At Long Last I Have Experienced Phantom!

[MountainGuy]

Paul, nice photos. I've not seen the rear before so clearly.

Question - did you test it while playing softly. I mean softly as in background - around 50db. One thing that impresses me about a system is if one can play it softly and still hear all the detail and engagement - relative to is low volume of course. When I test systems, I tend to test it by starting out softly and then increasing in volume and then back softly again to see what is lost by going soft. Systems that retains a higher percentage of its impact while playing softly tend to impress me.

Thanks.

[Paul @ HiFi Lounge]

If I am honest we didn't really listen at really low volumes, obviously we cranked them right up and it was very impressive but that is easy to impress when shaking the room, most of the time we had them at normal levels and was able to talk amongst ourselves and even then you get a clean vocal with great overall weight to the sound.

I really don't think anyone could be disappointed with Phantom, I know they are not cheap for a wireless speaker but Phantom really is no ordinary wireless speaker that is for sure, what was interesting was that Devialet are working on a firmware update to allow them to decode DTS & DD, I can only imagine how good a 5.0 Phantom system will be for movies :-)

We went to London yesterday for Devialet Training, really interesting, most of the day was spent listening to Phantom and showing how to set it all up, very intuitive with Dialog, look forward to try setting one up as a Bluetooth speaker without Dialog to see how that pans out, needless to say I took some more pictures, funnily enough I actually preferred the look of the standard Phantom with the white bass drivers and chrome trim, really looked stunning.

I really can't help thinking that Devialet have done an Apple here and come up with a product that no one really needs but everyone will want once they see it in action and hear it, much like the iPad.

Here are a few more pics from yesterday -













Sam Lab in progress -



Cheers,
Paul.

[Paul @ HiFi Lounge]

Oh, one more thing I'd like to mention, I have arranged an open day with Devialet at HiFi Lounge for Saturday July 25th, I guess we will be focusing mainly on Phantom, but representatives from Devialet will be here to answer any questions so should it will be fun, I'll put something up in the events page later but will be cool to have a good turnout if anyone fancies coming along 
Cheers.

[krass]

I really can't help thinking that Devialet have done an Apple here and come up with a product that no one really needs but everyone will want once they see it in action and hear it, much like the iPad.

I had my first listen at Harrods a couple of weeks ago; for the price I think they are very good but I'd like to see what early adopters think when they've used them a few months, especially whether the mid- quality is there or whether they become a bit fatiguing after a while. 

as for Apple product comparison, I would like to see more than white. I think many people will not be able to accommodate them unless they have very modern decor; other colour/finish options would greatly expand their market......

Very interesting product though......
mike

[f1eng]

I really can't help thinking that Devialet have done an Apple here and come up with a product that no one really needs but everyone will want once they see it in action and hear it, much like the iPad.

I had my first listen at Harrods a couple of weeks ago; for the price I think they are very good but I'd like to see what early adopters think when they've used them a few months, especially whether the mid- quality is there or whether they become a bit fatiguing after a while. 

as for Apple product comparison, I would like to see more than white. I think many people will not be able to accommodate them unless they have very modern decor; other colour/finish options would greatly expand their market......

Very interesting product though......
mike

I have had mine about 3 months now.

I find the sound very clear without being harsh.

I am not completely satisfied overall, but not due to sound quality.

They are very much targeted at computer or off-internet streaming music, and as a mainly classical music listener I have found tagging files inconvenient and frustrating on all the software I have tried and as is usually the case sound is inadequately gapless so many classical recordings are hopeless to listen to other than CD. CDs are OK via an optical input, as long as one has a good quality optical output, of course and I have no way of comparing with wired connections since there are none..

[earsnova]

I really can't help thinking that Devialet have done an Apple here and come up with a product that no one really needs but everyone will want once they see it in action and hear it, much like the iPad.

I had my first listen at Harrods a couple of weeks ago; for the price I think they are very good but I'd like to see what early adopters think when they've used them a few months, especially whether the mid- quality is there or whether they become a bit fatiguing after a while. 

as for Apple product comparison, I would like to see more than white. I think many people will not be able to accommodate them unless they have very modern decor; other colour/finish options would greatly expand their market......

Very interesting product though......
mike

I have had mine about 3 months now.

I find the sound very clear without being harsh.

I am not completely satisfied overall, but not due to sound quality.

They are very much targeted at computer or off-internet streaming music, and as a mainly classical music listener I have found tagging files inconvenient and frustrating on all the software I have tried and as is usually the case sound is inadequately gapless so many classical recordings are hopeless to listen to other than CD. CDs are OK via an optical input, as long as one has a good quality optical output, of course and I have no way of comparing with wired connections since there are none..

3 months that seem a long time, I have heard it several times now and no music comes out. I can see that Paul spends time uploading pictures and has evidently no time to listen carefully. In audio impressive generally does not mean long lasting pleasure, I know now of 5 individuals that have resold or gifted their phantom. The point here is that a music system is merely designed to play music, anything else is marketing. Paul keep on posting the pictures have you got some coloured ones to show us?

[michirishi]

... I think they are very good but I'd like to see what early adopters think when they've used them a few months, especially whether the mid- quality is there or whether they become a bit fatiguing after a while. 
...
mike

I have had mine (2 white Phantoms) for about two months now and I can tell you this.
At first, I really loved them. Sound is impressive. Off course I also tried playing them really loud (65-75), but also when playing at modest (35-45) or low soundlevels (15-25). I really appreciate them late in the evening. If you turn volume down considerably your ears will easily adapt. And at 20-30, you will hear same detail as on normal (40-50) volume.

After a while they will break in. Maybe it's not very notable to every listener. But I have the impression that SQ improved a bit. Even more detail, softer highs.
Over time, some updates came available. Spark is much more stable than in the beginning. So I even love them more.

Only thing I may not like:
I don't like the dropoff between volume/sound level 8 and 10. 7 just is too soft while 10 is definitely too loud when you are dreamlistening on a couch or practicing yoga in the early morning. I really hope Devialet will improve this.
And off course there are some recordings which are not as good as one would like. On a cheap system you will not really notice. (Sonos just sounds nice, regardless of what you're playing). But on Phantom, minor issues on recordings become annoying. (as it speaks voor itself, I am not blaming Phantom for that)

I think they are a reasonably affordable high-end system. I can really recommend them!


What I am curious about is if there are folks who play their Phantoms really, really, 'insanely loud' (like >80) during more than like 10 seconds (not to speak of a whole album ). And I would really like to know the difference with the Silver Phantoms since they even go louder than ('insanely loud')

[f1eng]

I really can't help thinking that Devialet have done an Apple here and come up with a product that no one really needs but everyone will want once they see it in action and hear it, much like the iPad.

I had my first listen at Harrods a couple of weeks ago; for the price I think they are very good but I'd like to see what early adopters think when they've used them a few months, especially whether the mid- quality is there or whether they become a bit fatiguing after a while. 

as for Apple product comparison, I would like to see more than white. I think many people will not be able to accommodate them unless they have very modern decor; other colour/finish options would greatly expand their market......

Very interesting product though......
mike

I have had mine about 3 months now.

I find the sound very clear without being harsh.

I am not completely satisfied overall, but not due to sound quality.

They are very much targeted at computer or off-internet streaming music, and as a mainly classical music listener I have found tagging files inconvenient and frustrating on all the software I have tried and as is usually the case sound is inadequately gapless so many classical recordings are hopeless to listen to other than CD. CDs are OK via an optical input, as long as one has a good quality optical output, of course and I have no way of comparing with wired connections since there are none..

3 months that seem a long time, I have heard it several times now and no music comes out. I can see that Paul spends time uploading pictures and has evidently no time to listen carefully. In audio impressive generally does not mean long lasting pleasure, I know now of 5 individuals that have resold or gifted their phantom. The point here is that a music system is merely designed to play music, anything else is marketing. Paul keep on posting the pictures have you got some coloured ones to show us?

Well I am a music lover rather than hifi equipment enthusiast.
I enjoy good music on any systems from little portable radios to systems the price of houses. Music comes out of all of them.

I do like to have a good quality hifi system and I have the space and money to indulge it, but the system has little impact on my musical enjoyment. That depends on the music alone.


I would say the Phantoms are really good quality for the money. They are not rife with euphonic colouration so I know a few enthusiasts who would not choose to buy them, but anybody looking for a wide bandwidth low colouration system which doesn't take up much space (though the full bandwidth does mean speaker placement is critical as always) should give them a try IME.

[Hifi_swlon]

3 months that seem a long time, I have heard it several times now and no music comes out. I can see that Paul spends time uploading pictures and has evidently no time to listen carefully. In audio impressive generally does not mean long lasting pleasure, I know now of 5 individuals that have resold or gifted their phantom. The point here is that a music system is merely designed to play music, anything else is marketing. Paul keep on posting the pictures have you got some coloured ones to show us?

Nice unfriendly and impolite post…. to follow the previous unfriendly and impolite post.... 2/2, not bad.

Welcome to the forum - glad you're enjoying it and making helpful contributions!

[EvPa]

What I am curious about is if there are folks who play their Phantoms really, really, 'insanely loud' (like >80) during more than like 10 seconds (not to speak of a whole album ).

I went beyond 75 only once, when I listened to Bohemian Rhapsody at 100...