Devialet Expert 200 Amplifier, DAC and Streamer Review

[BDWoody]

They authorized a return, and it was shipped back to them, so now we wait to see what they have to say.

 

[treuben]

I'm sure a lot of potential buyers will be interested to see that too.

 

[tkr]

Having read most of this thread and some of the discussion over at the Devialet forum reminded me of Amir's test of the nuConnect amp. Both brands have a loyal fanbase and it is interesting that the arguments are similar regardless of the difference in price between the two.

 

[QMuse]

Having read most of this thread and some of the discussion over at the Devialet forum reminded me of Amir's test of the nuConnect amp. Both brands have a loyal fanbase and it is interesting that the arguments are similar regardless of the difference in price between the two.

Well all religions are basically similar, aren't they?

 

[Tks]

Still no reply?

 

[QMuse]

Still no reply?

Did you expect one?

 

[Tks]

Did you expect one?

From luxury brands, if they are trying to save face. Sure.

 

[BDWoody]

Still no reply?

So, @amirm got the unit back, working, with no note or email or anything at all.

He was more inclined to just send it along than run it through any more tests, and I wasn't going to try very hard to convince him otherwise, so it is now on it's way to me.

I wish there had been more communication as to what happened, or really anything at all...but I am pleasantly surprised that I will be (barring craziness) receiving a working unit to play with.

I kinda feel bad for Devialet, because the review basically ends now as a bit of a fizzle-fart. It got cleaned up...but certainly wasn't very satisfying.

Anyone with a new one want to send it in? Might be more representative of their current offerings.

 

[Thomas savage]

Fixed on the down low , sweep all under the carpet.

This is the way for all high end audio companies in my experience.

 

[Matias]

This episode opened my eyes for Devialet and I completely lost interest in them. Before I used to think "I can't afford right now, but I will keep my eyes open if an opportunity shows up someday". Now it's more like "no, thanks". What a PR disaster imo.

 

[Tks]

@BDWoody

I'm confused. The unit came back to amir with no communication or anything of what happened? That's weird. As for remeasuring it, I'm confused about that as well. He doesn't want to re-measure it after all this? Did he say why?

As for Devialet, they didn't offer any new unit for measurement to demonstrate this was an anomaly or that their newer stuff is better? Speaking of repair, is it confirmed repaired? With no note, and simply sending it back to you, doesn't that mean they could've just left the unit as-is? Did they charge you anything for it?

This is just so weird.

 

[Frank Dernie]

@BDWoody

I'm confused. The unit came back to amir with no communication or anything of what happened? That's weird. As for remeasuring it, I'm confused about that as well. He doesn't want to re-measure it after all this? Did he say why?

As for Devialet, they didn't offer any new unit for measurement to demonstrate this was an anomaly or that their newer stuff is better? Speaking of repair, is it confirmed repaired? With no note, and simply sending it back to you, doesn't that mean they could've just left the unit as-is? Did they charge you anything for it?

This is just so weird.

Did it come back from France or a US distributor?

 

[Dialectic]

Fixed on the down low , sweep all under the carpet.

This is the way for all high end audio companies in my experience.

Google never forgets.

 

[BDWoody]

The unit came back to amir with no communication or anything of what happened? That's weird.

Yep...he got a box with the unit inside...nothing else. He got an email about a week ago letting them know they were working on it...but no more detail than that from what I understand.
As to the reasons why this dead ended here...with no communication as to what happened and why, nor any indication from them that they now expected any re-review...I think the risk/reward became tilted too far to the risk side. I'd love to know what they fixed or replaced, but I love even more the idea that nobody got a bill for the repair, which I'm sure would have cost more than the unit.

He did verify that it was now working, and did at least a simple dashboard, but I will let him post whatever else he feels he wants to at this point.

I think it's a 'shhhhhh,' situation... Just get it off the plate, leave it to the posting world to die down after a less than ideal, but far more than worthless response (at least to me), and carry on as if nothing had happened.

Did it come back from France or a US distributor?

Shipped to and from France from what I understand.

 

[Tks]

What a completely odd company. Well at least we know they did something to bring it back up to condition so it can at least function.

Thanks for keeping us informed Woody.

 

[Hugo9000]

Thanks @BDWoody for going through this ordeal for our benefit. I hope it all works out for you, whether you keep the unit and (fingers crossed) get good service from it, or decide to resell it. You deserve special recognition for your selflessness and patience!

Aiding @amirm in his equipment investigations:

Awaiting a response from Devialet:

"Okay, what happened? Not even a note?"

What a gentleman and good sport you've been through it all!

 

[BDWoody]

Thanks @BDWoody for going through this ordeal for our benefit. I hope it all works out for you, whether you keep the unit and (fingers crossed) get good service from it, or decide to resell it. You deserve special recognition for your selflessness and patience!

Aiding @amirm in his equipment investigations:
View attachment 63519

Awaiting a response from Devialet:
View attachment 63520

"Okay, what happened? Not even a note?"
View attachment 63521

What a gentleman and good sport you've been through it all!
View attachment 63522

Thank you very much, although I had the easy part!

I never seem to ever sell anything...and it should work well with the setup in the office with the TT (clever phono stage by most accounts) and the LS50's, so let's hope it just leads to a good story for the grandkids one day as they listen to it with me, rather than on top of a pile of old Denon receivers in the attic.

I think this was tougher on @amirm than it was on me! He was very persistent in getting them to even respond at first, and while I appreciate your appreciation, my appreciation goes to him.

I'd happily send more gear and/or coordinate shipping of a new purchase through Amir with no reservations.

 

[oldsysop]

 

[blodsbror]

I would be interesting in seeing how the newer 140 pro or 210 pro measure. The internals have had quite an overhaul if I'm not mistaken.

 

[mkarikom]

a lot of people in France like me don't have any sympathy for this brand ....their marketing, their very high opinion of themselves, their patent policy (most of the time buy back or royalty free) they pretend to reinvent the wheel every month ....


https://www.lesechos.fr/thema/articles/devialet-un-mix-entre-brevets-et-secrets-133348
"To protect his technology, there are four aspects: patent, secret, speed and brand," introduces Quentin Sannié, co-founder of Devialet. His company, created in 2007 with Pierre-Emmanuel Calmel, Mathias Moronvalle and Emmanuel Nardin, has established itself as one of the world leaders in high-end sound systems. With nearly 108 patents registered in ten years for all its technologies and a new registration every month, Devialet has set up a well-functioning intellectual property strategy. "It is necessary to develop quickly and deliver the technology to the market as quickly as possible. It's an ongoing race," summarizes Quentin Sannié.
Culture of secrecy

To do so, the company benefits from the sound advice of Lavoix, a firm specializing in intellectual property, but also from in-house expertise. Electronics, acoustics, signal processing, mechanics, each element can be protected. "We tend to patent major functional principles," summarizes Quentin Sannié.

For the rest, the company imposes secrecy on itself, particularly in terms of execution. The important thing is to find the right balance. "Instead of revealing, we hide, we don't explain. It's the black box, and the majority of what we do," explains the entrepreneur. The company plays a subtle double game, with a few areas of transparency to reassure investors and not leave customers completely in the dark.

As far as the patent is concerned, Quentin Sannié readily admits that it is above all "a deterrent device". Even if the competition is almost nil and Devialet has thus, more or less, never had to assert its rights.
A technology impossible to copy

The Phantom loudspeaker alone has 80 patents. The integrated computer embeds algorithms that will adapt the signal to the characteristics of the loudspeaker according to the music. To secure these algorithms, Devialet first protects the device. There is software everywhere and it is always linked to other patentable aspects," explains the entrepreneur. Our software drives a mechanical device, there's no point in using it alone. »

"The person who applies our patent is not going to be able to apply our technology," says Quentin Sannié. Clearly, a patent alone is useless without Devialet's know-how. "The complexity of what we do lies in the fact that software is linked to mechanical devices," says the co-founder. But paradoxically, Quentin Sannié says that his company may well not patent anything because the technology he claims is almost impossible to copy.

Oh my god, what... I've just been transported to a Lovecraftian dream world where "cause" and "effect" are meaningless...