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Devialet Expert Long Term Experience?

Would love to hear some more long term experience on the Devialet 200 or other of the Expert series amps. Many flattering reviews but few real life stories.

I recently heard two of the 200s as 400W monoblocks with the B&W 800 D3s and was blown away. I will listen to a single Expert 200 soon with some more speakers and am pretty sure I'll like it. I am a bass head and loved the tightness, accuracy and speed but at also loved the resolution and width of the mids and highs.

What I would like to know is how the Devialets feel and behave long-term in daily usage. They seem to run quite hot and some seem to experience some loss in SQ while running hot. Does it, despite the whole running class A/D in parallel thing, deliver class A quality with class D quantity and does it do so reliably at high temps over many hours and years of use? Any other bugs in this rather unconventional approach to an amp?

128x128superpef
techno_dude
382 posts
 

The difference between Devialet and the best SS rig or the best tube rig will mostly be heard in the high frequencies, and then the mids (but a bit less so... ) The best SS/Tube gear will get you that harmonic density in the highs and that boldness (or euphonia/tubeness) in the midrange...

So if the question is `` is there better than Devialet? `` The answer is yes, but it will be less easier to acheive and will most probably cost more money than Devialet.


superpef's avatar
superpef OP
5 posts
 
marktomaras, please share your findings if you don't mind!
m-db's avatar
m-db
313 posts
 
NuForce SC-700 all copper speaker cable were an inexpensive well made sleeper that were a noticeable improvement over the Cardas Golden Reference with all the switching amplifiers I've used. 

I'm sure they're out of production by now. A thick rectangular copper ribbon wrapped in copper strands. I never found a switching amp that liked silver anything.   
sonusfidelio
3 posts
 
Try the Darwin Truth II PC cables with the Dev 200 and you will be amazed with what pure cryoed silver with air dielectric can do. Bass definition like you've never heard before. The wires are thick and what I think is as silver is 7% faster than copper the combination of a huge bandwidth and fast response provides for a PRAT in heaven !! 
marktomaras
535 posts
 
So I auditioned the Devialet Expert Pro 220 in my home over the weekend. I listened to it against my current system, which consists of an Audio Research tube power and preamp, PS Audio DAC, and Whest phono stage.  (you can see the details in my virtual system page here on Audiogon).

The Devialet is an impressive piece.  My system is no slouch however and I was not compelled to sell everything with a jumping up and down enthusiasm.  The fact that the little Devialet could run with the more traditional system, and sound on par with it, is a great feat and kudos to the people in France that designed and built this excellent machine!

I may end up getting one, but as I said, it was not the mind blowing experience that would be required to make the decision instantly.  The temporary lack of fully Roon Ready meant that I had some connection issues.  I was able to fix them, but they came back, and I had to fix again.  I am no stranger to this, but still, it is annoying.

The phono stage sounded great.  It was interesting to hear my vinyl played through a digital device and still sounds like vinyl.  I like the idea of possibly ripping my vinyl, if I take the time and care to do it properly.  Though I am still not convinced that I should sell my record collection and turntable.  We shall see how minimal I need to go with my system.

So my overall observation was good.  I just need more time to let this sink in!


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