Colloms Hifi Critic 200 review

[GuillaumeB]

HiFi Critic is out today with Martin Colloms' 8 page review of the Devialet 200, along with the SAM technology.

Knowing this reviewer's traits, I could have probably predicted the critical part of the review before reading it: MC places a high premium on PRAT (pace, rhythm and timing) - which, from reading many of his reviews over ten years or so, is particularly a Naim characteristic. And in his eyes it is not a Devialet characteristic, and the unit gets neither a Best Buy nor a Recommended rating.

Colloms uses a perverse scoring system, which is logarithmic, and so what started out as a 0 - 10 scale has now expanded to put some scores in the 200s, for example the Naim Unitiserve front end (237), the Townshend Allegri pre (230) and the D'Agostino power (210). Against these references he scores the Devialet 37 once SAM'ed.

I guess it is the least praising review of the Devialet ever, which is not a surprise, but it will probably be the least read, given the subscription only nature of HiFi Critic and its likely non-use by Devialet and distributors and dealers.

Hi Ian,
I chopped in my Naim 552/300/NDS/555 for a Dev 800 and love the detail, seperation and bass, my foot taps just as much, plus the 800 does not buzz unlike the Naim power supplies. Of course it is only Colloms view, us Devious folk know better!
Cheers
Bill.

For what it's worth Martin Colloms didn't test the 800, or 400 for that matter. Just the 200. Make of it what you will.

Guillaume