08-Dec-2016, 16:27
My upgrade journey
I would like to share my upgrade experience. It may help someone to make the right decision:
Since there were some rumours about the upgrade I was pretty sceptical if it will be worth the trouble and how much it will cost.
When detailed technical and commercial Information were available I was still sceptical (not any longer that there will be some step forward but much more if it will be worth the huge amount of money). Due to my experiences with Devialet Air and later with Spark, I don’t not really hope that the streamer-card will replace some of the best third-party solutions out there but I was interested if the Devialet-engineers (which still have excellent reputation to me) were able to make it squeeze out of my Speakers enough more realism to make a difference worth the money).
So, I decided to wait further until first impressions from other users were available…
I found some enthusiastic writeups here in the forum but also a few opposite ones so I was still not sure if I should jump on that train.
Then I got the chance to hear a D1000pro (in comparison to a D800) driving a pair of Wilson Benesch Vector Speakers at a dealer and it simply stunning. I only was still a little unsecure if a D440pro would be able to do almost the same to my Elac X-jets…
On 07.11.2016, only 3 days after my D1000pro session, I could not wait any longer and finally ordered my D400 to D440pro upgrade.
Full of anticipation I made a crazy premature decision and uninstalled My D’s at the next day…. and installed a pair of silver phantoms instead which was most of the time relaxing in my sleeping room (used until that day for about 30 to 50 hours; not bad for the money but nothing in comparison to my D400 system - I thought).
When I switched on the phantoms in the living room I was reminded how much more refined the D400 sound was… But after some days the phantoms were getting better and better. I realized that these bubbles are much more than stylish hipster boasting kit but respectable stereo equipment. I should spend more time in my sleeping room in future…
The time since that day until 6th of December was an emotional examination to me:
First it took 10 days to get the payment managed (online was blocked due to security protection of my bank account against international transfers, two days later I arranged the bank transfer in the Bank personally. Than the money was lost in space for 8 days until it finally was found by Judith and her friends) - not funny.
When the packaging arrived at last 4 days later (I never owned the overpack since I ordered my D400 in two steps) I decided to bring in my D’s directly to the UPS station to speed up the process.
The long waiting made me nervous. After about two weeks I began again to doubt if it was the right decision to buy the upgrade of my D’s and even started believing the gold phantoms may have been the better decision to replace my D400!
Finally, two days ago my upgraded D440 pro arrived at my door and it took me about 6 hours to install it and press the power bottom for the first time (there were no issues about the condition of the amps, everything looks like brand new). And now I truly was remembered to the D1000pro test session with WB Vectors.
The tonal balance was as perfect as before with the D400 but now the D440pro sounds so much more relaxed, smooth and artless that the settled down phantom-sound was blown away by that naturality and even my beloved D400 would never come close to that great ease.
After all that I have no regrets at all to pay for this experience I will have from now on. There is so much well known music to rediscover and so much new sound to discover…
Meanwhile I have had too much time and rethought my installation of stereo-equipment to clean it up even more and decided to be one of the first to have the expert D’s integrated into a TV-set (one quality step further than Devialet in my opinion who “only” may be intended to integrate some small phantom derivate into sharp-TV’s)
My solution hides all the cabling from the TV set, ensures great ventilation of the amps and looks like a part of the LG TV. Most guests at my home did not even realize that there are amps – they thougt the installation as original stand for the TV.
You my find the Pro's in a closer look:
Wish you a nice journey too!
Cheers
Karsten
I would like to share my upgrade experience. It may help someone to make the right decision:
Since there were some rumours about the upgrade I was pretty sceptical if it will be worth the trouble and how much it will cost.
When detailed technical and commercial Information were available I was still sceptical (not any longer that there will be some step forward but much more if it will be worth the huge amount of money). Due to my experiences with Devialet Air and later with Spark, I don’t not really hope that the streamer-card will replace some of the best third-party solutions out there but I was interested if the Devialet-engineers (which still have excellent reputation to me) were able to make it squeeze out of my Speakers enough more realism to make a difference worth the money).
So, I decided to wait further until first impressions from other users were available…
I found some enthusiastic writeups here in the forum but also a few opposite ones so I was still not sure if I should jump on that train.
Then I got the chance to hear a D1000pro (in comparison to a D800) driving a pair of Wilson Benesch Vector Speakers at a dealer and it simply stunning. I only was still a little unsecure if a D440pro would be able to do almost the same to my Elac X-jets…
On 07.11.2016, only 3 days after my D1000pro session, I could not wait any longer and finally ordered my D400 to D440pro upgrade.
Full of anticipation I made a crazy premature decision and uninstalled My D’s at the next day…. and installed a pair of silver phantoms instead which was most of the time relaxing in my sleeping room (used until that day for about 30 to 50 hours; not bad for the money but nothing in comparison to my D400 system - I thought).
When I switched on the phantoms in the living room I was reminded how much more refined the D400 sound was… But after some days the phantoms were getting better and better. I realized that these bubbles are much more than stylish hipster boasting kit but respectable stereo equipment. I should spend more time in my sleeping room in future…
The time since that day until 6th of December was an emotional examination to me:
First it took 10 days to get the payment managed (online was blocked due to security protection of my bank account against international transfers, two days later I arranged the bank transfer in the Bank personally. Than the money was lost in space for 8 days until it finally was found by Judith and her friends) - not funny.
When the packaging arrived at last 4 days later (I never owned the overpack since I ordered my D400 in two steps) I decided to bring in my D’s directly to the UPS station to speed up the process.
The long waiting made me nervous. After about two weeks I began again to doubt if it was the right decision to buy the upgrade of my D’s and even started believing the gold phantoms may have been the better decision to replace my D400!
Finally, two days ago my upgraded D440 pro arrived at my door and it took me about 6 hours to install it and press the power bottom for the first time (there were no issues about the condition of the amps, everything looks like brand new). And now I truly was remembered to the D1000pro test session with WB Vectors.
The tonal balance was as perfect as before with the D400 but now the D440pro sounds so much more relaxed, smooth and artless that the settled down phantom-sound was blown away by that naturality and even my beloved D400 would never come close to that great ease.
After all that I have no regrets at all to pay for this experience I will have from now on. There is so much well known music to rediscover and so much new sound to discover…
Meanwhile I have had too much time and rethought my installation of stereo-equipment to clean it up even more and decided to be one of the first to have the expert D’s integrated into a TV-set (one quality step further than Devialet in my opinion who “only” may be intended to integrate some small phantom derivate into sharp-TV’s)
My solution hides all the cabling from the TV set, ensures great ventilation of the amps and looks like a part of the LG TV. Most guests at my home did not even realize that there are amps – they thougt the installation as original stand for the TV.
You my find the Pro's in a closer look:
Wish you a nice journey too!
Cheers
Karsten
Onkyo Integra DV-SP1000 / Slim Devices Transporter -> D440pro -> Elac FS607 X-Jet
Gold Phantoms (Stereo)
G E R M A N Y
Gold Phantoms (Stereo)
G E R M A N Y
