The only sound you’ll ever need!

November 2018

Guys: it’s time for the endgame – the ultimate male test. To take a stand and show you have what it takes, telling her that summer holiday to Italy is cancelled (or changed to a week at your In-Laws) – because you need a new set of speakers!

I’ve been wanting to write this post for quite some time. I struggled to find the right angle, since it’s not really a review, and it’s definitely not objective in any way. It’s not even enlightening regarding nerdy tech info. It’s just a little story from my life, that I would like to share with you guys – and hopefully after reading this, you will know what “Devialet” is, and will seriously consider to enrich your life, like I did mine.

Some experiences in life you never forget.

They might be major events, might be smaller – but they made an impact so significant, that they burned right into your mind. The case I’m going to tell you about, is luckily a very positive experience – one I had at Harrods in 2016.

 Elo was trying out some clothes (surprise!) and I was lounging around in the tech / gear / 90% male department. After a stare down competition with a 90 inch 4K frog for 5 minutes (which I lost), I decided that my current TV setup didn’t need to be replaced, so I moved on to the audio department.

It’s always interesting to visit the TV / audio section at Harrods, because all the major brands are showcasing their craziest and latest technology, and you get to see and try some of their flagship products. Like the Beolab 90 for instance. If it hadn’t been in the audio department, I could have easily been fooled to believe, that it was some kind of advanced fold out furniture. It’s not at all meant in a negative way. It just has a very spectacular look, that is not really close to any speaker I’ve ever seen.

Deciding that £50.000 was a bit too much, I walked further on, spotting a young woman presenting a bunch of speakers, that looked like a hybrid between a spaceship and an Ipod. They were placed all around on these roman pedestals – a nice display actually. She saw my interest, and asked if I wanted to have a listening session, in a glass cage just next to her. I thought: sure why not, though I’ve heard a lot of “these types” of bluetooth speakers before. At the same time Elo happened to join in, and we decided our feet could use a small break, so we took place in the soundproof cage, waiting for the show to begin.

There were 2 rigs in the room. A couple of Devialet Silver Phantoms, and a “regular” high-end setup priced just above €60.000.

She asked what kind of music we liked, and I gave her my standard answer to that question:

“I like all kinds of music”.

I guess I have to think about coming up with something more clever to say, but I actually value almost all genres, as long as the quality is high (ok that might be even more vague, but whatever – it’s the best I can do at the moment).

She chose Hello by Adele, a great track we both like. Starting out ultra clean and crisp – everything was on point, and the Devialet’s had my full attention! For those of you who don’t know this track, it starts out slow with Adeles mesmerizing voice, accompanied by a piano in the background.
We were both perfectly enjoying the moment, being gently carried away into an almost dreamy state, as Adele built up the momentum – and then it happened…. Around 1 minute in, a true explosion sent shockwaves through my entire body, as the track really kicked off.

WHAT THE F…! is this?!?

Where is all this sound coming from??? It is simply IMPOSSIBLE to believe that so much raw power can be squeezed out of these two relatively tiny spaceballs. Mind blown – completely! I just couldn’t stop smiling. I was honestly so surprised, and I never wanted it to stop. I could keep writing on and on about my experience, but the truth is, you have to hear these speakers for yourself to believe it.

After this experience (and listening to a few more tracks) I knew, that I had to go out and get myself a pair of these at some point. It was inevitable.

It still took me almost two years though, for unexplainable reasons, but now that I have them, I can assure you:
It’s one of the best investments I’ve made in my life – simply because they make me happy, every time I put on a piece of music.

All your favourite tracks come to life on these speakers. Just pray that the recordings were done in a high quality studio, because these speakers show no mercy. They will bring out the tiniest of details and serve them straight to your auditory meatus.

Costing around ~€2.200 pr. unit, they are obviously not cheap, but with 3000 watts of power, they will throw a hell of a party (or make your neighbours cry, if that’s your thing).

To add a fun note, we also heard the same Adele track on the +€60.000 pound setup. It was not the intention with our little seance, to do this comparison, since it’s a different clientele shopping for something in this price range. However, to our surprise the Devialet speakers actually performed better!

You believe I’m exaggerating? Well there are only two ways to find out. Either you seek out the nearest Devialet supplier, or you come to our place for a cup of coffee ☕️

I hope you enjoyed this little read. Feel free to ask me any questions, if you are considering buying one or more of these.

Cheers!
/Per