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My upgraded 440PRO review - Printable Version

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My upgraded 440PRO review - BrianT - 21-Nov-2016

Disclamer, a few of you guys know that I am 100% deaf in my right ear, so please 
take this into consideration when you read this.

I received my 440PRO back from Devialet on 11 Nov. After hooking them up, 
I really like the sound but needed to give them a few hours before I made up my mind.
After a solid week of being left on, I think they improved in every way. Detail, tone and speed.
So today I had a couple of friends over who know my old system (D400) both are very critical
listeners.
One of the guys brought his own red book CD’s with him, so we only played CD’s using 
a Raysonic CD168 as a transport.

Some of the CDs we played, Cowboy Junkies - Trinity Revisited, Madeliene Peyroux - Dreamland
3 or 4 CD’s by Jessica Williams (Pianist)  so you can see the flavour of the music that was played
Modern Jazz/Female Vocal.  
The speed and decay of the bass is fantastic, instrument separation perfect, Great Tone from top to bottom.

One one of the cuts on Jessica Williams - Trio for the 1st time my buddy did not hear as he described it
a crackly top end, and he stated that he thought it was a fault in the recording.
So for fun, we hooked up his DAC (that cost several thousands of dollars) to the line in bypassing the DAC in the Devialet.
All 3 of clearly could hear for a fraction of a second in a couple of spots breakup, that played perfect on the 440PRO.

So if you are on the fence, thinking about going for the upgrade, in my opinion its money well spent.

Brian.

While I was doing the little review, an Email came in from one of the guys, here is a copy.

Absolutely loved the sound and could easily live with what they bring to the table.  Every piece of music sounded fantastic.  I really liked them when I heard them many months ago, but now, they sound even more refined and nuanced.  They still have that beautiful tone and dimensionality of a great tube amp but with the added transparency of the best solid state gear.  Damn expensive but without a doubt one of the best pieces of gear I have ever heard. Makes those tube loving cable freaks look kind of silly don't you think?


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - baddog - 21-Nov-2016

Brian - Thanks for sharing! I l00k forward to receiving mine back one day and enjoying the same. In the interim I live vivaciously through you and others.

Barr


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - Damon - 21-Nov-2016

Hi Brian,

I'll be the first to step in and say 'thanks' for this review. I knew it was on the way, and I have been looking forward to it. I also have some Jessica Williams discs, and they have a close-miked, physical impact feel, that really comes through on the Devialet. It is the finest of details in volume, harmonics and other sounds that really let us 'see' the playing.

It is also good to read that you are pleased with the upgrade. Devialet must have a few good engineers on staff still....


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - Axel - 21-Nov-2016

Hi Brian,

Yes, thanks very much for the review, it reinforces my thoughts on the improvements over  Le 400.
I'm sure that my amps are still improving after a month of fairly heavy use, but perhaps it's the new mains cables and  interconnect between the amps that are burning in.
 I'm going to invest in some Jessica Williams recordings, as I love jazz piano, but I see that she has an extensive back catalogue, so where's the best place to start?

Cheers,

Alex


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - Antoine - 21-Nov-2016

Nice review Brian, thanks for sharing! Smile


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - BrianT - 22-Nov-2016

(21-Nov-2016, 02:31)Axel Wrote: Hi Brian,
 I'm going to invest in some Jessica Williams recordings, as I love jazz piano, but I see that she has an extensive back catalogue, so where's the best place to start?
Alex

Alex

I sent an Email to my buddy asking hime for the list of Jessica Williams CD's he brought with him
still have not had a reply.

Brian


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - Axel - 22-Nov-2016

(22-Nov-2016, 00:05)BrianT Wrote:
(21-Nov-2016, 02:31)Axel Wrote: Hi Brian,
 I'm going to invest in some Jessica Williams recordings, as I love jazz piano, but I see that she has an extensive back catalogue, so where's the best place to start?
Alex

Alex

I sent an Email to my buddy asking hime for the list of Jessica Williams CD's he brought with him
still have not had a reply.

Brian

Hi Brian,
That information would be useful, if you can get it.

Alex


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - JohnnySix - 22-Nov-2016

(21-Nov-2016, 00:12)BrianT Wrote: So for fun, we hooked up his DAC (that cost several thousands of dollars) to the line in bypassing the DAC in the Devialet.

Not sure how tech-aware you are about the Devialet, but note that nothing bypasses its DAC. Even the LINE input is chopped up into numbers first, so you never get to hear the purest analogue output quality of your source... unless you believe the ADC/DAC conversion is as transparent as some say.

Do correct me if I've missed some key change with the Pro Models!


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - BrianT - 23-Nov-2016

(22-Nov-2016, 14:10)JohnnySix Wrote:
(21-Nov-2016, 00:12)BrianT Wrote: So for fun, we hooked up his DAC (that cost several thousands of dollars) to the line in bypassing the DAC in the Devialet.

Not sure how tech-aware you are about the Devialet, but note that nothing bypasses its DAC. Even the LINE input is chopped up into numbers first, so you never get to hear the purest analogue output quality of your source... unless you believe the ADC/DAC conversion is as transparent as some say.

Do correct me if I've missed some key change with the Pro Models!

Johnny

That could be correct that Devialet convert an analogue single to a digital signal and then back to an analogue signal before
the amp section. I know the phono input does it this way, but I thought the analogue input did not.

Can anybody else comment on this?

Brian


RE: My upgraded 440PRO review - BrianT - 23-Nov-2016

(22-Nov-2016, 03:07)Axel Wrote: That information would be useful, if you can get it.

Alex

Alex 

Here we go.

Jessica Williams - Gratitude
Jessica Williams - Jessica Plays
Jessica Williams - Some Ballads, Some Blues
John Taylor - Rossyln this is the CD that sounded fuzzy & crackly on the top end, it was not on a Jessica William CD as I had stated.

Hope this helps Brian