Should Apple acquire Devialet/Phantom?

[Confused]

NOW we’ve got a discussion! And that’s a lucid and persuasive argument, David A. Well said. Now I’ve got a confession to make. My premise was really only half baked and I couldn’t really give any good technical reasons for the premise. I just used Apple because I knew it would get attention and seemed to make at least some sense. I can’t really argue with David. That all said, if not Apple, who? Because they seem to need some help.

I was going to write something very negative about Apple buying Devialet, but no need, some fine posts earlier in this thread that have said it much better than I could.

So, If we accept that Devialet are great with the hardware but need help with software, then the question might be a simple one, who is good at software for audio products?

One answer is Sonore.  Sonore's 'SonicOrbiter' software is used on their 'Rendu' range of products, and even comes with the super cheap SonicTransporter.  Variants of the same can also be found in SOtM and Antipodes kit.  Broadly speaking, SonicOrbiter can do everything that is expected of the CI board at the moment, and more.  Plus, it is pretty much 100% stable, it works.  I am quite sure that Devialet products with Sonore software would be a match made in heaven.

I do not know the numbers, but I would guess that Devialet could easily find the money to buy Sonore outright if they wanted to. (if they were for sale that is).  Plus, I am sure the cost of buying software consultancy from them would also be very achievable.

There is a problem here though, every indication is that Devialet want to develop their own software ecosystem, with Spark for the Expert coming soon I am sure.  One positive here is that Devialet do seam to realise now that they have an issue with software and they do seam to be recruiting more manpower to address this.  I am sure they will get there eventually.

Having said all that, playing with the CI board beta software recently, it is actually quite good already, certainly not the complete disaster that some were predicting.  So maybe they might be getting there faster than we think?