Hi all,
I've just made the big jump and am now powering my Summit Xs with the Devialet D-Premier.
To those who haven't heard the buzz about the new amp: it's a french 16K USD wonder that is an integrated amp with DAC built in. It's a combined class D/class A amp, with class D being the power workhorse, the class A part responsible for the refined sound. Don't ask me how it exactly works. The reviews worldwide are incredible, most magazines rank this amp with the best of the very best, equal to a 50K system if you bought the components individually.
Any of you have experiences with this combination? I'd love to hear those.
Frankly, I am both overwhelmed and disappointed. Overwhelmed as I have never before heard this clarity throughout the range and the deepest bass. I am used to all stereos having (to a certain extent) the boombox effect - all deep instruments lower than 100Hz sound like "OOMPF", i. e. all the same.
Not so with the Devialet/SummitXs: the lowest of the lowest frequencies have clear positions in the room and are incredibly controlled. Better then in a live performing (I guess this is because the microphones get normally better positioning than the audience).
However, the precision of the Devialet and of the Summit X's strikes me as too much – the system has turned from an enthusiastic music device into a forensic machine. I've never had such a neutral yet emotionless "view" of my music. I listen to classical only, btw.
Here's how I have partly solved the issue:
1) I removed all room treatment (carpet, wall panel)
2) I added an EQ using iTunes & Amarra
3) I tilted the Summits about 45 and 60 degrees to the side, so I'd get mostly indirect sound.
Am I crazy? Any experiences like this?
Happy to hear comments & recommendations
Nils
P.S.: I used two McIntosh MC 275 before. Beautiful, beautiful sound, awful bass, resolution wouldn't handle more than 3 or 4 instruments.
I've just made the big jump and am now powering my Summit Xs with the Devialet D-Premier.
To those who haven't heard the buzz about the new amp: it's a french 16K USD wonder that is an integrated amp with DAC built in. It's a combined class D/class A amp, with class D being the power workhorse, the class A part responsible for the refined sound. Don't ask me how it exactly works. The reviews worldwide are incredible, most magazines rank this amp with the best of the very best, equal to a 50K system if you bought the components individually.
Any of you have experiences with this combination? I'd love to hear those.
Frankly, I am both overwhelmed and disappointed. Overwhelmed as I have never before heard this clarity throughout the range and the deepest bass. I am used to all stereos having (to a certain extent) the boombox effect - all deep instruments lower than 100Hz sound like "OOMPF", i. e. all the same.
Not so with the Devialet/SummitXs: the lowest of the lowest frequencies have clear positions in the room and are incredibly controlled. Better then in a live performing (I guess this is because the microphones get normally better positioning than the audience).
However, the precision of the Devialet and of the Summit X's strikes me as too much – the system has turned from an enthusiastic music device into a forensic machine. I've never had such a neutral yet emotionless "view" of my music. I listen to classical only, btw.
Here's how I have partly solved the issue:
1) I removed all room treatment (carpet, wall panel)
2) I added an EQ using iTunes & Amarra
3) I tilted the Summits about 45 and 60 degrees to the side, so I'd get mostly indirect sound.
Am I crazy? Any experiences like this?
Happy to hear comments & recommendations
Nils
P.S.: I used two McIntosh MC 275 before. Beautiful, beautiful sound, awful bass, resolution wouldn't handle more than 3 or 4 instruments.