Jeff Fritz/State of the Uber High End

[microstrip]

(...) Devialet is accepted as High End and is one modern example of a more competitive priced product and shows the trend is not just ultra expensive. (...)

Orb

Orb,

Devialet is really an interesting case study. A "perfect" product since version one, that is being improved in sound quality and no one knows exactly what is the real reason of the perceived improvements. And now they have SAM, a mysterious Speaker Active Matching technology that no one seems to know how it really works. But as it sounds good no one seems to care.

BTW, I hope to listen to SAM soon with the Sonus Faber Futura Amati speakers - I had large bias expectation in this pairing, and recently got a mail from Devialet telling me it is now ready!

 

[MadFloyd]

Peter,

Yes, but I also know some tables costing more than the 20/3 sounding better than it ...

In the SME 20/3 review Michael Fremer wrote "Though the bigger SME ‘tables are far more expensive, they are thicker and slower sounding than the faster, more nimble-sounding and least expensive in the line 20/3. The larger ‘tables may produce more weight and perhaps greater dynamic slam, but the 20/3 produces better overall rhythm’n’pacing and thus greater overall musical excitement" . IMHO if you want to have the "more weight and perhaps greater dynamic slam" (two aspects I appreciate a lot ) one needs to have a better system and room, where the SME 30's do not sound thick and slow.

Or speakers that do not sound thick and slow.

 

[Bruce B]

Or speakers that do not sound thick and slow.

That's a relief!!

 

[mauidan]

Orb,

Devialet is really an interesting case study. A "perfect" product since version one, that is being improved in sound quality and no one knows exactly what is the real reason of the perceived improvements. And now they have SAM, a mysterious Speaker Active Matching technology that no one seems to know how it really works. But as it sounds good no one seems to care.

BTW, I hope to listen to SAM soon with the Sonus Faber Futura Amati speakers - I had large bias expectation in this pairing, and recently got a mail from Devialet telling me it is now ready!

There's nothing mysterious about their firmware improvements, just read the information on the website. Same goes for SAM.

 

[PeterA]

Peter,

Yes, but I also know some tables costing more than the 20/3 sounding better than it ...

In the SME 20/3 review Michael Fremer wrote "Though the bigger SME ‘tables are far more expensive, they are thicker and slower sounding than the faster, more nimble-sounding and least expensive in the line 20/3. The larger ‘tables may produce more weight and perhaps greater dynamic slam, but the 20/3 produces better overall rhythm’n’pacing and thus greater overall musical excitement" . IMHO if you want to have the "more weight and perhaps greater dynamic slam" (two aspects I appreciate a lot ) one needs to have a better system and room, where the SME 30's do not sound thick and slow.

I had forgotten about this strange Fremer comment. I've never heard an SME 30 sound thick and slow and he failed to mention that when he praised the 30 along with the Rockport many years ago. Perhaps it was something in his system.

 

[microstrip]

There's nothing mysterious about their firmware improvements, just read the information on the website. Same goes for SAM.

Just generic and vague information, some incorrectly formulated in technical aspects. Their block diagram even includes a component called "magic" wire!

 

[Orb]

Orb,

Devialet is really an interesting case study. A "perfect" product since version one, that is being improved in sound quality and no one knows exactly what is the real reason of the perceived improvements. And now they have SAM, a mysterious Speaker Active Matching technology that no one seems to know how it really works. But as it sounds good no one seems to care.

BTW, I hope to listen to SAM soon with the Sonus Faber Futura Amati speakers - I had large bias expectation in this pairing, and recently got a mail from Devialet telling me it is now ready!

Yeah they are pretty nifty with their engineering, I would love to know how frequency response measures with SAM enabled and just using simple test tones as it may not be different.
Should be interesting with the Futura Amati.
Cheers
Orb