Has anyone heard the Devialet D-Premier Integrated Amp/DAC
- Thread starter FrantzM
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This just came into my mail inbox 5 minutes ago:
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/be...+Emails&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email-137
Towards the end of the article this is what is written:
"It is worth noting that this was written for our issue 100, when the D-Premier was the only product in the range. Since that time, Devialet has drastically remodelled the D-Premier (now calling it the 240, with a complete revision available for exiting D-Premier customers) and the cheaper 110 and 170 models have joined it. These all bring USB and Ethernet connectivity (at the expense of HDMI) and the chatter at this time suggests the new models improve significantly on sound quality of the predecessors.
We hope to be testing more of the new Devialet range soon"
Unfortunately to far away. My dealer has one in stock.
But it is in Bavaria, Germany. Sorry.
Yes I would figure Europe would have more stock, I have already put in a deposit with my dealer already. Just have to wait it out I guess!! Oh by the way I have been many times to Baveria - Augsburg, Munich. Love Germany very much and only have Weizen beer nowadays and we get awesome white sausage here as well
As long as they use he latest v6 firmware on both the D-Premier and 110, 170 or 240 when comparing sound quality since my D-Premiers sound much better than operating the previous firmware version (v5) and better than the firmware before that ....
These are code driven machines and better code gives better sound. 4 years of development and with the recent expansion of the company and no doubt more programmers we are getting better code and features at a faster rate. Long may that continue.
Firmware v6 which coincided with the release of the new models was the biggest leap in sound quality yet imho.
Running dual units is another major leap in sound quality. You need to be in the D-Premier or 240 club to be able to do that.
I agree, I would love to see DSD as an added feature. Not entirely sure if it is possible with the Devialet's complete internal processing but the DAC seems capable. We need to make sure that Devialet know that their is enough interest for this feature for them to address this and say if it is possible or not.
The new Wadia which is similar to the Devialet is offering DSD so is a host of other DACs. Maybe we should all request them to add this feature. I am surprised that they did not add this feature to the latest version.
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/munich-high-end-2013-everything-else/
This article says the ADH board version is different in the new models:
"All feature the v5 design ‘Class ADH’ circuit board and radically upgraded versions of software and a universal streamer"
Note they are talking about the different circuit board. With regards to the firmware/software I agree as the sound can change quite drastically. As I too can change the firmware on my PS Audio PWD Mk II which has a lot of difference in sound quality and tonal quality!
"No one is disputing what they are saying, I have read that they have changed some comments on their website - are you disputing the fact that they have changed wordings?"
Devialet has admitted that their initial comments were driven by over-enthusiasm, not fact.
"Yes, I suspect they have improved the engineering of the boards as one would expect after three years' production management experience. Improved the sound discernibly - doubtful.
How do you know, have you heard them both, there are other forums where where one person has confirmed that the 170 sounds better than the d-premier and the dealer he was listening at also concurred the same."
Well yes I am in the rare position to have heard the D-Premier, the dual-mono and the 170, albeit in differing circumstances. The system which included the 170 wasn't anywhere close to the other two, but I don't put that down to material differences in Devialet units but to room, loudspeakers and possibly choice of material.
And at the OAC demonstration, listeners were saying they preferred the D-Premier room to the 170 room. Probably for the same reasons.
As for the forthcoming HiFi+ review, I will attach no value to their opinions. If you read the editor Alan Sircom's views on the compromises involved in keeping a hifi magazine solvent, you will see why virtually all reviews are written as they are.
That's not a normal magazine I read and yes reviews by magazines are not always to be trusted, I agree with you on this
Well an identical system has to be set up to try both otherwise its moot. Anyways I am just bummed as I don't know when I will get the 170 with the stock situation.I have upgraded to the latest firmware and Air release, so far so good.
I am still running iTunes 11.0.2. I updated to the 11.0.3 and then I had to downgrade back due to the iTunes bug. Has anybody tried the 11.0.4? I don't want to upgrade and then have to downgrade again.
thanks
BTW I was in Paris last week and I talked to the Devialet guys. They confirmed again that the changes between the D-premier and the 240 are the motherboard, the power supply and the inputs. + the color of the chassis that is now slightly darker. The ADH has not changed.
They are working on the upgrade program now
I am still running iTunes 11.0.2. I updated to the 11.0.3 and then I had to downgrade back due to the iTunes bug. Has anybody tried the 11.0.4? I don't want to upgrade and then have to downgrade again.
thanks
BTW I was in Paris last week and I talked to the Devialet guys. They confirmed again that the changes between the D-premier and the 240 are the motherboard, the power supply and the inputs. + the color of the chassis that is now slightly darker. The ADH has not changed.
They are working on the upgrade program now
iTunes 11.0.4 works well with 6.0.8 and Air 2.1. With my setup, it is important to start the Devialet first, then Air 2.1 connected and finally iTunes.
v5 is the main board (motherboard) itself. D-Premier has a v4 main board. The ADH part of the board appears to be the same.
Differences with the 240 and D-Premier are the new colour finish, input side with new DSP, USB and Ethernet connectors, Power Supply and new layout of the mainboard (v5).
I would be interested to know details of the new power supply compared to the D-Premier supply.
So there is a new power supply? Although my supplier said they were the same I have read it is bigger to accommodate future room equalizer features..
Stump
P.S It is early days yet with details and I know my supplier is only passing on what his is told by the importer.
I don't understand how the size of the power supply is related to 'accomodate room equalizer features'? I expect that equalisers, room correction, crossovers etc... are the domain of DSP.
There has been no change in sound quality whatever through any firmware release from initial launch 2.5 years ago. (I have has had D-Premier since launch paired with QUAD 2905's). Any code changes have not affected the signal path or signal handling. You need to seek some other explanation for your perceived improvements in sound quality.
I do not include AIR in this assertion.
G
G
This is not correct, as I can remember that they at least increased the bit resolution for volume control.
Because all volume control is done in the D-Premiere digitally with the DSP, the resolution used for calculations that are needed to change the volume of a digital signal have effect to the sound quality.
I have different versions of the Devialet Firmware here and will soon make an explicit comparisation.
The digital volume control is and always has been 24 bit resolution.
I look forward very much to your evidence based comparison between firmware releases - though I will be surprised if Devialet enable firmware rollback.
G
a rollback is no problem, you can load every firmware you have. But it was never required for sound comparison. After some month of listening I'm so used to the sound quality that I hear a change immediately if it is there. Not all updates result in a SQ change, but the last did, especially with 6.0.8. The changes from my initial 5.4 formware to 5.7 where mostly audible but small. The last firmware is a big step forward, at least with AIR which is my only audio source.
My apologies if your only sound source is AIR. My comments referred only to the D-Premier itself and to all audio sources except AIR. I agree that AIR has been improved by a succession of firmware releases but that is not, as I said, because of any changes to the D-Premier architecture itself. I do not use AIR so far because of its instability - I use an external streamer.
Sorry for the miscommunication.
G
I'm also using an optical in for my TV. For some music DVD's that I have and also youtube music videos I can also hear an improvement. I also have an audiophilleo USB interface that I have used sometimes, especially in the past weeks when AIR could not really be used due to the dropouts. It is always slightly worse than AIR but has also improved in my opinion.
e.g. when going from 32bits to 40bits (5.6 ?) was audible for all inputs, same for the power enhancement with 5.5. Also going from 5.7 to 6.0 was audible, but maybe the difference including AIR is bigger.
e.g. when going from 32bits to 40bits (5.6 ?) was audible for all inputs, same for the power enhancement with 5.5. Also going from 5.7 to 6.0 was audible, but maybe the difference including AIR is bigger.
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