New product launch?

[Pim]

I have to agree with @Borgen.  If somehow (in a parallel universe perhaps) we had Devialet quality hardware, combined with stable and highly optimised software, the overall product would be outstanding.  That is the problem with the EVO platform, it is capable of delivering so much more, as things stand it's underutilised, very many missed opportunities.  In the interest of balance, I presume that if Devialet employed a huge, highly competent software team, the costs would be huge.  This would inevitably mean more expensive products.  (I believe software engineers can command reasonably favourable salaries)   Although I do wonder what would happen if they opened the EVO platform to the world and allowed third party development.  Might be chaos, might lead to some brilliant developments?

As for the upgrade dilemma, retained values etc.  The first point is the upgrades are optional.  If you don't take it, your amp will sound the same for zero charge.

Then think of cars.  A couple of years before I bought my first Devialet, I bought a car.  Since then, the manufacturer has brought out a new model of the car, it's higher spec, looks a bit nicer, and so on.  No upgrade of my car has been offered!  The car has also lost a LOT of it's value.

Back in the very late 90's / early 2000's I performed a major upgrade of my hifi.  Today, I still have the amplifiers I bought then, Arcam Alpha 10/10P, they are still in use in a surround sound system, as are the speakers I bought then.  The CD player I bought in I think 2000, is still in use in my main system.  I only play CD's occasionally, but my trusty old CD player is still in use, connected to a Devialet.  I bought a car in the late 90's too, I do not own it now, it still exists, and it's a horrible pile of junk!  I think a lot of this is psychological.  If you'd bought one of the first D-premiers, it would still be a fine product now, OK not the latest thing, but a damn good amp nevertheless.  There are far worst ways of wasting money than buying Devialet products.

I agree Confused. 

I think where Devialet have somewhat surprised me (and many others) is that, instead of going for a better streaming experience (Fix AIR / Introduce Roon / Dare I say, make the Dialog work on the Expert range?) they have worked on improving sound quality. And very few people on this forum have ever complained about SQ. My best guess is that they figured out they can't fix AIR so the only way to dig themselves out of this hole is to introduce better SQ with an upgrade that will then also improve the streaming side. More money in the bank and AIR issues forgotten forever