Chrome stripping

[Manoet]

    Way ahead of ya Jean-Marie but knowing a little of your background I appreciate the recommendation as it was just a seemingly sensible move on my part! This material, T316 (non-magnetic) welded stainless mesh will be behind any/all inlets/outlets in the case.

[PhilP]

Also I find my D200's running temperatures are very dependent on what features are set - for instance I found recently running SAM can make it 8C hotter. DPM is very efficient at thermally managing the unit too. With DPM on I find temperatures typically around 40C max (usually the power supply slightly hotter than the rest) and generally a bit cooler than that. With DPM off the temp will increase to perhaps 50-52C with the A amp being the hotterst component.
I've always felt there was sound quality deterioration as the unit gets hotter (I've never felt it sounded worse cooler, contrary to virtually everyone else's opinion I've read). There does seem to be a point at the upper end of the temp scale where it just seems to dip in sound quality. I've been monitoring this quite closely recently as I've feared there could be a fault with my Devialet when it gets hotter, but so far it's playing ball.

Rufus, your temperature readings are pretty much the same as I experience with my 200 - 8 degrees or so hotter with SAM on whilst DPM reduces running temps by approx 10 degrees.  I haven't noticed any decrease in SQ with temperature but have been running with DPM on so the temp isn't running much above 40 anyway.

As an aside, although I really, really appreciate the additional bass extension that SAM brings I sometimes feel the music is being limited dynamically - perhaps by SAM, perhaps by DPM? (FW8.1.3, DPM) compared to 7.1.3 with no SAM and no DPM and may well revert to that earlier version.  Or perhaps I need to upgrade to a 400 and use brute force 

[PhilP]

I don't believe any of us seek cooler temps due to safety thresholds but moreover as component life extending measures. Least that's why I prefer lower-to-higher.

Manoet,

I've found your recent posts fascinating.  Its been extremely interesting to see deeper inside the Devialet 'box' and made me think more about the multitude of decisions that audio equipment designers have to make. Thanks for that 

From my POV, I'm not sure that the (slightly) reduced likelihood of component failure due to reducing operating temps is really a good trade-off for the total loss of ability to claim under warranty.  I mean, components fail for other reasons than operating temps e.g. manufacturing faults and several users have posted examples of successful warranty claims on here.  Still, if you do find a significant improvement in SQ that may well be sufficient benefit for you

[Confused]

But I'm curious about the 250. How much cooler does it run? The only numbers I'm trying to better are what the 200 GUI shows, ie:
A 44C
D 45C
S 47C

I don't think the 250 does run any cooler.  it's hard to say of course, as the temperatures will vary depending on the music played, volume, speaker type / load, ambient temperatures, SAM and so on.  I did talk to one of the Devialet engineers about this a while ago, and the way the power supply and ADH is set up on the 200 is limited a little below that for the 250.  In other words the 250, with inherently different cooling characteristics, allows itself to be pushed harder. Or perhaps more accurately, there are some restrictions placed on the 200 vs the 250, as they share the same electronics, but the 200 lacks the case that was part of the original design for the D-premier / D240.

[rwjr44]

Analog board, Digital board & Supply (printed to left of temps in GUI)

Thank you.

[Manoet]

PhilP said: From my POV, I'm not sure that the (slightly) reduced likelihood of component failure due to reducing operating temps is really a good trade-off for the total loss of ability to claim under warranty. I mean, components fail for other reasons than operating temps e.g. manufacturing faults and several users have posted examples of successful warranty claims on here. Still, if you do find a significant improvement in SQ that may well be sufficient benefit for you.

I've often spoken here about those reduced likelihoods and the risk I'm taking. But we can't on the one hand say failure before 5 years is likely either. Devialet felt strongly enough to give it 5 years and I went out on a limb believing it might survive it. In all the hifi componentry I've owned in over 50 years you can count the failures I've had on less than half the fingers on one hand and decades after their warranty periods had passed and both of those components as uniquely innovative in their day as the Devialet in one way or another. Time will tell but I'm unsure if having a profound grasp of the obvious warranty compromise I've chosen is beneficial in any way to the topic at hand... even in passing. It's my choice, it's been made, its over! Lets talk about the subject topic in some constructive way rather than the 'what-ifs' of what now cannot be avoided. That's off-topic and a dead horse to-boot (pun intended) at this point. Why kick it s'more? No good can ever come from it. What's the point!?!

If we can't somehow find a way to make this fun and interesting without pointing fingers of accusation related to questionable choices I've made maybe this isn't the thread for those so inclined. I mean I'm not asking anyone what they had for breakfast! If you are unable or unwilling to let the rhetorical questions go or thinking out loud about them I promise it WILL NOT improve for you here! There's many, many other options available. I'd love to have anyone/everyone who can find the excitement and potential for some potential down-the-road gain or benefit from this participate. And you needn't worry aloud about warranty issues. In fact, I'll tell you right now I wouldn't pay for warranty! What I will do is buy another, transfer it's parts into the re-worked case and be golden warranty-wise for 5 years with GOBs of spare parts! Now can we let that go?

[thumb5]

Hold on a minute, I thought this forum was for discussion.  If people want to discuss disadvantages of modifying a D200 as well as advantages, on any thread to which it's more or less relevant, then surely that's fair game (provided of course it stays within the forum guidelines).  If the moderators don't like the way the discussion is going, it's their job to get it back on track.

[Manoet]

Then why have forums and topics if every discussion is topical in every forum? I do agree there has to be a bit of give-n-take but common courtesy dictates at least making an effort to keep things flowing in the spirit of the topic being discussed. A lot to ask, I know... but shouldn't be!

[Confused]

Hold on a minute, I thought this forum was for discussion.  If people want to discuss disadvantages of modifying a D200 as well as advantages, on any thread to which it's more or less relevant, then surely that's fair game (provided of course it stays within the forum guidelines).  If the moderators don't like the way the discussion is going, it's their job to get it back on track.

+1. Well said Thumb!  I actually thought PhiliP's post was very polite and balanced.  

Having said that, and to be clear, I also have no problem Manoet's on going adventures, in fact it is quite fun reading about a Devialet being modified in this way and I'm intrigued to see how it all works out.  My thing was always modifying cars, and for sure some people used to think some of my car modding antics were crazy.  I wasn't too bothered when people suggested what I was doing was the act of a lunatic, I guess this was actually the point of it all in a way.   In fact thinking about it, this is something I've never really grown out of, my current car has a couple of very subtle mods.  Would I start fiddling with my Dev?  Not a chance, I simply don't know enough about electronics to try.  It's still fun to read about someone else's exploits though.

[Mikeeo]

Way ahead of ya Jean-Marie but knowing a little of your background I appreciate the recommendation as it was just a seemingly sensible move on my part! This material, T316 (non-magnetic) welded stainless mesh will be behind any/all inlets/outlets in the case.

Manoet,

Looks fantastic! You are really making these product look like it should and I am sure for better function.

Keep it up/M