My thoughts on Devialet

[ogs]

I'll avoid the money discussion as there are many good comments already.

Devialet hardware is brilliant to the extent that one is led to think hardware and software people within Devialet does not share the same planet.

I just sold my 250 CI and I miss it's sound quality. It started as a D-Premier in early 2012 and has received all the upgrades along the way. This amp did not fail once(!) in all those years, has never broken anything (like speakers) and has survived and behaved nicely through multiple power losses. In addition there were lots of firmware updates and config changes. Always dependable. And the remote control is the best ever!

To begin with, wifi was a problem, but that was soon fixed with USB and ethernet. Those who used HDMI was a bit disappointed when USB and ethernet replaced it. Then problems really started. AIR was released when wifi was the only network interface. The thinking around the first version of AIR was good, but it was tied to Apple's iTunes. It did not work well. New versions of AIR was opened up to work with 'all' players though not working properly even if we now had wired ethernet.

Then the Phantom speakers were introduced with proprietary ethernet streaming that made it impossible to use with open standards. Devialet had again made fantastic hardware, but the software side attempted to control how users used the products, to lock them in. This alienated all but those that bought the PR and didn't know better. You know "The worlds most powerful wireless speaker" "3000 watts!". Not all of course. Many DC members have found ways to use Phantoms with good results.

Expert amps has S/PDIF, AES/EBU and USB, all open standards and was thus well covered. Phantoms had only TOSLINK as a standardized input, and even that was difficult to use. Especially if one wanted to avoid Dialog and Spark. When Roon was finally allowed to use the AIR protocol, Expert amps had a big problem solved. Phantom speakers were still difficult. DLNA is an open standard, but the standard is rather sloppy so you are not guaranteed it will work with your player. Roon RAAT is proprietary, but it is good and tightly controlled. If Devialet had given priority to open up how ethernet streaming worked or implement RAAT in Phantoms (even in Dialog) immediately, say two years ago, that would have changed the landscape.

The Phantom Reactor Custom is the first new Devialet product that has flexible inputs. By demand of those which it is aimed at, installers. Dante, AES/EBU and balanced analog + a web interface that lets you configure how you want to use it. If the original Phantom had similar flexibility I am sure I'd be a Phantom user now.

As it is I am not a Devialet user at all presently. It has taken Devialet too many years to understand that they can't control users the way they have attempted - by force. There are simply too many broken promises. Let's hope the future is better and Reactor Custom is a sign of the direction Devialet is aiming.