Devialet 200...my impressions.

Mike said:
For the same money as the Devialet, I can build a system that will leave it in the dust.
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That, I highly doubt. So a Devialet 200 runs $9500 retail. You need a minimum of $2500 to get a DAC that is competitive IMO. That leaves you $7000 for a integrated or $3500 each for a preamp and amp. And I'm not even counting a phono stage if you need one.

The S/N ratio of the D200 is 134 db. That's unheard of for an integrated amp. Some amps have ratios in the 120s if they are very good, but once you compound the noise with a preamp you are no where near 134db (or 120db for that matter)! Just to give a point of reference, the hegel h300 has a signal to noise ratio of about 100db. Plinius hiato (their top IA, $10,000 with phono) is about 90db. CJ CA200 is 102db. Esoteric I03 is 110db ($14,000 retail). McIntosh MA6600 is approx. 100db. And DBs are logarithmic. So 134db isn't just 34% quieter than 100db, every 10db means half as much noise.

The Devialet isn't just a clever lifestyle piece IMO. It has the specs to prove it. There's not a high end integrated on the market that can compete with the specs regardless of cost. And anyone that thinks you can't hear the difference between 100db noise ratio and 134db noise ratio has likely never auditioned anything this good. The only Integrated I know of that comes close is the NAD M2 which has a S/N of 124db and I've owned the M2 and as all the reviewers have said, the pristine quality of the signal is immediately apparent. I concur.

Mike said:
All the audiophiles I know - all of them - have DSD albums.
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I have none. Not a big believer in hi-res. Why? Because I've tried it. If you want to impress your friends, hi-res music can be found to do so, I agree. However, BY FAR, the biggest factor in a recordings sound quality is NOT the resolution of the recording. It's the quality of the production. And we all know this is true because it's soooo very easy to find regular CDs that sound better than 192 downloads from HDTracks. How does one explain a normal 44.1 CD sounding amazing? How can it sound amazing without more bits of resolution? Easy, it's not about resolution, it's about production. Yes, I'll concede that comparing a beautifully produced CD and the same recording in Hi-Res, the Hi-Res might sound marginally better, but it might sound the same.


Mike said:
If living within the Devialet ecosystem is acceptable, then rock on.
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I do agree that sending analog into a Devialet is a fools errand. So I do agree you need to live in the Devialet ecosystem if you want to use a Devialet, but how freakin hard is that??? We agree it's got a good phono stage. So Vinyl..check. For CDs, you just use your digital out of your preferred CD transport. So CD....check. If you want to rip and stream, Devialet has you covered. So streaming...check. If you want to play SACDs, you've got an issue. So I agree, for the SACD fan club they should skip Devialet. They can discuss during their next phone booth meeting. IF you want to stream DSD, it's coming. But as I said, I don't need DSD. The music I buy is rarely available in a higher resolution format than CD. And when I say rarely, I mean, like 1 in 100 at best, probably less.

No offense meant by this post. Just my opinion. :)
 
The problem with the Devialet is that it cannot drive difficult loads (or even moderately difficult loads) in my testing, its power ratings are a joke (they are NOT 200 watts a channel), you can't use many after market cables and as digital technology progresses, the DAC inside, is well, the DAC inside.

Look, I'm not bashing it - but people need to be aware of its pitfalls.

As I said, I love its sound, remote, footprint, phonostage and the DAC is quite good and would likely own one today IF every unit I had didn't crap out when pushed.


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As for high res sounding better than redbook, that's a whole different discussion - but I will say - in comparing the two - I find 90% of the time the high res sounds better....especially in the lower and higher frequencies. YYMV.


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Mike said:
..and would likely own one today IF every unit I had didn't crap out when pushed.
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That, I agree, is deal breaker. I have not experienced a problem yet. I have not read other reports of this. That's a "wait and see" issue for me I guess.

As for the specs, they don't claim 200 watts at 8 ohms. They claim 200 at 6 which is approx. 150 at 8ohms. If it's not really doing 150 at 8, that will likely be reported by the audio press who measure these things. Haven't read that yet but will be on the look out for it. I'd be surprised if they could get away with it given the attention this product has garnered.
 
Mike said:
The problem with the Devialet is that it cannot drive difficult loads (or even moderately difficult loads) in my testing, its power ratings are a joke (they are NOT 200 watts a channel), you can't use many after market cables and as digital technology progresses, the DAC inside, is well, the DAC inside.

Look, I'm not bashing it - but people need to be aware of its pitfalls.

As I said, I love its sound, remote, footprint, phonostage and the DAC is quite good and would likely own one today IF every unit I had didn't crap out when pushed.


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Mike , your comment about the on-board DAC is true . BUT, given the move to NAS & self-contained storage ( a-la Sony HAP) - isn't that try of a lot of gear, including Lumin ?
 
Mike said:
As for high res sounding better than redbook, that's a whole different discussion - but I will say - in comparing the two - I find 90% of the time the high res sounds better....especially in the lower and higher frequencies. YYMV.
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No doubt that's true, but it misses the points. It's like saying a Buick LaSabre has more comfortable seats than a Porsche 911. I'm not buying music based on resolution, I'm buying based on song writing and production quality.

To put it simply, a high res recording may sound 5% better than the CD resolution of that same recording. But a well produced recording will sound 1000% better than a poorly produced recording. So I focus on that.
 
Bobolaclune said:
Mike , your comment about the on-board DAC is true . BUT, given the move to NAS & self-contained storage ( a-la Sony HAP) - isn't that try of a lot of gear, including Lumin ?
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Absolutely true, but with the Lumin, I don't need to throw out my amp/preamp/phonostage when I want to replace my DAC/streamer. Yes, you can add a Lumin to the Devialet, but again, we are back to the ADA process which we all admit leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, you can run digital out of the Lumin, but then you are bypassing "DAC" and using it only as a player running into the DAC of the Devialet.....so what's the point?

I lived with the Devialet's for several weeks/months. I really like the sound (and isn't that what is most important?). But I need to point out what I consider to be challenges for some people.

On another topic - have you looked into/heard the Wadia Intuition 101? I'm curious as to how it compares.


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Bobolaclune said:
Mike , your comment about the on-board DAC is true . BUT, given the move to NAS & self-contained storage ( a-la Sony HAP) - isn't that try of a lot of gear, including Lumin ?
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Actually, every other DAC on the market and every other streamer with build in DAC on the market (like the Lumin) is a hardware solution with almost zero ability to change with improving technology. The Devialet is different. It's software driven which provides much greater opportunity to adapt as the technology improves.
 
On the basis that it never hurts to beat a Topic to death , some additional points in support of jaxwired's comments:

1. The guys at Devialet have proven themselves to be adaptable , receptive to new initiatives & inventive. Within the framework of a flexible, software-based platform , who is to say they can't improve the sound of the analog inputs?
2. I also don't like the resolution of the album dictating my listening preferences. 98% of the music I listen to is Blues & Female vocal - there's precious little to choose from in Hi-Rez there. The quality of the original recording is everything. A glance at Marc Mickelson's post today on disk & recording quality highlights the point quite well
Are All Discs Created Equal? - Rocky Mountain Audio Fest 2014 - The Audio Beat - www.TheAudioBeat.com
3. Good phono stage & pre-amp/amp built in with SAM - a lot of audiophiles would stop right there & jump on , they won't care about streaming or DAC-quality
4. I have also not had any issues with power output from the 200 so Mike must be blowing the tiles off the roof. There's a reason he's been banished to the room above the garage.
 
jaxwired said:
And BTW, I'm a BOX SWAPPER. This thing will be gone next week! :D
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Well first of all, congrats on the D and second, I know you had fun with it before goes to someone else. :cool:

So what's next? I really enjoy your "audioquest" with your videos...... and let us not forget about Joe's :woot:
 
Very much enjoying the spirited responses. Great insight as well. Mike - did I not read a review where you put the devialet over the vsi75? The audio research is my second choice (best amp I ever owned was their vt130se). On that note -for the vsi75 - just how much physical room presence does the little beast have? What's the WAF factor ? Lastly - has anyone heard the Ayre AX-5?
 
Hi, just joined and this is my first post - I'm trailing the Devialet 200 as a replacement for Musical Fidelity Tri-Vista 300.

Having now heard it in my own system I understand what all the hype is about and am very impressed on many levels. While I really enjoy my MF Tri-Vista the 200 is better in the lower register, with crystal clear music and extended notes - however I have an issue with the sound stage with the 200 lining all the instruments and vocals along the back wall, with no depth to the stage, something I having difficulty with - so far none of the reviews I've read comment on this so I'm wondering if its just me???

Any comment will be well received, SW.
 
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