D200/D400 on Computer Audiophile

[GuillaumeB]

Interesting! What does everyone else make of this?  

A bit disappointed he did not comment on the phase reversal function that is available, but not very many seem to notice this or use it. (On my 250 remote the button is labeled  'Invert'). And he was really lucky with AIR ethernet. No white noise during the test? I have a feeling Chris did not spend a long time listening to the 200/400. I for one do not quite recognize his description of the sound compared to what I hear. Lack of break-in? Cables mismatch?

Chris is under the influence of the Devialet spell. As smitten as he is, I didn't see a C.A.S.H. designation at end of review. With so many audio review sites awarding components their highest praise, the praise becomes somewhat diluted to my thinking. A prize for everyone! No one goes away unhappy! I like the comment Chris made about Devialet being the Apple of audio, yet his and other reviews failed to mention that chic Devialet tote which has retired my Trader Joe's/UNICEF totes, thus I award Devialet the "Best audiophile tote bag" distinction of honor. Hooray!

Yes you are quite right geoff: no C.A.S.H. award!

My overall impression with the review having read it a couple of times now was that Chris Conaker liked the 200/400 but wasn't massively enamoured with it and it took him some time to put ink to paper. He says that "prior to starting this review I received the Devialet 170. Shortly after receiving this product Devialet released a firmware upgrade that transformed the 170 into a 200.", so in my mind he's had this unit for a looong time! 

SAM didn't seem to make a great deal of difference with his speakers (TAD Compact Ref CR1 - anyone else on here own them?) and if anything he didn't actually like what effect it did have on the soundstage finding that "this enlarged soundstage may come off as a bit synthetic sounding to some listeners, myself included." 

In addition upgrading to the 400 there is no aha! moment: "Listening to Natalie Merchant and Christina Aguilera through the 400 monoblocks didn't really overwhelm me with anything that wasn't already present with a single stereo 200." Although he does go on to say that the additional power did help with more complex pieces one can't help but think that he wasn't hugely impressed. If anything the 400 revealed what was lacking with the 200.

I'm also surprised he didn't comment more about the difference in SQ between AIR and the Aries, which in my mind is significant. 

When you compare this, to say, his review of the Berkley Audio DAC, the contrast is stark! Of the Berkley he said " Rarely do I hear a component that's truly a game changer, a component that's so good I can't stop listening through it, and a component that's so good it renders much of the competition irrelevant."

Guillaume