Original d'Atelier

[IanG-UK]

Dear all, especially GuillaumeB, here's some info that you might find interesting.

I've gone to HK AVShow yesterday. I went to the Devialet's HK dealer's room and met Julien Bergère. Had a little chat with the gentleman, and I've asked question about the upgrade schedule of OdA, why are we the last group to be upgraded, is it because it's "free"?

The following is a quote though not word-for-word from the man, and yes, I've asked his permission to quote:
He said that OdA has already got most of the hardware of V6 platform, the only things missing is the PSU and the forthcoming DevialetOS card. He also stressed that we ARE their VIP, and we will be the first ones to get the DevialetOS card. Hence the upgrade date in 2017! OdA has the new MagicWire and the new ADH in place! I guess the motherboard has to be replaced to accommodate the new DevialetOS card.

Will try to post some pics from the show later.

Wilkie

Hi waikeywi,

Yes, it's my honor that I've the chance to talk with the good gentleman Julien and got his recommendation before I made my decision to brought the Od'A. 

He said that the Od'A and LE1000pro is 99% same hardware, and will get free upgrade in 2017 to have 100% same HW as 1000pro (except the outlook).
Their main difference is that the Od'A does not have provision for PLC (mainly for the connection with Phantom). Both Od'A and 1000pro still need the upgrade for the DevialetOS card at 2017, the OS card for 1000pro can be installed by Squarewave at HK but the installation for Od'A must ship back to Paris.

So I think (only my guess) the component of Od'A is already equal to V6 but some circuit board layout or connection pin is not the same as the "finalized" version LE1000pro, that make the Od'A still need to replace the main board in order to fit the new DevialetOS card.

It tells you something that we can get replies from dealers which are inconclusive and then make us say "...(only my guess)...". 

It tells us, amongst other things, that we cannot get full and unambiguous replies from Devialet, and neither can dealers. 

I bought an OdA at the end of December 2015 and I was delighted with it without qualification ... whereas now I am delighted with it but not with Devialet. 

I have asked the question "what are the technical differences between an OdA and a 1000 Pro, and between an updated OdA and a 1000 Pro?" at least five times - once verbally and once in writing to Devialet UK, once verbally and once in writing to the Devialet France R&D expert, and once to the helpdesk. I have never had a full and unambiguous reply, and not had any reply so far from the helpdesk. 

I conclude that Devialet has, or had, something to hide. 

When Devialet launched the 1000 Pro at Oxford Audio on 13th July, I emailed the Devialet R&D guy eight days in advance with ten questions including this one:

"1 How many discrete boards/elements does the 800 and Od’A and 1000 Pro have and how many have changed (or are going to change, and if not immediately, then when) between the 800 and the Od’A and the Od’A and the 1000 Pro and what, put simply, were the changes?"

I asked that a written response be prepared and handed out to all meeting attendees and got an email response saying "I will answer extensively your various questions of course".

In the event there was no written response so I noted these comments made by Devialet at the meeting:

A: There is a new A board, a new D board, and a new control algorithm which is, I think, the element that makes the A and D elements work optimally together. There is no new DAC chip (and no current intention to change that in future) but a new Magic Wire (with better distortion and noise) and all this will be common to all new and modified units. This is already a feature of the Od’A. The 1000 Pro also has a new power supply and thermal management system which will eventually go into the Od’A - though it was not stated fully how this would drip down to the new and upgradeable units.

I circulated this and other comments to the Devialet R&D guy (see my Oxford Audio post number 72) and asked them to check their accuracy - and this one came back without comment.

So I think it is fair to say that everyone at the meeting came away with the impression that the only technical differences between the OdA and the 1000 Pro were the power supply and the thermal management. 

Things have moved on and I won't bore you with the details, but my summary is:

Common to 800 and OdA and 1000 Pro: Phono board, DAC chip, AIR board (at present)

Different from 800 but common to OdA and 1000 Pro: Board with "D" amplification

Different between OdA and 1000 OdA: Board with "A" amplification, Magic Wire, algorithm; power supply, thermal management, Platform system 

I don't calculate that at 99% similarity but if Devialet could reply fully and unambiguously then we would all know.

Interesting that the OS card for the 1000 Pro (due next July) can be fitted by Squarewave in HK.

We know that everything other than the OS card for the OdA could be fitted now in Paris and then presumably the OS card could be fitted next July by UK dealers. But the proposition to OdA owners is that everything has to be fitted in Paris but not until next July. 

It improves cashflow, of course, if you can upgrade 100 Expert 800 units for £0.5m in the next few months rather than upgrade 100 OdA units for £NIL.