'RoonReady' not coming to Devialet….

[hk6230]

To be honest having another device as streamer is not really the same as AIR. I sort of taken a peek at SonicOrbiter SE and its optical output can't support DSD. So, one has to use the USB connection to Devialet. I'm sure there will be better 'RoonReady' devices be launched in the near future.

[Hifi_swlon]

To be honest having another device as streamer is not really the same as AIR. I sort of taken a peek at SonicOrbiter SE and its optical output can't support DSD. So, one has to use the USB connection to Devialet. I'm sure there will be better 'RoonReady' devices be launched in the near future.

Well, that's the point of this thread really…. the best RoonReady device would be the Devialet itself - everything else becomes a streamer connected to the Devialet.

But in the meantime, there are a few alternatives if you want to stream to the Devialet using Roons RAAT protocol over a network - i.e. stream all formats at any rate inc higher rate DSDs.

I don't think toslink in general can handle DSD speed, and from memory the Devialet can only accept DSD via USB? Or maybe its AES as well?

For many of us, we don't want our music streaming to be anything like Air

[mdconnelly]

Here's the thing ... if you own a Devialet Expert and you've discovered the wonderful world of Roon, you will undoubtedly want to find a way to stream Roon to your Devialet *now*.    If AIR isn't working for you, you're not likely to want to wait until Devialet fixes it or, even more unlikely, wait until Devialet makes the Expert RoonReady.  You're going to want a solution soon.   Right now, I'm using a Squeezebox Touch and it works fine (albeit, doesn't sound quite as good as AIR when I can get and keep AIR working).

The SonicOrbiter SE seems to have proven itself to be a very nice USB-based option.  The microRendu, when released, will be another option.  And there will likely be numerous other RoonReady options in the near future - my guess is far sooner than Devialet fixes AIR much less makes the Expert RoonReady.

[viriato0811]

Unless of course Devialet resources are strained because they're busy putting the finishing touches to a completely redesigned, stable, and cross-platform 'Air2'.

Actually I got a message from Devialet support yesterday and they said that they are currently working on AIR.

I'm sure they are, but personally I wouldn't get too excited….

It would be a nice surprise if they released something that worked reliably for everyone and on all the platforms and OS's people want to use, but I think its safe to say if they haven't nailed it by now they're probably not going to get there.  Because its funny how their main excuses of 'OS bugs' and 'home networks being connected to that dastardly old dropout inducing internet thingy' don't appear to cause other people's network audio streaming designs to fall over without explanation….

Hi there, 

I attended a "Original d'Atelier" event last week in Madrid. There was a Devialet engineer present in the event who very kindly dealt with our questions re the Devialet Expert line. 

I asked him about "Air2". He highlighted that this is a serious/key priority for them. He explained to me that at the time in which the Air technology was rolled out, they chose the network protocol giving the best possible sound quality to the detriment of reliability. Hence, the Air-related issues many of us are currently suffering. 

He explained to me that the Phantom network transmission protocol is different (emphasis is on reliability rather than on best possible quality -even if sound quality levels are also high). Devialet is currently testing howto better !import" the aforesaid Phantom network protocol into the Expert line. Devialet is trying to increase quality to the highest possible level while keeping the same high reliability.

As to timing, obviously he said Devialet cannot commit to specific dates for "Air2" (this is how I called it, he never used this expression) but end of second quarter 2016 is the date Devialet is currently aiming to. 

Devialet's engineer also left open the possibility of "Air2" being delivered through a Firmware upgrade or through Dialog ("everything is still possible..." he said).

Perhaps much of this info is already known but thought it could be interested to share it in this context.

All the best

viriato0811

[Cylob]

That's good news! I'll keep my fingers crossed.
I won't hold my breath though!

[Hifi_swlon]

…..
Perhaps much of this info is already known but thought it could be interested to share it in this context.
…...

viriato0811

Thanks Viriato, that's really helpful, and I'm not sure that much was known - at least not in terms of it coming from a Devialet engineer.

You actually made my day, as I did really laugh out loud - not at you, you understand - but at:

...they chose the network protocol giving the best possible sound quality to the detriment of reliability

You couldn't make it up!   But at least they've actually come clean, even if it was informal.

So for a re-do on a technology they invented and has ben broken for quite some time, they're still testing and don't know exactly what form its replacement will take, and 'aim' to have something to show in about 6 months on the special Devialet calendar.

Meanwhile Roon - a small startup company - released their version of Air (RAAT), along with an SDK type thingy for manufacturers to implement in their hardware - some of which have already been released - in less time, and that was just a small part of their overall 'software' development in their first year.

I got a double-whammy and laughed out load again at:

"everything is still possible…" he said.

Yup, because you still haven't got a solid solution in place!

Come on Devialet engineers - man up and just call Roon already and take their solution and be done with it!  
It's a win-win!

   

viriato0811 you made my day, top post and thanks for reporting….

[thumb5]

... He explained to me that at the time in which the Air technology was rolled out, they chose the network protocol giving the best possible sound quality to the detriment of reliability. Hence, the Air-related issues many of us are currently suffering. 

He explained to me that the Phantom network transmission protocol is different (emphasis is on reliability rather than on best possible quality -even if sound quality levels are also high). Devialet is currently testing howto better !import" the aforesaid Phantom network protocol into the Expert line. Devialet is trying to increase quality to the highest possible level while keeping the same high reliability.

...

Hmm.  Taking a casual browse through the Phantom section of the forum doesn't suggest that the reliability of the protocol is a huge improvement over AIR...or maybe I'm being grumpy.

I tend to agree with Hifi_swlon: Devialet are never going to get a reliable solution - for either Phantom or Expert range - unless they can get over the Not-Invented-Here syndrome.

[Eddye]

Perhaps Devialet is adapting AIR to be RoonReady in stead of the amp itself.

I think the definition of a 'RoonReady' device, is that the hardware has been tested/certified by RoonLabs, and that it implements their RAAT protocol for network connections.

Could be, though I thought I read somewhere that there isn't a comprehensive list as to what is needed to be RoonReady. As far as I know the AIR concept is pretty unique (hence the many problems, perhaps?). AIR seems to act as a virtual sound card/output. Why not create a combination of a sturdy communication protocol and a RoonReady/RoonCore library management/streamer. No need for other hardware (except what you already needed). A step further could incorporate room correction, either through 3rd party or proprietary.

[viriato0811]

…..
Perhaps much of this info is already known but thought it could be interested to share it in this context.
…...

viriato0811

Thanks Viriato, that's really helpful, and I'm not sure that much was known - at least not in terms of it coming from a Devialet engineer.

You actually made my day, as I did really laugh out loud - not at you, you understand - but at:

...they chose the network protocol giving the best possible sound quality to the detriment of reliability

You couldn't make it up!   But at least they've actually come clean, even if it was informal.

So for a re-do on a technology they invented and has ben broken for quite some time, they're still testing and don't know exactly what form its replacement will take, and 'aim' to have something to show in about 6 months on the special Devialet calendar.

Meanwhile Roon - a small startup company - released their version of Air (RAAT), along with an SDK type thingy for manufacturers to implement in their hardware - some of which have already been released - in less time, and that was just a small part of their overall 'software' development in their first year.

I got a double-whammy and laughed out load again at:

"everything is still possible…" he said.

Yup, because you still haven't got a solid solution in place!

Come on Devialet engineers - man up and just call Roon already and take their solution and be done with it!  
It's a win-win!

   

viriato0811 you made my day, top post and thanks for reporting….

Most welcome Hifi_swlon!

Could not agree more with you that if they cannot fix AIR they should go through the Roon direction... 

By the way, I started using Roon (through AIR ) two days ago and can only confirm the praises about this software. I have to force myself to go to bed as I am re-discovering my own library in ways I would have never imagined (TIDAL integration is of great help here). I can understand now why you are so keen about Devialet doing something about it. 

Devialet, if you for whatever reason you are following up this thread, here you have another customer, owner of a D400, who would be much, much happier if you take Roon seriously and integrate this software in your development efforts.

[Hifi_swlon]

….As far as I know the AIR concept is pretty unique…..

It's pretty unique alright!