09-May-2015, 16:10
(This post was last modified: 09-May-2015, 18:24 by Damon.
Edit Reason: correct punctuation
)
Hello Justin,
There may be a thread about this comparison already, but I'm not certain of that. It hasn't popped up in a while.
But I had a Nait 3 & CD3.5 for years, then went to a UnitiQute, which I had for about 3 years. I was very close to getting a SuperUniti, and then I happened across the Devialet. For me, the switch to the Devialet 120 has been amazing. I had the entry level Naim, but to me, the entry level Devialet is overall a better musical product.
When my D120 was new, I too felt it was a bit harsh and thin on the top. Another owner (on the forum) and I agreed it seemed a bit metallic. After about 50 or 60 hours the harshness disappeared. It has continued to improve slightly since then. I bought mine in mid Feb this year.
Just a bit on the Naim vs Devialet sound; The naim has an urgency and drive that I love and it is 'emotive' in some way. The Devialet, however, has clarity and bass control and extension that the Naim cannot match. The Naim seems to me to be a bit 'dark', and the highs somehow toned down, with a bit of extra mid-bass, possibly? With the Devialet, the really subtle changes in pitch and volume and tonal colour come through; the dear old UQ simply could not get these out. In this sense, I feel I hear more of the music with the D120 and so I feel it is a more 'emotional' presentation. And no lack of drive. I'm offering these notes just to give a quick personal impression of the differences between the two products, not to criticize the UQ. I could not give up the ease and clarity and amazing 3D sense of the Dev and go back. Opinions vary, of course.
I think the D120 would be more than enough. I'm using a variety of speakers from ProAc Tablettes to Neat Mystique 2's and the 120 has plenty of capability. My dealer told me I did not need the 200 unless I wanted more inputs, as the sonic quality is the same. He also felt that USB was the ideal connection. Note that many others feel the 200 is the ideal item. But more power does not seem needed in your case. BTW I stream from my iMac wirelessly to the router, then ethernet to an Airport Express then optical to the Dev. At 16 bit, I am quite satisfied. Occasionally I use AIR to put my few 24 bit files on, and it is better again.
There may be a thread about this comparison already, but I'm not certain of that. It hasn't popped up in a while.
But I had a Nait 3 & CD3.5 for years, then went to a UnitiQute, which I had for about 3 years. I was very close to getting a SuperUniti, and then I happened across the Devialet. For me, the switch to the Devialet 120 has been amazing. I had the entry level Naim, but to me, the entry level Devialet is overall a better musical product.
When my D120 was new, I too felt it was a bit harsh and thin on the top. Another owner (on the forum) and I agreed it seemed a bit metallic. After about 50 or 60 hours the harshness disappeared. It has continued to improve slightly since then. I bought mine in mid Feb this year.
Just a bit on the Naim vs Devialet sound; The naim has an urgency and drive that I love and it is 'emotive' in some way. The Devialet, however, has clarity and bass control and extension that the Naim cannot match. The Naim seems to me to be a bit 'dark', and the highs somehow toned down, with a bit of extra mid-bass, possibly? With the Devialet, the really subtle changes in pitch and volume and tonal colour come through; the dear old UQ simply could not get these out. In this sense, I feel I hear more of the music with the D120 and so I feel it is a more 'emotional' presentation. And no lack of drive. I'm offering these notes just to give a quick personal impression of the differences between the two products, not to criticize the UQ. I could not give up the ease and clarity and amazing 3D sense of the Dev and go back. Opinions vary, of course.
I think the D120 would be more than enough. I'm using a variety of speakers from ProAc Tablettes to Neat Mystique 2's and the 120 has plenty of capability. My dealer told me I did not need the 200 unless I wanted more inputs, as the sonic quality is the same. He also felt that USB was the ideal connection. Note that many others feel the 200 is the ideal item. But more power does not seem needed in your case. BTW I stream from my iMac wirelessly to the router, then ethernet to an Airport Express then optical to the Dev. At 16 bit, I am quite satisfied. Occasionally I use AIR to put my few 24 bit files on, and it is better again.
Damon
Powernode, NAD M32, Cambridge CD transport, Analysis Plus, Nordost, iFi Nova, CSS Criton 1TDX, KEF C62
Vancouver, Canada
