D120 or 200 vs Einstein absolute tune hybrid amp

[Kunter]

While you are at it, try D400 if you can. Its not about power (only).

Cheers...

[mojojojo]

Not sure if my finances could stretch to a 400.Although if the air streamer is better than my Linn klimax renew I could sell that.

[Damon]

It was a shop that sells the devialet that said the 200 gave a more dynamic sound.The audio vectors aren't hard to drive.The Einstein is 50wpc and drives them easily giving a slightly warm detailed airy and lively sound.

Just a brief thought; the dealer here, whom I have known for years and do trust, indicated that the sound quality is the same across the range; the more powerful models will, however, have an advantage with more difficult speakers and/ or at higher volumes. Thinking about the design of the Devialet (from what little I know), this makes sense to me. But rarely is more power a bad thing.

Remember that I'm using a 28 wpc Naim Unitiqute at the moment, so my opinion needs some salt. Devialet most likely to be the next step.

[mojojojo]

Still not managed to get a dem of the 200.Shop waiting to get one in either from devialet or their other shop who are too busy with dems of it to loan it out.In the meantime they gave me a loan of a naim 282/supercap/250.2.That's been quite an improvement over my Einstein. More detail and height in the soundstage.Does anybody know how the 200 compares to the naim setup?

[PhilP]

Still not managed to get a dem of the 200.Shop waiting to get one in either from devialet or their other shop who are too busy with dems of it to loan it out.In the meantime they gave me a loan of a naim 282/supercap/250.2.That's been quite an improvement over my Einstein. More detail and height in the soundstage.Does anybody know how the 200 compares to the naim setup?

Hi, I'm a long-term Naim customer and used to own NDX/XPS/HiLine/282/ HICAP/200. I had a home demo of a Devialet 200 back in June and it was immediately clear that it bettered my Naim amp in every way. The Devialet is far more neutral, and resolves far greater levels of detail providing much better insight into the music and better defined soundstage. Individual instruments are easier to follow, lyrics are easier to understand and the bass extension and control is significantly better. There was no loss of PRaT. and the Devialet doesn't buzz annoyingly. Naim don't really major on soundstage until you get up to "500 Series" level (552/500) so I think you'll find that the Devialet is better in that respect as well.

I've listened to the 282/Supercap/250 combination many times. It is a good amp but costs twice as much as a Devialet 200 and although I haven't done a direct comparison I doubt that it would better it. I was considering moving to 282/Supercap/300 but after I heard the Devialet rapidly changed my mind and saved myself the best part of £10k. My local dealer has been selling Devialet for about 9 months and I think all the amps he has sold so far have gone to Naim customers. I don't think he has any customers who have moved the other way.

Perhaps your dealer is trying to up-sell to you

[Damon]

...In the meantime they gave me a loan of a naim 282/supercap/250.2.That's been quite an improvement over my Einstein. More detail and height in the soundstage.Does anybody know how the 200 compares to the naim setup?

Mojojojo,

PhilP will be along shortly, I hope, and he can give you a good opinion on the Naim VS Devialet. Others will also be helpful. The Naim setup you're trying is very good, and I'll be interested to hear your thoughts about the sound comparison when you do try try the Devialet. I've heard a reasonable amount of Naim gear. I think the presentation of the Devialet is different, and as much I really love the Naim 'sound', I'm very likely going to the D120.

My opinion would be that there is a clarity and ease to the Devialet that is remarkable. Through the Devialet the background of the music, the spaces between the notes, is arresting. I love the drive of the Naim, but I'm finding that the Devialet presents all the sounds, the harmonics and the micro dynamics in a way that I can't get over. The other day I was able to drag my wife in for 10 minutes of listening to the D120 through a pair of the Totem Element Embers (I think- very small box, 6" woofer or so) and even she commented on the way the music seemed to emerge without any sense of effort or muffling. Every time I hear the Dev, my impressions are confirmed. At the price, the D120 especially seems a remarkable value.

[mojojojo]

Hi Philip,Thanks for the reply.It was myself who asked about the naim as I had seen they were selling a 2nd hand 282/supercap and since they couldn't get the 200 in i we thought I could compare that to my Einstein and then compare that to the 200 later on hopefully next week.

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Hi Damian,I've been listening to the naim tonight and enjoyed it.Heard lots of details in songs that i 'be missed.Now back listening to the Einstein which seems bass light and hollowish by comparison although it's not fully warmed up yet.

[PhilP]

Hi Philip,Thanks for the reply.It was myself who asked about the naim as I had seen they were selling a 2nd hand 282/supercap and since they couldn't get the 200 in i we thought I could compare that to my Einstein and then compare that to the 200 later on hopefully next week.

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Hi Damian,I've been listening to the naim tonight and enjoyed it.Heard lots of details in songs that i 'be missed.Now back listening to the Einstein which seems bass light and hollowish by comparison although it's not fully warmed up yet.

Hi, I think Damon's done a much better job of describing the Devialet sound than I did. It's the ease with which it does everything that impresses me most. The music just flows with no harshness or edginess and because the noise levels are so low its much easier to hear low level details.

Some Naim products including the 250.2 have a fullness in the mid-upper bass that is quite appealing and that might be what you're describing as the difference between the Einstein and the Naim amps. The Devialet is very neutral across the whole frequency range so you can expect it to sound less 'warm' than the Naim too.

If you decide that you prefer Naim then buying s/h is really the way to go as prices hold up well and you won't lose much/anything if you sell the kit on again.

Good luck!

Philip

[mojojojo]

Cheers

[mojojojo]

Well managed to hear a d200 against the naim gear I mentioned in the post earlier. The naim sounds quite forward sounding compared to the d200.I've now ordered one and saved a lot of shelf space. As a bonus my speakers aren't Sam end yet but the newer version of mine is supposed to be the same apart from the shape so I should be able to use that Sam setup.