As far as I am concerned, I keep listening to systems costing way more than my current 250 Pro CI + Wilson Benesch Vectors and nothing is reaching the sound quality I am enjoying... the last one being a high end Accuphase driving a pair of Magico S1 mkII... cute but no cigar.
I understand the frustration in the way Devialet is not sticking to the hopes they have generated with the costly Pro CI upgrades (some remaining issues with Air over ethernet for high bit rate songs - none with Raat - and the lack of integrated room correction being the main issue), but we also need to acknowledge the fact that they are still pretty much the best amps available at any price point. When you factor in the system footprint, power consumption, ease of use with Roon, design,... they remain in a planed of their own.
I really understand the desire, I should say the urge, to keep searching for better... it's what has convinced us to get onboard in the first place, but from an amp standpoint Devialet Expert owners are already at the top. There is nothing measurably or audibly better. What can be improved is mostly power quality, speakers (including speaker cables) and room treatment.
I am less convinced about the source, but it can play a role to some extend also I guess. There are way more rank A digital sources in Stereophile dream components list than there are any other components. But I digress...
As far as pricing is concerned, anyone with vague knowledge of the high end circus knows that it's the wild west. The way magazines only report about brands advertising in them is another disaster... that is hurting badly some amazing brands such as Wilson Benesch and many others. Btw the Devialet is back in Stereophile's A rank integrated amplifiers and is listed as the first in the list... the only component I am aware of that breaks the alphabetical order normally used...
Cheers,
Bernard
I understand the frustration in the way Devialet is not sticking to the hopes they have generated with the costly Pro CI upgrades (some remaining issues with Air over ethernet for high bit rate songs - none with Raat - and the lack of integrated room correction being the main issue), but we also need to acknowledge the fact that they are still pretty much the best amps available at any price point. When you factor in the system footprint, power consumption, ease of use with Roon, design,... they remain in a planed of their own.
I really understand the desire, I should say the urge, to keep searching for better... it's what has convinced us to get onboard in the first place, but from an amp standpoint Devialet Expert owners are already at the top. There is nothing measurably or audibly better. What can be improved is mostly power quality, speakers (including speaker cables) and room treatment.
I am less convinced about the source, but it can play a role to some extend also I guess. There are way more rank A digital sources in Stereophile dream components list than there are any other components. But I digress...
As far as pricing is concerned, anyone with vague knowledge of the high end circus knows that it's the wild west. The way magazines only report about brands advertising in them is another disaster... that is hurting badly some amazing brands such as Wilson Benesch and many others. Btw the Devialet is back in Stereophile's A rank integrated amplifiers and is listed as the first in the list... the only component I am aware of that breaks the alphabetical order normally used...
Cheers,
Bernard
Room: Gik Acoustics | Vibration: Townshend pods | Power: Shunyata Omega XC + Everest + Sigma NR v2 + Sigma ground cables | Source: Mojo Audio DejaVu EVO linux server running Roon core (Raat) | Ethernet: Sonore Optical module + Melco S10P with dedicated LPS + Shunyata Omega Ethernet x 2| Synchronous: Mutec MC-3 + USB (Paul Hynes SR7T LPS) + Cybershaft OP21A (Shunyata Omega USB, AES/EBU, clock cables) | Dac/Pre/Amplification: Devialet D1000 Pro CI (Chord Sarum T RCA-RCA link) | Speakers: Chord Sarum T cables + Wilson Benesch Act One Evolution P1
