24-Nov-2015, 19:57
I'm perversely quite encouraged by this development even though, in my view, the logic of a 100 piece limited edition (for what is still quite a new product) could signal that sales are declining, at least in terms of the 800 offering.
The good news, to me, is that most of the premium for the limited edition (which is €29,900 compared to the 800 UK price of £18k - or €25k) must be substantiated by the casework and the limited production run. So the new boards must cost pretty much the same as the current ones. And if these new boards make material improvements in reliability or sound performance under certain conditions, then Devialet are hardly likely not to drip them down to the existing units - wholly for 800 users and at least partially for 250, 400, 200 and 120 users.
So I'd guess we will see retrofit options available, perhaps by the time of Munich 2016, which will keep Expert customers happy and Devialet profitable for that product range, even if their real efforts are focussed elsewhere.
The good news, to me, is that most of the premium for the limited edition (which is €29,900 compared to the 800 UK price of £18k - or €25k) must be substantiated by the casework and the limited production run. So the new boards must cost pretty much the same as the current ones. And if these new boards make material improvements in reliability or sound performance under certain conditions, then Devialet are hardly likely not to drip them down to the existing units - wholly for 800 users and at least partially for 250, 400, 200 and 120 users.
So I'd guess we will see retrofit options available, perhaps by the time of Munich 2016, which will keep Expert customers happy and Devialet profitable for that product range, even if their real efforts are focussed elsewhere.
Innuos Statement 2TB SSD with Next-Gen PSU (with Roon lifetime)
MacBook Pro (with Air)
Draytek Vigor 2860v-Plus/Devialet Original d'Atelier CI Nos. 54A&B/Magico M3 pair
Shunyata cables (digital/interconnect/loudspeaker/power)/Shunyata power units (Triton/Typhon)
Dialog/Phantom Gold/Tree pair
Missing Link cables (power)
England