Astra reviews

[ray1234]

I went to audition the Astra Gold Leaf edition. I am an user of Expert D400. I have to disclaim though that it is hard to conclude from a single audition, especially when it is using a different speakers.

The demo used the Astra to drive Avalon PM 2.2. I have listened to PM 2.2 before. I think from memory, the Astra sounds warmer than Expert Pro series. It is going the warm and musical route. The Expert Pro needs careful system matching, otherwise may sound a bit cold, Astra seems to be quite a bit warmer and probably easier on system matching. However, from my memory, in terms of transparency the Expert Pro seems to be more transparent, the Astra is probably not as transparent. A big plus though to musicality, it seems to go the route of amps like Naim which treasures musicality more than transparency.

[spater]

I went to audition the Astra Gold Leaf edition. I am an user of Expert D400. I have to disclaim though that it is hard to conclude from a single audition, especially when it is using a different speakers.

The demo used the Astra to drive Avalon PM 2.2. I have listened to PM 2.2 before. I think from memory, the Astra sounds warmer than Expert Pro series. It is going the warm and musical route. The Expert Pro needs careful system matching, otherwise may sound a bit cold, Astra seems to be quite a bit warmer and probably easier on system matching. However, from my memory, in terms of transparency the Expert Pro seems to be more transparent, the Astra is probably not as transparent. A big plus though to musicality, it seems to go the route of amps like Naim which treasures musicality more than transparency.

I’m interested in your comments about transparent vs. musical systems.
I hadn’t really thought to look at HiFi brands through those distinct lenses.

If Naim and Astra are musical, what others would you regard as musical?
And which systems would you regard as transparent?

[ray1234]

I’m interested in your comments about transparent vs. musical systems.
I hadn’t really thought to look at HiFi brands through those distinct lenses.

If Naim and Astra are musical, what others would you regard as musical?
And which systems would you regard as transparent?

First that comes to my mind being most transparent is CH Precision, Soulution is not far behind in terms of transparency. Goldmund is not bad in transparency if you don't mind the Goldmund standard taste added to your music, most Swiss brands go for transparency. If going US brands, Audio Research ....

Naim, Gryphon, MBL, McIntosh, Pass Labs, etc are brands that goes for musicality. They each have their own taste, depending what you like ....

[spater]

I’m interested in your comments about transparent vs. musical systems.
I hadn’t really thought to look at HiFi brands through those distinct lenses.

If Naim and Astra are musical, what others would you regard as musical?
And which systems would you regard as transparent?

First that comes to my mind being most transparent is CH Precision, Soulution is not far behind in terms of transparency. Goldmund is not bad in transparency if you don't mind the Goldmund standard taste added to your music, most Swiss brands go for transparency. If going US brands, Audio Research ....

Naim, Gryphon, MBL, McIntosh, Pass Labs, etc are brands that goes for musicality. They each have their own taste, depending what you like ....

thanks - will read up on your suggestions

[KIBM]

At home Demo of Astra Dual
 
Many thanks to Jon Harker (Oxford Audio) and Steve Wilcock (HiFi Consultants) for lending me an Astra Dual system to demo in my own home for a few days.
 
Let me backtrack for a moment. In 2010 I bought a new D-Premier. My much-missed friends Brian and Alison Rivas (from Pinewood Music) insisted that they bring round this solid silver French pizza box for me to listen to. Like you all I was smitten and paid £12k to put my order in - replacing Krell power, AR pre, Wadia CD, Krell streamer, Ayre phonostage and a whole load of cables. In 2012 I got a second D-Premier and went Dual mono, then upgraded to Pro 800 and then Pro1000 after that. What I loved about the Devialet sound was the speed and grip in the bass, the see-through clarity and soundstaging. Although the big Krell had more extension in the bass it just sounded 'slow' compared to the effortlessly upbeat Dev. My only minor criticism of the sound was that the upper-mid and treble could at times be a tad stark and forceful - this improved significantly with upgrades but often I would find that I would be subconsciously 'feathering' the volume dial with more dynamic tracks at higher volumes (regardless of speakers).
 
In 2022 I decided after 12 years to trade in the Devs and try something different (I tend to do this every 10 years before gear gets too long in the tooth). I tried quite a few amps (Chord, D'agostino, Bryston, Accuphase) but none of them had the combined speed, grip and transparency of the Devs (apart from perhaps the Chord). However, I had a chance to listen to a used Constellation Pre/Power combo and was smitten - huge, detailed soundstage, great mid and clear non-aggressive treble - very 'musical' indeed. Bass is more extended than Dev but the French boxes had the edge on bass speed and grip. Got them for a good but still ridiculous price! Been listening to them through dCS Bartok (CD & Streaming (ROON) and Gold Note Phono (vinyl).
 
Recently, however, I've been getting a bit tired of big boxes and loudspeakers dominating my lounge/listening room - the Constellation 500 is massive and the Magicos are well out into the room. Two big racks for all the gear. I retired and moved houses a few years back and sacrificed a dedicated listening room for a nice view of the Bristol Channel!
 
So, on a whim I'm currently trying the Stenheim Alumine 2 standmount speakers and they are stunning, even 'outsoundstaging' the Magicos with no nasties anywhere (no-mean feat as the A5s are superb). Obviously the Stenheims don't go as low as the A5's or have the same bass slam (I'm trying a Wilson Loke sub with very good results).
 
When I heard about the Astras it set me thinking - should I get rid of 5 big boxes, 3 pairs of interconnects, and an equipment stand, and go back to Devialet and have a simpler less cluttered and demanding HiFi experience?
 
And so it was time for a demo of the Dual Astras! How would they sound compared to the previous Devialet sound that I liked so much and had lived with for over 10 years?
 
On returning to the DevChat site for info after a few years away I was truly amazed at the negativity and bile heaped upon the new Astra - one user, who had not heard it, said that he “hoped the Astra was a massive flop" !!!! A number of users, none of whom had heard the Astra, decided it was a big downgrade on the Experts/D-Premier based solely on the manufacturers specs! My goodness, what's going on??  So many venomous comments based on Devialet’s manufactures specs and unheard opinions and very few positive comments on the, admittedly few, published reviews with full lab tests.
 
Specs vs Tests
Based on Paul Miller's HiFiNews tests it seems to me that on power output a single Astra is at least equivalent to the outgoing 250 Pro and in fact more powerful and linear into 4 and 2 ohm real world loads i.e. ‘power doubling’ - surely you would expect something like that with the revised and upgraded ADH power supply in the Astra? The D-Premier and Expert 240 were not as linear at higher impedances, in fact fell well short of ‘power doubling’. The Dual Astra is quoted at 300 and 600W into 8 and 4 Ohms respectively (no review lab tests yet) – this is exact doubling of power as you would expect for well executed bridging of amplifiers. The Pro 1000 was quoted as being 4 x more powerful than as a single Pro 250 (into 6 ohms). I never ever felt that it was 4 times more powerful than my Pro 250 when I doubled up and the only measured figures I saw were from a Stereoplay (?) review which were way short of spec at 4 Ohms, and at 8 ohms were around 600W as I recall…. hardly quadrupling! The slightly less powerful flagship ‘Original d’Atelier’, on which the Expert platform is based, was measured by Paul Miller (HiFiNews 2016) at: Continuous 640/860W into 8/4ohm; Dynamic 650/1130/1500W into 8/4/2 ohm.  For comparison Miller measured a single Astra (HiFiNews 2025) at: Continuous 160/317W into 8/4ohm; Dynamic 162/321/640W into 8/4/2 ohm – linear and over spec (I would be very interested to see the Dual Astra measurements).
 
I feel that now that Devialet are quoting 8/4 ohm values (as is norm) we can dispense with the silly and confusing 6ohm figures of the past. 
 
My User Experience
I understand that a lot of resentment is aimed at the perceived downgrade of facilities on the Astra compared to the Expert Pro. For example, no HDMI on Astra. Well…. the HDMI port was dropped on the upgrade of D-Premier to Expert series over 10 years ago – why would Devialet change their mind and engineering on this with the Astra??? Also, what would I do with an HDMI port – plug my PlayStation into it? Loss of the AES input - I can understand why people are pissed about that but I got bored of the whole AES vs RCA spdif argument years ago as the differences meant so little to me. One gripe - why, oh why there are TWO Toslink ports on the Astra?? I really don't understand!! Toslink is pants as far as I am concerned – it softens the leading edges and blurs the bass. It’s such a great shame that AT&T glass optical never took off – it was present in my Wadia Transport/Dac years ago and was my preferred option. Big plus - as the Dual Astra is no longer Master/Companion ALL RCA ports can be configured and used on BOTH units – I found this really flexible – eg Phono(vinyl), CD, Subwoofer, external streamer could all be used between the two units.
 
Comparing Astra vs D-Premier/Expert build quality is very interesting and will be a very personal choice!
 
D-Premier/Expert Build Quality was exceptional. We all loved the look of the D-Premier when unpacked and installed in our systems. When I peeled the frisk off it was a thing of utter beauty to behold – as evidenced by my reflected cheesy grin! That was, however, until I touched it and could see fingerprints! These of course could be polished out with a good cloth but overtime this leads to swirl marks that cannot be polished out. Unnoticed fingerprints lead to tarnishing overtime which cannot be removed. Over time the metal banding around the glass window of both my original D-Premiers started to oxidise and form a white discolouration (likely different quality of aluminium to the case – I’m a chemist by training). These are purely cosmetic issues but do affect resale value. I hated the recessed connectors and detachable back panel right from the start – really bugged me! Why not have the connectors at the back like normal HiFi? If it was because they were to be wall mounted then two questions: 1. You wouldn't put two small mirrors on your wall like that cause it would look odd, so why wall mount the Devs? 2. If you do wall mount them then all the cables hang down like spaghetti and look awful. I never liked the remote – there, I’ve said it! It was a ridiculous clunky mini-me tribute to the main unit. It had no volume display. When it slid off the armrest, or when I dropped it using it one handed, it would frequently adjust volume which was worrying when it went up in volume. It was a ridiculous fingerprint magnet. All the Decals under the three source buttons slid off over time (in true Captain Beefheart fashion….). As a remote it worked very well however – no complaints. The novelty of SD card-based configuration changes soon wore off – also some members reported serious reader failures after time. AIR streaming was potluck but I did ok with it – preferred ethernet connection however. The Phono stages on both my Devs were excellent but both were quite noisy (hiss) from listening position, even after upgrade to Pro1000 – this was an irritation with low output MCs (~0.3mV). 
 
The Astra Build Quality is extremely good as well. Not sculpted eye candy like the Devs (what could be?) but I really like the Bronze colour and the overall form factor of the Astra, the grooves and laser etched (?) finish is lovely – eye catching but not bling. Hate the recessed connectors but love the fact they've got rid of that damn lid! The large blue screen is excellent and stylish and I like the fact that there are no buttons on the front to spoil the lines (don't know why but I did not like the button on the front of the Devs – possibly the haptics and the rattling noise it made when you pressed it!). Plugging all the cables in is a faff but easy to lift back up and once you've memorised the locations you can do it blind. Interestingly I think the binding post cowlings are larger than before because I can accommodate a large speaker cable spade which was not the case with the old Devs. I actually listened to the Astras using gold plated spade to banana adaptors, whose longer length was a boon for access under the overhang. 
 
The new remote is fantastic! Considerably smaller and more elegant than before. It has a volume display and works beautifully. You can also change inputs and power on/off by touching it or moving dial. The latter is a touch too sensitive as it drops out of standby by simply touching the dial. My only gripe is that the remote does not display which input you have changed to – must do it by ear or looking at Astra unit display. Hopefully this will be a simple bit of code to correct in a software update. That aside the remote is a pleasure to use and look at – bravo Devialet!
 
The Phone App (I’m on Android) is a stunner in my opinion and I found it a breeze to use with no hiccups. Exact same for iOS version on my iPad. The App controls everything – volume, source, SAM, RAM etc. The fact that you can do everything from your phone sitting on your ass is fantastic – no more SD card/computer/Master/Slave Configuration hassles-just what we all wanted!
 
To change configuration, you go to your Devialet web account (on my Phone or iPad) and go to Advanced Configurator. As before you get a similar active schematic of the back panel of your Astra(s), simply select the ports you want to name and configure (pop-up menus), name and save the Config which is saved to the cloud. When you go back into the App and select Advanced Configurator, your newly created Config is waiting there for you to select, whereupon the Astra unit screens indicate that the update is in progress and in less than 10 seconds you are ready to go. Very intuitive and easy. Again – bravo Devialet!
 
Sound Impressions
 
I listened to the Dual Astra through the Stenheim Alumine 2 (mainly) and Magico A5s (briefly cause I’m selling them). Streaming was through ROON Nucleus (Tidal/Qobuz), CD via Metronome TA3 Sig. Transport and vinyl via Technics SL1200G with a Vertere Dark Sabre MM. I used both speakers with their SAM profiles – Stenheim (ported) responded well to SAM. With Magico it did not make much difference – I found exactly the same with Pro1000.
 
After about 10 hours listening over two days, I can say that the Astra is sonically and functionally superb – but so was the Pro1000 (long term with the A5s, not heard with Stenheims). However, is one better than the other? Which do I prefer?
 
Broadly speaking, and from memory with Pro1000s, the bass between Astra and Pro is very similar and has that classic power, grip and timing which is so addictive and propels music forward. By comparison the Constellations sound bigger and a bit more extended but a bit vague in comparison to the bass grip of and focus of both the Devialets. I felt very happy to be back with this bass experience. From memory I would say the Astras are a tad fuller in the bass (maybe more extension?) compared to a very slightly drier, maybe leaner presentation of the Pro1000s (however very close).
 
Where the Astras and Pro1000s differ for me is soundstaging and upper-mid/treble presentation. The Pros always gave a wide and exciting soundstage presentation,  particularly in the definition of leading edges of transients. This leads to a more forward leaning soundstage which really pinned you to your seat with thrilling presentation. However, I felt at times this could be overcooked and would lead me to feathering the volume up and down within a track – not bright or distorted, but too much of a good thing at times. This was the only minor quibble I had with the Devialet sound over the years and it improved significantly with software and hardware upgrades.
 
The Astras have a significantly different presentation. The upper-mid and treble are fuller compared to the Pros. The treble is very light, airy and sparkly with what appears initially to be less leading edge definition than the Pro but equally detailed (at least in all these silly audiophile detail things we obsess over!). However, this detail is less forceful and more natural in my opinion, which might lead people to say the Astra is warmer – warm is coloured in my opinion – the Astra is not coloured. The mid is equally interesting and makes the Pro1000’s sound a little bit ‘drier’ by comparison. With the Astra I keep hearing little percussive patterns that were always there but just seem to make more obvious sense now e.g. drum and percussion backbeats or vocal harmonies that were always there but just not so obvious before.
 
If we think of the Pro1000 soundstaging as wide, focussed and often forward of the speaker plane. I would describe the Astra as equally wide, not quite as forward (but can be when its on the program). The significant deviation is that the soundstage is notably deeper and arcs round the side and back of the speakers compared to the Pro1000s. This depth leads to very pleasant layering of the stage, especially between and behind the plane of this speakers. However, this layering is not vague or ‘over there somewhere’ - time and time again I heard very focussed sounds locked in space, and yet were part of the overall picture in terms of timing.     
 
I think it is the Astras change in mid/treble voicing that leads to the different soundstage presentation. I never once thought there was less detail with the Astra, indeed I think the mid is better than the Pros, more detailed yet more natural. I also prefer the Astras treble presentation as there is a real sparkle and chime to it, yet it is never oppressive, and I was not feathering the volume on louder passages. The Astra treble reminds me of two previous experiences I had with solid state pure Class A amps many years ago. About 30 years ago I found out my older neighbour was an audio buff. He had a Krell KSA-50 power amp from the 80s. This was a brute only 50W but sounded much more powerful – doubled power right down to 1 ohm loads at 60A peak current – ran hotter than the sun! This was the first of the amps to really nail bass and it sounded excellent. The treble was so airy and non-solid state, although I thought a bit unfocussed. A few years later I demoed a Sugden Class A amp in my system – it again had this beautiful airy treble and wonderful clear mid – unfortunately the bass was not really focussed and dragged a bit on rock and pop – still very nice. I feel the Astra has this same airy, beautiful treble but is more focussed and has much better grip and timing in the bass.
 
I did not spend as much time with vinyl as streaming but I can confirm that the Astra phono stage was completely silent compared to my old Pro1000s. The soundstage depth was also very apparent in the phono. That is a big relief for me.   
 
Whatever Devialet have done with the new ADH power supply I really think it's a very musical step forward. The functionality is more than enough for me. I love the styling and ergonomics. The App and Web functions are superb. My D-Premier was £12k in 2010 – with inflation that equates to £18,644 in 2025. A single Astra costs £14k in the UK. I shall be ordering a pair.
 
I know people are unhappy over other issues regarding the performance of Devialet as a company, however, do not judge the Astra by that yardstick (also cut them some slack – have you ever tried to start-up a company and keep it going? I have and cash flow worries nearly killed me!). Neither should you judge the Astra by comparing advertised specs – these are very misleading in isolation, that is especially so for the D-Premier and Expert series as proven by published lab test reports.  If the Astra does not have all the functionality you want then consider buying something else – along with lots of other expensive boxes in support. By high-end standards a 14-year run for a product is a lifetime when most models get updated in a 3-4 year cycle. Finally, as with all audio gear, you can ONLY judge the Astra sound quality by listening to one, preferably in your own home. Anything else is just conjecture, hot air and wasted emotion. If then you don't like the Astra then stick with your Expert (it’s still fabulous) or move on to something different.

[ada]

@KIBM I am very happy with your conclusion, and I am also glad to see that you have proven all the spec changes on paper are reflected well in your discovery. I see no surprises there. And if the almost doubled price is not an issue for you, of course it is a great amp. It carries the DNA of Expert Pros, just in a different fashion in its approach. Maybe more balanced for you, maybe more trimmed down for someone else, but there is no doubt that they inherit a lot from Experts.

[Manfred]

At home Demo of Astra Dual....
 

Thank you for this excellent review. I am coming from the 170 and did all the upgrates and having now Expert 220 Pro and I love it and the Devialet Remote. If Qobuz Connect is really coming End of the year I would really think to take the Elavator Program Offering (if still valid).

[KIBM]

@KIBM I am very happy with your conclusion, and I am also glad to see that you have proven all the spec changes on paper are reflected well in your  discovery. I see no surprises there. And if the almost doubled price is not an issue for you, of course it is a great amp. It carries the DNA of Expert Pros, just in a different fashion in its approach. Maybe more balanced for you, maybe more trimmed down for someone else, but there is no doubt that they inherit a lot from Experts.

Thank you. Actually, I don't agree about doubling of price. In the UK the RRP of the Astra is pretty much the same as the outgoing Expert Pro 250 at final production in 2024 i.e. £14,000 vs £13,500 respectively. That is pretty much unheard of in the High End, where normally a new model is introduced at a significantly higher price. What I find remarkable is that the price has hardly moved from the D-Premier (£12k) to Astra in 15 years!! 

As I said in my post £12k in 2010 is the inflationary equivalent of £18,644 in 2025 - if that had been any other High end company they would price gouge you £25-30k for a new Astra! Devialet should earn some real respect for that.

I do think its great that you can get Nearly New/Open Box/NOS Expert 250/1000 for around £7/14k from dealers in UK (with some warranty provided too). That is a tremendous bargain and great opportunity to get one of the very best pieces of HiFi going - snap em up before they are gone!

[KIBM]

At home Demo of Astra Dual....
 

Thank you for this excellent review. I am coming from the 170 and did all the upgrates and having now Expert 220 Pro and I love it and the Devialet Remote. If Qobuz Connect is really coming End of the year I would really think to take the Elavator Program Offering (if still valid).

Thank you. Good luck with it all

[ray1234]

At home Demo of Astra Dual
 
Many thanks to Jon Harker (Oxford Audio) and Steve Wilcock (HiFi Consultants) for lending me an Astra Dual system to demo in my own home for a few days.
 
Let me backtrack for a moment. In 2010 I bought a new D-Premier. My much-missed friends Brian and Alison Rivas (from Pinewood Music) insisted that they bring round this solid silver French pizza box for me to listen to. Like you all I was smitten and paid £12k to put my order in - replacing Krell power, AR pre, Wadia CD, Krell streamer, Ayre phonostage and a whole load of cables. In 2012 I got a second D-Premier and went Dual mono, then upgraded to Pro 800 and then Pro1000 after that. What I loved about the Devialet sound was the speed and grip in the bass, the see-through clarity and soundstaging. Although the big Krell had more extension in the bass it just sounded 'slow' compared to the effortlessly upbeat Dev. My only minor criticism of the sound was that the upper-mid and treble could at times be a tad stark and forceful - this improved significantly with upgrades but often I would find that I would be subconsciously 'feathering' the volume dial with more dynamic tracks at higher volumes (regardless of speakers).
 
In 2022 I decided after 12 years to trade in the Devs and try something different (I tend to do this every 10 years before gear gets too long in the tooth). I tried quite a few amps (Chord, D'agostino, Bryston, Accuphase) but none of them had the combined speed, grip and transparency of the Devs (apart from perhaps the Chord). However, I had a chance to listen to a used Constellation Pre/Power combo and was smitten - huge, detailed soundstage, great mid and clear non-aggressive treble - very 'musical' indeed. Bass is more extended than Dev but the French boxes had the edge on bass speed and grip. Got them for a good but still ridiculous price! Been listening to them through dCS Bartok (CD & Streaming (ROON) and Gold Note Phono (vinyl).
 
Recently, however, I've been getting a bit tired of big boxes and loudspeakers dominating my lounge/listening room - the Constellation 500 is massive and the Magicos are well out into the room. Two big racks for all the gear. I retired and moved houses a few years back and sacrificed a dedicated listening room for a nice view of the Bristol Channel!
 
So, on a whim I'm currently trying the Stenheim Alumine 2 standmount speakers and they are stunning, even 'outsoundstaging' the Magicos with no nasties anywhere (no-mean feat as the A5s are superb). Obviously the Stenheims don't go as low as the A5's or have the same bass slam (I'm trying a Wilson Loke sub with very good results).
 
When I heard about the Astras it set me thinking - should I get rid of 5 big boxes, 3 pairs of interconnects, and an equipment stand, and go back to Devialet and have a simpler less cluttered and demanding HiFi experience?
 
And so it was time for a demo of the Dual Astras! How would they sound compared to the previous Devialet sound that I liked so much and had lived with for over 10 years?
 
On returning to the DevChat site for info after a few years away I was truly amazed at the negativity and bile heaped upon the new Astra - one user, who had not heard it, said that he “hoped the Astra was a massive flop" !!!! A number of users, none of whom had heard the Astra, decided it was a big downgrade on the Experts/D-Premier based solely on the manufacturers specs! My goodness, what's going on??  So many venomous comments based on Devialet’s manufactures specs and unheard opinions and very few positive comments on the, admittedly few, published reviews with full lab tests.
 
Specs vs Tests
Based on Paul Miller's HiFiNews tests it seems to me that on power output a single Astra is at least equivalent to the outgoing 250 Pro and in fact more powerful and linear into 4 and 2 ohm real world loads i.e. ‘power doubling’ - surely you would expect something like that with the revised and upgraded ADH power supply in the Astra? The D-Premier and Expert 240 were not as linear at higher impedances, in fact fell well short of ‘power doubling’. The Dual Astra is quoted at 300 and 600W into 8 and 4 Ohms respectively (no review lab tests yet) – this is exact doubling of power as you would expect for well executed bridging of amplifiers. The Pro 1000 was quoted as being 4 x more powerful than as a single Pro 250 (into 6 ohms). I never ever felt that it was 4 times more powerful than my Pro 250 when I doubled up and the only measured figures I saw were from a Stereoplay (?) review which were way short of spec at 4 Ohms, and at 8 ohms were around 600W as I recall…. hardly quadrupling! The slightly less powerful flagship ‘Original d’Atelier’, on which the Expert platform is based, was measured by Paul Miller (HiFiNews 2016) at: Continuous 640/860W into 8/4ohm; Dynamic 650/1130/1500W into 8/4/2 ohm.  For comparison Miller measured a single Astra (HiFiNews 2025) at: Continuous 160/317W into 8/4ohm; Dynamic 162/321/640W into 8/4/2 ohm – linear and over spec (I would be very interested to see the Dual Astra measurements).
 
I feel that now that Devialet are quoting 8/4 ohm values (as is norm) we can dispense with the silly and confusing 6ohm figures of the past. 
 
My User Experience
I understand that a lot of resentment is aimed at the perceived downgrade of facilities on the Astra compared to the Expert Pro. For example, no HDMI on Astra. Well…. the HDMI port was dropped on the upgrade of D-Premier to Expert series over 10 years ago – why would Devialet change their mind and engineering on this with the Astra??? Also, what would I do with an HDMI port – plug my PlayStation into it? Loss of the AES input - I can understand why people are pissed about that but I got bored of the whole AES vs RCA spdif argument years ago as the differences meant so little to me. One gripe - why, oh why there are TWO Toslink ports on the Astra?? I really don't understand!! Toslink is pants as far as I am concerned – it softens the leading edges and blurs the bass. It’s such a great shame that AT&T glass optical never took off – it was present in my Wadia Transport/Dac years ago and was my preferred option. Big plus - as the Dual Astra is no longer Master/Companion ALL RCA ports can be configured and used on BOTH units – I found this really flexible – eg Phono(vinyl), CD, Subwoofer, external streamer could all be used between the two units.
 
Comparing Astra vs D-Premier/Expert build quality is very interesting and will be a very personal choice!
 
D-Premier/Expert Build Quality was exceptional. We all loved the look of the D-Premier when unpacked and installed in our systems. When I peeled the frisk off it was a thing of utter beauty to behold – as evidenced by my reflected cheesy grin! That was, however, until I touched it and could see fingerprints! These of course could be polished out with a good cloth but overtime this leads to swirl marks that cannot be polished out. Unnoticed fingerprints lead to tarnishing overtime which cannot be removed. Over time the metal banding around the glass window of both my original D-Premiers started to oxidise and form a white discolouration (likely different quality of aluminium to the case – I’m a chemist by training). These are purely cosmetic issues but do affect resale value. I hated the recessed connectors and detachable back panel right from the start – really bugged me! Why not have the connectors at the back like normal HiFi? If it was because they were to be wall mounted then two questions: 1. You wouldn't put two small mirrors on your wall like that cause it would look odd, so why wall mount the Devs? 2. If you do wall mount them then all the cables hang down like spaghetti and look awful. I never liked the remote – there, I’ve said it! It was a ridiculous clunky mini-me tribute to the main unit. It had no volume display. When it slid off the armrest, or when I dropped it using it one handed, it would frequently adjust volume which was worrying when it went up in volume. It was a ridiculous fingerprint magnet. All the Decals under the three source buttons slid off over time (in true Captain Beefheart fashion….). As a remote it worked very well however – no complaints. The novelty of SD card-based configuration changes soon wore off – also some members reported serious reader failures after time. AIR streaming was potluck but I did ok with it – preferred ethernet connection however. The Phono stages on both my Devs were excellent but both were quite noisy (hiss) from listening position, even after upgrade to Pro1000 – this was an irritation with low output MCs (~0.3mV). 
 
The Astra Build Quality is extremely good as well. Not sculpted eye candy like the Devs (what could be?) but I really like the Bronze colour and the overall form factor of the Astra, the grooves and laser etched (?) finish is lovely – eye catching but not bling. Hate the recessed connectors but love the fact they've got rid of that damn lid! The large blue screen is excellent and stylish and I like the fact that there are no buttons on the front to spoil the lines (don't know why but I did not like the button on the front of the Devs – possibly the haptics and the rattling noise it made when you pressed it!). Plugging all the cables in is a faff but easy to lift back up and once you've memorised the locations you can do it blind. Interestingly I think the binding post cowlings are larger than before because I can accommodate a large speaker cable spade which was not the case with the old Devs. I actually listened to the Astras using gold plated spade to banana adaptors, whose longer length was a boon for access under the overhang. 
 
The new remote is fantastic! Considerably smaller and more elegant than before. It has a volume display and works beautifully. You can also change inputs and power on/off by touching it or moving dial. The latter is a touch too sensitive as it drops out of standby by simply touching the dial. My only gripe is that the remote does not display which input you have changed to – must do it by ear or looking at Astra unit display. Hopefully this will be a simple bit of code to correct in a software update. That aside the remote is a pleasure to use and look at – bravo Devialet!
 
The Phone App (I’m on Android) is a stunner in my opinion and I found it a breeze to use with no hiccups. Exact same for iOS version on my iPad. The App controls everything – volume, source, SAM, RAM etc. The fact that you can do everything from your phone sitting on your ass is fantastic – no more SD card/computer/Master/Slave Configuration hassles-just what we all wanted!
 
To change configuration, you go to your Devialet web account (on my Phone or iPad) and go to Advanced Configurator. As before you get a similar active schematic of the back panel of your Astra(s), simply select the ports you want to name and configure (pop-up menus), name and save the Config which is saved to the cloud. When you go back into the App and select Advanced Configurator, your newly created Config is waiting there for you to select, whereupon the Astra unit screens indicate that the update is in progress and in less than 10 seconds you are ready to go. Very intuitive and easy. Again – bravo Devialet!
 
Sound Impressions
 
I listened to the Dual Astra through the Stenheim Alumine 2 (mainly) and Magico A5s (briefly cause I’m selling them). Streaming was through ROON Nucleus (Tidal/Qobuz), CD via Metronome TA3 Sig. Transport and vinyl via Technics SL1200G with a Vertere Dark Sabre MM. I used both speakers with their SAM profiles – Stenheim (ported) responded well to SAM. With Magico it did not make much difference – I found exactly the same with Pro1000.
 
After about 10 hours listening over two days, I can say that the Astra is sonically and functionally superb – but so was the Pro1000 (long term with the A5s, not heard with Stenheims). However, is one better than the other? Which do I prefer?
 
Broadly speaking, and from memory with Pro1000s, the bass between Astra and Pro is very similar and has that classic power, grip and timing which is so addictive and propels music forward. By comparison the Constellations sound bigger and a bit more extended but a bit vague in comparison to the bass grip of and focus of both the Devialets. I felt very happy to be back with this bass experience. From memory I would say the Astras are a tad fuller in the bass (maybe more extension?) compared to a very slightly drier, maybe leaner presentation of the Pro1000s (however very close).
 
Where the Astras and Pro1000s differ for me is soundstaging and upper-mid/treble presentation. The Pros always gave a wide and exciting soundstage presentation,  particularly in the definition of leading edges of transients. This leads to a more forward leaning soundstage which really pinned you to your seat with thrilling presentation. However, I felt at times this could be overcooked and would lead me to feathering the volume up and down within a track – not bright or distorted, but too much of a good thing at times. This was the only minor quibble I had with the Devialet sound over the years and it improved significantly with software and hardware upgrades.
 
The Astras have a significantly different presentation. The upper-mid and treble are fuller compared to the Pros. The treble is very light, airy and sparkly with what appears initially to be less leading edge definition than the Pro but equally detailed (at least in all these silly audiophile detail things we obsess over!). However, this detail is less forceful and more natural in my opinion, which might lead people to say the Astra is warmer – warm is coloured in my opinion – the Astra is not coloured. The mid is equally interesting and makes the Pro1000’s sound a little bit ‘drier’ by comparison. With the Astra I keep hearing little percussive patterns that were always there but just seem to make more obvious sense now e.g. drum and percussion backbeats or vocal harmonies that were always there but just not so obvious before.
 
If we think of the Pro1000 soundstaging as wide, focussed and often forward of the speaker plane. I would describe the Astra as equally wide, not quite as forward (but can be when its on the program). The significant deviation is that the soundstage is notably deeper and arcs round the side and back of the speakers compared to the Pro1000s. This depth leads to very pleasant layering of the stage, especially between and behind the plane of this speakers. However, this layering is not vague or ‘over there somewhere’ - time and time again I heard very focussed sounds locked in space, and yet were part of the overall picture in terms of timing.     
 
I think it is the Astras change in mid/treble voicing that leads to the different soundstage presentation. I never once thought there was less detail with the Astra, indeed I think the mid is better than the Pros, more detailed yet more natural. I also prefer the Astras treble presentation as there is a real sparkle and chime to it, yet it is never oppressive, and I was not feathering the volume on louder passages. The Astra treble reminds me of two previous experiences I had with solid state pure Class A amps many years ago. About 30 years ago I found out my older neighbour was an audio buff. He had a Krell KSA-50 power amp from the 80s. This was a brute only 50W but sounded much more powerful – doubled power right down to 1 ohm loads at 60A peak current – ran hotter than the sun! This was the first of the amps to really nail bass and it sounded excellent. The treble was so airy and non-solid state, although I thought a bit unfocussed. A few years later I demoed a Sugden Class A amp in my system – it again had this beautiful airy treble and wonderful clear mid – unfortunately the bass was not really focussed and dragged a bit on rock and pop – still very nice. I feel the Astra has this same airy, beautiful treble but is more focussed and has much better grip and timing in the bass.
 
I did not spend as much time with vinyl as streaming but I can confirm that the Astra phono stage was completely silent compared to my old Pro1000s. The soundstage depth was also very apparent in the phono. That is a big relief for me.   
 
Whatever Devialet have done with the new ADH power supply I really think it's a very musical step forward. The functionality is more than enough for me. I love the styling and ergonomics. The App and Web functions are superb. My D-Premier was £12k in 2010 – with inflation that equates to £18,644 in 2025. A single Astra costs £14k in the UK. I shall be ordering a pair.
 
I know people are unhappy over other issues regarding the performance of Devialet as a company, however, do not judge the Astra by that yardstick (also cut them some slack – have you ever tried to start-up a company and keep it going? I have and cash flow worries nearly killed me!). Neither should you judge the Astra by comparing advertised specs – these are very misleading in isolation, that is especially so for the D-Premier and Expert series as proven by published lab test reports.  If the Astra does not have all the functionality you want then consider buying something else – along with lots of other expensive boxes in support. By high-end standards a 14-year run for a product is a lifetime when most models get updated in a 3-4 year cycle. Finally, as with all audio gear, you can ONLY judge the Astra sound quality by listening to one, preferably in your own home. Anything else is just conjecture, hot air and wasted emotion. If then you don't like the Astra then stick with your Expert (it’s still fabulous) or move on to something different.

 Very detailed review !! your review provides more insight to Astra than my impression posted the post above, as you are comparing Astra in a home environment and briefly against same speakers as well, which I am not able to.

Some of your findings is very similar to mine, you could be right that the Astra sounds less "dry", thus giving the impression that it is warmer.

Just want to verify my impression that Astra seems to sound more musical than Expert Pro for some music, in that it seems to bring out more expressions from singer, and probably more micro-dynamics from music instruments, do you agree?