- Devialet advertises the new Devialet Astra stereo integrated amplifier as the most advanced system for audiophiles to date.
From the very beginning, Devialet has seen itself as a technology-driven acoustic engineering company that uses unique concepts in combination with outstanding design to realise products that clearly belong to the HiFi Luxury segment and clearly stand out from the usual solutions on the market. This applies to the company’s wireless speakers as well as its soundbar systems, portable speakers, headphones and amplifier systems.
One of the most important products of the French company, which was founded in 2007, was the first stereo integrated amplifier, which was launched in 2010 with the Devialet D-Premier based on ADH Technology. Now a new milestone is set to be reached with the new Devialet Astra.
Over a decade of research – The most advanced system for audiophiles
According to the French manufacturer, the new Devialet Astra stereo integrated amplifier has undergone no less than 15 years of development to create the most advanced system for audiophiles to date.
They are convinced that it represents nothing less than the future of high-quality sound, as it combines outstanding performance for the best sound with versatile connection options, the possibility of customised configuration and a breathtaking design.
It is therefore fair to say that it is a lifestyle solution that fulfils the needs of demanding music enthusiasts and HiFi lovers in every respect.
New standards in performance – Devialet AHD and Devialet SAM
Devialet is convinced that the Devialet Astra sets new standards in terms of performance, as it not only offers the best of two worlds based on AHD Amplifier Technology (Analogue Digital Hybrid), namely the finesse and linearity of analogue Class A and the power and efficiency of Class D, but above all 300 watts of power per channel on speaker systems with an impedance of 4 ohms. Speaker systems with an impedance of 8 ohms have to make do with an output of two times 150 watts.
The well-known Speaker Active Matching Technology, also known as Devialet SAM for short, is designed to ensure perfect sound at all times. This is based on algorithms that have been customised for a wide variety of speaker systems from different manufacturers and are designed to guarantee optimum control by the amplifier at all times. These are managed using a tool that can be accessed directly via the Devialet website and features a SAM Speaker Active Matching database with more than 1.200 profiles of passive loudspeakers that, according to the manufacturer, have been calibrated by experts around the world over a period of ten years.
Customised configuration
This tool is also used to configure the entire amplifier, as the new Devialet Astra can be customised particularly flexibly to suit your own requirements, as promised by the manufacturer.
An analogue input, a phono preamp with Devialet RAM Technology, as well as two optical and two coaxial S/PDIF interfaces are available as inputs. This stereo integrated amplifier also has a USB-C port.
A word about the phono preamplifier: the aforementioned Devialet RAM Technology is designed to ensure optimum, automatic adaptation to the record player and even to the record being played. The abbreviation stands for Record Active Matching. In fact, it is designed for both MM and MC pickup systems and has 13 equalisation curves and extensive options for further individual adaptation to a wide variety of pickups.
Back to the configuration of the Devialet Astra, the aforementioned tool, an online configurator, allows not only the selection of the appropriate profile for Devialet SAM, but also the individual configuration of all inputs.
Streaming via new platform
The Devialet Astra naturally also relies on streaming, with a revised software architecture in the form of the DOS3 operating system and a powerful, state-of-the-art platform with an iMX8 1.8 GHz Quad ARM Cortex-A53 processor. This enables the seamless integration of all relevant streaming protocols, be it UPnP, Apple AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Spotify Connect or TIDAL Connect. The manufacturer also promises that the Devialet Astra is Roon-ready certified.
Signal processing in the Devialet Astra is DSP-based with up to 24 bit and 192 kHz.
Integration into the network is primarily via the RJ45 Ethernet interface or the integrated WiFI module in accordance with IEEE 802.11ax and the Devialet app for Apple iOS and Google Android is intended to provide simple control, which can be used to directly control not only the streaming itself, but also all relevant functions of the stereo integrated amplifier.
As an alternative, the new Devialet Astra also comes with a remote control, which has a design as unique as the amplifier itself.
It is also worth mentioning that the Devialet Astra naturally also has Bluetooth, which is Bluetooth 5.3, as the device’s data sheet reveals.
Extremely elegant, unique appearance
The Devialet Astra is made from aluminium, with a sandblasted surface that gives it a matt finish. With dimensions of 386 mm in width, 386 mm in depth and 47 mm in height, this system weighs just 7,2 kg.
Devialet Astra Dual – When one is not enough…
What is particularly exciting about this stereo integrated amplifier is that you can use not just one, but two, which the manufacturer refers to as the Devialet Astra Dual. This means that two 300 watts of power are initially available, albeit to speaker systems with an impedance of 8 ohms. If these have an impedance of only 4 ohms, the Devialet Astra Dual delivers an impressive two times 600 watts.
Devialet Astra Opéra de Paris and Devialet Astra Dual Opéra de Paris
Both the solo version and the dual configuration can be purchased not only in silver, but also in a special design version, which was conceived as part of a co-operation with the Opéra de Paris.
In this special design version, the housing of the stereo integrated amplifier is actually made entirely of gold, in fact it is 23 carat gold leaf, which is applied by hand in an elaborate process.
Prices and availability
If you are interested in the new Devialet Astra, you will need to budget € 16.000,- for the most basic version. In the Devialet Astra Dual version, the budget is € 32.000,-.
If you want a little more luxury, we recommend the Devialet Astra Opéra de Paris for € 20.000,-. It is interesting to note that the combination of two stereo integrated amplifiers in this special version does not cost twice the price of the Solo, so you can ‘save’ here with the Devialet Astra Dual Opéra de Paris, as it only costs € 38.000,-.
Getting to the point
With the new Devialet Astra, the French HiFi manufacturer Devialet is offering a fully integrated system of the latest design, which, according to the company, encompasses all the core elements of modern music reproduction at the highest level in the most elegant, compact form. The new Devialet Astra is therefore a preamplifier, amplifier, DAC, streamer and phono preamplifier in one and presents itself as a solution with outstanding sound quality, individual customisation, flexible and convenient handling. Not only in the special design version Devialet Astra Opéra de Paris is this true HiFi luxury.
| PRODUCT | Devialet Astra Stereo Integrated Amplifier |
|---|---|
| Price | Devialet Astra € 16.000,- Devialet Astra Dual € 32.000,- Devialet Astra Opéra de Paris € 20.000,- Devialet Astra Dual Opéra de Paris € 38.000,- |
| Brand | Devialet |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Devialet S.A. |
| Distribution | Devialet S.A. |
| More about this manufacturer at HIFI BLOG |
