Mola-Mola vs. Devialet. Which Class D amp sounds less artificial? More musical?

Bebop

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Try Spec integrated from Japan, extremely musical amplifiers built by japanese artisans with 300B amps as sound preferences. Minimalist and no nonsence, but highly musical!
 

Luiz Felipe

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I don't know Mola Mola, but Devialet is the best cost x benefit equipment today. It is nota a Class D Amp, it is a Class A / D Sound different when compared with a common class D. Devialet 800 can handle any speaker.
 

dallasjustice

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I heard the devialet a few times and have always been impressed with it. But I've never heard it face a demanding impedance load. JA didn't find it to be suitable for loads under 4 ohms.


I bet the Mola Mola would do much better with lower impedance speakers.
 

mauidan

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I heard the devialet a few times and have always been impressed with it. But I've never heard it face a demanding impedance load. JA didn't find it to be suitable for loads under 4 ohms.


I bet the Mola Mola would do much better with lower impedance speakers.
That Stereophile review is two years old.

The Devialet D-Premier was upgraded to the 240, and a firmware upgrade turned it into the 250. If you need more power, you can bridge a pair of 250s into a 800.

The Devialets don't seem to have any problem driving the 4 ohm Magico speakers:

http://www.soundstageultra.com/inde...et-sam-and-the-changing-of-the-high-end-guard

http://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php/equipment-menu/528-devialet-400-mono-integrated-amplifier-dacs





 

dallasjustice

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Bridging will only make it perform worse at lower impedance.


That Stereophile review is two years old.

The Devialet D-Premier was upgraded to the 240, and a firmware upgrade turned it into the 250. If you need more power, you can bridge a pair of 250s into a 800.

The Devialets don't seem to have any problem driving the 4 ohm Magico speakers:

http://www.soundstageultra.com/inde...et-sam-and-the-changing-of-the-high-end-guard

http://www.ultraaudio.com/index.php/equipment-menu/528-devialet-400-mono-integrated-amplifier-dacs





 

Luiz Felipe

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Dear Dallasjustice, I experienced it working very well with Magico Q3, S5 and Q7, focal Grand utopia, Anthony Gallo 5LS (line array), BW 800 and Dynaudio Evidence. Till now is the only one new technology amplifier i has experienced what don't sound like Class D. But you need to choose the right amplifier to the right speaker. If the speaker have SAM available it make a great difference to bring the speaker on limit with that. How I told before is a great cost x benefit but is very far from the best amplifiers available with higher cost off course.
 

mauidan

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Bridging will only make it perform worse at lower impedance.

"The question is: Are you ready for it? If you’re like me, once you hear the Devialet 400, there will be no going back. I’m as surprised as you that I’m saying this, but the Devialet 400s produced the best sound I’ve ever heard." - Jeff Fritz

 

caesar

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"The question is: Are you ready for it? If you’re like me, once you hear the Devialet 400, there will be no going back. I’m as surprised as you that I’m saying this, but the Devialet 400s produced the best sound I’ve ever heard." - Jeff Fritz


The thing is, most of us are not like Jeff Fritz. Jeff Fritz has analytic tastes, and nothing wrong with that at all.

Additionally, the authority mentality is not helpful to most of us. Although it may be helpful to the inexperienced guys and those who lack self-confidence, most guys here are pretty experienced and don't need specific instructions on what they should buy. Despite what our engineering minded friends say, audio products are experience goods. Their quality can’t be judged without hearing them and comparing them. Who cares what Jeff Fritz or the "worthless to the audio fan" Harley likes? The consumer’s taste will not likely match his. Without comparisons, reviewers are just marketing their favorites instead of working for the consumer.


Absolutely nothing personal against Jeff Fritz, by the way. Just pointing out that most don't share his tastes and that his reviewing is not helpful to the fans.
 
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Mike Lavigne

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Have you heard the D400s?

not that I know of specifically. I've heard the Devialet at shows, no idea whether it was the D400s with the magical speaker eq, and was not particularly impressed or turned off. I'm neutral on the Devialet's merits.

my comments were directed at Joe's comment characterizing the definitive/unequivocal nature of Mr. Fritz's comment only. that those type comments are not useful and should be not focused on. I intended no disrespect to the Devialet or Mr. Fritz.
 
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asiufy

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My take: as usual, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. It's not "the best ever", but it's not your typical Class D amp, harsh and dry.
It did drive the Q3's bass like I never heard before. That was with the Dual 400. I've heard it sound a lot worse with B&W 800s, though.


alexandre
 

bonzo75

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The D sounded pretty bad to me with the Logans. I will now try it later on a regular 8ohm speakers, though when I heard it on Avalon Eidolons I wasn't impressed with the system sound
 

Orb

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Bridging will only make it perform worse at lower impedance.

Bear in mind this is not a traditional amp with normal stages (utilising instead an advanced current dumping concept), part of the changes in more recent times from what I understand is also the modification to the power supply/regulation.

Edit:

It can supply power down to 1ohm even in original form that JA had as reviewed by Hifi News (limited duration due to regulation-spec): 650w to 2ohms and 325w to 1ohms as per shown by HiFi News.
http://www.absolutesounds.com/pdf/main/press/DV D-Premier_HFN0410web.pdf
They said :
Because the output is digitally defined, and custom power supply so rigidly regulated, there is no difference in either continuous or dynamic power output, amounting to 165w, 330w, 650w into 8,4, and 2ohm loads.
Since then some aspects of the design has been improved.
Cheers
Orb
 

dallasjustice

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The Mola Mola Kaluga and the Dev gear aren't in the same category of product, IMO.

I think JA even mentioned the fact that it's difficult to measure the Dev like a traditional amplifier due to the super high gain on the analog input, which i think is designed for record players. For sure, these measurements demonstrate a lack of dynamic range but that's not being fair to the unique design of the Dev gear.

I would also need to mention that as far as the digital side is concerned, the Mola Mola DAC will easily best the Dev gear in the digital to analog conversion tests. The Dev got only 18 bits of resolution when JA dropped it down to 24 bits. That's not very impressive. There are many DACs that can outpeform the Dev and the Mola Mola DAC will be one of them for sure.
 

Orb

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Di dI read Bruno stating something about 140dB ?
I know he has been working on it a long time.
Keith.

Considering the current very best only measures up to 123dB (ish digital) for A-wtd S/N Ratio at the output I am curious how this reaches 140dB.
For amplifier side the old Premier (surpassed by latest generations) had a dynamic range of 113.7dB @165w.

Not directed at you Keith but I think some need to dial back some of their posts or put it into perspective on the Devialet spec (other reviewers measured better than JAs review such as Paul Miller who also has advanced measurement tools, one consideration this is compounded by the advanced configuration options and firmware applied pertaining to this product).

But yes the original Devialet Premier did have weakness with analogue (resolved with latest iterations) to do with the 48khz sample/alias rejection/gain aggravating S/N.
Cheers
Orb
 
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GuillaumeB

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Well I own the Devialet D800 and I'd love to hear the Mola Mola combo. Not sure I understand why this thread has to descend into such acrimoniousness. Shame really.

Guillaume
 

toetapaudio

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The Mola Mola Kaluga and the Dev gear aren't in the same category of product, IMO.

I think JA even mentioned the fact that it's difficult to measure the Dev like a traditional amplifier due to the super high gain on the analog input, which i think is designed for record players. For sure, these measurements demonstrate a lack of dynamic range but that's not being fair to the unique design of the Dev gear.

I would also need to mention that as far as the digital side is concerned, the Mola Mola DAC will easily best the Dev gear in the digital to analog conversion tests. The Dev got only 18 bits of resolution when JA dropped it down to 24 bits. That's not very impressive. There are many DACs that can outpeform the Dev and the Mola Mola DAC will be one of them for sure.

Agree totally, no comparison.
 

morricab

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Well I recently heard a setup with two devialets bridged in mono and upgraded firmware to "pro" status. The speakers were a pair of Piega TX70s (or 90s...not sure) with the coaxial planar mid/tweeter. I am not sure what others (including Jeff Fritz) hear in such a sound but to my ears it is flat, a bit hard and not very tonally correct. It has a kind of transparency but without inner detail and a lot of leading edge and not much in the way of harmonic envelope. I was quickly fatigued by this sound and IMO is only suitable for modern rock/pop or electronic music. Acoustic music is not well served with that sound. Now, granted, Piegas are more on the analytical side soundwise but this is not a sound I could get behind.

That said, I have to agree with DallasJusitce as well on the mola molas and the specs he wants to tout are meaningless with regards to sonics. I have heard molas now quite a bit with Lanshce speakers and compared to what I have heard from Lansches with biamped KR Kronzillas it was an unmitigated disaster with the mola molas.
 

morricab

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Well I recently heard a setup with two devialets bridged in mono and upgraded firmware to "pro" status. The speakers were a pair of Piega TX70s (or 90s...not sure) with the coaxial planar mid/tweeter. I am not sure what others (including Jeff Fritz) hear in such a sound but to my ears it is flat, a bit hard and not very tonally correct. It has a kind of transparency but without inner detail and a lot of leading edge and not much in the way of harmonic envelope. I was quickly fatigued by this sound and IMO is only suitable for modern rock/pop or electronic music. Acoustic music is not well served with that sound. Now, granted, Piegas are more on the analytical side soundwise but this is not a sound I could get behind.

That said, I have to agree with DallasJusitce as well on the mola molas and the specs he wants to tout are meaningless with regards to sonics. I have heard molas now quite a bit with Lanshce speakers and compared to what I have heard from Lansches with biamped KR Kronzillas it was an unmitigated disaster with the mola molas.


Sorry I meant DISagree
 

egidius

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...& kii??

Agree totally, no comparison.

Could anone elaborate on the kii three (or the Grimm LS1), as they are by the same hand as the MM. I have to evaluate them after having heard them once, gathering information now. Not hijacking the thread, but expanding it in the logical direction, if you don't mind?

thanks!
 

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