Core Infinity listening impressions and comparisons

[Confused]

did all of you send a pro to Devialet only for the CI update ? Or did you do the full pro update with CI board now ?
This info would be important.
So can we say that for SQ the following is true ?
250 < 250 pro < 250 pro with CI board

And this is valid for all inputs as the CI board has a superior clock that is also used for all other components now ?

The 'Expert to Pro' upgrade scheme ended some time ago, although Devialet have advised to some that it will be recommenced once the Core Infinity upgrades are complete.  So everyone posting here will be doing a comparison of Pro with the old 'Duet' board versus Pro with CI board.  The only exception will be Od'A owners, who will have both the CI board added together with the 1000Pro upgrade.

As far as I can work out, there is absolutely no reason why the CI board should have any influence whatsoever on the RCA or AES/EBU inputs.  However, the Ethernet and USB inputs are new.  Regarding the new USB input, it should be noted that @ozthepoz observations were made with a Melco via USB, so are more comments on the new USB input rather than the 'streamer' board itself.  Curiously, @Damon who tried the CI board via AIR noted similar improvements to @ozthepoz, so maybe the new clock in the CI board is doing similar things to AIR as it is with USB?  The situation should become clearer as more of us get to try the CI board.

[Damon]

....  Curiously, @Damon who tried the CI board via AIR noted similar improvements to @ozthepoz, so maybe the new clock in the CI board is doing similar things to AIR as it is with USB?  The situation should become clearer as more of us get to try the CI board.

Hold it right there, young man; don't be relying on me for anything clear, lucid or reliable... or even repeatable. As long as my home recordings of the cat trapped in the washing machine sound as good as they did before, I'm a happy cat-napper.... er, camper. . Actually, I will be interested to follow others reports and impressions, even though I really haven't listened at all attentively. Usually, I'm listing as I work at home in the evenings (what amazing fun) and sometimes I look up, at the hifi, and think, 'hmm, that sounds different, and better'. 'Better' being some midrange presence and a bit of the clarity that OzTP related. And the bass seems to have some improved definition of tones; small nuances seem apparent that I had not previously been aware of. 

Even if there is, or should be, no sonic difference, I still have the feeling and reaction that there is a difference. It is something I've noticed each time I play some music. Since I can easily work with the current software, I must say that I am happy with the upgrade. Very happy. The software will get sorted and then I'll re-learn it.

BTW, just to illustrate how limited my value here can be, I don't even know what the AES/EBU inputs are.... sorry. I just plug into digital 1 and leave it at that. Though AIR would be going from iMac wirelessly to the router > wired to Dev. with ethernet? Or does it go directly/wirelessly from iMac to Devialet? 

Turntable is just for show value at the moment, but I'll try that this weekend, as others have asked about how the phono stages behave.

[ogs]

no reason why the CI board should have any influence whatsoever on the RCA or AES/EBU inputs

Apart from re-routing of the CI clock to the motherboard. If there is better clocking on the CI, the whole amp should benefit, even RCA and AES/EBU. IF there is a reclocker on the CI and only USB and ethernet is routed trough, RCA and AES/EBU would not get all the improvements.

[Damon]

Morning all,

Without any of the glib silliness of my previous post, I wanted to post to say that I do, absolutely, believe that there is a sonic difference to my D220 Pro following the installation of the CI board and the current software. I'll try to be clear and direct in this post.

I started listening this morning to one of my favourite albums, Bande A Part, by Nouvelle Vague. A 'go to' track from that album is Dance with Me. I have no doubt that the are acoustic percussion tones, or nuances (etc) that are now apparent that I have not heard before. Both tonally and spatially (in that they had their own 'space'), these miked acoustic instruments are definitely presented differently than they were before. Other parts of the music were also better but I was  first distracted by the acoustic percussion.

As I was distracted by the differences I was hearing, I then played recordings of a previous band I was in. These are studio recordings but live off the floor, with some mixing and light mastering. The point being that I am very familar with the sound of these songs. I heard bass parts- my own bass parts- differently than I have before, including being aware of very small changes in the bass dynamics. And what I am saying is that I heard much more inconsistency in my own playing; the physical inconsistency in my own technique. The bass I used has a funny kind of harmonic resonance that changes as the string is left vibrating on long notes; that too is now apparent and I know, absolutely, that it was not reproduced so clearly before.

For the members here who do not obsess about their own playing, I will say also that the vocal presentation is absolutely  different and improved. More forward, as in more independent space, and more of the nuance. Essentially, all these elements come through more with more ease... that is how I would describe it. These are vocal parts that I have heard hundreds of times; if there is any recorded sound that I feel I know to my core, this is it. 

With the Pro upgrade, I felt I had reached my 'this is enough' point, and I was not expecting or desiring any sound quality change with the CI installation. I still feel that way and I have little interest in other additions to the system. That said, I would not go back to the pre-CI amplification. I don't know if it is a hardware or a software influence, but I do solidly believe that there is a difference, and that for me, in my system, it is gently remarkable.

[Confused]

Morning all,

Without any of the glib silliness of my previous post, I wanted to post to say that I do, absolutely, believe that there is a sonic difference to my D220 Pro following the installation of the CI board and the current software. I'll try to be clear and direct in this post.

I started listening this morning to one of my favourite albums, Bande A Part, by Nouvelle Vague. A 'go to' track from that album is Dance with Me. I have no doubt that the are acoustic percussion tones, or nuances (etc) that are now apparent that I have not heard before. Both tonally and spatially (in that they had their own 'space'), these miked acoustic instruments are definitely presented differently than they were before. Other parts of the music were also better but I was  first distracted by the acoustic percussion.

As I was distracted by the differences I was hearing, I then played recordings of a previous band I was in. These are studio recordings but live off the floor, with some mixing and light mastering. The point being that I am very familar with the sound of these songs. I heard bass parts- my own bass parts- differently than I have before, including being aware of very small changes in the bass dynamics. And what I am saying is that I heard much more inconsistency in my own playing; the physical inconsistency in my own technique. The bass I used has a funny kind of harmonic resonance that changes as the string is left vibrating on long notes; that too is now apparent and I know, absolutely, that it was not reproduced so clearly before.

For the members here who do not obsess about their own playing, I will say also that the vocal presentation is absolutely  different and improved. More forward, as in more independent space, and more of the nuance. Essentially, all these elements come through more with more ease... that is how I would describe it. These are vocal parts that I have heard hundreds of times; if there is any recorded sound that I feel I know to my core, this is it. 

With the Pro upgrade, I felt I had reached my 'this is enough' point, and I was not expecting or desiring any sound quality change with the CI installation. I still feel that way and I have little interest in other additions to the system. That said, I would not go back to the pre-CI amplification. I don't know if it is a hardware or a software influence, but I do solidly believe that there is a difference, and that for me, in my system, it is gently remarkable.

@Damon  Thank you for your clear, lucid & reliable comments.  Good stuff!  One point to clarify, am I right in assuming that you were listening via 'new' AIR?

[Wdw]

Morning all,

Without any of the glib silliness of my previous post, I wanted to post to say that I do, absolutely, believe that there is a sonic difference to my D220 Pro following the installation of the CI board and the current software. I'll try to be clear and direct in this post.

I started listening this morning to one of my favourite albums, Bande A Part, by Nouvelle Vague. A 'go to' track from that album is Dance with Me. I have no doubt that the are acoustic percussion tones, or nuances (etc) that are now apparent that I have not heard before. Both tonally and spatially (in that they had their own 'space'), these miked acoustic instruments are definitely presented differently than they were before. Other parts of the music were also better but I was  first distracted by the acoustic percussion.

As I was distracted by the differences I was hearing, I then played recordings of a previous band I was in. These are studio recordings but live off the floor, with some mixing and light mastering. The point being that I am very familar with the sound of these songs. I heard bass parts- my own bass parts- differently than I have before, including being aware of very small changes in the bass dynamics. And what I am saying is that I heard much more inconsistency in my own playing; the physical inconsistency in my own technique. The bass I used has a funny kind of harmonic resonance that changes as the string is left vibrating on long notes; that too is now apparent and I know, absolutely, that it was not reproduced so clearly before.

For the members here who do not obsess about their own playing, I will say also that the vocal presentation is absolutely  different and improved. More forward, as in more independent space, and more of the nuance. Essentially, all these elements come through more with more ease... that is how I would describe it. These are vocal parts that I have heard hundreds of times; if there is any recorded sound that I feel I know to my core, this is it. 

With the Pro upgrade, I felt I had reached my 'this is enough' point, and I was not expecting or desiring any sound quality change with the CI installation. I still feel that way and I have little interest in other additions to the system. That said, I would not go back to the pre-CI amplification. I don't know if it is a hardware or a software influence, but I do solidly believe that there is a difference, and that for me, in my system, it is gently remarkable.

@Damon  Thank you for your clear, lucid & reliable comments.  Good stuff!  One point to clarify, am I right in assuming that you were listening via 'new' AIR?

I easily second @Damon's comments and observations.  
Had a good chance to listen last night after a couple of days of casual "background" listening and to our ears this is a sizeable upgrade in dynamic contrast, soundstage and low level articulation.  
Our speakers are accurate (delightful) but considered by some to be reticent and lacking in bass energy, and it is often suggested that a subwoofer would complete the mix, but with the Core board they simply just barked with bass energy and definition.  
Very familiar pieces had, as Damon points out above, harmonic resonances not heard before and passages from loud to soft were simply breathtaking.  Listened to the "suite", from Abbey Road starting from "You Never Give Me Your Money" and it was just remarkable.  Ringo's short solo work later in the mix, "Carry That Weight" was just so dam punchy and rhythmic, Paul's bass work far more apparent.  Melody Gardot was spellbinding as was "When I Fall in Love" from Keith Jarrett's, At the Blue Note. 
There is more going on here than I had ever expected.  
Well done Devialet. 
(note: listening via AES from the dCS bridge)

[Damon]

@Damon  Thank you for your clear, lucid & reliable comments.  Good stuff!  One point to clarify, am I right in assuming that you were listening via 'new' AIR?

Confused,
You are very kind.

I have used the 'New AIR' as well as the old Sonos: CONNECT > coax digital inputs. At least, I think I am using the AIR. I select 'Devialet AIR in the sound output preferences window, and AIR as the input on the Dev, and I use Apple's Remote App or just iTunes to play material. I am still a bit clumsy at going back and forth between AIR and the other inputs; the software is also a bit odd. The Dev App on my iPhone doesn't always show the volume, or work at changing it, and the Dev. AIR application on the computer doesn't always show the change in volume. But as I say, I am not yet skilled at changing the various settings that need changing.

Wdw,
I am very pleased to read your comments, not just because they support my own impressions, but because I believe that we are seeing a growing group of owners reporting solid improvements in the sound. Especially in ways and for characteristics that I tend to think are often hard to achieve after the system reaches a certain level. Cables? Power cords? New amps or preamps? .... getting the 'dynamic contrast, soundstage and low level articulation' can be elusive and expensive objectives. I bet the change with the Magicos is revelatory. And you have given better descriptions of the changes than I was able to type.

I am looking forward to reading reviews and comments from others as the amps drift back to their owners, because this is really, really good.

[Mr_Bill]

Wdw,
Thanks for your comments.
If you are listening via AES input - how would the installation of the CI board affect that? Is it the software change?

[patcam]

Hello

I have no problem with firmware and DOS but I can't use my previous configuration with Air/wifi, I have create a new one with standard parameters without success. Therefore I use the Air/ethernet, it is promising. Does anybody succed with wifi ?

[ozthepoz]

Hello

I have no problem with firmware and DOS but I can't use my previous configuration with Air/wifi, I have create a new one with standard parameters without success. Therefore I use the Air/ethernet, it is promising. Does anybody succed with wifi ?

Hi - Mine was working when I first tried it - very nicely in fact - but it's not working now.

I've re-installed the Air app, and a new profile, but that hasn't fixed it. Very odd.