+- Devialet Chat (https://devialetchat.com)
+-- Forum: Devialet Chat (https://devialetchat.com/Forum-Devialet-Chat)
+--- Forum: Devialet News (https://devialetchat.com/Forum-Devialet-News)
+--- Thread: Devialet's newest technology...? (/Thread-Devialet-s-newest-technology)
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - Antoine - 05-Jan-2015
I am very curious to the sound quality of Dialog as well. Before I started experimenting with optimizing my computer in both a hardware and software way I always thought theoretically nothing could beat AIR (WiFi or Ethernet) but I was wrong. First it became clear ethernet sounded better and soon after I found USB can sound even better, and even by a large margin.
So for me personally Dialog has to be really good to replace my PC based music server, after all the D's have only one USB input so we can only connect one device at a time. I also like the flexibility of this setup, and the possibility of using software like Acourate/Dirac etc. as Vivialet already pointed out but also different music players like Foobar, HQPlayer, JPlay, XXHighend, etc. etc. However I do think that it will be a very nice solution for those that don't like the current AIR solution for whatever reason and don't want or can setup a music server themselves.
After only reading the first reviews/impressions I get the impression Dialog will be or become a very smart, easy to use device integrating streaming services and also catering local media playback. And of course it will be fully tailored to be used together with a Devialet product. It's almost mandatory for Phantom users but not persé for D 'expert' users though. For current D 'expert' owners it is simply a competitor to already available streamers/music servers like the Aurenders, Auralics, TotalDAC's, Sonore etc. etc.
edit: regarding the choice of USB for interfacing with the D expert line; perhaps Devialet finds USB technically the better input as well (like me) but since it is a "standard" XMOS implementation it is well and widely supported. In any way because of the good support of XMOS Devialet in effect got a head start in developing the Dialog software since the basis is already there (XMOS drivers for all sorts of OS'es). I assume Dialog will run some kind of Linux flavor.
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - invader - 05-Jan-2015
(05-Jan-2015, 17:31)Antoine Wrote: I am very curious to the sound quality of Dialog as well. Before I started experimenting with optimizing my computer in both a hardware and software way I always thought theoretically nothing could beat AIR (WiFi or Ethernet) but I was wrong. First it became clear ethernet sounded better and soon after I found USB can sound even better, and even by a large margin.
Me too! But I don't think it will beat our fully spec'd streamers. For sure I will find out soon enough, since I already ordered a Dialog to let the also ordered Phantoms talk together
As a side note: I'm really enjoying the full spec'd streamer solution! It's absolutely better than AIR in my system.
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - NickB - 05-Jan-2015
(05-Jan-2015, 16:32)Vivialet Wrote: so far we do not know about the sound quality. Ok, it does not require the AIR driver. But it seems it can only be connected via USB. And for me USB (with a good Aqvox cable) is not as good sounding as AIR. I hope they support WLAN with the next firmware update.
And: not using a PC as a source will also eliminate the use of room correction, e.g. the parametric EQ in jRiver, Dirac, Acourate, ...so as long as Dialog does not have it's own room correction this will be no alternative for me.
(05-Jan-2015, 16:42)Chris Marshall Wrote:(05-Jan-2015, 16:32)Vivialet Wrote: so far we do not know about the sound quality. Ok, it does not require the AIR driver. But it seems it can only be connected via USB. And for me USB (with a good Aqvox cable) is not as good sounding as AIR. I hope they support WLAN with the next firmware update.
Agreed the unknow SQ is the only thing that has stopped me buying one so far, interface wise it sounds like the perfect solution but the hardware is designed for a Sonos style product (albeit a very good one I'm sure), not the expert line so who knows whether the quality, using USB, will be as good as air. Do we also need a fancy USB cable as well to match the quality of Air?
Hopefully all this will be unfounded and it will sound better than Air and we will all be delighted!
Yes but it does say only USB at the moment which infers that there will be an Air or internet version later.
Why oh why is everyone on this and it seems every other forum so godamned negative about everything ion the world.
Remember what Oddball said "Don't hit me with those negative waves man"
Nick
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - thumb5 - 05-Jan-2015
Sound quality is surely the most important factor, isn't it? Otherwise we could already be using Sonos, Bluesound, etc. as a low-cost streaming "gateway", but with a wider choice of supported streaming services, and proven software?
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - Jwg1749 - 05-Jan-2015
(05-Jan-2015, 21:01)thumb5 Wrote: Sound quality is surely the most important factor, isn't it? Otherwise we could already be using Sonos, Bluesound, etc. as a low-cost streaming "gateway", but with a wider choice of supported streaming services, and proven software?
I'll be comparing the SQ of the Dialog with my modded Sonos Connect. Will the Dialog sound better? If it does, I'll be very happy. If it doesn't, it'll be an experiment that cost me 299 Euros.
Matt
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - thumb5 - 05-Jan-2015
Needless to say I'll be interested in the results of your experiment as always, Matt! Call me a coward, but I'm happy to wait a while to gauge the consensus. I will have my fingers crossed that Dialog is a winner on SQ grounds.
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - NickB - 05-Jan-2015
(05-Jan-2015, 21:37)Jwg1749 Wrote:(05-Jan-2015, 21:01)thumb5 Wrote: Sound quality is surely the most important factor, isn't it? Otherwise we could already be using Sonos, Bluesound, etc. as a low-cost streaming "gateway", but with a wider choice of supported streaming services, and proven software?
I'll be comparing the SQ of the Dialog with my modded Sonos Connect. Will the Dialog sound better? If it does, I'll be very happy. If it doesn't, it'll be an experiment that cost me 299 Euros.
Matt
Hi Matt
I'll take it off you if your not happy. Still waiting for an email.
Nick
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - Jwg1749 - 05-Jan-2015
(05-Jan-2015, 22:09)thumb5 Wrote: Needless to say I'll be interested in the results of your experiment as always, Matt! Call me a coward, but I'm happy to wait a while to gauge the consensus. I will have my fingers crossed that Dialog is a winner on SQ grounds.
Cheers, Ian. Watch this space in late January.
(05-Jan-2015, 22:39)NickB Wrote: Hi Matt
I'll take it off you if your not happy. Still waiting for an email.
Nick
OK, Nick, I'll bear that in mind. Though given that the modded Sonos Connect boxes sell for 3 times the cost of the Dialog, I might be better off selling the Sonos!
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - Charlemagne - 05-Jan-2015
(05-Jan-2015, 21:37)Jwg1749 Wrote: I'll be comparing the SQ of the Dialog with my modded Sonos Connect. Will the Dialog sound better? If it does, I'll be very happy. If it doesn't, it'll be an experiment that cost me 299 Euros.
Matt
Same here. I do have a modded Sonos Connect as well (Magna Hifi Ultimo mod). I will compare the Dialog against the Sonos and streaming via JRiver and AIR-ethernet. I'm considering a shootout and inviting some friends here at home (Amsterdam).
RE: Devialet's newest technology...? - Confused - 05-Jan-2015
I'm actually very optimistic that Dialog will provide a sound quality at least as good as AIR. There have been numerous reports of USB based devices providing AIR equalling or even beating sound quality, so a device designed and built by Devialet specifically for this purpose (amongst other functionality) has every chance of being good. As the white noise thread sadly reveals, AIR has proven problematic for a proportion of users. Knowing this, I'm sure Devialet will have made the effort to ensure that Dialog via USB will deliver the level of sound quality the expert range deservers. It would certainly be embarrassing for them if SQ was a little substandard. Time will tell, but I look forward to reading Matt & Charlemanges' assessments.
Have you been advised delivery dates?