Discussion devialet snake oil

Gunbuster

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,852
22
81
Since devialet just bought another round of promotion on unbox therapy I thought I would post making fun of their utter snake oil product. I guess you can sell just about anything with paid shills, shiny vacuum metalized plastic, and a slick website.

It's a speaker that is:

Bluetooth only
Mono
4500 Watts (PMPO baby!)
Total package Edit (25LBS) 10 LBS (that squares with 4500W power handling doesn't it?)
$2,990


https://www.devialet.com/en-us/buy-gold-phantom/
 
Last edited:

rstrohkirch

Platinum Member
May 31, 2005
2,423
367
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There was a thread about these a couple of years ago on the diyaudio forum. These aren't as bad as they seem. They're suppose to be designed fairly well, produce very good output for their size and overall have decent components. Specs also show 25lbs and optical input. But they're an incredibly overpriced lifestyle product...which is why this thread exists...they're just not complete shit.
 

sandorski

No Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
70,085
5,618
126
There was a thread about these a couple of years ago on the diyaudio forum. These aren't as bad as they seem. They're suppose to be designed fairly well, produce very good output for their size and overall have decent components. Specs also show 25lbs and optical input. But they're an incredibly overpriced lifestyle product...which is why this thread exists...they're just not complete shit.

I'd be curious to hear them.
 

Gunbuster

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,852
22
81
It's the 4500 W that rankles me. I know they disclose lower that's its peak but for $3000 I want to see the electric meter spinning wildly like 4 toaster ovens on broil and that for sure doesn't happen on a 25 pound package with a normal wall plug.

As they say, an idiot and their money are soon partying.
 
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WhiteNoise

Golden Member
Jun 22, 2016
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Have you heard this thing? I have and it sounds fantastic. Worth 3k? If you have a load of cash in the bank then 3k is nothing. If you want something that sounds great and looks artistic and unique then this is a sure option.

Would I spend 3k on it myself? Naw...it is cool and it does sound fantastic but I would prefer proper speakers and a couple of mono amps.

Think about it...if you get into high end equipment for audio listening then you know that 3k is nothing. People that would buy this are the same people who could drop 10k on amps alone...or more!
 
Mar 11, 2004
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Are these the ones that, sure individually they're mono, but they're kinda meant to be paired (where you'll get stereo or some processed surround field)?

Have you heard this thing? I have and it sounds fantastic. Worth 3k? If you have a load of cash in the bank then 3k is nothing. If you want something that sounds great and looks artistic and unique then this is a sure option.

Would I spend 3k on it myself? Naw...it is cool and it does sound fantastic but I would prefer proper speakers and a couple of mono amps.

Think about it...if you get into high end equipment for audio listening then you know that 3k is nothing. People that would buy this are the same people who could drop 10k on amps alone...or more!

I'd guess hese are probably bought by people that buy Beats because they think they are the best and simply don't know better (and to them, all the separates seem about the same, while they don't have the scratch to play around in the real audiophile stuff where they spend $3K on the plugs for their custom speaker wire). Its kinda those people that want better sound, see the flashy design, see that they're expensive (so must be good), and there's some tech jargon for why they're awesome, and that's all the more they really they care about looking into it and are perfectly pleased with the sound.

That's not to say they're garbage (Beats actually have some solid products these days too), but yeah they're almost certainly more style over substance (which isn't nearly as horrible as some audiophiles try to act like it is, and so many of them are hypocrites and pay out the nose for style over substance stuff while trying to pretend that it makes some drastic impact on sound to try and justify it)

It reminds me of that similarly priced Creative Labs sound bar. Most people trashed it without having ever heard it, and undoubtedly you could very likely do some other interesting things that would likely meet and exceed the performance of it with more traditional speaker setups, but that doesn't mean its garbage, it just means its an expensive niche product.
 

rchunter

Senior member
Feb 26, 2015
933
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I'm sure for the right person this thing is great. I haven't heard it but these types of products are meant for mainly small rooms where you don't want or have the space for separate components. I'm sure it sounds good though.
 

Gunbuster

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
6,852
22
81
I can't imagine listening in mono...at least get something running stereo like a B&W Zeppelin
You can have stereo, just costs you SIX THOUSAND DOLLARS for a set of devices that quote PMPO in the spec sheet. Now you know where the 90's Garrard plastic boom box designer ended up. :p
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,899
819
126
I have heard these. Yes, they are expensive but they really do sound damn good. Its also near impossible to blow out the speaker. Truly a well made speaker. I just can't afford it and even if I could I would rarely play it as loud as it can go being I live in a Manhattan co-op.