Stereonet Devialet Article

[markush]

Seems with AIR driver fix etc. there are some resources and it’s a good timing to being this major bug up again. Would be great if you can write to support about all your detailed bug report you already collected.

[kerkhoffd]

Devialet has not suggested doing this because this is a workaround, which should not have been necessary, as the configurator should have worked 100% well.

Trigger cable is not required; this is useful when using a real companion. The only cable required is RCA_OUT - RCA_IN or RCA_OUT - AES / EBU.

File comparison:
- The MASTER file is not changed at all.
- The COMPANION file (second master in workaround) is completely changed. Basically, it is identical to the one from MASTER, but with a different audio channel (left/right) and another audio input.

The fact that there is any sonic change is remarkable and makes one wonder why Devialet has not suggested doing this or even acknowledged that it as a viable option.  I will definitely give it a try sometime soon. 

@audio_engr - in doing this, did you change anything else?  Were you only using the master previously as input?  Using a trigger cable?
Did you change anything with the way the link cable is configured?  Did you do a compare of the before/after config files to see what exactly changed?  Just being curious while scratching my head as to the differences.

It is indeed a great pity that this sort of an issue ONLY affect the top two most expensive Experts in Devialet's lineup. It also affects 210-Pro but I am yet to see multiple users of 210-Pro as probably they end up buying the 220-Pro. 

Coming back to your questions, I did not change 'a thing' in my setup except inserting 2 SD cards and allowing my 440-Pro to read the config files. 
And yes, earlier, I was using only my Master since I have a single source which is streaming, hence the Ethernet input of the Master as my only input and No Trigger cable. 

When I bought my Dual Mono in 2016 as D400 (Master & Companion), I initially started out with the stock RCA (sPDIF) - -> RCA (sPDIF) cable and few months later also tried the RCA (sPDIF) - -> AES/EBU XLR. I found that the RCA->AES to be much superior to my ears. Hence, I had Audioquest build me a RCA->AES cable that I currently still continue to use. In 2018, I had my D400 upgraded to 440-Pro CI and I continued to use them as a Master + Companion till 2 days back. 

Upon configuring the SD cards as {Master-L + Master-R}, I listened to my setup and the next day, inserted my older {Master + Companion} cards and listened again. Immediately, the dense center fill lightened up and that vibrant energy very slightly receded backwards towards the Front-Wall. Once again, after 30 minutes, I reverted back to the {Master-L + Master-R} SD cards and immediately the sonics were more dense and bolder. 

I am still listening to my "new config" setup and realise that I will stick to this and not the older {Master + Companion} setup. 

Incidentally, I recall last year when I got an EMM Labs MA3 (Streamer+DAC+Preamp) with Bricasti M28 monoblock power amps for trial at home, the center fill was just like how it is now, i.e. with {Master-L + Master-R} config and I kept scratching my head as to why with other electronics, the presentation is different yet more realistic. I sincerely thank @daniel.avasilichioaei for showing the path to solve this crazy Devialet dilemma.  

Thank you for the write up. I am tempted to try this too. Just to be sure, you didn’t change the way the speaker cables need to attached to the double mono setup either? I fear breaking my speakers if I do things wrong.

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

Devialet has not suggested doing this because this is a workaround, which should not have been necessary, as the configurator should have worked 100% well.

Trigger cable is not required; this is useful when using a real companion. The only cable required is RCA_OUT - RCA_IN or RCA_OUT - AES / EBU.

File comparison:
- The MASTER file is not changed at all.
- The COMPANION file (second master in workaround) is completely changed. Basically, it is identical to the one from MASTER, but with a different audio channel (left/right) and another audio input.

The fact that there is any sonic change is remarkable and makes one wonder why Devialet has not suggested doing this or even acknowledged that it as a viable option.  I will definitely give it a try sometime soon. 

@audio_engr - in doing this, did you change anything else?  Were you only using the master previously as input?  Using a trigger cable?
Did you change anything with the way the link cable is configured?  Did you do a compare of the before/after config files to see what exactly changed?  Just being curious while scratching my head as to the differences.

It is indeed a great pity that this sort of an issue ONLY affect the top two most expensive Experts in Devialet's lineup. It also affects 210-Pro but I am yet to see multiple users of 210-Pro as probably they end up buying the 220-Pro. 

Coming back to your questions, I did not change 'a thing' in my setup except inserting 2 SD cards and allowing my 440-Pro to read the config files. 
And yes, earlier, I was using only my Master since I have a single source which is streaming, hence the Ethernet input of the Master as my only input and No Trigger cable. 

When I bought my Dual Mono in 2016 as D400 (Master & Companion), I initially started out with the stock RCA (sPDIF) - -> RCA (sPDIF) cable and few months later also tried the RCA (sPDIF) - -> AES/EBU XLR. I found that the RCA->AES to be much superior to my ears. Hence, I had Audioquest build me a RCA->AES cable that I currently still continue to use. In 2018, I had my D400 upgraded to 440-Pro CI and I continued to use them as a Master + Companion till 2 days back. 

Upon configuring the SD cards as {Master-L + Master-R}, I listened to my setup and the next day, inserted my older {Master + Companion} cards and listened again. Immediately, the dense center fill lightened up and that vibrant energy very slightly receded backwards towards the Front-Wall. Once again, after 30 minutes, I reverted back to the {Master-L + Master-R} SD cards and immediately the sonics were more dense and bolder. 

I am still listening to my "new config" setup and realise that I will stick to this and not the older {Master + Companion} setup. 

Incidentally, I recall last year when I got an EMM Labs MA3 (Streamer+DAC+Preamp) with Bricasti M28 monoblock power amps for trial at home, the center fill was just like how it is now, i.e. with {Master-L + Master-R} config and I kept scratching my head as to why with other electronics, the presentation is different yet more realistic. I sincerely thank @daniel.avasilichioaei for showing the path to solve this crazy Devialet dilemma.  

Thank you for the write up. I am tempted to try this too. Just to be sure, you didn’t change the way the speaker cables need to attached to the double mono setup either? I fear breaking my speakers if I do things wrong.

The workaround has nothing to do with speaker cables: you don't have to change anything here.
If you are already using dual-mono without a trigger, then the easiest and safest way to apply the workaround is as described in post #26 ([url=https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Stereonet-Devialet-Article?pid=106420][/url]https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Stereonet-Devialet-Article?pid=106420#pid106420):
- The MASTER file is the same.
- For COMPANION file, just edit the MASTER configuration and change audio channel (left / right) and audio input (and name, if you want).

[mdconnelly]

@audio_engr - How are you configuring your RCA - XLR link in the Master-L/Master-R configurations? Are you just setting the XLR as an audio input in the Master of the Master-R configuration so that your Master-L config ink connection is the RCA and the Master-R config link connection is the XLR? This has me a bit confused because it doesn't appear you can configure a Master-Companion with the XLR connection on the Master. I must be missing something.

Any insight is appreciated. Thanks.

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

@audio_engr - How are you configuring your RCA - XLR link in the Master-L/Master-R configurations?  Are you just setting the XLR as an audio input in the Master of the Master-R configuration so that your Master-L config ink connection is the RCA and the Master-R config link connection is the XLR?  This has me a bit confused because it doesn't appear you can configure a Master-Companion with the XLR connection on the Master.  I must be missing something.

Any insight is appreciated.  Thanks.

"Are you just setting the XLR as an audio input in the Master of the Master-R configuration so that your Master-L config ink connection is the RCA and the Master-R config link connection is the XLR?"
Answer: Yes.

In configurator, you can edit again the master from the "Master-L" configuration and perform these actions (on master unit):
- Rename the master from "Master-L" to Master-R".
- Change the speaker from left to right.
- Turn off all audio inputs, and turn on XLR input only.
- Save the configuration file.

[markush]

Is it possible to use in this configuration also the Expert in a AV setup for the stereo channels? Meaning line-in?

And has anyone got feedback from support what is going wrong here Software side/ in the online configurator? Seems there is a lot of potential, performance missing resp. to be exploited.

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

Is it possible to use in this configuration also the Expert in a AV setup for the stereo channels? Meaning line-in?

And has anyone got feedback from support what is going wrong here Software side/ in the online configurator? Seems there is a lot of potential, performance missing resp. to be exploited.

Yes, you can use this master-master configuration just as you use the normal master-companion configuration. The only limitation is that you cannot use the audio inputs from the "companion".
So, you can use any audio input from the "master", including line-in.

[Vivialet]

one hint: you should not use "save volume". This sets only the volume on the master-master, not on the slave-master if you change the source.
You can also not use the pass-through mode as this disables the digital-out.

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

one hint: you should not use "save volume". This sets only the volume on the master-master, not on the slave-master if you change the source.
You can also not use the pass-through mode as this disables the digital-out.

Except for the audio input, speaker (left/right) and configuration name, all settings mus be identical on master-master ans master-slave.

[audio_engr]

Here's a quick feedback after having used my Dual mono as MASTER-L (Left ch) and MASTER-R (Right ch) for almost 2 weeks. 

- The Center fill area of the soundstage is so much more denser with more info.
- The Temperatures of Class-A, Class-D & Power Supply for both Master-L and Master-R and now identical. This never happened earlier.  
- Have had NO issues in operating the Dual mono with this config.

Thx to @daniel.avasilichioaei for making this happen!