Possible new competitor to the 800?

[octaviars]

But is the grass grener on the other side?

In this review Jeff Fritz compares the D400 to other amps he has tested in his system with Magico Q7 speakers.

http://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php...ifier-dacs

[url=http://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/528-devialet-400-mono-integrated-amplifier-dacs][/url]

An interesting review.  This sounds like just what I'm looking for!

SAM is a big factor I think.  I know some prefer not to use it, and indeed it is not available for some speakers.  For me, I really like the improvement SAM brings, so in considering an alternative, I have to consider how much better an amp would need to be in other areas for me to ditch Devialet & SAM for one of those alternatives.

I'm sure that as technology progresses, something will come along one day that will be superior, maybe even some kind of killer "must have" product.  Who knows?  There are many signs of what might be available one day, or even what's out there now, such as Linn's Space Optimisation and other room correction systems.  (Although you could use these with a Dev)  I'm sure the very existence of Devialet SAM and the Phantom has got many manufacturers thinking, and maybe planning.  Not long ago, hifi was a very purist thing, even the existence of a tone control was (and still is by some) considered horrific.  I think the potential of technology and modern electronics will challenge this view and lead to many interesting things one day.

In the meantime, it's fun looking around, but I can't see anything tempting me away from Devialet for some time yet.

Jeff Fritz also test the SAM and what he wrote in this article is the main reson I got my first 200.

Because the Devialet 120 with SAM sounded so good with the diminutive S1s, I figured I’d try it with Magico’s enormous Q7s, a pair of which sat in the background in my room. I’ve struggled a bit to find appropriate amplification for the Q7s. I’ve tried numerous amplifiers, and up to this point the best partner for them had easily been Gryphon’s Mephisto -- which costs $57,000. Nothing else I’d tried had been as satisfying.

Until now.
Would you believe that the best match I’ve heard for the $185,000/pair Magico Q7 is the $6495 Devialet 120? I know -- hard to fathom.