07-Feb-2018, 03:30
Interesting read; I have been on an 'occasional' diet of hi fi equipment reviews for the last four or five months; just can't seem to get too interested, and so I probably wouldn't have noticed this column. But I did read it.
As others point out, it is curious how reviewers opinions of equipment seem to vary over time. No big deal, I guess. But it is interesting when one reads comments about gear that we have had experience of. I'm thinking here of Hegel; besides Naim and Devialet, I've heard Hegel systems in some detail, and I would never have considered it a 'Class A' sound. Assuming 'Class A' means 'warm and human and ... ' whatever terms JF used, I personally, find Hegel gear to sound quite mechanical. So, then, I wonder how the Mc missed something that the Hegel / Coda combo provided. Alas.
No matter. I haven't heard a D Prem either. It seems to be a casual comparison of a current Mc product vs. a Devialet amp that is several generations old, so perhaps more of a 'just out of curiosity' exercise than a real comparative test. But I wonder why he has a D Prem hanging about? Seems an odd paperweight after getting rid of all his other extravagant gear. But as @Confused points out, the Devialet amps have changed quite a bit since the DPrem and so anyone who is mildly curious (or mildly perplexed, like me) might be willing to spend a few precious minutes perusing a comparison of current products.
As others point out, it is curious how reviewers opinions of equipment seem to vary over time. No big deal, I guess. But it is interesting when one reads comments about gear that we have had experience of. I'm thinking here of Hegel; besides Naim and Devialet, I've heard Hegel systems in some detail, and I would never have considered it a 'Class A' sound. Assuming 'Class A' means 'warm and human and ... ' whatever terms JF used, I personally, find Hegel gear to sound quite mechanical. So, then, I wonder how the Mc missed something that the Hegel / Coda combo provided. Alas.
No matter. I haven't heard a D Prem either. It seems to be a casual comparison of a current Mc product vs. a Devialet amp that is several generations old, so perhaps more of a 'just out of curiosity' exercise than a real comparative test. But I wonder why he has a D Prem hanging about? Seems an odd paperweight after getting rid of all his other extravagant gear. But as @Confused points out, the Devialet amps have changed quite a bit since the DPrem and so anyone who is mildly curious (or mildly perplexed, like me) might be willing to spend a few precious minutes perusing a comparison of current products.
Damon
Powernode, NAD M32, Cambridge CD transport, Analysis Plus, Nordost, iFi Nova, CSS Criton 1TDX, KEF C62
Vancouver, Canada
