Trigger cable lowers temperatures & power consumption

[Axel]

I can understand how the trigger cable improves companion startup time, standby/sleep power consumption, and therefore temperature. By allowing better communication between amps via the trigger cable the companion can use less power waiting for information through the inferior interlink channel (RCA-RCA or RCA-XLR).

I don't fully understand how the trigger cable improves other aspects, but I can understand how the companion could enter a deeper sleep mode if it takes less power to wait for a signal from the trigger cable than interlink cable. The benefits go beyond low-power states though. Experimentation shows that the trigger cable lowers power consumption, and therefore temperature, while active. I've measured this many times on Devialet 400, 440, and now 1000. I'd enjoy figuring out why both master and companion use less power when active if triggered.

I started this thread to tell others that by simply connecting a cheap 3.5mm cable they can use less power for the same function. The lower temperature is simply easier to see than power consumption. Some people feel that lower temperature improves sound quality (thus the experimentation with orientation and even case mods). Others prefer the sound at higher temperature (thus wasting power by leaving their amps on when unused). I clearly have a bias, but only wanted to provide information.

Let's be clear that the trigger cable improves things in all states: on, standby, and sleep (Devialet's have no real off mode). If you doubt this, measure it. If my measurement techniques are in error I'm happy to have help improving them.

I'm glad to see even Devialet becoming clearer about the benefits of using the trigger cable. At this point it seems uncontroversial that using the trigger cable brings benefits.

I wish that Devialet would allow use of the trigger cable when using the RCA-XLR interconnect, but at least they've improved the sound of the RCA-RCA interconnect. When I experimented with my D400 the RCA-XLR connection clearly sounded better, but with my D1000 Pro CI and the latest firmware the opposite was true. Each system may be different that way, so it would be nice to get the benefits of triggered operation with either interconnection.

I'm very interested in everyone's experience about what differences the trigger cable makes. Thanks for reanimating this thread.

I use my 440 setup without a trigger cable. If I do a short press on the remote’s off button, the amps go into standby.  If I hold the off button down for a longer period, the display goes out and after a while, the amps go stone cold. Is this what you describe as sleep mode? I agree that the amp isn’t completely off as it can be woken from this state by Roon, but it can’t be using much energy. Do your measurements show how much power the amps are using in each mode? Can you describe the differences in sound quality when using RCA-XLR and RCA-RCA? 
TIA.

[deviousalet]

Untriggered, my 1000 uses 26W in sleep (screen off), 29W in standby (screen dim), and 53-55W (input dependent) when idle (screen bright).
Triggered, my 1000 uses 17W in sleep, 18W in standby, and 53-55W when idle: a power savings of 38% in standby!

Untriggered, my 440 used 23W in sleep, 29W in standby, and 53-55W idle.
Untriggered, my 400 used 28W in sleep, 33W in standby, and 54-55W idle.
All were measured with networking on (app enabled), using a Kill-A-Watt meter. The 1000 and 440 had the same firmware, the 400 was different.

For comparison, my 810W receiver (Pioneer SC-LX801) uses 75W when active (making Devialet look good) but <0.2W in standby (making Devialet look ridiculously bad).

I was happy when Devialet improved power use with newer firmware. I hope they can do so again. To me they have a ridiculous waste of energy when "off". I wish that Devialet would power down their Class-A amp or whatever is using energy when doing nothing, but until they catch up to modern electronics design I just turn off my power distributor to get a 0W off state for my entire system. For those without that option, or preference, the trigger seems an improvement.

I hear no difference between triggered and not, so the energy savings comes at no cost to me.

I do hear differences between interlink cables, which are detailed in my system thread (linked from my sig), posts #15, #16, and #26. In summary, the RCA-RCA connection now sounds more focused, precise, and present than the RCA-XLR connection.

[Fairvsfree]

Yes, don't change it. To be sure, don't open it at all.

Also, make sure you do all the settings before first file save. Based on my experience, after leaving configurator and come back to the same configuration, companion configuration file is broken (even without changing anything!). So, you must start from zero every time...

Finally had the time to setup the units with the configuration provided above, trigger cable added and activated one input on the companion unit. This finally helped me to get the 'Devialet 440 PRO Core' screens on both the master and companion display when in standby modus! Many thanks to @daniel.avasilichioaei IMHO, there's no difference in sound quality if you use this setting or another, provided you have a healthy wall power / mains electricity / AC.

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

@Fairvsfree: Great. Enjoy your music!

[audio_engr]

Is it possible to have that dimmed display (standby condition) on both units using RCA-AES Link cable ?

[Axel]

What happens if you plug the trigger cable in even if you are using RCA/XLR? 
Does it light up both units, make no difference, or does it throw a spanner in the the works?

[Fairvsfree]

I only succeeded to get both the units showing the display in standy modus using the following config:

- RCA to RCA cable between the units
- Trigger cable between the units (TRIG on master, OPTICAL on companion)
- At least one input activated on companion unit (although not in use)
- Config files made exactly as @daniel.avasilichioaei stated in this post

[bernardl]

Team,

I am getting a bit desperate with this... :-) I am trying to get the config with the trigger cable to work, but the problem I am facing is that the companion unit does not play any music in the speaker it's supposed to drive due to it not waking from sleep.

I did follow the exact procedure described above, or at least I think I did.

Here is the condition I am in:
- when in standby mode, the screen of both units display Devialet 1000 Pro, so it looks like both the master and the companion are aware they are part of a dual mono setup
- The config file of the companion contains the right strings ("TRIG_IN_MODE": "DAISY_CHAIN_SLAVE" and "SPDIF_CTRL": "OFF") so it looks like it was generated correctly
- When I turn on the master (by directly touching the button of the master unit), the Master unit goes through the normal start up cycle until is shows -40, but nothing happens on companion, it remains in standby mode
- If I then play some music from Roon, it only plays through the speaker connected to the Master. This makes sense since the companion is still asleep
- If I try to wake up the companion from sleep by touching its button it goes to the info mode and shows "Export Pro 1000, Companion mode on, Input RS232, Link Status None, SN..., HW 6.2, SW 13.1.3, Software IHM 13.1.3, BL 7.4, PSU 6.4, BL 2.9, DSPM 8.4, OSCA 0.20, BL 3.1, FPGA 6.9, ADHL 4.1, BL 3.0, ADHR 4.1, BL 3.0, I2S 3.10, BL 3.0, DSPO 1.1, USB 1.2, Remote Control from Daisy Chain in Companion mode, WIFI OFF, ETHERNET OFF, Analog stage Adbanced stage stereo output installed, Custom Config 0x AES/EBU IN, 2x S/PDIF (I did activate a second Digital RCA port on the companion beside the one used in RCA-RCA link to the master), 0x Optical IN, 0x Line IN, 0x Phono IN, 0x Streaming IN, 0x USB IN, 0x Generator, 1x S/PDIF OUT (not sure why), Customer Config Companion mode R, 1x 1000w - 6 Ohm, Link RS232, ..., Last Fault None, and then back again...

Other information:
- I have connected the Master and Slave with an RCA-RCA digital cable (Chord Sarum T, not that it matters)
- I connected the Trigger cable from the Trigger port of the master to the RS232 port of the companion
- I have reinstalled the latest firmware/OS package on both units today to ensure they are in synch
- I am able to play music without issue with a simple Dual Mono configuration if I don't activate an input on the companion/don't connect them with the trigger cable
- If I turn off my master with 2 long presses, I am able to turn it back on with one long press
- If I turn off my companion with 2 long presses, I am NOT able to turn it back on with one long press. I need to disconnect power cable and to connect it back to be able to restart the companion unit. It then shows S1 Config and then moves to the standby screen showing 1000 Pro. If I touch the button then it shows the "debug info" I have listed above.
- Even if I disconnect the trigger cable from the companion, it still doesn't wake from sleep with a press on the button unless I remove and reconnect the power cable
- If I remove the SD card from the companion, turn if off by 2 long presses. I am then able to turn it on by pressing on the button as it should. It then behaves as a regular 250 Pro as expected.

Help... any idea?

The only thing I can come up with is a broken Trigger cable that would prevent the Master from waking up the companion... I have ordered another one to rule this out. Other could be defective Trigger port on the master or RS232 port on the companion?

Cheers,
Bernard

[daniel.avasilichioaei]

I see something strange in your post: "If I turn off my companion with 2 long presses, I am NOT able to turn it back on with one long press." I am using a similar configuration, and I don't have access to any companion commands: they are all disabled, including remote control and front button. How do you turn off your companion?...

Can you share your configurator screen capture, and also your configuration files?

[bernardl]

I see something strange in your post: "If I turn off my companion with 2 long presses, I am NOT able to turn it back on with one long press." I am using a similar configuration, and I don't have access to any companion commands: they are all disabled, including remote control and front button. How do you turn off your companion?...

Can you share your configurator screen capture, and also your configuration files?

Hi Daniel,

Thanks a lot for your super quick answer! Much appreciated.

I am able to turn if off my using the front button. Or at least I was since I have returned to a non trigger config to be able to listen to stereo music.

I have attached the config files and a screen shot of a re-creation of the config since I had not saved it online.

Do you see anything strange in there?

Thanks.

regards,
Bernard