.
In terms of tonal neutrality, most expensive solid-state electronics don’t veer too far from dead center. Still, in a highly resolving system, it’s easy to hear that the Simaudio and older Gryphon Audio Designs amplifiers sound slightly warmer than the models from Boulder Amplifiers and Vitus Audio, which strike me as more flat-line neutral. The Devialet was as tonally neutral as the best, though this is an area that I’m just not convinced needed improving when considering the best solid-state on offer. Still, you should consider that the Devialet 400 did not in any respect sound like a tube amplifier. It altered the signal as little as anything I’ve heard in this regard -- you can’t “fix” a problem in your system’s sound by adding a Devialet, as you can by adding a tube amp to a system that has a threadbare sound, or Transparent Audio cables to one that sounds bright and/or bass shy.

Control. Although the quietness of the Devialets may be what first wowed me -- it was just hard to believe that I could hear so far into my music -- it was the 400s’ control of the speakers’ drive-units that provided the most long-term satisfaction. Here, there was just no comparison with anything else I’ve heard. The 400s controlled the woofers in my speakers to a degree that improved those speakers’ bass response beyond what I’d thought them capable of. This meant that, from the highest highs through the lowest lows, the character of the sound remained more consistent. Here’s what I believe was happening: We’re used to hearing a gradual loss of control the lower in frequency the music goes, something that can be especially evident when listening through large, full-range speakers to music with heavy low-bass content. Down low with such recordings, most amps’ grip on the woofers loosens ever so slightly. But the Devialet 400s seemed to control my speakers’ woofers as easily as they did the tweeters.


Such total control meant one thing: I hadn’t known how much bass texture and articulation my speakers were capable of -- or exactly what a given recording’s bass actually sounded like -- until I heard them with the Devialet 400s. Paired with the Magico Q7 speakers, the 400s were revelatory in this respect. Electric bassist Jonas Hellborg’s solo album The Silent Life (16/44.1 ALAC, Day Eight Music) goes beyond visceral and deep, and the Devialets reproduced it marvelously. It was really about bass detail. Imagine how articulate bass might sound if your amp(s) were wired directly to your brain. That’s what I was hearing -- there seemed to be no physical barriers between the music and my ears. The Hellborg album was amazing.

Lastly, the Devialet 400s’ sound quality didn’t change -- at all -- the louder I played my music. In this respect, it’s a perfect match for a speaker like the Magico Q7, which also just gets louder and louder, without compression or distortion. The pairing sounded as at ease at 95dB as it did at 80dB. When I cranked it up past 100dB, nothing happened . . . except that the music got loud. You know the point where you sense that you shouldn’t play your system any louder because you don’t want to break something? With the Magico-Devialet combo, I never reached that point. If loud and clean is your thing, or if favorite recordings in your collection have impressively wide dynamic range, you can’t do better than the Devialet 400s.

I’m as surprised as you that I’m saying this, but the Devialet 400s produced the best sound I’ve ever heard."

Winner of Soundstage Magazine's Pioneering Design Achievement 2014
2014 Product of the Year Award Winners

Well Done!

Bump.

I have a D400 on order!




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My local dealer called me in to hear their 800's after they came back in from an audition at one of their customers. They did not use SAM with the Magico's that day during my audition but we did try the unit(s) with both the digital connected directly to the unit and from the analog out of their MSB Dac. They sound was pretty good especially when you consider what you save on power cords and interconnects let alone the pricing of a separate DAC and pre-amp. That said based on MY audition the 800 is not yet capable of competing with many of the better separate set-ups available today. On that day the comparison was the Soulution integrated. If I was to consider a second 2-channel set-up Devialet would be considered.

I'm really interested in the Devialet 400. I'd love to hear it.

I heard a Devialet at the NYAS w Totem(?) speakers. I was pretty impressed with what I heard. I'd love to get a unit for a second system.

Originally Posted by joeinid

I'm really interested in the Devialet 400. I'd love to hear it.

And Id like to try your CJ kit!

Ha!

Looks like you'll have to get in line. Mark keeps "asking" err, telling me to send it to him. I can only imagine how great it will sound on your speakers.

Originally Posted by jaxwired

And Id like to try your CJ kit!

I guess you can't please everyone all the time. I'm reading and hearing more positive opinion than negative opinion, so those people that I trust seem to love it. That's good enough for me.

I heard the 200 on the Harbeth 40.1's, it was very,very good with those speakers.

I'm sure that just like any other amp, speaker synergy will be the key.

Originally Posted by joeinid

I guess you can't please everyone all the time. I'm reading and hearing more positive opinion than negative opinion, so those people that I trust seem to love it. That's good enough for me.

At least the writer was honest with regards to what he heard (or didn't hear). In the same way that many people flocked to CDs and abandoned LPs, we are seeing something similar play out with people abandoning Class A/B amps for Class D. The promise of having something more for less is always alluring. People need to decide for themselves whether they are hearing an amp that is "ultra-transparent" or if they are hearing a false sense of transparency due to the music being scrubbed clean of natural harmonics that should be present. I can't answer the question because I have zero experience with Class D amps in my system.

The Devialet is a proprietary Class A-D hybrid, so it's not Class D. It has a more liquid smoother sound than some of the harsh Class D amps I've heard.

As for Matej, it might not be his cup of tea, but has he ever officially reviewed it? He's been known for doing reviews of products that he only hears at a dealers (see his review of the Sonus Faber Amati Futuras for example). Also, there aren't any Devialet ads among the dozens on the left, right, middle, top and everywhere in between on his site.

Just saying...


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Mike-He did say he heard it in his own system so that should mean something. I will put more credence in that than I would the lack of Devialet ads and any attendant conspiracy theories due to lack of same.

Originally Posted by Mike

The Devialet is a proprietary Class A-D hybrid, so it's not Class D. It has a more liquid smoother sound than some of the harsh Class D amps I've heard.

As for Matej, it might not be his cup of tea, but has he ever officially reviewed it? He's been known for doing reviews of products that he only hears at a dealers (see his review of the Sonus Faber Amati Futuras for example). Also, there aren't any Devialet ads among the dozens on the left, right, middle, top and everywhere in between on his site.

Just saying...


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I understand where you are coming from. It's hard to separate his reviews from the advertorials, especially if you see all his postings on Facebook. But he did say he heard the amps in his as well as several others systems. But yes it have been nice to see a real review.

Absolutely Mark,

Unless I live with something for a while, I don't really know it and even then, it's only in the context of my system. I certainly don't want reviewers to praise something for the heck of it. I respect all points of view. I see what gear that I like and see what reviewers agree with what I think I am hearing and gravitate towards them for some guidance. Usually it works pretty well. I hope to hear one in a few weeks so I can decide from myself if it's something I could live with long term.

Originally Posted by mep

At least the writer was honest with regards to what he heard (or didn't hear). In the same way that many people flocked to CDs and abandoned LPs, we are seeing something similar play out with people abandoning Class A/B amps for Class D. The promise of having something more for less is always alluring. People need to decide for themselves whether they are hearing an amp that is "ultra-transparent" or if they are hearing a false sense of transparency due to the music being scrubbed clean of natural harmonics that should be present. I can't answer the question because I have zero experience with Class D amps in my system.

I've heard the original D-premier and more recently the Dev 250 in my system, and like Matej, wasn't overly impressed.

I wonder if we compare a $9500 integrated with built in 24/192 DAC, MM/MC phonostage, speaker correction, gorgeous remote, AirPlay, etc. what we would think?

My point is: price perspective

Is a pair of Soulution 701's/725/746 going to sound better? Probably, but we aren't comparing apples to apples either.




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Originally Posted by mauidan

This guy wasn't impressed with Devialet:

Mono and Stereo High-End Audio Magazine: Devialet revolution or devolution!?

Let me summarize this guys review..."The devialet offers superb cosmetics, excellent transparency and resolution, but lacks an intangible quality that truly musical high end systems deliver and is therefore not a suitable replacement for a true hi end stack of separates." Talk about vague. Hard to put much weight on such a weakly supported view.

Can an anyone articulate why exactly this guy didn't like the devialet amps? I doubt it, he never really explains...

I would add that devialet also measures better than any high end stack of separates on the market regardless of price.

Originally Posted by mep

People need to decide for themselves whether they are hearing an amp that is "ultra-transparent" or if they are hearing a false sense of transparency due to the music being scrubbed clean of natural harmonics that should be present.

No argument that people may prefer other high end systems to a devialet system. But the idea that a more accurate cleaner audio signal is removing something that should be present like natural harmonics makes little sense. The devialet might well produce a cleaner and truer signal that eliminates something that people are used to hearing in other high end system. It is also true that some people might like the devialet system less because of this. However what is clearly not true is that whatever it is that has been lost from the signal is something that more closely reflects fidelty to the original music performance.

Originally Posted by Mike

I wonder if we compare a $9500 integrated with built in 24/192 DAC, MM/MC phonostage, speaker correction, gorgeous remote, AirPlay, etc. what we would think?

My point is: price perspective

Is a pair of Soulution 701's/725/746 going to sound better? Probably, but we aren't comparing apples to apples either.




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Are we comparing how many features we can cram in a box at the lowest price possible? If so, my Onkyo TX-NR3010 AVR wins. It has both wireless and either net connections, will play back up to DSD from a network drive, it has DRC built in, bass management, phono input and it does it all for around $2k.

My point is that most of us on this forum aren't shopping from a price perspective more than we are shopping from a quality perspective. That's why my Onkyo is in my HT system and my ARC electronics are in my stereo system.

Let's ask it another way: for $9500 minus speakers and speaker cables, what could we buy that sounds better?

I once thought the same way, but hell, I gave up trying to put together a system for less or the same that would sound better. I couldn't come close.


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Originally Posted by Mike

Let's ask it another way: for $9500 minus speakers and speaker cables, what could we buy that sounds better?

I once thought the same way, but hell, I gave up trying to put together a system for less or the same that would sound better. I couldn't come close.


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Does it have to have the same feature set or just sound better? Have you received yours yet?

Originally Posted by mep

Does it have to have the same feature set or just sound better? Have you received yours yet?

I have to be able to connect my VPI Classic 3 and customize for my cartridge, access my digital files, etc.

I hep to get mine in a week or so. But I've had the D Premier, 200 and 800 in to play with before.

Originally Posted by Mike

Let's ask it another way: for $9500 minus speakers and speaker cables, what could we buy that sounds better?

Mike, I think the problem comes from those reviews, that claim the Devialet sounded better than ... everything they have ever heard, including some he-man systems. That is simply radiculous.

I think it is a fine buy at <$10k. I actually almost bought the Devialet 130 to my family room - if it wasn't for the lack of airplay and integrated spotify client, I would have pulled the trigger.

I bought the Naim Unity series all-in-one instead. Couldn't be happier.

I don't disagree. Everyone has to do their own listening and keep things in proper $$$ perspective.


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Stereophile just reviewed another Class D amp-the Theta Digital Prometheus. $12k for the pair and they have linear power supplies. The reviewer Larry Greenhill loved them plus they gave his system 'room lock' which I guess is better than having lock jaw, but not quite as good as having lip lock. The thing I find interesting about Class D amps are that despite their mostly stellar measurements (and the super low distortion is a byproduct of their super high negative feedback as well as their huge dampening factors), they can't reproduce a clean square wave to save their ass. Look at the square wave measurements on page 69 of the March Stereophile. The 1kHz square wave actually looks like a square wave except it rings like crazy on the top of the pulse from the switching noise. JA inserted a low pass filter and shows a picture of a 10 kHz square wave and while it eliminated the ringing, there is nothing square about the square wave. It looks like somebody got drunk and went looking for the crayons and started drawing. By contrast, take a look at the 10kHz square wave taken from a $1900 integrated amp made by Cambridge on page 101 of the Feb 2015 Stereophile. It's damn near text book perfect.

Normally, people that loves them some SS and digital loves them some measurements. Class D loses their measurement bragging rights when it comes to reproducing a clean square wave.

Mark....on that theme....

mep - my understanding was that the square wave shape was almost perfect, but the ultrasonic noise you see on the amp's output, interfered with the AP analyser.

Inserting the AP filter removed the noise, but also distorted the square wave.

Originally Posted by Elberoth

mep - my understanding was that the square wave shape was almost perfect, but the ultrasonic noise you see on the amp's output, interfered with the AP analyser.

Inserting the AP filter removed the noise, but also distorted the square wave.

JA doesn't blame the crappy looking 10kHz square wave on the AP low pass filter.

He didn't have to. It is obvious. Just compare the square wave of any NOS DAC to a filtered one. Filtering always distorts the shape of a square wave.

Originally Posted by Elberoth

He didn't have to. It is obvious. Just compare the square wave of any NOS DAC to a filtered one. Filtering always distorts the shape of a square wave.

It would have been nice if he showed a picture of the 10kHz square wave with and without the filter, but he didn't. He showed a 1kHz square wave without the filter and the 10kHz square wave with the filter.

Originally Posted by Mike

Let's ask it another way: for $9500 minus speakers and speaker cables, what could we buy that sounds better?

I once thought the same way, but hell, I gave up trying to put together a system for less or the same that would sound better. I couldn't come close.


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Mike
The unit I listened to was quoted at around $30k not $9500 so that puts it up there in price with some pretty nice gear. I wasn't even thinking about whether or not this was not a "normal" A/B amp, that is a non-issue for me. As a SS amp it either delivers or it doesn't. It just didn't have the body of the Soulution integrated it wasn't compared to on that day. I was even considering comparing it to my gear. As I noted earlier if they have a product at around $10k that sounds close to the 800 then for me that would be a viable option for a second system in my home office.

Originally Posted by still-one

Mike
The unit I listened to was quoted at around $30k not $9500 so that puts it up there in price with some pretty nice gear. I wasn't even thinking about whether or not this was not a "normal" A/B amp, that is a non-issue for me. As a SS amp it either delivers or it doesn't. It just didn't have the body of the Soulution integrated it was compared to on that day. I was even considering comparing it to my gear. As I noted earlier if they have a product at around $10k that sounds close to the 800 then for me that would be a viable option for a second system in my home office.

It's called the Devialet 200 - $9495 (or Devialet 400 - $17,495 if you want to splurge for the monos). If you want something a little less powerful, the Devialet 120 is $6495.

The Soulution integrated costs $55,000 +++ - that's a delta of $25,000+. It also has no DAC and is as big as a freaking house. It also has a lot less power - 125W/ch compared to 800 w/ch.

When the Devialet fights in its own weight class, its very very good and tough to beat.

Lemme take a Stab.

Job Monobloc 250 =$3.5K a pair
Auralic Aries = $1.6K
Job Pre2 +1.7K
Chord 2Qute/ Lampi Amber/BMC Pure Dac/Auralic vega=$1.8K to $3.2K

Total = $8.6K to $10K

I dunno, Devialet wins on style/design points, but raw SQ, I think this equipment stack wins and with more grunt delivery too.

Originally Posted by wisnon

Lemme take a Stab.

Job Monobloc 250 =$3.5K a pair
Auralic Aries = $1.6K
Job Pre2 +1.7K
Chord 2Qute/ Lampi Amber/BMC Pure Dac/Auralic vega=$1.8K to $3.2K

Total = $8.6K to $10K

I dunno, Devialet wins on style/design points, but raw SQ, I think this equipment stack wins and with more grunt delivery too.

Where's the fully adjustable MC/MM Phonostage, with any load (not just a choice of 5) and adjustable RIAA curves? And from my tests, it's easily a $5-10k Phonostage sonically.

And don't forget all the cabling for your system above.

Trust me Norman, I've tried hard to do it.

iPhono for $400 (punches well above it weight and purely in the analog domain) and lets just use Sweetcords/Triode wire and Signal/ Blue Jeans cabling...remember in my base system, I still have $1400 to play with. So I say that $1000 is more than enough for acceptable looming.

How am I doin'?

PS, these Goldmund knockoff cables look interesting and reasonably priced:

http://www.nagysaudio.com/products.html

Originally Posted by wisnon

iPhono for $400 (punches well above it weight and purely in the analog domain) and lets just use Sweetcords/Triode wire and Signal/ Blue Jeans cabling...remember in my base system, I still have $1400 to play with. So I say that $1000 is more than enough for acceptable looming.

How am I doin'?

PS, these Goldmund knockoff cables look interesting and reasonably priced:

http://www.nagysaudio.com/products.html

I think you're close, but over.

Devialet 200 is $9495.

The Devialet is everything us audiophiles don't want and everything a true music lover and his wife wants.

It is a game changing, great sounding and super high value product whether we like it or not!

Well said Mark. The Devialet is the product some audiophiles seem to love to hate and I don't understand why. Yes, yes, all the "it's the greatest" by Jeff Fritz ignites the ire of many audiophiles, but when you stop and look at the Devialet for what it is, what it costs, what it does and most importantly, how it sounds, it is a real breakthrough. It's a product that not only sounds unique because of it's patented ADH technology, but there is nothing like it on the market for anywhere near the price.

Yes, I've said before, it's meant to be the system and not just a part of a system because the analog inputs are not as good as the digital inputs - with the exception of the incredible phonostage, to which this reviewer had this to say:

"No need for a Phono Stage. Over the past 20 years I have tried or owned so many Phono Stages and was never 100% happy with ANY of them. I have tested $100 units and $6000 units. All were lacking in some way. The Devialet has a very special Phono Stage built in that takes your analog signal and converts it to digital but the results is the best I have heard Vinyl sound in my home in 20 years. My search for a superb Phono Stage is over. I sold my existing one for $1400. It works with ANY type of cartridge. ANY."

Originally Posted by Mike

I think you're close, but over.

Devialet 200 is $9495.

Yeah, but I am 250wpc for $500 more. LoL

My alternative setup is badass, but of course pales in comparison wrt interior design.

Devialet is "tres design"!

Originally Posted by wisnon

Yeah, but I am 250wpc for $500 more. LoL

My alternative setup is badass, but of course pales in compoarison wrt interior design.

Devialet is "tres design"!

And when you talk a out all those components, you also need to take into account the hassle of dealing with multiple manufacturers for potential warranty issues.

And most importantly, none of those other products are upgradable. The Devialet just keeps adding power, features and functionality and it's all free to the users.

But you did well....

Originally Posted by still-one

My local dealer called me in to hear their 800's after they came back in from an audition at one of their customers. They did not use SAM with the Magico's that day during my audition but we did try the unit(s) with both the digital connected directly to the unit and from the analog out of their MSB Dac. They sound was pretty good especially when you consider what you save on power cords and interconnects let alone the pricing of a separate DAC and pre-amp. That said based on MY audition the 800 is not yet capable of competing with many of the better separate set-ups available today. On that day the comparison was the Soulution integrated. If I was to consider a second 2-channel set-up Devialet would be considered.

So Jim did you like the soulution integrated are the Devialet better or was it a wash. My local dealer just picked up their line. Unfortunately, Devialet doesn't have the TAD Reference one's on their SAM's list.

Originally Posted by johnthomas

So Jim did you like the soulution integrated are the Devialet better or was it a wash. My local dealer just picked up their line. Unfortunately, Devialet doesn't have the TAD Reference one's on their SAM's list.

I preferred the sound of the Soulution integrated to the Devialet 800. There was more meat and musicality to it. It must be remembered that SAM was not used that day. i'm not sure what the impact might it would have had paired withe with the Magico's.

As Mike and others have noted Devialet offers several different versions all the way from ~$7k up to the ~$30k version I auditioned. With the built in DAC and phono stage the savings continue.

Some reviews I have read put the Devialet right up there with the best product they have heard at any price. Although it is a fine piece it wouldn't find a place in my main rig, too many other (more costly) options.

Thanks Jim

My dealer will be dropping a D200 this week for me to play with. He thinks it awesome.

Originally Posted by johnthomas

Thanks Jim

My dealer will be dropping a D200 this week for me to play with. He thinks it awesome.

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