Devialet vs Everything Else

[winiar560]

So with this post I conclude the Devialet chapter in my hifi journey journal. I have had a request or two to share my final thoughts, so here goes ....

I was drawn to Devialet when I first saw it at my local hifi dealer's shop window around 2014. Then a few years later a non-tech friend brought around his newly acquired D-Premier so that I can help with creating and loading a config file. This shiny bathroom scale was a Swiss army knife amp that sounded amazing, my interest was piqued. Another few years and plenty of saving later and I became the proud owner of a 120 eventually upgraded to a 220PRO Ci. Another year later I added a second 220PRO Ci picked up on the local hifi classifieds.

When it was launched, the Devialet was unlike anything I have encountered before and still to this day the Devialet is up there with the best of all-in-one amps.

After a full weekend spent with the Mola Mola system I have concluded that they are here to stay. Are they better that the Devialet 440? In terms of functionality the Tambaqui is pretty bare bones. Sure it is a Roon streamer, DAC and pre but it has no power amp section. Only 4 inputs, no phono stage, no dedicated sub out , a very simply green LED display, ⅓ sized utilitarian  grey housing and a very basic remote - so from a functionality and design perspective the Devialet has it beat. Listening to the Tambaqui and Kaluga amps though make you quickly forget the lack of bells and whistles.

So does it sound better that the 440 in my system? The answer is a definite Yes. Is it a marginal improvement? A resounding No.
The background is more quiet, there are oodles of extra detail, the midrange is fuller, bass goes deeper, the soundstage is larger, the Kalugas sound more powerful by a healthy margin, the Roon integration is simply faultless and it is nice being able to make changes directly in the app without having to create and load a new config file.
Is it completely better than the Devialet? No, I still prefer the Devialet remote and the bass from the 440, while it did not go so low, was slightly leaner and faster.
There are plenty of similarities also, both offer the Class D benefits of a neutral tone, plenty of power, small form factor and letting you experience the recording warts and all (many of my hifi friends don't like honesty preferring a smoother more veiled sound).

Here is hoping that Devialet refocusses efforts on what started it all, the Expert line. Who knows, someday my path might again cross that of Devialet

Happy listening chaps.

All good but think you're missing just one LITTLE  point : Devialet expert 440 pro cost £13400 in UK Brand new

Mola mola kaluga monos £6000 each times 2 = £12000
Tambaqui  £10000
Complete cost pre and monos =£22000 

Taking the above (personally) I think it should be compared with Devialet expert  1000pro if I'm honest to be more fair comparison. 

Also taking you could get now a second hand Devialet  expert  1000 for way less than £10000 in (UK) Devialet  being a better value sound per pound.

Just my though.

Happy listening.