25-Feb-2016, 10:58
The reviewer responded to my question about sound quality vs his reference system:
Hi 'Bearcat':
Welcome. Thanks for your comment.
Even considering the Law of Diminishing Returns, the 50K disparity is very telling.
First, my system is tube based. And in no way would you ever confuse a Devialet product with tubes. They are very clean, transparent, but IMO in this instance, falls short on accuracy of instrumental timbre. The Phantom's imaging was outstanding but also fell short of my ARC amplifier and bel canto/Antipodes digital front end on soundstage, especially depth.
You'd think that 'ruler flat' and 99dB would be the beginnings of a great product. And in many ways, they are. But my system fleshes out instruments and has a refinement that the Phantoms can only hint.
For 5K you get a really good, stereo set that's idiot/future proof. But musically it can't compete against my system at many times the price. That difference, as I mentioned, may not be as important to certain audiophiles any more.
If I only had 5K to spend, I'd be all over the system I reviewed.
Cheers, a
Hi 'Bearcat':
Welcome. Thanks for your comment.
Even considering the Law of Diminishing Returns, the 50K disparity is very telling.
First, my system is tube based. And in no way would you ever confuse a Devialet product with tubes. They are very clean, transparent, but IMO in this instance, falls short on accuracy of instrumental timbre. The Phantom's imaging was outstanding but also fell short of my ARC amplifier and bel canto/Antipodes digital front end on soundstage, especially depth.
You'd think that 'ruler flat' and 99dB would be the beginnings of a great product. And in many ways, they are. But my system fleshes out instruments and has a refinement that the Phantoms can only hint.
For 5K you get a really good, stereo set that's idiot/future proof. But musically it can't compete against my system at many times the price. That difference, as I mentioned, may not be as important to certain audiophiles any more.
If I only had 5K to spend, I'd be all over the system I reviewed.
Cheers, a
