Devialet 170: comparison to Naim

First rule of selling is not to rubbish the competition. I had a lot of exposure to Linn/Naim dealers in the 80s and 90s who were unfailingly keen to get me sat down in front of a "really good system" but they were not overly aggressive and the never knocked other brands. I suppose some dealers are more professional than others. Unguarded and unregulated knocking and insults and/or unconsidered support of a brand or design are are latterly the province of HiFi forums in the main. To find a dealer adopting such an attitude is to not find a dealer you can trust with your time and money. Which was the case in this instance.

Richard: Fair point.

I wasn't alive but from what I've read Julian and Ivor were not shy in coming forward about how much better their products were.

And Harry: Surely the first rule of selling is to sell.

How you go about it may occupy other rules along the way.

My experience of Linn/Naim dealer's in the '80s was not one of aggressive selling. Quite the opposite in fact. When I decided I wanted to buy a 'decent' hifi I thought I knew what I wanted. The dealer put the system I thought I wanted together and then put together his suggestion which won hands down. That was an LP12, Naim Nait and a pair of Linn Index speakers. The important thing to mention here is that this system worked out about £150 less that what I was preparing to spend on the other system. That was my first introduction to Linn/Naim and nearly 30 years later I'm still hooked. 

A colleague has a Devialet. It makes for nice background music. Every oligarch worth his salt should have one in the elevator to his penthouse.

First rule of selling is to identify needs. Other first rule of selling yourself or a product is not to rubbish the opposition. It is true that we frequently come across people who sell first and ask questions later. I don't regard this as selling. More a walking talking training requirement. The last part of selling is selling. It comes immediately before the customer puts their hand in their wallet.

Love this! ;-)

Can you have two first rules?

Of course. Particularly in selling!

The above experience mirrors my own from 2 years ago when I listened to the Devialet D Premier into very expensive Wilson speakers. I liked it. Very clean and clear sound but I didn't feel that it had anything so special as to make abandon my Nac 252 and Nap 200. I found that my home system sounded at least as good as the Devialet. 

Peter

Hi Peter - the D170 is a different beast to the D-Premier.  I also heard the DP a couple of years ago and, more recently, the D170.  The latter manages to be more detailed but less analytical than the former - at least to my ears.  So if you found the original too clean, you may prefer the newer models. It finally convinced me to ditch all my Linn electronics in favour of the 170. 

ATB, Ken

"......be more detailed but less analytical......"

I don't quite get this. What does "analytical" mean in this context, if not "detailed"? I know this stuff is hard to describe.

Winky - it is hard to describe, but let me try!  My previous set up always sounded "hi-fi" - very clear,very detailed - but I was always aware that there were electronics and transducers between me and the music.  With the D170, I don't get that feeling - the music just seems to be in the room, with no "hI-fi" feeling. I'm not going to use the dreaded "A" word to describe a digital replay platform, but I think you know where I'm going with this ....

Yep - i'd agree about the cohesion - seems to lose something via Air or USB to me. Via S/PDIF it swings like a good un and rather likes the NDX as a source too. 

Enjoy your 300 Louis - it's a superb amplifier. 

Hi Louis - I admire your efficiency!  20 minutes?  I spent 3 hours listening to a Superuniti/NAP 250.2/Ovator 400 system, before reaching exactly the same conclusion.   I'll never get those 2 hours 49 minutes back .....

the short duration was not by choice but done out of necessity as I did the listen during my lunch break ( dont tell my boss!)

The only boss who cares of how do I spend my lunch break is my wife.

So I start practising lunch-and-learn sessions.

But then I realised that my sonic priorities depend on the food type/quality ...

Rhythm - so difficult to get right in a system but Naim do manage it imho

Especially with the Superline.

the short duration was not by choice but done out of necessity as I did the listen during my lunch break ( dont tell my boss!)

 Wish my dealer was that close to work Louis!  Your secret is safe with me (and the hundreds of others on the forum...). 

At the Munich HiEnd Show in 2012, Wilson Audio demoed their (very costly, excellently rated) loudspeakers with a single Devialet unit.

M.

Sorry to drag the thread back but just wanted to comment on the 'Linn and Naim aggressive marketing ...' comment.

I have been buying HiFi since the late 70's, and have made friends of a number of dealers, most of whom have hit financial difficulties. In the eighties Linn became very aggressive to their dealers, dictating what they could stock, and how they were to lay out their stores. These dealers also stocked Naim. I am not aware that Naim EVER adopted similar strategies, or else I would have stopped buying their goods, as I did Linn - on principal.

M

I think Naim should put a little more detail on their site next to the avatar for easy reference.  If I was buying on eBay I would look for a persons history.  It's not perfect but it helps to sus out who is posting.  Someone with few posts to their name that comes on a brands website saying another brands product is amazing strikes me as either trolling or advertising.

it would be nice if it were a little easier to read the signs.  

In case you were wondering, 2007, a hundred or so posts ( some were pretty badly written.  Unfortunately I can't even claim English is my second language).........and 4 naim source components, but no amps or speakers.  (I thought the Allaes sounded fun but the 400s didn't do anything for me.)

.....and yes that is my cat with the pastry brush in his mouth. Those curtains have finally gone however. 

I can think of other online communities where the discussion is a shell for commercial agendas. This is of course the case here, although given this is the Naim forum, I get your distinction.

It will be a sad day when I can't read about potentially interesting alternatives or possible additions in here. I have no doubt that Richard will be all over any naughty behaviour. 

Looking back over this thread, which I do admit I have found interesting, I wouldn't accuse any poster of pushing a commercial agenda. And if such a thing was obvious this thread would be long gone. 

It takes a concerted, long term effort to bend a forum to an agenda. This has IMO been successfully achieved in one other community I can think of, which poses as neutral territory. I don't think we here can ever be accused of appearing neutral!