Switching from High End Expert 1000 + High End Speakers to Stereo Phantom

[weberan]

Hi fans of great music reproduction.

I am proud owner of a pair of Gauder Berlina 7 Black Edition speakers paired with Devialet Expert 1000 Pro. It is the best sound system I have ever heard.

Due to changes at home (kids), I now have almost no time to listen to music with focus —it is mostly just used for background music.
For that purpose, the setup is far from ideal: from a soundstage perspective, the Gauders are extremely focused and beam-formed, and from a volume perspective, both the speakers and amplifier need a certain minimum power to perform well.

So, I am considering selling the system and getting a pair of Phantom I (108db) speakers instead (for background music, dancing with the kids, a bit of TV, etc.).
It hurts, but I think it makes sense.

Has anyone here moved from a similar high-end setup to the Phantoms? What was your experience, and did you have regrets?

Kind regards, Andreas

[massi.rav]

Hello Andreas.
Here my 2 cents.

You might receive different feedback from different users’ experience. If you write onto this forum I guess you’re also looking to get some trust for your “jump”.

I made a similar change 5 years ago. Meaning that I sold my full hi-fi system to get a pair of Devialet Phantom I. I was moving from one flat to my actual house and I didn’t want to move also the whole of my system. I was looking for something different too: quicker and simple. Less hardware and no cables around.

I also had no more time to listen to music with focus - mostly background music. So my big system was over-engineered for my daily uses.

My hi-if system consisted in a pair of MBL 111E speakers (radial) amplified with a couple of Bryston amplifiers (1000W each) + preamplifier and a lot of other expensive and heavy beautiful stuff. I did love the sound produced.

Did Phantom I replicate the same audio? Not exactly but they’re really good for my taste. Am I enjoying a high quality level of music with the Phantom? Yes. In a more simple way? Yes.

It is a very personal choice, so I suggest to try and listen before you move. But if you mostly listen background, it might be the change you’re looking for.

Devialet software experience sometimes might let you down if you read here and there. I personally did not have problems as I kept the pair as simple as I bought them.

I also suggest to use the Phantoms with a stable WiFi network.

Take care
Max

[eniriop]

Hi fans of great music reproduction.

I am proud owner of a pair of Gauder Berlina 7 Black Edition speakers paired with Devialet Expert 1000 Pro. It is the best sound system I have ever heard.

Due to changes at home (kids), I now have almost no time to listen to music with focus —it is mostly just used for background music.
For that purpose, the setup is far from ideal: from a soundstage perspective, the Gauders are extremely focused and beam-formed, and from a volume perspective, both the speakers and amplifier need a certain minimum power to perform well.

So, I am considering selling the system and getting a pair of Phantom I (108db) speakers instead (for background music, dancing with the kids, a bit of TV, etc.).
It hurts, but I think it makes sense.

Has anyone here moved from a similar high-end setup to the Phantoms? What was your experience, and did you have regrets?

Kind regards, Andreas

I did the same back in 2015, I was a big fan of hifi with tube amplifiers and horn speakers. Spent a lot on expensive cables and so on. The Phantoms gold have the big sound weight of hi-end tube amplifiers, without any distorsion, fatigue or coloration. And they don't need cables or amplifiers. And it is so much simpler to move them in your home and just plug them. But do keep the Mac mini and Audirvana, they sound best with the phantoms. The best audio cables are no cable at all, but audiophiles always crave for "upgrades" . If you suffer from "upgraditis", I have a cure for you: after you have lived with a pair of phantom 1 for a while on each side of the TV, buy them a  DIONE soundbar under the TV set, and stream you music playing them  together with Airplay 2 (I set the phantoms 1 in "living room" and the Dione in "TV room" and I check both "rooms" in Airplay2). This is a definite "upgrade" compared to the phantom 1 pair alone. More details in the center stage and better voices (in my opinion), definitely a must if you still listen "with focus" from time to time...

[eniriop]

Hi fans of great music reproduction.

I am proud owner of a pair of Gauder Berlina 7 Black Edition speakers paired with Devialet Expert 1000 Pro. It is the best sound system I have ever heard.

Due to changes at home (kids), I now have almost no time to listen to music with focus —it is mostly just used for background music.
For that purpose, the setup is far from ideal: from a soundstage perspective, the Gauders are extremely focused and beam-formed, and from a volume perspective, both the speakers and amplifier need a certain minimum power to perform well.

So, I am considering selling the system and getting a pair of Phantom I (108db) speakers instead (for background music, dancing with the kids, a bit of TV, etc.).
It hurts, but I think it makes sense.

Has anyone here moved from a similar high-end setup to the Phantoms? What was your experience, and did you have regrets?

Kind regards, Andreas

Hello Andreas,
I did the same back in 2015, I was a big fan of hifi with tube amplifiers and horn speakers. Spent a lot on expensive cables and so on. The Phantoms gold have the big sound weight of hi-end tube amplifiers, without any distorsion, fatigue or coloration. And they don't need cables or amplifiers. And it is so much simpler to move them in your home and just plug them. But do keep the Mac mini and Audirvana, they sound best with the phantoms. The best audio cables are no cable at all, but audiophiles always crave for "upgrades" . If you suffer from "upgraditis", I have a cure for you: after you have lived with a pair of phantom 1 for a while on each side of the TV, buy them a  DIONE soundbar under the TV set, and stream you music playing them  together with Airplay 2 (I set the phantoms 1 in "living room" and the Dione in "TV room" and I check both "rooms" in Airplay2). This is a definite "upgrade" compared to the phantom 1 pair alone. More details in the center stage and better voices (in my opinion), definitely a must if you still listen "with focus" from time to time...

[scotthar]

Hey there -

SOUND WISE i never looked back, never considered going back = when i really need the 'focused experience', I would initially use some cans... but then put the phantoms on the wall with the geckos and discovered a whole new level of focused listening with the phantoms. (compered to the trees) and rarely use the cans now unless its SOLELY to NOT disturb others.

the bigger issue for ME, The Usability and day to day effort require to just listen and does it work for your listening needs?

If you don't use the current gear for whatever reason.
or
if you spend 5 minutes to get it working every-time its a non-starter for me. even 20-30 or seconds of initial tweaking is too long for me.
I have low approaching zero tolerance to have to tweak and re-tweak every-time i want to use it. i expect to just turn it on and use it. period.

this would be my primary compare and contrast. to me, its not the sound that will make you suffer but the ability to just turn it on and use it with the same simple actions.

but things are mostly pretty good from a USABILITY perspective in 2024. depending on your level of tweak before listen tolerance. ( mine is extreme ultra low, i expect it to work like my first unit did way way back when, flip the switch , push the button and it works)

and it can! I have found a configuration that i can just push buttons and turn knobs and don't really have to think about making the Phantom work very often. almost never at this point, its not the phantom that needs attention if its not working. and found good network and software and everything else.

The dialog is the most flaky piece of the system for me now.
I should just use the ARCH it does seem MUCH better.

[weberan]

Thank you for these detailed answers! Looks like I am developing in the right direction. I plan to sell my current setup in the next few months (no rush) and will purchase the Phantom 1.

[Norty]

Another way to look at your issue is financial.  I recently sold all my equipment and moved to headphones.  Though I did it due to moving, I thought I might pick up a few dollars.  I got significantly less for all my equipment.  I put my 220 for sale the same week that Devialet discontinued the Expert Pro line-up and local retailers dropped retail pricing by $4K cdn. Too many lowballers for my B&W 804 D2's than I can count and everyone wanted to trade for something else. Ultimately I ended up spending a couple of thousand dollars to get as headphone system I am very happy with.......but still not as good as my previous set up.

Everyone has a different situation but it may be a thought to keep your system and enjoy the moments you can do some serious listening and when the family gets older you will still have an outstanding system.

[weberan]

Another way to look at your issue is financial.  I recently sold all my equipment and moved to headphones.  Though I did it due to moving, I thought I might pick up a few dollars.  I got significantly less for all my equipment.  I put my 220 for sale the same week that Devialet discontinued the Expert Pro line-up and local retailers dropped retail pricing by $4K cdn. Too many lowballers for my B&W 804 D2's than I can count and everyone wanted to trade for something else. Ultimately I ended up spending a couple of thousand dollars to get as headphone system I am very happy with.......but still not as good as my previous set up.

Everyone has a different situation but it may be a thought to keep your system and enjoy the moments you can do some serious listening and when the family gets older you will still have an outstanding system.

Hei North, agree! Therefore I don't rush.

[njaiswal]

I made the switch almost. 6 years ago. My old system. was a pair of custom built JBL Cabinets with JBL 2402 tweeters, and JBL 2118 mids and a pair of custom JBL cabinets with JBL 2226 woofers powered by a pair of Rogue Audio tube and a pair of Crown K2s with an Anthem D2v processor...I loved that system but with kids and moving into a new house things needed to change. I got my first pair of Phantoms classics running DOS1 and a dialogue for my office and it sounded okay to me... I had to connect them. to a Sonos connect where I was able to use the Sonos EQ to tailor the sound to my taste. Then. I made the push to replace the JBLs with Phantom. Golds and ran into a problem with integrating them into my home theater. Fast forward to my current setup using Dante and I can't be happier. The main reason I have my specific configuration was that I was having massive dropouts and my family couldn't deal with using an app to control the volume and switch inputs, so keep that in mind. I'm more than satisfied with my decision and have since deployed a at least 1 phantom in every bedroom and have 2 phantom powered home theaters.