Devialet Chat

Just got some Phantom Golds back in my life after a brief affair with some Kii Three 

Very excited to try to the new OS and software, and so far not disappointed I have to say.  Initially thought it was all going pear shaped when they started cutting in and out - but switched to PLC on the lovely new app and it fixed instantly. The balance also seemed out for to me as well - but then I got a pop up saying 1 speaker had an update - and once done one the balance was sorted out too! 

Also discovered the new TV sync option which is absolutely perfect when I set to minimum latency! I can have the TV volume up and Phantoms up and there is zero echo! It used to be good enough for me on the old OS, but I could tell it was slightly out due to that echo. 

Anyway - on that subject, I have my TV and Tidal IPhone going into a Dspeaker antimode to flatten a huge bass hump at 50hz in my room, and then optical out to the left phantom.

And I don’t really want to bother changing latency depending if I send Tidal or TV to the left phantom - so how does it affect overall sound quality in theory leaving at low latency? The other end of the scale is called High Stability, so if that is all then I can just wait and see if I get stability issues?

Anyone know anything else I might be missing out leaving music set to low latency?

Thanks all - look forward to joining in the DOS 2 discussions now

Latency is just for the optical inputs, so it shouldn't affect Tidal/UPnP/Airplay. I don't think it affects the quality of the sound, just stability (like maybe, more desyncs in low latency?). I use the inputs with low latency and haven't noticed much difference with high latency.

I get occasional desync stereo since DOS 2.9.0, but switching to high latency hasn't fixed that either…

Thanks for replying

Yes I understand that - I have my music and my TV into the same optical input.

I just realised I can easily listen on the fly by just whacking from Low to High while listening to music

Hard to tell the difference - but mind you I don’t trust my ears / brain under pressure to hear differences when comparing like that. Certainly haven’t heard stability issues since switching for 30 mins or so I guess will leave on low all the time.

But if anyone had any other info as to whether low latency adjusts the sound in anyway would be interested to hear back too

(28-Feb-2020, 20:27)Jamington2004 Wrote: [ -> ]Just got some Phantom Golds back in my life after a brief affair with some Kii Three 

Curious to learn about your experience with the Kii Three, why you went there and why you came back.

(28-Feb-2020, 20:27)Jamington2004 Wrote: [ -> ]Just got some Phantom Golds back in my life after a brief affair with some Kii Three 

Very excited to try to the new OS and software, and so far not disappointed I have to say.  Initially thought it was all going pear shaped when they started cutting in and out - but switched to PLC on the lovely new app and it fixed instantly. The balance also seemed out for to me as well - but then I got a pop up saying 1 speaker had an update - and once done one the balance was sorted out too! 

Also discovered the new TV sync option which is absolutely perfect when I set to minimum latency! I can have the TV volume up and Phantoms up and there is zero echo! It used to be good enough for me on the old OS, but I could tell it was slightly out due to that echo. 

Anyway - on that subject, I have my TV and Tidal IPhone going into a Dspeaker antimode to flatten a huge bass hump at 50hz in my room, and then optical out to the left phantom.

And I don’t really want to bother changing latency depending if I send Tidal or TV to the left phantom - so how does it affect overall sound quality in theory leaving at low latency? The other end of the scale is called High Stability, so if that is all then I can just wait and see if I get stability issues?

Anyone know anything else I might be missing out leaving music set to low latency?

Thanks all - look forward to joining in the DOS 2 discussions now

As long as you don’t have any dropout, setting up a lower latency does not affect at all sound quality. 

Jean-Marie

Me too! Same as @Snoopy8 This is the first time I've heard someone return from the new DSP controlled speakers like Kii or D&D to 'conventional' speakers. Not that there is anything conventional about Phantoms, but the behaviour in the bass is omni unlike the cardioid and timed responses of the Kii or D&D.

Thanks Jean-Maire that’s good to know then

Re Kii 3. If I am honest - if they looked like the phantoms I probably wouldn’t have started to think about changing them. But I think I kind of already knew I would need those beautiful space balls back in my life one day when I sent them away!

The Kii are also twice the size and not really decor friendly for me.

Sound wise, yes the Kii probably are technically a level above the Phantoms and I thoroughly enjoyed their incredibly flat response for a while. But I am not a studio engineer, not over lot analytical about hifi anymore these days, and don’t even get to listen to music as often as I would like. So it got me thinking do I really need or appreciate that extra X percent of “technically better” speaker in my life right now, versus freeing up some cash, having an objet d’art - and still getting sound which is in the same ball park IMHO.

Different? yes. “worse” overall with all things considered? not for me.

In fact I feel kind I prefer them right now - I suddenly remember that smooth silky valve like treble sound that I was so in love with before. And now it’s back I realise how amazing and addictive it is

I think the Kii probably had much better “separation” too (soundstage?) maybe just that sounds weren’t getting bounced around the room as much with the cardioid stuff happening.

And yes the Phantoms are maybe a little more “u shaped” EQ wise but I really like that it seems. I bought some campfire Solaris IEM against some “flatter” sounding ones.... because they were just so much more fun!! Slightly more listener fatigue after a long time - but just so much fun to listen to.

So maybe that’s my summary actually.

Kii - one “serious” mother fucker of a speaker. Probably the best I ever listened to in most respects.
Phantom - so much fun and such an addictive sound (and looks )

That said - I couldn’t live with them my room without taming the bass with the Dspeaker.
It flattens the bass out perfectly.

Maybe I will get the itch again and try the Dutch and Dutch 8c one day. But for all the reasons above I think I would end up back with the Golds (3rd pair now - that’s high praise indeed I guess?)

That do ya?

All that being said - will see how it goes when my “new toy” excitement has eased off next few weeks

I am not surprised you like Phantoms! I admire the design tremendously myself. I'm just waiting for RAAT and matte black, like Reactors...

As you already use Dspeaker for bass, why not go full range room correction? Adjusting time behaviour of Phantoms will make them more like Kiis, but it will still be the sound you love from Phantoms.

Hmmmm interesting didn’t think about that - I just press the “idiot” button and Dspeaker makes the speakers sound like they are taking off for a few minutes and then fixes the new sound in place. I think by default it’s 200hz and below