Small system with Devialet 250/Focal Diablo Utopias - worth upgrading to 800?

[Atomjohan]

Hi Chrish!

I have no experience between the 250 and 800 but I have the 200 and recently had another 200 home for a 400 setup one weekend. I´m also using the Diablos.

The difference between the 200 and 400 was IMO pretty big. Even more transparent and noticeable more power, this was pretty obvious at low volume where the 200 felt a bit "thin" sometimes (compared to my old Plinius Hautonga). Voices felt even more natural and the bass got a bit faster and tighter. I´m running SAM at 50% with my 200 because at 100% the bass feels a bit soft and boomy. I´m being very critical now, the 200 sounds great with the Diablos but the 400 Dual Mono however made a big improvement. The 200 have always sounded great at electronic music, but perhaps missed a tad of glow in voices etc of the Hautonga, the 400 brought most of that back.

Johan

Thanks Johan. This is really helpful info. I was thinking the same thing that the Devialet is a bit thin sounding at lower volume (could be the speakers though I guess). Think I'm gonna try another 250 and see if the upgrade it worthwhile

Glad I could help you Yes do give it a try and please report back your findings!

[thumb5]

[...]
The difference between the 200 and 400 was IMO pretty big. Even more transparent and noticeable more power, this was pretty obvious at low volume where the 200 felt a bit "thin" sometimes (compared to my old Plinius Hautonga).

Thanks Johan. This is really helpful info. I was thinking the same thing that the Devialet is a bit thin sounding at lower volume (could be the speakers though I guess).

I'm very interested by these comments, because they match my experience exactly. (See my sig below.) I find the sound at low volumes rather thin and weedy. But if I crank up the volume, it sounds transcendentally wonderful. I'd assumed it was a problem I could address with a bit of FR tweaking, maybe a lack of lower mid-range oomph. But experience suggests not.

Well, call it expectation bias if you like, but having extended my 200 to a 400 (on trial) and listened for a couple of hours, I think the highlighted points are a very good description of one of the differences I'm hearing.

Also, and I'd have had a hard time imagining this, the openness and ease of the 200's delivery seems to be noticeably better again with the 400. It's just absolutely clean without being in any way tiring to listen to.

(This is with the "infamous" standard-supply Crystal Cable linking the two units - haven't tried anything else yet.)

[chrish]

[...]
The difference between the 200 and 400 was IMO pretty big. Even more transparent and noticeable more power, this was pretty obvious at low volume where the 200 felt a bit "thin" sometimes (compared to my old Plinius Hautonga).

Thanks Johan. This is really helpful info. I was thinking the same thing that the Devialet is a bit thin sounding at lower volume (could be the speakers though I guess).

I'm very interested by these comments, because they match my experience exactly. (See my sig below.) I find the sound at low volumes rather thin and weedy. But if I crank up the volume, it sounds transcendentally wonderful. I'd assumed it was a problem I could address with a bit of FR tweaking, maybe a lack of lower mid-range oomph. But experience suggests not.

Well, call it expectation bias if you like, but having extended my 200 to a 400 (on trial) and listened for a couple of hours, I think the highlighted points are a very good description of one of the differences I'm hearing.

Also, and I'd have had a hard time imagining this, the openness and ease of the 200's delivery seems to be noticeably better again with the 400. It's just absolutely clean without being in any way tiring to listen to.

(This is with the "infamous" standard-supply Crystal Cable linking the two units - haven't tried anything else yet.)

Couple of quick questions about the 800:

- what's the length of the digital cable that comes with it?
- are there multiple color choices for the companion 250? It's says so on the website, but I've only ever seen black chrome (think that's what I have)

[chrish]

Brought home a 250 companion earlier today. It's setup and I've been listening for a few hours now. Really impressed to be honest. Has a lot more low end grunt, and sounds a lot more detailed to me. Was really easy to setup and I've had no problems at all as of yet. Funny, but the tracks that have impressed me most have been FLACs ripped from cd's. High res stuff always sounded good, but FLACs of cd's always sounded a little flat and boring to me with a single 250. With the 800, they sound a lot more detailed and enjoyable. Not tried any vinyl yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a go tomorrow. I'll let you know my impressions. Up to now, I love the 800.

When I picked up the Companion 250, I had a quick look at the Focal Scala's. I like those a lot  My girlfriend will probably kill me if I don't stop with this 'hobby'.

[amabrok]

Brought home a 250 companion earlier today. It's setup and I've been listening for a few hours now. Really impressed to be honest. Has a lot more low end grunt, and sounds a lot more detailed to me. Was really easy to setup and I've had no problems at all as of yet. Funny, but the tracks that have impressed me most have been FLACs ripped from cd's. High res stuff always sounded good, but FLACs of cd's always sounded a little flat and boring to me with a single 250. With the 800, they sound a lot more detailed and enjoyable. Not tried any vinyl yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a go tomorrow. I'll let you know my impressions. Up to now, I love the 800.

When I picked up the Companion 250, I had a quick look at the Focal Scala's. I like those a lot  My girlfriend will probably kill me if I don't stop with this 'hobby'.

Very promising and consistent finding with the dual mono.. Glad that you liked

And yes we are all dead one way or the other because of this hobby


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[Atomjohan]

Brought home a 250 companion earlier today. It's setup and I've been listening for a few hours now. Really impressed to be honest. Has a lot more low end grunt, and sounds a lot more detailed to me. Was really easy to setup and I've had no problems at all as of yet. Funny, but the tracks that have impressed me most have been FLACs ripped from cd's. High res stuff always sounded good, but FLACs of cd's always sounded a little flat and boring to me with a single 250. With the 800, they sound a lot more detailed and enjoyable. Not tried any vinyl yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a go tomorrow. I'll let you know my impressions. Up to now, I love the 800.

When I picked up the Companion 250, I had a quick look at the Focal Scala's. I like those a lot  My girlfriend will probably kill me if I don't stop with this 'hobby'.

Nice to hear your impressions, I share your impressions about the grunt and detail. I´ve been going ON and OFF about D400 for a few months now, my HIFI-brain is fighting my conservative brain.
HIFI-brain: It´s totally worth it soundwise. It´s just money. You only live once. Because you are worth it. 2 is better than 1.

Conservative-brain: You are mad paying this money for a hobby. It´s better to save the money for a rainy day. There so much other thing to do with the money. 

This is driving me mad, I think I should just buy the D400

[amabrok]

You should


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[Mikeeo]

Just to add some more info to low level playing. I've tested quite a lot of loudspeaker both with the 200 and 400 and irrespectively of speakers used (low as high sensitivity) I always felt that the volume need some cranking before music 'leaps' out of the speakers. My impression is that there is something with the Devialet that makes this. However with the 400 low level listening is slightly better and with SAM enabled even better. BUT still, volume need some cranking to release/free the sound from the speakers.

Anyone else?

/Mike

[Rufus McDufus]

That's my problem with my D200 Mikeo - and I can't crank too high as it's in a small room. And I don't really want to hear that the 400 alleviates this situation! I've tried reducing the power in the past with a view to pushing the Devialet harder (somehow) but it seems to change the audio quality and particularly sounds worse with classical.

[thumb5]

Adding to the chorus...I heard the same as amabrok and Mikeeo when I added a companion to my 200: it does seem to make the music come more to life at low volumes.  Haven't a clue why this should be (leaving aside psychology, of course!).