Original d'Atelier

[ogs]

Hello chaps I am auditioning this tomorrow. Let me know your questions....

Guillaume

Will be very interesting to read your comments!
I think most questions are asked already, especially deviousalet's. One thing I've been wondering about is: why is there not a special (proprietary) connection between mono units rather than using SPDIF or AES? I would think that avoiding SPDIF circuits and instead tap into a more "central" place in the design would be better?

[Confused]

Hifi News are doing a review in next months issue too . Should be interesting

March issue?  Just got the February issue, and can't see the O'dA.  (Interesting review of the Aurender N10 though)

Yes it's in the March issue according to their page advertising the following months magazine

So we can look forward to a detailed review and lab tests about two weeks after all the O'dA's sell out and become unobtainable.  Oh well...   Should be an interesting read anyway.

[GuillaumeB]

Hello chaps I am auditioning this tomorrow. Let me know your questions....

Guillaume

Good luck with the demo Guillaume!  At the very least, I hope it is in some way conclusive.

I think the others have asked just about every question that could be asked, but I would add a question regarding the specification / model numbers of the supplied mains and S/PDIF cables.

The big question has to be the obvious one though.  Does it sound discernibly better than a D800 and if so, by what kind of margin?  (hard to define, I know)  Is this a home demo or are you off to the dealers?  I think if it was me, I would want to do a straight back to back comparison with a D800.  Is this what you are planning?  I guess all will be revealed later.

I hope this goes to plan, enjoy!

Cheers Confused. Re cables I will let you know. I think the SPDIF is AQ Carbon, the 3.5 Jack cable is an AQ Sydney and the mains are AQ NRG ones although not sure of the X spec. Will confirm this anyway.

This is a home demo so it should be pretty straightforward. 

Guillaume

[deviousalet]

I think the others have asked just about every question that could be asked...

So we can look forward to a detailed review and lab tests about two weeks after all the O'dA's sell out and become unobtainable.  Oh well...   Should be an interesting read anyway.

I hope I didn't annoy anyone by asking so many questions.
Although I can't buy an Original d'Atelier I'm curious what improvements Devialet can make and how those improvements might trickle down to something I can afford.

[GuillaumeB]

I think the others have asked just about every question that could be asked...

So we can look forward to a detailed review and lab tests about two weeks after all the O'dA's sell out and become unobtainable.  Oh well...   Should be an interesting read anyway.

I hope I didn't annoy anyone by asking so many questions.
Although I can't buy an Original d'Atelier I'm curious what improvements Devialet can make and how those improvements might trickle down to something I can afford.

No problems deviousalet that's what this forum is all about!   Will do my best to get some answers to your questions.

Guillaume

[Cylob]

Most of all: enjoy it and have fun!

[oxfordaudio]

March issue?  Just got the February issue, and can't see the O'dA.  (Interesting review of the Aurender N10 though)

Yes it's in the March issue according to their page advertising the following months magazine

So we can look forward to a detailed review and lab tests about two weeks after all the O'dA's sell out and become unobtainable.  Oh well...   Should be an interesting read anyway.

@Confused, not sure it'll be all that interesting a read if it's anything like the Aurender N10 review! This £7,000 server/player yields very low output jitter therefore we will conduct the review with £90 - £400 DACs.  I fear that could translate to: "This new Devialet shows incredible measured performance, therefore we will be conducting our listening tests with a beaten up pair of ten-year-old Wharfedale Diamonds"

Alasdair

[Confused]

Hi Alasdair - Indeed, I read the review last night and I too was very surprised by their choice of partnering equipment. I think there was some kind of logic that more expensive DACs will clean up the feed signal anyway, so benefit less from the purity of feed from something like the Aurender. But after all is said an done, not many folk will buy a £7k streamer to go with primarily with a Mojo. So all a bit pointless. The bottom line is I'm none the wiser as to what it will sound like after reading the review. It's a good job we have fine dealers like Oxford Audio in the UK, it would be chaos otherwise. (We are all looking forward to OAC's massive streamer day later this year) Anyway, this is all way off topic, so no more Aurender stuff here or we will both get into trouble. I'll add some words re the HFN review in the Aurender thread when I get a chance.

[Confused]

I hope I didn't annoy anyone by asking so many questions.
Although I can't buy an Original d'Atelier I'm curious what improvements Devialet can make and how those improvements might trickle down to something I can afford.

You certainly didn't annoy me!  A thorough list of questions, a few of which I would also like detailed answers to.   I think there might be a limit to what information Guillaume can establish during his audition though!

[GuillaumeB]

Hi guys

First of all a big thanks for Jon of OAC for trudging all the way down here with that massive wooden crate! Boy it's heavy, definitely a two man job decanting from car to house. (Ian - how on earth did you manage this on your own??)

Allen keys aplenty we proceeded to remove the wooden cover to find a beautifully presented Master and Companion in glorious copper gold. A very subtle colour I should add, definitely not bling. In some lights it was more of a shade of copper gold. Full marks for first impressions!

We got it connected up very quickly using my existing cables - sorry chaps but no reviews of the AQ cables here. The object was to try and create a level playing field in terms of the 800 v O d'A and make as few changes as possible.

Immediately you are aware of the crystal clear Devialet sound and presentation, nothing much has changed here. But upon playing more challenging pieces at high volumes I found myself being drawn into the music and almost forgetting about this review. At one point we realised that the Devialets had defaulted to 0% SAM. On turning this up to 100% some of the magic started to happen. Massive scale, incredibly realistic drums in terms of sound pressure and pure guttural effect... almost Phantom-like in their delivery but of course with much greater tonal density and refinement... the greater the dynamic swings in the music, and the more complex the pieces the more we could appreciate the improvement wrought by the O d'A. It just kept its cool - quite literally: after 2 hours of vigorous exercise the units barely registered high 20s. 

I'm not sure I could hear more detail but rather greater coherence and of course musicality. The soundstage seemed greater, deeper perhaps. The instruments were a bit more spread out in the room and had a bit more air to breathe in. In that sense it was more realistic, just like a live performance. Some of the brass sounds were mad, I don't remember experiencing that kind of piercing directness with the 800. 

I would say that the O d'A is a better, more accomplished 800. The same car with a bigger engine rather than a new dashboard and new steering wheel. A better engine sound and greater torque. More enjoyment. 

I had a few hairs at the back of my neck moments. 

Without wishing to gloat I have placed my order.   This ones too good to pass up. I can't wait to revisit my entire music collection.

Guillaume