Running in time of slave

[Mikeeo]

Hello Mikeeo - a few months in now, what are your conclusions about running in time? Did the companion end up sounding as good as the master? And if I may ask, what are your overall thoughts on the 400 vs 200?

Ian

Hi,

As I moved house and the units where at sleep for about 1 1/2 month plus a lot of other stuff being fixed/updated on the system I am not sure if time has been long enough. BUT I have something to say at least and that is that the companion now sounds on par with the master. However the biggest change came from installing another link than the supplied Crystal cable.
Now both units seem to be in phase with each other. I guess I have some 300 hours on the companion.
Advantage compared 200: Bigger soundscape, depth, resolution, effortless dynamics, it seems like the Devs never have to struggle and the background is so pitch black. Even vinyl benefits from this. In all fairness I now have the system hooked up to a dedicated mains system which of course really made things a lot better.
As I said before on this forum after going mono I wouldn't like to go back to 200 but a 200 is amazing and will give much of the 400 as long as the loudspeakers don't have to tricky load.

/Mike

Hi Mikeeo

What is the new link you use now instead of the one supplied by Devialet? And like you have outlined already, there seem to be so many changes in your system since you moved to your new place, so how much of the sound quality improvement would you attribute to installing the new link?

Hi,

Its true that a lot of things changed. But for the link it was only a matter of getting better synchronizing (lower latency as Dev is talking about) between units. With the Crystal cable one channel seemed to be behind, out of phase and just not so 'clear'.
I have a 'half' diy cable ie I bought VH audios silver coaxial 75 ohm cable. Plugs in both ends are Eichmann Silver Bullets soldered and packaged by me.
However as some have recommended to go the Devialet preferred way ie RCA-XLR I am now about to order an Audioprana RCA-XLR. This cable has a 75 to 110 ohm converter and on paper that will do a lot good plus the fact that the AES/EBU input on the Dev is better according to both Dev and users. The Audioprana is also a full silver conductor, cryo'd and packaged in only natural materials with Silver Bullets and Neutrik XLR. The Nuetrik XLR is not the version I want so I will send my Silver Neutrik XLR to Audioprana. I guess from sending my plug it will take some 2 weeks to get it. I will also order it with wooden plug covers. In the world of hi end prices the outlay is quite low, about 260 Euros.

I will let you now asap it is in my system.

/Mike