Thanks

[tsmithpam]

Hey All

Just wanted to say thanks to all who have helped in responding to my messages over the years - this is such a great forum.

I’ve decided to move away from Devialet and phantoms. I’m going back to passive speakers, integrated amp with separate dac to link into my innuos server.

Since 2017 I have owned a pair of classic phantoms on DOS 1 with spark, and more recently a pair of phantom 1 golds on DOS 2. I got these through the elevate programme.

As great as they are sound wise, I could never get a completely stable setup. For me, they simply do not do what they are sold to do.

I realised I was spending so much time, money and stress trying to get them to work as they should I wasn’t enjoying them. I found myself often on edge and waiting for an issue to occur and not relaxing into music. I dreaded every update as this seemed to always cause havoc.

I found that devialet help is often intermittent and just takes so long. Always with the implication that the problem was here. Following advice I’ve had new routers, network switches, optical cables, Ethernet cables and conducted many tests and error reports. I’ve gone from WiFi to plc to optical- the latter giving the best stability - but this ultimately just reduces flexibility and basically undermines what they are sold to be able to do.

Placing them in direct optical mode just seems a step too far. Whats the point - that’s not what I paid for.

That’s my opinion based on my experience - I appreciate others have had a smoother journey.

Thanks again for help. Like I said, a great forum! Bye.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[supaDean]

Hey All

Just wanted to say thanks to all who have helped in responding to my messages over the years - this is such a great forum.

I’ve decided to move away from Devialet and phantoms. I’m going back to passive speakers, integrated amp with separate dac to link into my innuos server.

Since 2017 I have owned a pair of classic phantoms on DOS 1 with spark, and more recently a pair of phantom 1 golds on DOS 2. I got these through the elevate programme.

As great as they are sound wise, I could never get a completely stable setup. For me, they simply do not do what they are sold to do.

I realised I was spending so much time, money and stress trying to get them to work as they should I wasn’t enjoying them. I found myself often on edge and waiting for an issue to occur and not relaxing into music. I dreaded every update as this seemed to always cause havoc.

I found that devialet help is often intermittent and just takes so long. Always with the implication that the problem was here. Following advice I’ve had new routers, network switches, optical cables, Ethernet cables and conducted many tests and error reports. I’ve gone from WiFi to plc to optical- the latter giving the best stability - but this ultimately just reduces flexibility and basically undermines what they are sold to be able to do.

Placing them in direct optical mode just seems a step too far. Whats the point - that’s not what I paid for.

That’s my opinion based on my experience - I appreciate others have had a smoother journey.

Thanks again for help. Like I said, a great forum! Bye.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It’s such interesting topic… the sound quality of music playback on the Phantoms and their wireless stability issue. I’ve gone the optical direct mode because my interest in the Phantoms was sound quality, amplification and DSP first (and moving away from racks of components), and wireless a potential 2nd. Optical mode direct is easy to implement and is rock solid stable. If wireless is a key concern I can certainly understand the frustration as I experienced it. However, if wireless isn’t important to you, and as you already own the Golds and enjoy their sound reproduction, I’d suggest going the direct optical mode...but if you’re indeed looking for change and a different sound, than, sure, change things up and set up a new passive system. I use Roon as my music server and streaming source. I’m not familiar with the functionality of Innous. Cheers.

[kantblue]

Hi Tsmithpam

This is indeed a great forum. Sorry to hear that you are leaving but I can't say that I blame you.

I started with Logitech Squeezeboxes which were potentially great products but blighted by software/hardware issues - fortunately a great group of user forums started up which helped greatly but not enough to save the product line.

You do have to have to be a 'techie' to use the Phantoms and even then they don't always work as advertised.

When I think of my journey from Dos1 to Dos2 via UPNP servers, wifi dropouts, speakers out of phase, a couple of incidents with sudden 100% sound levels, finally getting ethernet cabling installed and then subscribing to Roon - its only now that I have a stable system but like you said - for how long? These products arent cheap, and it strikes me you need to invest in so much other 'stuff' to get the most out of them.

I also have Sonos speakers so I can compare the two systems: Sonos software is so much better than Devialets, but I prefer the sound of the Phantoms - but not by that much.

I can use Roon for my Sonos system too and I'm finding increasingly that's what I'm using Roon for.

Good luck with your journey back to good old fashioned speaker systems - what are you planning on if you don't mind me asking?

All the best
Kantblue

[tsmithpam]

Thanks

My preference was always not wireless after my initial problems with stability, but my issues have recently mainly been when fully wired (Ethernet and optical) hence my end of the road conclusion.

It seemed (to me) if I’m fully wired anyway then I think I can get a better set up, sound and longevity by rolling back the reliance on the phantoms to work.

I also got a trade in offer for the phantoms that was just too good to miss out on.

It’s taken time, I was lucky a dealer gave me home trial options, but I’ve settled on:
Innuos zen mini mk3 with lpsu
Chord qutest dac
Rega Aethos amp
JBL L100s classics speakers
I also hook in Rega planar 8 with Apheta 3 cart (via puffin pre amp) but this time in pure analogue!

I spent a bit on good quality chord cables and interconnects too.

So far it’s a major uplift. The detail and sound stage is immense and all seems less fussy on placement too.

Yes, it’s not as easy as the phantoms as I have to turn on an amp first, but I still use the innuos app to stream and play stored flac files so all seems familiar.

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nickname]

Thank you for sharing your experience

[fb24601]

I am using Phantom I 108dB & II 98dB pairs which were purchased last autumn, my home network is mesh wifi 5, usually play via uPnP homecast app (CD quality). Since app version upgrade the playback via wifi has become more stable and currently there is no specific problem. Stereo connection for the pairs are also relatively stable at the moment.