Agear.. I haven't seen or heard the "Orbs" They'd work ok in my kitchen/family room in bookcases, but they're are far too strange for my living room.. I'd have to have the stands and you need the Dialog device and I'm not sure all their software is ready for prime time..
Yes I'm considering a pair of the Dynaudio Xeo 6 or the XD Focus .. I'm struggling over the difference in price.. because I want to be true to myself I'm struggling not buy the expensive Focus XD because of the audiophile nervosa..so I'll either go with the XD 600 or XD 400 or the XEO 6..
Thanks folks.. I've made some decisions about what needs to matter in my life. Accumulating expensive STUFF and the endless pursuit of better sound and small improvements is no longer important. I'm looking at just a powered pair of Dynaudio's for the living room..Everything is going up for sale over the next few weeks :-)
System edited: Made a couple of changes. I upgraded the rest of my PC's to Shunyata Alpha's, HC for the Devialet and a Digital for the Aurender. I also just added an Uptone Audio Regen Amber and a CI Audio VDC 9.0 linear power supply for it.. The Regen is a real winner!
I plan on ordering a Regen when they aren't 2 months backordered! As for DSD 256 I think the Aurender can but my Devialet can only do DSD 64 so no way for me to tell.. But it sure does sound great!
I'd call your dealer about the Box..or just call Box directly.. 5 months seems way out of line.. I'd be worried it slipped between the cracks.
FWIW I like my 200 as much or more than my Ayon tube amp, which was pretty darn good.. I also really like the simplicity , but again, there's no right or wrong..
Box is SLOW it took months for mine, I wasn't thrilled. But it is beautiful. I found it took my Devialet a good 500 hours to really bloom.. I wonder how many hours the one you borrowed had on it? I also found that it was quite sensitive to power cords.. Any of course in the end there's a reason we don't just have Vanilla :-)
The Aries sounds better than my W4S Sonos Zoneplayer.. The Aries is still breaking in or at least the Audioquest Diamond USB cable is.. I'd say the Dev and the Aries are pretty much on par..Bass maybe a bit better on the Aries.. But overall if the Devialet had built in UpnP server it would be a total knockout.. As it stands I like being able to just go in the listening room and listen, no mucking about with the computer..
Yes the Devialet can stream, they call their system AIR, it's built in.
The only thing that I don't like and the reason for the Aries is that one has to have a computer on, and running to use it. So if I want to listen to music I have to go to my office, turn on iMac, get Jriver running, set iMac not to time out then back to the listening room.. just a pita..Aries works great!
No SAM yet Mr.Burger for my Proac's but they do have it for a new pair of speakers I'm considering :-)
Agear.. the reason for the Aries is that it's just a PITA to have to go into my office turn on the Mac, get Jriver going, set my Mac to not time out then back to listen.. The Aries I can just sit down in the listening room turn it on and away it goes.. Also I like to have music playing in the house when I'm working and I've messed up Jriver on my Mac when I was doing other work.
As a long time Sonos user I'm spoiled but it's elegance and stability I'm hoping the Aries will be a high end Sonos.. we''ll see..
LOVE the Devialet! It has broken in nicely getting smoother, and just better all around. It was a bit edgy at first, nothing terrible but it's definitely gotten better.. I added a LessLoss Signature power cord, which seems to be a really good match to the Devialet, and of course the Box Furniture rack.. which still surprises me as to how it's added body to the sound.. everything just sounds bigger, with better focus and dynamics.. This week I should be getting my Auralic Aries, and that will be it for audio toys for 2014 (unless a great deal pops up )
My 2015 plans are to upgrade the Shunyata Black Mamba CX HC that's on my Talos to a Shunyata Ztron Alpha HC, upgrade my REL sub to either a new REL Series 3 or 5, or a Britannia, depending on what I can find, and a possible speaker upgrade...
Hi hamburger..oh you're a funny fellow.. No it still sounds great..you might want to look at Herbies Audio Labs.. He makes some nice high performance glide type feet might be worth a look at..
I finally got my new Box Furniture rack.. It took awhile, so if one is expecting quick this ain't the product for you.
The Box racks are all handmade to order in Brooklyn NY. They can be customized as regards woods and sizing, at least to a degree. I had mine made in Maple with four shelves and equal 8" spacing between shelves. The standard spacing is 8" with the bottom at 10" I got the optional cone feet (some of the nicest I've used, very easy to level the rack) but the recommendation is for the standard glide type feet if you're on hardwood, I'm on carpet.
Fit and finish is superb this is heirloom quality furniture, it will last a lifetime, it's that well made and finished, believe me I am very fussy about this kind of thing.
As for sound I really hate to say this but there is no doubt my system sounds better today with this rack than yesterday with my Quadrasphire rack. The sound is bigger I mean much bigger, more dynamic, and bass seems to have gained if not more depth certainly more power and bloom. Imagining has improved, there's more air and space around instruments and everything just sounds more alive and real. It's like my system got a major injection of humanity.
If one is in the market for a new rack and wants something that doesn't look like it came from a science lab, that is just a gorgeous piece of furniture that with out question makes your system sound better, the Box although not cheap is a bargain for what it is..
The aluminum spikes, actually very nice cones, are optional. If you're going to use the rack on hardwood the flat "glides" are supposed to sound better, if on carpet then the cones/spikes..
Hi Hamburger.. I ordered a four shelf unit.. A little customized in that I got all the shelves with equal 8" spacing. I also had it made in maple..Still waiting I'm hoping soon.. Box aren't the fastest... What finish were you looking at?
Yeah I know, but it's been paid for and built so I can't do much about it now. I ordered it several months ago before I decide to become a one box wonder... I may buy a turntable to fill it up a bit ;-)
Agear..Actually my next purchase will be to upgrade my older REL Strata III.. Most likely either a REL S/5 or S/3.. I'm leaning towards the 5 but the 3 is a 10" driver and only gives up a few Hz and $500.00 less.
After that I'd like to upgrade my power cords ( Only need two now!) I'll get a Shunyata Alpha ztron HC for my Talos, and either another of the same for the Dev 200 or the Alpha Digital..
And last I'm still waiting on my Box Furniture Rack.. I did get one a month or so ago but it was finished in the wrong color.. it was supposed to be done in a maple like finish but it got stained a cherry color.. so a new one is being made in maple..
Kenreau.. I have all my music on a Synology DS214Play..Jriver is on my iMac, Files on the Nas are selected in Jriver as the "library" The Devialet AIR app runs on my iMac, AIR is selected in the Jriver app as the source/output.. everything is done over ethernet not WiFi, although I do used ethernet over power line adaptors to get the wired connection into my living room ( they work great, zero issues in over 5 years using them)
Agear..No Berkely... I am simply not part of the crowd that can afford a 16 thousand dollar Dac (or a new Porsche) at least not until they pop up used in a few years for 50% of it's new price hahah
I've been running the Dev in for a few days and playing around with different ways to stream to it. I first tried iTunes but I find the interface and remote kinda of clunky. Next I tried Logitech Media Server.. works great, stable and lots of features, Pandora, Spotify etc.. but it sounded like poop. I'm now using J.River and it works great.. stable and sounds excellent.. In fact it was interesting that LMS via the Devialet AIR streamer didn't sound any better than my Sonos. J.River on the other hand sounds better than my Modded Sonos and with JRemote works almost as seamlessly as Sonos..
As for SQ I need to give it some more time but I'd say it's very transparent, not bright just neutral. Nicely detailed but again not bright.. very dynamic and big soundstage in all dimensions.. Are there better amps of course.. I'm sure the D'Agostino or big Ayre, or Darzeels Etc are better but as a package.. a great Dac, Amp, Phono, and streamer.. in one elegant package.. it's certainly a anti-tweaker product.. it forces one to listen to music and not dick around with constant fiddling.. that's what I wanted .. to listen to music.
The Dev is simply an amazing piece of gear. I'll leave the SQ to the professional reviewers. But I am very happy and my system has never sounded better! For anyone looking to get off the audiophile merry go round this thing will do it..
We'll I've sold both my Ayon amp and the Directstream waiting on the funds from the Ayon sale, and plan on getting the Devialet in a week or so. I'm going to go put a deposit on one today and listen a bit too.
I've been an audiophile for years..But I grow tired of the tweaking.. Frankly I want to just listen to music.. If I can't get the built into the Devialet AIR streamer to do what I want I'll get an Aries.
Also as a audiophile I also like to just try different stuff every so often.. If the Devialet sucks I'll move on, and as an audiophile I'd rather try new gear than endlessly tweak.. I find that for me that everything changes the sound but that it's frequently not better, just different...
Well I do have a bit of an update.. I am VERY strongly considering a move to a Devialet 200! If I do and I'm about 95% that I will, then I'll have no need of the Aries..
I really like the idea of no tweaking.. no more software updates to the Dac no more tube rolling, just a nice killer super simple system.. I'm hoping that it will lead to just listening to more music and listening to less hifi :-)
Not that the Sistrum is ugly, but not aesthetically pleasing to me :-) Of the all metal racks I like the Symposium, and Grand Prix audio racks.. but again I wanted an all wood rack.. loved the old Zoesthus and Ricks Rax too.
I got the Box rack for two reasons. First it's all wood and it's beautiful! Second it's supposed to sound great.
The sistrum is in my opinion not all that attractive. A silver metal rack in my room would look weird.. I'll be honest I don't care how good it might sound it just doesn't do it for me aesthetically, and that may be audio heresey but I gotta look at it :-)
I like the Finite Element racks but they are really expensive even more than the $3200. Box rack and I didn't like the silver aluminum side pieces.
@Agear.. I was supposed to get it like this week, I'd put my name on the list when it was first announced.. In the mean time I pulled the trigger on a Box Furniture Rack (ouch) so as soon as I recover from that expenditure I'll get an Aries..
