Phantom vs £8k system

[dogbait]

I have a pair of KEF Reference 1 speakers (current range) hooked up to a Devialet 120. All served to via a Mac Mini over USB.

Intrigued by the 45 day trial I'm wondering whether a pair of Phantom Silvers + a Dialog would be a superior replacement?

Anyone found the Phantoms wanting or regretted the purchase?

[fgueho]

There is a thread with happy customers.
BUT there is only ONE way to know if YOU like them...

[WTree]

I one time had KEF 201/2 driven with a Classe CP-800 and CA 2100 and a sub (PV1D). It is not comparable / same as your set up but if it is up to me, purely based on SQ, from mid freq and above, I would not swap to Phantoms as the two setups have different presentation.
There are other aspects beyond SQ (bass performance, aesthetics, simplicity etc) and all those reasons put together I would switch to Phantom any day. Dialling in Sub in my previous systems, itself is one single reason for me to swap over to Phantoms.
I see that you have no sub in your set up. If so, then yes, there could be a great improvement in SQ!

As some one else mentioned already, only you, can know

[sleach]

My main system is Geithain rl930k with a Lindemann Musicbook dac and antipodes music server. So all up I guess that would be about £10k. Right now I only have one phantom but it does produce a bigger, fuller sound. The Geithain setup has the edge in dynamics but I have already swapped the phantom into my main listening area and I've ordered a second one with dialog. So that might give you an idea of how I'm finding it.

I'm not a big fan of Spark at the moment so I've been using the optical input and controlling from Fidelia on a Mac mini. This works very well for me


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[Phs]

Devialet 45 days trial is your best option here and I think that it is the best idea they ever had.
You'll be able to hear by yourself that regarding sound quality Phantom is one of a kind. This will explain why many of us - including myself - have been ditching far more expensive and complex systems lately.
As said above don't forget that there are easy workarounds to bypass Spark which for now is not pleasing everyone


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[dogbait]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, super tempted by the trial but pricing up two Phantom Silvers + Dialog is £500 more expensive than the EU store which smacks of price gouging.

Is it even legal for a EU store to discriminate on price between EU member countries?

[superstock]

As an owner of Phantoms I went to the "The National Audio Show" today and Phantoms were on show in a huge room. To my relief they were as good as any other room except for maybe the Cymbiosis room with a well setup Linn Exakt and Kudos 808's in a tiny room which did take my fancy. However the music chosen may have just been well chosen for the system.

Branch were on show and the price has gone up to £299 and the remote is said to have accelerometers for play pause etc. Not sure if thats the Mk1 or just the hinted at Mk2.

[Dvlt PhD]

Thanks, superstock. Fingers crossed about an Mk2...

[yesgrey]

Is it even legal for a EU store to discriminate on price between EU member countries?

What did you mean with that? What usually happens is different prices due to different VAT of each country... Would that be the reason in your case?

[dogbait]

What did you mean with that? What usually happens is different prices due to different VAT of each country... Would that be the reason in your case?

£500 difference. France has the same VAT rate of 20% unless the Devialet EU store doesn't show VAT until the final step? (In the UK it's a legal requirement for retailers to show VAT up front so maybe this is the cause?)