UK event with Mathieu Pernot - 17 July

[mdconnelly]

I first joined DC here 4 years ago.  At the time, I was very excited about my Expert 200.  Devialet had built a remarkable piece of tech that was perfectly aligned with my interests and ears.  And although, like most products, it had a few glitches (think AIR), it sounded amazing.  With the release of the Expert Pro and subsequent CI upgrade, I was convinced of Devialet's commitment toward this product and, as such, I replaced my 200 with a 220 Pro, and then added a 2nd (i.e.. 440 Pro).  I bought into the Expert Pro/CI upgrade not just for the improved sound, but with confidence in what Devialet claimed as the future of the Expert Pro line.  Yeah, hindsight's a bitch. 

I do understand that management and business priorities change - something that Mr. Pernot's comments certainly seemed to indicate with Devialet.   Yet I do believe a well run company should address bugs of their making, meet their commitments, and communicate directly with their customer base - particularly with regard to impactful changes.  But it doesn't matter a lick what I believe, and it's hardly the first time a company didn't live up to hopes and expectations.  Good/bad, right/wrong, Devialet is pursuing a strategy different from what it was 4 years ago - even a year ago.  Different from what I bought into.  Sad for many of us ...  sad for Mathieu Pernot perhaps, but it is what it is.  

Sure I'm disappointed.  But I still love the sound from my Expert Pro 440 and I'm not giving up on it anytime soon.  Well, not until something better comes along.  Which will likely happen at some point.  May already have...  Hmmm, what's a used 440 Pro worth now anyway?   Damn.

Ah, the life of an audiophile is fraught with peril...