Astra reviews

[Factory Films]

The fact that AES-EBU is omitted is already a deal breaking for me.

X2 for me..... especially considering that with AES input, there is an option to ground lifting and that improved tremendously the soundstage of the Devialet. I have just a D400, but without the ability to do ground lifting for both the RCA-AES connection between the two D200 and the ground lifting for AES input on source, I doubt if the Astra really sounds better than the old D400.

Out of all the reviews I have read so far, none of those have ever compared Expert Pro series to Astra, I wonder if that is something Devialet suppresses reviewers to mention.

Another question I always have in mind is how the old D400 compares to the CI 440. I never connect the network of the D400 as I find that connection via a DDC and an external clock to the DDC fed via AES to the D400 sounds better than D400's network. I know for sure if one uses the network the 440 sounds better than 400. However, if I just use the AES input, is the CI really helping that much?

My dear friend is a professional audio engineer and has always said that AES (XLR) inputs were only necessary when the source has a much longer run than a few meters.  In a standard Hi Fi setup ,typically you are not more than a couple meters from your system.  Is that not your understanding as well?