These will be my new speakers! Devialet Phantom

[SatMumbai]

Hey Sat,
Wanted to know if you are using the branch/ tree as well or have u placed the phantoms on a separate stand?

Head says they make no difference but heart says I should get them! We are relocating (again) in a month or so. I will decide based on the new place layout. Currently they are placed on some cheapo stools but since I know how my music normally sounds, I am pretty happy as is. Actually I am more than happy about the non fussy'ness wrto stand requirement. However, I think Bass can be a bit more tighter on the right stands. Demo can be a way to find out but as I mentioned elsewhere, if it is not in my home demo, then it barely serves the purpose except knowing broadly what the demoed item can do and here I am trying to achieve a bit finer tuning.

It is definitely relaxing not to think any more what might need to be done to improve in your system!!

 

[zimbly]

Head says they make no difference but heart says I should get them! We are relocating (again) in a month or so. I will decide based on the new place layout. Currently they are placed on some cheapo stools but since I know how my music normally sounds, I am pretty happy as is. Actually I am more than happy about the non fussy'ness wrto stand requirement. However, I think Bass can be a bit more tighter on the right stands. Demo can be a way to find out but as I mentioned elsewhere, if it is not in my home demo, then it barely serves the purpose except knowing broadly what the demoed item can do and here I am trying to achieve a bit finer tuning.

It is definitely relaxing not to think any more what might need to be done to improve in your system!!

Lol, here i was merely referring to the aesthetic value the Tree/ Branch offer:lol:
But yes, the stands reportedly improve the bass. Though like you, i think there is already a lot of it on offer, and its fairly tight/ unboomy.
I'm planing to pick a pair of branches in the next couple of weeks. Will let you know if i hear any changes post that.

 

[SatMumbai]

...and many folks just use them for music.

I just want to share my experience here about movies watching on Phantom. I have my movies on hard disk and Plex is the Media Player / server. I use my rMbPro to run Plex. A hardwired HDMI cable runs from the laptop to TV (I did not find any other solution other than a dedicated HDMI to work for video). TV has Optical Out and that is connected to Dialog. In Plex, everything is set to 2.0 sound.
At the height of sounding exaggeration, this is the only set up that I have heard in all my hifi journey which makes me feel that I do not need a Centre speaker. Otherwise, my recommended set up for any one who wants the least money spend on enjoying movies is, Decoding capable HDMI AVR with min 3.0 set up.
However here with Phantoms, it is superb with movies. As an added bonus the sound is really great with bgscore on movies and all the sudden highs and dips are better handled, IMO, and it is a completely different experience.
One place where this fails is immersive surround experience. With the 7.1 set up that I have with tiny wharfedale, the experience with movies is super immersive but fidelity is missing sorely. And that is where the Phantoms step in.
Fortunate enough, I am not plagued any of the set up issues with Phantom, which some other users seemed to be. After several discussions, it is understood the robustness of my setup may be for two reasons
1. I turn off the Power Strip which has both Phantoms and Dialog every night or when even not in use (With a Power line Remote - so it does not become a unwanted chore). This is ensuring that the system restart every time and is more like Windows restart vs sleep mode
2. I am using 802.11 AC network from laptop to Router and the ethernet is hardwired from router to Dialog as well as since all the three components are on same strip, it makes the communication network very robust. Also, the router, laptop, Dialog and both Phantoms are in the same room so there are no further added uncertainties

So, all is not rosy for some in Phantom land but when it works (like in my case) it delivers!!

The only unknown in the whole equation is the ageing. No body knows if they are going to age like traditional hifi equipment giving decades of performance or like other consumer electronics (TVs etc). Only time will tell but that is always the risk with the untreaded path.

 

[regeHA]

Which Genelec & Mackie models did you use and which was the pairing SUB ?
I use Chord Mojo as DAC+PreAmp, what did you use when you were using Active speakers ?

Mackie both the CR3/CR4, the Genelec's were a while back and it was a more budget solution the 6010. I'd love to try the new SAM compacts, but they are north of $1500. I do nearfield listening, while working on the PC and I've never used a sub.

Typically Schiit or the PC with a $200 Xonar card for the DAC and amplification. I'm more into the Schiit ecosystem now, and the portability helps too.

I'm right now using the JBL LSR305, borrowed from a friend and its blowing the socks off of everything. Perfect imaging and throw, the waveguide design/technology is simply the best I've heard.

I'd recommend the JBLs (especially for what they cost and how well they perform) over anything else right now.

 

[regeHA]

I just want to share my experience here about movies watching on Phantom.

Thanks.

I actually meant folks are using the likes of Tidal for source so they don't need a local source like a PC or NAS. By "them" I meant the services and not Devialet.

Good to know they rock for movies too.

The Devialet may claim to even not need a source/transport since it supports Tidal, Spotify, Deezer, Qobuz, etc. and many folks just use them for music.

You are doing a stellar job of convincing me about them. The 3.5 lac price tag (2 Silvers and 1 Dialog) is also extremely tempting... just wish I could audition them. In India for the next few weeks and only traveling abroad again in July so will have to wait till then. But tempting as hell as I've added to the cart too. Only thing holding me back is the additional taxes/duty (and the thought I could save on them if I carry them myself on my next trip) and more importantly auditioning them.

I'm rarely a compulsive shopper, but the reviews I've read online are for sure tempting.

 

[music4mhell]

Mackie both the CR3/CR4, the Genelec's were a while back and it was a more budget solution the 6010. I'd love to try the new SAM compacts, but they are north of $1500. I do nearfield listening, while working on the PC and I've never used a sub.

Typically Schiit or the PC with a $200 Xonar card for the DAC and amplification. I'm more into the Schiit ecosystem now, and the portability helps too.

I'm right now using the JBL LSR305, borrowed from a friend and its blowing the socks off of everything. Perfect imaging and throw, the waveguide design/technology is simply the best I've heard.

I'd recommend the JBLs (especially for what they cost and how well they perform) over anything else right now.

Nice to know about your experience, but if you want true stereo music, then you should add a SUB.
Then it will be a complete system. And you won't miss any freq from music hyeah:
Schiit makes one of the best DACs in industry. I was about to buy schiit, but i end up buying Chord Mojo, because of it's portability.
Now i can enjoy HD650 and all high end power hungry earbuds while working at my office also

 

[zimbly]

A teeny review on the Phantoms :
To add to the points Sat made above regarding the Phantoms -
The sound these little imploders belt out is actually rather astonishing given their size. While the number of patents filed by Devialet for the phantoms has surpassed the number of patents for any other single product in the music industry... how does that translate into the actual listening experience. 2 words - Brilliantly Mind-blowing. Now there may be better speakers out there, there may be more expensive speakers out there. But then you need to add a heap of equipment to get those speakers to output sound. With the phantoms being powered speakers, with the Hybrid A/D Amp built into it. All it takes is the source to output sound on them. The source can be a phone with music on it sent via bluetooth or a CD player/ transport with SPIDF out to the phantoms or a NAS with all your hi-res music stored on it over WiFi. The convenience is a big plus.
And back to the sound... Clean treble, not harsh at all. Adequate Midrange... very spatial sound, excellent imaging (separation of instruments in a track). And the bass... oodles of tight air moving bass. Certain tracks bring out the best of the phantoms... One in Particular - James Blake / Limit to your love... One can actually visualize the bass when the woofers on the Phantoms are on continuous dance. So not only do they sound great, they are visually arresting as well. So much so that when i first started using the phantoms i would tend to keep looking at how the woofers kept "dancing".
Few points which can be improved upon : There is no Eq in the app to fine tune the phantoms to suit one's listening requirements. While the speaker sounds great, having an Eq on hand is always something of a convenience. Adding a separate Eq unit in the chain in not what i want to do. Hopefully the techs at Devialet can include one in one of the software updates on the App "Spark"which is used to interface with the devialet from your sources.(Comp/ Phone).
The app itself could do with some work. It had stability issues in the beginning, though that has improved vastly in the last 8 odd months since i picked up the phantoms. Lets call it a work in progress.
Lack of local support. Any issue which requires the phantoms to be opened up results in the Phantoms making a trip to France. It happened with me once. The aftersales as explained in an earlier post is as amazing as the product itself, but once the 2 year warranty gets done, it may become a bit of a bother. Hopefully in two years any and all bugs would get taken care of.
Lastly, When i bought the phantoms first, i initially set up only one phantom. While the sound field was enveloping, it was still point source. I could determine exactly where the speaker was. All above mentioned plus points were still there, but Stereo sound was not achievable, understandably so. 2 weeks after that, i finally configured my router and set up the second one. Lo behold! the sound signature changes a fair bit, the feeling of speakers disappearing and the sound appearing from no where is predominant. So when demoing the phantoms insist on listening to it in stereo setup, same goes for buying the phantoms. 2 definitely makes better acoustic sense than One.
To Sum up. Brilliant sounding speakers, while not cheap to own, is still V.good value when you look at peripheral expenses being almost nil to get them up an running. As for the question of whether these are audiophile grade speakers... purists may scream sacrilege for including Wireless speakers in the same breath as "audiophile", me being neither a purist nor an audiophile... i say Halelujiah!! Let there be sound! (I know a bit dramatic). Happy Listening.

 

[zimbly]

Thanks.

I actually meant folks are using the likes of Tidal for source so they don't need a local source like a PC or NAS. By "them" I meant the services and not Devialet.

Good to know they rock for movies too.



You are doing a stellar job of convincing me about them. The 3.5 lac price tag (2 Silvers and 1 Dialog) is also extremely tempting... just wish I could audition them. In India for the next few weeks and only traveling abroad again in July so will have to wait till then. But tempting as hell as I've added to the cart too. Only thing holding me back is the additional taxes/duty (and the thought I could save on them if I carry them myself on my next trip) and more importantly auditioning them.

I'm rarely a compulsive shopper, but the reviews I've read online are for sure tempting.

RegeHA,
You are welcome to audition the phantoms at my place if you around Pune anytime.

 

[SatMumbai]

...
I'm planing to pick a pair of branches in the next couple of weeks. Will let you know if i hear any changes post that.

Yes, Please do so! As I said, few days I am convinced that branches might add more to SQ but when I see Devialet sell Geckos at the same breath, then I feel that may be these are true bookshelf speakers and no need for dedicated stands. Also, I am not a big fan of stands and I do have a pair of robust stands from earlier life. May be I should give up my laziness, go to attic, bring them down and try them out. Given the impending relocation, I am more tempted to try them out in new home. Though my stands are no where close to branches (If you do not believe me, see the stock pic of the stands that I have with me )

 

[zimbly]

Yes, Please do so! As I said, few days I am convinced that branches might add more to SQ but when I see Devialet sell Geckos at the same breath, then I feel that may be these are true bookshelf speakers and no need for dedicated stands. Also, I am not a big fan of stands and I do have a pair of robust stands from earlier life. May be I should give up my laziness, go to attic, bring them down and try them out. Given the impending relocation, I am more tempted to try them out in new home. Though my stands are no where close to branches (If you do not believe me, see the stock pic of the stands that I have with me )

Those stands are definitely robust. I can see the conundrum you are in. Though for me Geckos are more or less ruled out. The speakers sit in the Living Room and while the Phantoms scored very high on WAF(Wife Acceptance Factor), she is still clueless on the actual cost of these speakershyeah: ... just as the Indian Govt gives out subsidy on stuff... she has been led to believe Devialet is a philanthropic organization. So Geckos are ruled out, stands win in my case.
Will keep you posted on how the Branch lines up under the Phantom once I get them and if there is any change in the sound.

 

[regeHA]

I'm planing to pick a pair of branches in the next couple of weeks. Will let you know if i hear any changes post that.

Is that a stand for the Phantom?

Only Tree/White Tree is listed and both are not yet available.

 

[zimbly]

Is that a stand for the Phantom?

Only Tree/White Tree is listed and both are not yet available.

Actually the Branch was the original iteration of the stands for the Phantoms. They were renamed Tree after Devialet introduced the Birch Colour stands as opposed to the only while stands available earlier.
They are available presently at some of the Dealers, though there always seems a shortfall when it comes to availability.
Which place are you trying to source the phantoms from. If its Europe I can provide you a contact. PM.

 

[regeHA]

Which place are you trying to source the phantoms from. If its Europe I can provide you a contact. PM.

US. Visiting US or Amazon.com works very easy for me. I've folks coming over from US every couple of weeks, but limited to carrying small stuff. Phantoms could be managed or will have to wait till I make the trip.

 

[SatMumbai]

Those stands are definitely robust. I can see the conundrum you are in. Though for me Geckos are more or less ruled out.

I think I was not clear in my earlier post. What I meant is if Devialet is selling Tree as well as Gecko, then I am extrapolating that the Phantoms can deliver identical SQ with Tree as well as Gecko which might be inferred as no real need for either of these (from SQ perspective).
In my future set up, my hope is to get a cabinet at an almost height of the tree and put the Phantoms on top of the cabinet and use the floor space more effectively. But in case, I do not need to save floor space, then Tree might be the way to go (and they are super good looking!). Geckos will never be an option for me either as the next place is also a rental and I try to avoid mounting things on walls at a rental place.

 

[SatMumbai]

US. Visiting US or Amazon.com works very easy for me. I've folks coming over from US every couple of weeks, but limited to carrying small stuff. Phantoms could be managed or will have to wait till I make the trip.

If I may suggest, these are expensive items so please get them to India directly from the dealer. I can understand that the costs might be bit more expensive but given zimbly's experience, if there is something wrong, then it looks like it is a sorted out process.
I one time had an Oppo BDP-105 in India and bought through a local dealer in Mumbai. It developed a bug which required a motherboard change which was done for free and successfully by the local dealer which would have become an additional expense.
But again, please go with your gut feel as it is the best way to go forward!

 

[zimbly]

I think I was not clear in my earlier post. What I meant is if Devialet is selling Tree as well as Gecko, then I am extrapolating that the Phantoms can deliver identical SQ with Tree as well as Gecko which might be inferred as no real need for either of these (from SQ perspective).
In my future set up, my hope is to get a cabinet at an almost height of the tree and put the Phantoms on top of the cabinet and use the floor space more effectively. But in case, I do not need to save floor space, then Tree might be the way to go (and they are super good looking!). Geckos will never be an option for me either as the next place is also a rental and I try to avoid mounting things on walls at a rental place.

Ahhh okay, got it now. Between the geckos and tree, tree will offer a bit more flexibility in terms of positioning away from a wall.
I too don't expect any major change in sound quality changing over to the tree from the top of the cabinet I have them sitting on right now, barring the tweeter sitting at the correct ear level, since the phantoms rest at a slightly upward angle. I guess if you get the height of the cabinet to match that of the tree, it would be ideal to listen to from a seated position.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

[regeHA]

If I may suggest, these are expensive items so please get them to India directly from the dealer. I can understand that the costs might be bit more expensive but given zimbly's experience, if there is something wrong, then it looks like it is a sorted out process.
I one time had an Oppo BDP-105 in India and bought through a local dealer in Mumbai. It developed a bug which required a motherboard change which was done for free and successfully by the local dealer which would have become an additional expense.
But again, please go with your gut feel as it is the best way to go forward!

No worries. Will be with warranty and coverage. No way I'm going to spend on something so expensive without extended warranty.

What I meant was the shipping to India (from Amazon.com) is proving to be too expensive and also only for the Phantoms, no Silvers. Shipping + taxes is over $700 for each speaker, over $1,500 for 2 Phantoms and 1 Hub.

Sometimes you get really good rates for shipping to your doorstep in India on Amazon.com. I got the NAS for around $150 shipping + taxes, an excellent deal for an item that cost nearly $800. I even got all the HDDs at Amazon.com prices with less than $60 for shipping and taxes. Those are huge savings even compared to local prices with 60 day warranty and Amazon does the pick up in case of service and repair too.

Will need to check on shipping + taxes from Devialet if they ship to India.

 

[sud98]

I one time had an Oppo BDP-105 in India and bought through a local dealer in Mumbai. It developed a bug which required a motherboard change which was done for free and successfully by the local dealer which would have become an additional expense.

Depends upon the company. In my case I had my oppo sent to a friend visitng US and hand delivered. Had issues with the remote (which later turned out to be something else) but Oppo shipped the remote to me free of charge. Same with Deftech, bought the sub from the US, had an issue with the fuse, they shipped fuses to my India address.

 

[hearme]

Hi, SatMumbai and Zimbly what amplification are you using to drive the Phantoms?

I may consider buying them someday too!

 

[blackscorpio]

Congratulations!!! both of you.

Pics please.