Mapman, thanks. I still think it's odd that an amp will take the analogue signal produced from a DSD recording and digitize it at 96khz in order to amplify it. That seems like a reduction. Additionally, many of us remember from the days of audio cassettes, that recordings of recordings tend to degrade the sound quality. |
Well, digital amps are fairly new and relatively unknown waters for many. It is a much different way of doing things (a mostly digital signal path throughout) than traditional systems where most of the signal path is analogue.
I think it is definitely a wave of the future. I'd be interested to hear some digital amps to get a feel for how well the technology performs at this point. Whether it is up to snuff yet or not though, I have no doubt that the time will come when it is and that it will open up some unique new horizons in audio sound reproduction along the way. |
Has anyone heard the the new Devialet amp or better still does anyone own one to give us any feedback? |
Hi Everybody.
I am just coming back from CES and spent a serious amount of time listening to the Devialet on Focal Scala Utopias as well as the a pair of Revel Salon2's. I can report back that all of the reviews and feedback are spot on. This is a game changer and presents amazing utility along with world class performance. Additionally , it can be custom configured to many settings.
Needless to say, we are going to be displaying the D-Premiere from Devialet starting next week in our Tustin, California showroom. Feel free to drop by or call for a demonstration.
-Digital Ear |
Any product that can compete and better in some areas (accrding to hifinews magazine) the incredible $180,000 Behold system, will get my attention everyday of the week. I wish I could afford one right now, and if I could, I would without doubt try it out. And I would not care if it looked like my Aunt Lizzy's "muscle massager". It is the sound, and the sound only that matters. I do not stare at my audio equipement in lustfull manner. That is what I have a GF for. |
Has there been any reviews of this amp in the American press? |
I wonder how the new NAD digital integrated amp compares at $6000?
That is getting some good press as well.
That's a piece I gotta hear!
Welcome to the future folks! |
Mapman, the NAD digital amp seems peculiar, in that unlike most ss, switching, or digital amps, and more like most tube amps, it doesn't appear as though it "doubles down". |
US,
YEs that is unusual for Class D amps but not so much for integrateds, and is something I might be wary of for my main rig.
Come to think of it, I am not aware of any Class D integrated, digital or not, that "doubles down".
I know its a challenge to use massive power supplies in an integrated but I would think Class D amps might make it more viable, unless perhaps RF interference is an issue as well as EM perhaps?
I suppose you could have a digital pre-amp with a digital out to digital in on a separate CLass D amp. Not sure I know of such a product currently though. |
Mapman, the TacT's and the Wyred4sound integrateds double down. |
Give it about a week, maybe a month.
Things will come full circle and some well made, class AB amp will be at the top, again.
How many brass rings are on this merry-go-round? |
I really believe digital amps will be a game changer within a few years max. |
The fact that an amplifier may or may not 'double down' really says nothing about its sound. |
Atmasphere, it might depending on the load. |
"The fact that an amplifier may or may not 'double down' really says nothing about its sound."
That depends.
It does not define the sound however it can help deliver the best results especially in teh low end in practice with many speakers with difficult loads (more the norm) that are common out there today.
It is not a prime consideration though for those speaker designs that break that mold and present a more balanced load top to bottom and are also inherently more tube amp friendly. |
Let's just take a look at that model for a moment- the idea is that the amplifier is a 'voltage source' which is audio engineering shorthand for saying that it can make the same voltage into any load. This is great if the speaker is designed for that response in an amplifier, and many are. However, the way the human ear hears is a little different from what is on paper. What I mean by that is that the ear perceives amplifier distortion as a tonal coloration. The reason that is important is thus: In order for an amplifier to double power as impedance is halved (IOW to have a constant voltage characteristic) it has to have transistors in it. Now any transistor has a non-linear capacitive aspect in its junctions (varactor diodes take advantage of this to tune radios). The more current you put through the device the more this is magnified. Usually loop feedback is used to linearize the amplifier, and is enough that this quality of capacitance is taken into account. The human ear uses the 5th, 7th and 9th harmonics to determine how loud a sound is. When loop feedback is used, these harmonics become artificially enhanced. This causes the amplifier to sound bright and 'shouty'. Now this is variable with transistor amplifiers; a lot depends on the goal of the designer! But if they focused on making the constant voltage thing work without also paying attention to how our ears work, well then That depends. |
That does depend, I've heard tube amps that sounded amongst other things; "bright and 'shouty'." too. |
Doesn't it all depend ... on ... lots of things, always?
It goes against my instincts and experience to assume though that there is only one way (tubes) to make tasty audio soup and do the harmonic balance plus all the rest well.
After all, we sent men to the moon years ago. Surely engineers know how to properly apply transistors in SS amplifiers by now as well, especially in the digital age (whoops I used the D word), for those who seek good sound via transistors and not tubes. |
This is right up there with the DREI poster or whatever that was. Is something going on in Western Europe that they want to advertise all this crap on Audiogon Forums?
I checked out the link....one word: Absurd. |
Doesn't it all depend ... on ... lots of things, always?
It goes against my instincts and experience to assume though that there is only one way (tubes) to make tasty audio soup and do the harmonic balance plus all the rest well.
After all, we sent men to the moon years ago. Surely engineers know how to properly apply transistors in SS amplifiers by now as well, especially in the digital age (whoops I used the D word), for those who seek good sound via transistors and not tubes. Yes, you'd think, but guess what? There is not a lot of engineering talent being applied to the field right now. We've not been to the moon in a long time :)- back then they certainly *did not* know how... |
ARC has been doing digital amps for years . There still not even close to there tube gear . Anyone think about putting a digital amp on the moon , good place for it . |
All this discussion is off the mark. How does this thing sound? I saw it at CES, but it was not in use. I have heard some comments that some who have heard it were not impressed. Had it not been so positively reviewed, I doubt it would be discussed anywhere. Maybe it was a flash in the pan. |
In no way is the D-Premiere a flash in the pan. I am curious who might have heard it and could be anything less than impressed. It is a performer in all areas in which it offers function. Additionally, I am not sure when or where anyone could have auditioned the Devialet given I was demonstrated, as you noted, in a limited fashion to the public and we were the first to receive and show it at Digital Ear. Again, I would think anyone curious or interested would highly benefit from a real and in person demonstration. That would put the nay-Sayers to rest. As always, I offer our showroom in case you are nearby. www.digitalear.com for more info. |
Digitalear, I saw it at CES; was it in use anywhere? |
Here is a massive thread on the Devialet:
http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showthread.php?1856-Has-anyone-heard-the-Devialet-D-Premier-Integrated-Amp-DAC |
This amp seems to be an enigma. Until I hear it or someone I trust who has heard it, I wonder about all the hoopla. I just bought the B.M.C. M1 monoblocks based on many trusted favorable comments about them. |
OK, will someone who lives in SoCal PLEASE go over to Digital Ear and tell us what the bloody thing sounds like? |
It's almost August, anybody given this a listen yet? Any chance one will be at RMAF in October? |
Shazam, I keep forgetting about it. I would assume that were it any good, we would see more feedback. I was really put off when all I could find at CES was a static display.
I would also hope that we can hear it at the RMAF, but I have not heard of it being at any of the recent regional shows. |
