Devialet 400 review by Soundstage Magazine

I've heard the Devialet driving a pair of Giya G2. It was nice, but I wasn't captivated to stick around. Maybe it was the alien looking speakers and SAM had the day off. Maybe I'm a HiFi bigot and I was racially discriminating because Class A and tubes rule. Maybe it was the room and the Ruby Rhod company I was with, prancing a fashionably gay pitch to prospective apartment dwellers looking for form.

Would I consider this for an office system? Probably some later generation is a future buy when squares and curves will be a recognised marriage. I think HiFi will gravitate this way progressively, driven by lifestyle demand. For now, my wife has been meticulously groomed to appreciate boxes (plural) and cables (make a difference).

Would I want to have a digital phono stage with a choice of AD sampling and RIAA de-emphasis in the digital domain and DAC (reconstitution)? Naaaahhh, but if it created a digital DSD file for me to archive into my digitial collection then I would buy one all night long!

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • R3Fyz93.gif
    R3Fyz93.gif
    496.4 KB · Views: 149
Apparently, its a dream setup to rip vinyl to 24/96 PCM....Or so I read. Not sure how/where the digital stream is captured and recorded to disk.
 
Apparently, its a dream setup to rip vinyl to 24/96 PCM....Or so I read. Not sure how/where the digital stream is captured and recorded to disk.

Norman...Someone needs to write about that end to end solution proposition and then this ADHype will have my attention.
 
Last edited:
When it can do vinyl rips to DSD128, I am sure we will all hear about it.
 
The Devialet is tough to swallow for many audiophiles. I get it. I totally get it. But the same audiophiles who bark about the importance of measurements, choose to ignore the excellent specs of the Devialet. Can you name another product with a 133db SN ratio? That's some bad ass black backgrounds.

I had one audiophile tell me, "I look at it, and just visually can't accept it." Yes, there aren't any big blue meters or humungous fins sticking out. I get it.

Then there is the "but it's class D and class D sucks" argument. Well, yes, to some extent....but the Devialet isn't pure class D. It's a Class AD hybrid and you can definitely hear the good characteristics of both.

I've had the privilege of demoing the D-Premier, D170/D200, and a D800 in my home, in my system. I loved them all, and tested everything I could on all of them to the greatest extent. The Devialet isn't perfect, but what product is? What didn't I like? Well, the analog inputs of the Devialet, with the exception of the phono, take the SQ down a notch or two when compared to the excellent digital inputs. This isn't the case with the phono because the folks at Devialet spent a painstaking amount of time and money getting the phono section just right - and it is! I put it up against some of my other phonostages, and left shaking my head. The phonostage is no afterthought that's for sure. If some people just can't get around ADA'ing your Vinyl, I get it. But don't knock it until you've tried it in your system and the flexibility and adjustability of that phonostage is a vinyl perfectionists dream come true.

I think the over exuberance by some in the media, just gets the backs up of many audiophiles. I mean, who likes reading the $6495 Devialet 120 beats everything a particular scribe has heard on his Magico's, including much much much more expensive gear (maybe gear you even own!). I get that. But I for one wouldn't be pitting the Devialet 120 against a pair of Soulution 701 monoblocks and a 725 preamp.

I had one dealer tell me he would put the Devialet 400 combo against any amp/preamp/dac/phonostage combo costing up to $70,000 in his store. I don't agree nor disagree because I look at each Devialet product within its price point, and within its price point and even beyond, it's a champ.

Oh...and don't try the Devialet remote. You will never be able to go back to that cheap piece of plastic you've been using again.
 
Have you heard any of the Devialets in your system?

Dan- No. I've heard the Devialet 3x at THE Show on a variety of speakers and it hasn't sounded good in any of those settings, but perhaps it would sound better elsewhere. I will search out the new Devialet products this year and hear them again- perhaps with SAM etc, they will improve. To be honest, bass wasn't my issue with the amplifier.

I wanted to like this amplifier as I'd like to simplify my rig. The demos I had weren't encouraging for me to search out a demo.
 
Mike,
I'm looking forward to your comments on the D400 in your system.


I respect everyone opinion, but I really dislike people who feel the need to comment on something they've never heard in their system.

Can anyone direct me to any measurements done on the Zu Definition MKIV?

The measurements I’ve seen of some their other speakers look pretty nasty.

So Dan, why did you have yours up for sale?

There aren't a good set of measurement for the IVs. The Essence in Stereophile doesn't compare design-wise (its near impossible to match a ribbon with the FRD), and the NRC Druid from years ago (2002) was done incorrectly and was Zus first speaker. There is a frequency/impedance chart in the back of the manual here:

Downloads | Zu Audio

I would love to see a full set of measurements, but its not coming.
 
The Devialet is tough to swallow for many audiophiles. I get it. I totally get it. But the same audiophiles who bark about the importance of measurements, choose to ignore the excellent specs of the Devialet. Can you name another product with a 133db SN ratio? That's some bad ass black backgrounds.

Deleted.
 
Would I want to have a digital phono stage with a choice of AD sampling and RIAA de-emphasis in the digital domain and DAC (reconstitution)? Naaaahhh, but if it created a digital DSD file for me to archive into my digitial collection then I would buy one all night long!

attachment.php

Not DSD (yet), but you may find this interesting:

https://fr.devialet.com/assets/pdf/bi-dir-tutorial.pdf


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Oh, and they told me their goal is to have the firmware upgrade to allow for DSD by the summer. [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Oh, and they told me their goal is to have the firmware upgrade to allow for DSD by the summer. [emoji106]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The D/A chip they use can do DSD, but the A/D chip only outputs PCM.
 
Well I'm officially playing with a D200. Last night I did a 3 hours listen. The D200 has about 10 hours on the unit. First impression, dead quiet, fit and finish A-1, sleek, cool looking, has a lot of potential. Power wise seem to be ok so far, time will tell also no heat issues at all. I have the Devialet sitting on Symposium Roller block 2’s due to size of my Argento power cord and speaker cables (spades). I'm letting it run all day, tonight I will see how good it holds up at higher decibels.:snicker:

Some dumb questions why are all the units based on 6 ohms? Is there a dampen factor with type of unit? Any advantage of not ordering a unit with the wifi? Why is the D250 cost so much more than the D200?

IMG_1440.JPGIMG_1439.JPG
 
John, the D250 is the original D-Premier. The D200 is part of the newer Devialet family, and reportedly takes quite a jump when you add the "slave" unit and turn it into the D400 monos.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Don't know if you D120, D200 and D400 owners are aware of this (it's not in the manual), if you want the rear cover to fit properly and snap into place, you need to gently spread the rear arms and snap them into position.

attachment.php
 

Attachments

  • D200 Arms.jpg
    D200 Arms.jpg
    39.5 KB · Views: 93
John, the D250 is the original D-Premier. The D200 is part of the newer Devialet family, and reportedly takes quite a jump when you add the "slave" unit and turn it into the D400 monos.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Mike , my slave 200 unit arrives tomorrow (after a long wait) so I'll let you know how that goes....

Shodhan
 
Don't know if you D120, D200 and D400 owners are aware of this (it's not in the manual), if you want the rear cover to fit properly and snap into place, you need to gently spread the rear arms and snap them into position.

attachment.php

Good tip for new owners. This took me awhile to figure out. Before that I was annoyed by the loose fit.
 
Mike , my slave 200 unit arrives tomorrow (after a long wait) so I'll let you know how that goes....

Shodhan

I'm looking forward to your comments.

My new stuff arrived today (Focal Scala V2's and D400) and I'm not home.

6fbd7e317d38e51f7d8d8335573eb85e.jpg



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top