Phantoms delivered this afternoon

[stonedragon]

Yes mine work in stereo but the software doesn't work very well. From CD optical into one Phantom it sounds fine. Streaming from music on my computer I get stuttering from one channel at the start of every track.
Sometimes one speaker stops working altogether and looking at Spark shows it has "lost" that speaker as it no longer shows up in Spark.
A software reset of the Phantom and then re-doing the Spark setup is then necessary. The setup almost always hangs at a "setting up your Phantoms this could take 1 or 2 minutes" page.

I have given up using mine, it seems pointless until a working version of Spark, or maybe the internal firmware of the Phantom, is distributed.
I have not had a listening session yet without a crash or reboot.
Mine is not yet a useable system for listening to music, IMO.
I felt the same when I had a demo Linn Klimax DS system here. It was unacceptable as a bit of domestic hifi. The Phantoms are a bit worse though, in terms of software stability.

I'm sorry to hear that. Mine can be a bit temperamental when I switch on them for a listening. It usually involves the Spark app not picking up my optical out for music. Sometimes it works first time, other times I have to switch the speaker off and then on again. 

Other times it has impeccable manners. One thing I found that was really good, was when I switch to using my Playstation, it switches the output automatically so nothing for me to do. And when they really want to play ball, when I switch back to listening music, it changes to the appropriate output automatically. For me when this happens it is a real bonus and a glimpse on how it should work, when they finally get everything sorted out on the software front.

I just finished listening to Genesis - 'Suppers Ready' at 60. WOW. I really enjoyed that. So we are talking just over half the volume and it filled the whole house, upstairs and downstairs AND I was streaming from Rhapsody. On my old rig, I would have to turn it much higher, to about 10 (my old amp went from 100 to 10). So that gives you an idea of the power these little babies can pump out. I've just finished packing up my old kit to post off and I felt really choked. But after listening to the Phantoms with this track I know that I've made the right choice. I hope you get yours sorted, because I've not encountered the problems you are describing. When it does start to work, I'll know you will be happy.

My reply actually triggered me to have another go. I have done a new setup and been listening to CDs this afternoon.
The sound quality is super as always. I have listened to 2.5 CDs so far. Spark has crashed twice, without the music stopping, just announced on the computer, and it has gone into pause on tis own once, but played fine when I went out of pause.
The sound quality has never been at issue. I am impressed anyway but particularly at the price.
My main system is quite a lot better though, overall as it should be for the money.

Be careful about considering volume controls as having "full volume" and "half volume" though.
Whilst the Devialet, now so called Expert, amplifiers genuinely have full power at 0dB with a fully modulated digital signal, and I imagine the Phantoms are the same, with 100 on the volume being full power with a fully modulated digital signal, analogue amplifiers are rarely anything like that.
Frequently, even typically, analogue amplifiers will be yielding full power with the rated input voltage from the source (which will of course be all over the place with analogue sources, depending on design) at about half the volume control setting.
This leaves a margin for low output sources since most tuners and cassette decks had around 0.2V maximum output back in the day, so there was a bit of margin to amplify them a bit more, but, playing CD players with the standard 2 volt output, most amps will be driven to maximum power at around the half way mark on the volume control with fully modulated CDs (which is all modern pop CDs). More than that and it will be clipping peaks.
As I type this I am listening to the Saint-Saens Organ symphony at 55 on the volume control of Spark. I am about 3 m from the Phantoms and the SPL is peaking around 90 to 92 dB, less than it would be at a concert.
FWIW at a concert at Oxford Town Hall a couple of weeks ago we were sitting about 2/3 the way down the hall from the choir (the south Wales male voice choir), and on a guest soprano solo I measured peaks of 92dB. At classical concerts I regularly measure 105dB on orchestral peaks at my seat.
This is way louder than most people listen at home, IMHO, because hifi systems sound louder than they actually are because of distortion and clipping.
I have to say the Phantoms are sounding absolutely superb, particularly considering my main system just behind it is a Devialet 800 playing through (normally) Tune Audio Anima speakers and sometimes Goldmund Epilogs. The Animas cost about 10x the Phantoms and the Epilogs 35x.
Once they sort the software and firmware these Phantoms are going to be a real audiophile bargain IMO.

OMG - I just looked up your spearkers. I am not worthy to be in your company. 

As good as the Phantoms are, they must be like David coming against Goliath, but this time Goliath WINS!!!!