First impressions

[EvPa]

I don't want to hijack the thread, but I thought the Oppo could only output 16/48 via SPDIF / Optical outputs?

Since I am also contemplating dropping my surround setup, it would be great if you could confirm the 192.

Thanks. 

I do not own one but according to Oppo's website (http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-1...tures.aspx and http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-1...tures.aspx), the BD-103 and BD-105 output 192kHz PCM through their optical outs.

Still waiting for Colette to restock the Dialog before ordering a pair of Silvers... (as Devialet themselves still do not want to ship them to me)

[stonedragon]

I think one of the most impressive elements of the Phantom is the way it handles music at low volumes. True the headline grabbing feature of 16Hz at 105db is impressive (although I've not verified that for myself), but I think the detail at low volume is more impressive. Why do I say that? Well who really listens to music at max level? For most people living in flats or houses in the city, unless you are having an almighty party, those sort of listening levels is not going to happen. So that brings me onto low level listening.

It is so satisfying to listen at low levels, but yet still get all the imaging and detail. It is very relaxing and the proper way to enjoy music. I can sit in my study and have the system playing at 15 and yet hear everything so clearly and with a decent bass presence. It is both exhilarating and liberating. It makes such a change not having to crank everything up. In short....fatigue free listening pleasure.

Well done Devialet, but please sort out SPARK. I had to turn my Phantoms off twice before everything behaved as it should. Spark is the only let down, apart from that I'm happy

[streamy]

I think one of the most impressive elements of the Phantom is the way it handles music at low volumes. True the headline  grabbing feature of 16Hz at 105db is impressive (although I've not verified that for myself), but I think the detail at low volume is more impressive. Why do I say that? Well who really listens to music at max level? For most people living in flats or houses in the city, unless you are having an almighty party, those sort of listening levels is not going to happen. So that brings me onto low level listening.

It is so satisfying to listen at low levels, but yet still get all the imaging and detail. It is very relaxing and the proper way to enjoy music. I can sit in my study and have the system playing at 15 and yet hear everything so clearly and with a decent bass presence. It is both exhilarating and liberating. It makes such a change not having to crank everything up. In short....fatigue free listening pleasure.

Well done Devialet, but please sort out SPARK. I had to turn my Phantoms off twice before everything behaved as it should. Spark is the only let down, apart from that I'm happy    

I totally agree to this! Even if I live rural with the closest neighbour 100 m away I enjoy the Phantoms at low volume. Not that they would sound worse at high volume, but my ears get nummed at high volume and therefore nuances become less structured. So for most music I also prefer low volume at 8-15 out of 100. Howeve, dynamic recordings like big classic orchestras, e.g. Carmina Burana sounds better at 45 to 55. When I  listen to the phantoms I question myself if the loudness curves of the human ear have been determined with normal dynamic speakers and would look more linear when made with Phantoms.

[streamy]

@Streamy: these phantom speakers would be as good as, even better than a pair of speakers at 15 K€?
It is quite surprising. A bit crazy.

Can you describe your impressions on the comparaison between both of them (phantom vs B&W 802 D)?
It could be really interesting to put words on what you feel are the main differences.

Thanks. ?

Fred

Hi Fred,
First, I do not own the newest B&W 802 Diamond but the first, original 802 made in 1980! They are still  fully intact, but are from a technological point of view oldtimers. Now to a brief description how I experience the difference, by the way confirmed by a good friend. The soundstage is way broader and sharper on the Phantoms. The 802s have stronger, louder mid tone 300-1.500 Hz, so they sound warmer. This has an advantage when listening to voices and violin. Piano is great on the 802s. But, the attack is better on the Phantoms. And as the most important in switching A-B at same perceived volume the 802s are like packed into a small box compared to the Phantoms that open up. On both ends it sounds as you would gain an octave. This was really a strange experience. My B&W 802 sounded like a pocket radio compared to the Phantoms. Trebble is known on B&W to be smooth, silky and fine. Here the Phantoms are more pronounced, but never harsh. For me the hights sound very linear, present but not overly expressed. So as it should be. Good or worse recordings are unveiled immediately by the Phantoms. I hope sound engineers will use them for making new productions. Like this they could keep in modern genres more dynamics, knowing that new generation speakers can reproduce the sound. 

[fgueho]

Okay, it seems really good. Thanks.

My biggest fear is the heating of the DIALOG. No news from Devialet on that?

[streamy]

Okay, it seems really good. Thnaks.

My biggest fear is the heating of the DIALOG. No news from Devialet on that?

I think heating is similar as any other Wifi router and PLC. I guess the Ings at Devialet made the design same as others for wireless. 45-50 Deg is fine for components and feels burning hot to our hands. I guess my Dialog heats up to about 40 Degs on the metal cooler. So in Summer at room temp of 25-30 DegC the components will still be at normal operating range.

[f1eng]

Okay, it seems really good. Thnaks.

My biggest fear is the heating of the DIALOG. No news from Devialet on that?

I think heating is similar as any other Wifi router and PLC. I guess the Ings at Devialet made the design same as others for wireless. 45-50 Deg is fine for components and feels burning hot to our hands. I guess my Dialog heats up to about 40 Degs on the metal cooler. So in Summer at room temp of 25-30 DegC the components will still be at normal operating range.

I don't agree.
I have had a lot of electronics over the last 50 years. The only other ones which smelled of charring phenolic failed. If it just felt hot, I wouldn't be concerned, it is the burning smell which is alarming.

BTW anybody thinking a Dialog may solve Air problems let me say that at the moment Air is 1000x better than Spark.

[streamy]

Okay, it seems really good. Thnaks.

My biggest fear is the heating of the DIALOG. No news from Devialet on that?

I think heating is similar as any other Wifi router and PLC. I guess the Ings at Devialet made the design same as others for wireless. 45-50 Deg is fine for components and feels burning hot to our hands. I guess my Dialog heats up to about 40 Degs on the metal cooler. So in Summer at room temp of 25-30 DegC the components will still be at normal operating range.

I don't agree.
I have had a lot of electronics over the last 50 years. The only other ones which smelled of charring phenolic failed. If it just felt hot, I wouldn't be concerned, it is the burning smell which is alarming.

BTW anybody thinking a Dialog may solve Air problems let me say that at the moment Air is 1000x better than Spark.

The smell comes from the ugly whatever polymer that is around the Dialog. It's a material I would use as shock absorber for something that risks to fall on earth, like phone protectors. Now, after around 3 weeks of constantly running I can only smell it when I go with my nose close to the Dialog. It's a different smell when you, as we used to say in lab experiments unpack the smoke from electronic components, although similar. Of course time will tell.

[f1eng]

Okay, it seems really good. Thnaks.

My biggest fear is the heating of the DIALOG. No news from Devialet on that?

I think heating is similar as any other Wifi router and PLC. I guess the Ings at Devialet made the design same as others for wireless. 45-50 Deg is fine for components and feels burning hot to our hands. I guess my Dialog heats up to about 40 Degs on the metal cooler. So in Summer at room temp of 25-30 DegC the components will still be at normal operating range.

I don't agree.
I have had a lot of electronics over the last 50 years. The only other ones which smelled of charring phenolic failed. If it just felt hot, I wouldn't be concerned, it is the burning smell which is alarming.

BTW anybody thinking a Dialog may solve Air problems let me say that at the moment Air is 1000x better than Spark.

The smell comes from the ugly whatever polymer that is around the Dialog. It's a material I would use as shock absorber for something that risks to fall on earth, like phone protectors. Now, after around 3 weeks of constantly running I can only smell it when I go with my nose close to the Dialog. It's a different smell when you, as we used to say in lab experiments unpack the smoke from electronic components, although similar. Of course time will tell.

Yours is clearly different to mine. Mine doesn't smell of hot rubber, synthetic or natural. It smells of hot phenolic, which is what pcbs are normally made from.

Anyway we will indeed see in time. I wonder if there will be a firmware update to go with the Spark update, and if so will it have a new issue number or just a new date?

[fgueho]

Well, it's never good to have these sorts of component too hot.
How long is the warranty? Two years?