Goodbye to Devialet - after upgrade program

[GuillaumeB]

Guys can we all please calm down a little here? 

This is definitely not Devialet Chat culture. 

No one is getting banned but please let's stop the three letter swearacronyms...   

Guillaume

[Antoine]

And in what culture is it acceptable to use the profanity GFY (go f@*k yourself), that you're using here!

You mean 'go float yourself' but I guess you didn't watch the mediocre 'The 100' TV series. It could even mean 'go frak yourself' used often in both the old and new Battlestar Galactica TV series but I guess there it's still profanity.

Anyway of course you're right, profanity isn't really necessary here. Still feel the same but I've edited it out of my earlier posts.

[Antoine]

Guys can we all please calm down a little here? 

This is definitely not Devialet Chat culture. 

No one is getting banned but please let's stop the three letter swearacronyms...   

Guillaume

I agree; it's not Devialet Chat culture. I've edited those TL(S)A's out of my posts before reading your post which crossed my previous post but of course I shouldn't have used them in the first place.

[saxguy]

I find this thread interesting. I am moving to Devialet after owning more than a few traditional systems. It always follows the same path - figure out what speakers have the qualities I'm interested in, look for an appropriate amplifier, find a DAC and preamp, if my preamp and DAC are tube-based audition lots of different and sometimes expensive hard to find tubes, try different cables until I'm satisfied I have the best fit for my system (which, of course, never happens), figure out how to tame all the "sound destructive" vibrations, listen for a while - and then start the process over again looking for the next best thing. My equipment now isn't worth near what I paid for it and, being the typical OCD audiophile I have to invest a great deal of time and money into finding the next system.

Humans have very short memories.

Being an audiophile has two distinct sides - the music loving side and the side that is always searching for audio nirvana. I would much rather live in the space of the music loving audiophile. In many ways, that's why I was always envious of Devialet owners on the form. For the most part, everyone seems to be happy with the performance of their systems.

Subjectively, after riding the merry-go-round of looking for the next best thing it is somewhat comforting to know that once I'm happy with my core system there is a company there to be able to offer me exactly that without having to change my entire system around, saving me time and stress and allowing me to enjoy the music.

Objectively, I can understand why some are upset - but, again, humans have short memories. Looking at the upgrade path from a standpoint of obsolescence, it's a function of time over technology. Many audiophiles with "traditional" systems will eventually find themselves wanting, or needing, to upgrade. If you want to try to stay off the upgrade wagon, then I guess vinyl and tube-based gear may be a better choice (although there's a whole other set of psychoses that go along with that - I've been there). DACs, preamps, music servers - they all get better with technology. Those with separate components will have to buy whole new boxes filled with all new electronics. Those companies that offer upgrades will undoubtedly charge the customer something. Financially speaking, one has to look at what they are upgrading to determine relative costs. If I upgrade my Pandora Signature DAC from a signature to an eclipse it will cost thousands. As a percentage of my initial purchase - a fair amount, but if a new technology develops that can't be implemented in its current chassis, then I'm out of luck if I want it - I have to sell my DAC and get a new one. How much am I losing? Probably no less than 50%. If I want a new amplifier - easy 50% loss. New preamp - about the same. The question is whether the Devialet is actually costing me less to upgrade over time versus having to replace components in my system.

Then the question becomes: Am I happy with what I'm hearing?

If yes, and I'm satisfied as a crazy, nirvana seeking audiophile; then value of the upgrade becomes relative. I will get an improvement in sound (which I'm already happy with) and I will not have to spend the time researching my new alternatives (time has value). These, to me, are pretty important things.

If all of the above is true, then it comes down to "fairness." Is it fair that someone who has a much older version of the product has the ability to upgrade to the current version, just as I do - even though I bought mine more recently and paid more? Is it fair that someone that bought a pre-owned unit for a good price gets to have the same upgrade that another buyer who bought a newer unit for full price does? That's just perspective - and subjective. For every person that thinks it's unfair, there is someone who is grateful for the opportunity not to have to go through the steps of finding the next best thing.

I know many on this forum are European. I am in the US. As both a music lover and a musician I was fortunate enough to own a Bosendorfer 290 Imperial grand piano. At various times of the year I would invite people to my home, sometimes people I knew only from internet music forms, to listen to concert pianists perform in preparation for events at Carnegie hall. At one performance a European gentleman whom I had never met said something that resonated with me. He thanked me for having an event that was, at the core, simple. We talked and he went on to say that since visiting the US, everyone seemed to complicate everything - too much, too fast, too hectic; and that in Europe they lived fundamentally simpler lives. In my mind that's what Devialet represents in many ways. In that regard the upgrades, for me, have inherent value.

[jjmouse]

The problem is the upgrade cost for existing user is so high, which diminishing the value existing unit.(Resale value). If Devialet lower the upgrade cost, eg. 20-30% of new unit, then everyone happy.

Devialet should take a look on this issues. The current second hand market for expert series is totally crashed after upgrade program.

[ledesc]

Even if I'm happy with my D200, as many of you I feel disappointed by this program.
It was budget effort going for a D200 vs the D120 as initially planned.
So ok, I'm happy but feel frustrated to see the residual value being the same, and moreover the upgrade possibility being the same for D120/D200.
I think I'm not ready now to put more money in the Devialet business.

[NickB]

My wife is/was (just retired) a financial adviser and in all the time she worked at it she never once mentioned buying HiFi equipment as a money making idea. Not sure why anyone considers any HiFi gear as having any guaranteed investment potential. Fairly certain that the point of buying it is the pleasure it gives you listening to it or looking at it perhaps, if you are expecting anything else especially long term investment possibilities I think you may be in the wrong area.

[Cylob]

Even if I'm happy with my D200, as many of you I feel disappointed by this program.
It was budget effort going for a D200 vs the D120 as initially planned.
So ok, I'm happy but feel frustrated to see the residual value being the same, and moreover the upgrade possibility being the same for D120/D200.
I think I'm not ready now to put more money in the Devialet business.

My thoughts exactly! Upgrading would mean I would loose money.
I could have just bought a D120 back then and end up with the same machine.
So the D120>200 option saved me a lot of cash... I'm definitely not upgrading!

[AllenB]

I ust do not see where the VFM is here with the upgrade program (except if you are a 120 owner). What worries me though is that Devialet will just cease support on the superseded Expert range. We might get basic firmware upgrades for operational purposes, but that's about it AFAICT. So for me, buying my 200 with the promise of Spark compatibility to come (via Dialogue) I feel somewhat cheated by Devialet.

I have no inclination to give them anymore of my money, and I can sit, hopefully, happy with the fact that my 200 sounds just as good as it did yesterday. I have made other contingencies for not having Spark/Dialogue or a flaky up-to-recently AIR capability. But that cost me (a lot), and there seems no 'guilty recompense' from Devialet in their upgrade pricing. It would have gone a long way if they had shown some acknowledgement to the non-deliverance of features that were high profile in the marketing of the Expert range originally, and made these upgrades much more affordable.

The new streaming board, for example, should be free (or basic part cost) to everybody, existing Experts as well as Pro's without the implication that it will only fit the new Pro's. If that is the case, how do existing streaming boards fit the new Pro innards and be replaced next year. I read that as the connections will be the same, this year / next year regardless.

[AllenB]

My wife is/was (just retired) a financial adviser and in all the time she worked at it she never once mentioned buying HiFi equipment as a money making idea. Not sure why anyone considers any HiFi gear as having any guaranteed investment potential. Fairly certain that the point of buying it is the pleasure it gives you listening to it or looking at it perhaps, if you are expecting anything else especially long term investment possibilities I think you may be in the wrong area.

Ha! you have to be kidding here don't you? No-one has said that hi-fi is a money making investment, but one should be able to achieve 50% re-sale or trade-in on high-end hi-fi. Devialet have blown that out of the water with their 'upgrade program'. Interesting to see what dealers get out of all this, not much, if anything, would be my estimation. They certainly don't have any margins to work with on trade-ins.

As for financial advice, my sale of high end Naim did more for me than my PPP ('financially-advised') running for years has ever done. And at least, I got huge enjoyment out of my hi-fi in the meantime.

As per usual, your post is incredibly condescending.