is Devialet a lifestyle product

[SoCalB]

I went to a Magnepan dealer a month or so ago because I happened to be in the neighbourhood. It's 700km away from where I live and I've been wanting to go there for years. I came unprepared so he set up a Nuprime pre and two mono amps.

He chose Nuprime because they're Class D and, as he said "Devialet is also Class D so it will sound similar".

As soon as the music started I knew it wasn't anything like what I get from my Expert Pro. I told him it sounded like what I've always read Class D is supposed to sound like; Sterile. He changed to a tube amp and it sounded much more like my Expert. My conclusion is that Devialet doesn't sound like Class D but more like a tube amp. BTW, the tube amp didn't sound mushy at all.

I've also listened to different speakers with my Expert driving them elsewhere and, so far, I haven't heard anything better yet. That doesn't mean there's nothing better around but it does show that the Experts are pretty damn good.

As for the way it looks; I've always wanted to have some big mono blocks but instead I have these pizza boxes. To be honest, they don't fit into the 'lifestyle' I had planned.

I love Nuprime...have the IDA-8, and had the IDA-16 for 5 years.  It was replaced about 2-3 weeks ago by Expert Pro 440. 

In the first 30 seconds there was NO COMPARISON with the devialet! 

The nuprime is great for what it is...$2600 for 200w x 2 channel intrgrated dac.  It is now in the master bedroom running the LS50s.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I got the expert pro 440.  How much of a difference would it REALLY make over the IDA-16, especially when I don't play at super loud volume that often (where the extra watts would come in).

Everything was just soooo much better on the devialet. 

In the end...do what YOU enjoy!  I don't care that I don't have huge racks of gear.  I LOVE the simplicity of 2 boxes and using my phone/ipad with roon to run my entire system. 

The simplicity of it all is amazing.  I can appreciate tube amps, 5 foot racks of gear, and cables galore.  But for me, I got what I enjoy. 

Puts a smile on my face every day (and every person that has listened to it so far as well...)

Enjoy!