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Full Version: D220 Pro vs. D400
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I realize this may have been covered to some extent here, but wanted to get feedback regarding the pros and cons of an Expert 400 vs. an Expert Pro 220.  I'm trying to decide if it's worth it to sell the Expert 400 (actually, two D 200's in mono) and get a single D 220 Pro.  While I fully appreciate the Expert Pro's improvements, I also remember the major improvement wrought by adding a second D 200 in mono to my speakers (Dynaudio Focus 360's).  The extra power made a significant improvement over the single 200 unit.  The SAM for this speaker also improves performance.  


So, the question is:  Are the improvements with the Expert Pro worth the offset in reduced power?  Frankly, I'm not sure it is.  However, the experience level here on the site far exceeds my own, so, looking for feedback. 

PS: I also have a D-Premier for a second system, and am thinking about getting a second D-Premier for that system.  The speakers are never likely to be supported by SAM, so not a big consideration.
Driving the Dynaudio's, I would keep the 400.
I''d try and borrow a D229 for a trial.

There have been improvements in power handling tin the Expert Pro range which may compensate twosome degree (I don't know how much) for the change to a single amp. I had Dynaudio Contour 1,3 SEs when I bought my 130 Expert Pro pre the CI board and the 130 did a better job driving them than the NAD M3 I had before, despite the fact that the 130 had less power when you compared the specs. Since then there have been further improvements with the Expert Pros including the CI board and some changes to how the power supply is run. I'm not certain an up do date D220 will equal the D400 but I have a feeling it will go closer than you might think, definitely some of the advantage adding the second amp to the first D200 will be gone.

The other improvements with the Expert Pro range with the CI board relate largely to streaming. You haven't mentioned what your sources are. If you're using Roon with Roon Air with the D400 you may find the Roon Ready streaming input now available using Roon's RAAT to get the signal to the Devialet an advantage. Some prefer RAAT, some prefer Roon but it's worth a trial to see what you think of the advantages associated with the CI board and the 200 to 220 upgrade bring to the table. You will probably lose a little in control of the Dyns but that may be less than you think and you will get a slightly different sound character and other changes with the upgrade to a current 220. You may still prefer the 400 but if you're thinking about it I think it's worth borrowing a 220 if you can and seeing what you think. Failing a borrow for a home trial then I'd see if you can arrange a demo in a shop with the same speakers you have. I would not recommend making the swap without hearing some sort of comparison of a D400 to a current D220 at the very least, preferably with the same speakers you have and in your own home if at all possible. There will be pros and cons to the change and there's no way anyone can assure you that the pros will outweigh the cons, they may for some people but not for others.
Thanks for the helpful answers. Looks like I'll stick with the 400's for now.
To make it more confusing, I remember not everyone agrees with the dual mono’s being always better. I’ve read too many times the 250 for example sounds better than a 440. A personal evaluation might be best.

Edit; the most recent example here: https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Fun-even...ll-Experts Smile
Hmm. I suppose the SAM function could impact this as well. The SAM with the Dynaudio Focus 360 speakers provides a marked improvement in playback. It's sounds like a different (higher quality) speaker with SAM for that specific speaker.

The amazing flexibility with these makes it more of a challenge to nail down specific deltas.