27-Jun-2016, 13:20
I recently had a chance to have a play with the Le 200 and Le 400 with a set of B&W 803 D3 speakers for an entire afternoon in one of our shops and wanted to share my experience with this set up and see if any of you out there have had similar “joys” of listening to the Le 200/400 with B&W new 800 D3 series speakers.
Le 200 with B&W 803 D3 – this combination was a lot better than I thought it would be.
The Le 200 drove the 803 without second guessing what it was doing. It gripped the speakers that was unexpected; “unexpected” in the sense that other amplifiers I’ve listened to, though they may be rated with 200 (or more) watts just do not seem to grip the 803 D3 like the Devialet does. I listened to it without activating SAM for two songs and then activated it, listen to the two again and never went back to operating the Le 200/400 without it.
Album after album, I just sat back and listened to the system, at levels I wouldn’t be able to if I was at home. The music was presented to me in a three dimensional soundstage where I could place each instrument without thinking about it. At one point, I swear I could’ve stood up and walked through the stage where Dave Brubeck and his Quartet were playing Take Five. The rhythm and pace was exceptionally good. I only have one complaint about the Le 200/803 D3 combo – just at the very top end of the mid-range and high frequencies – did the system sound ever so “aggressive” and lost composure. But serious for a sub-£6000 amplifier, I’m really splitting hairs – so don’t think it was off putting, but wanted to make mention of it.
I had a second Le 200 on hand, so on it went after about three hours of listening to the other set up. With the Le 400 rocking out – the system didn’t so much transform – what happened it became much more refined with taking out about 80% of that “aggressiveness” I heard in the very high mid-range and high frequencies (again splitting hairs here). But the biggest improvement came with the Le 400 was how the system stopped having that slight edge of sounding “hi-fi.” Instead it sounded quite natural, “organic” if you will – the Le 400/803 D3 combo just seem to vanish – it was still there but I really had to work at hearing it…and all I was left with was music, the Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead album…one of my all-time favourites has rarely sounded so good…
Just wondering if anyone else has had the chance to do an A/B comparison of the Le 200 and Le 400? If so, did you have similar experiences?
I look forward to reading your replies…
Enjoy the music,
Joe of Hi-Fi Corner
Le 200 with B&W 803 D3 – this combination was a lot better than I thought it would be.
The Le 200 drove the 803 without second guessing what it was doing. It gripped the speakers that was unexpected; “unexpected” in the sense that other amplifiers I’ve listened to, though they may be rated with 200 (or more) watts just do not seem to grip the 803 D3 like the Devialet does. I listened to it without activating SAM for two songs and then activated it, listen to the two again and never went back to operating the Le 200/400 without it.
Album after album, I just sat back and listened to the system, at levels I wouldn’t be able to if I was at home. The music was presented to me in a three dimensional soundstage where I could place each instrument without thinking about it. At one point, I swear I could’ve stood up and walked through the stage where Dave Brubeck and his Quartet were playing Take Five. The rhythm and pace was exceptionally good. I only have one complaint about the Le 200/803 D3 combo – just at the very top end of the mid-range and high frequencies – did the system sound ever so “aggressive” and lost composure. But serious for a sub-£6000 amplifier, I’m really splitting hairs – so don’t think it was off putting, but wanted to make mention of it.
I had a second Le 200 on hand, so on it went after about three hours of listening to the other set up. With the Le 400 rocking out – the system didn’t so much transform – what happened it became much more refined with taking out about 80% of that “aggressiveness” I heard in the very high mid-range and high frequencies (again splitting hairs here). But the biggest improvement came with the Le 400 was how the system stopped having that slight edge of sounding “hi-fi.” Instead it sounded quite natural, “organic” if you will – the Le 400/803 D3 combo just seem to vanish – it was still there but I really had to work at hearing it…and all I was left with was music, the Grateful Dead’s Workingman’s Dead album…one of my all-time favourites has rarely sounded so good…
Just wondering if anyone else has had the chance to do an A/B comparison of the Le 200 and Le 400? If so, did you have similar experiences?
I look forward to reading your replies…
Enjoy the music,
Joe of Hi-Fi Corner
