Devialet entered the hi-fi world with a revolutionary all-in-one amplifier, then shifted its focus to a decidedly modern listening experience and a broader musical target audience, at the risk of no longer appealing to audiophiles and certain categories of music lovers, with its Devialet Phantom Ultimate. Despite this, somewhat in the manner of B&O, but still more focused on sound reproduction quality, the brand retains its importance in the audio market and deserves our attention.
So, to start with an accessible model before we take a closer look at the Astra, we turned our attention to the new Phantom Ultimate 98 dB connected speaker. But because we maintain a hi-fi approach, and in an attempt to provide a different analysis from the many articles already written about the product, we obviously requested two units. In this configuration, we were able to listen to them mainly in stereo. And surely because we are very fond of classical and operatic music, we received the Paris Opera version for these tests. Here’s what we think.
As a high-fidelity media outlet with a strong tendency to test mainly traditional products (amplifier-preamplifier pairs, turntables, CD players) and sometimes very high-end ones, it would be tempting to completely ignore all-in-one systems. However, we believe it is very important to analyze what is available in this category, especially since integrating amplification into speakers is far from contradictory—quite the contrary, in fact.
In a conservative (and highly defensible) view of the ultra-high end, the more you separate the components, the better they are isolated from each other, with the possibility of passing on the purest possible signal. But in an equally acceptable view, at least for products positioned in the mid-range and even high-end, integrating amplification into the speakers makes it possible to virtually eliminate the speaker cable and its characteristics, as well as to amplify each speaker independently within the enclosure.
Adding the source and preamplification to the same enclosure is above all an important feature in terms of ergonomics, particularly for certain audiences who no longer want to imagine a system with three separate boxes and large speakers in the middle of the room.
For all these new uses, connected speakers have become widely available over the past twenty years. For the most part, let’s be honest, with sound quality ranging from very poor to catastrophic, at least if you’re looking for something other than boomy bass and flattering or even provocative treble. So, in its own way, the French company Devialet has sought to reach this younger, more connected target audience, while maintaining sound standards that are worth mentioning here.
With the new Phantom range, now called Ultimate, there are two different models in the catalog. For specialists, these are distinguished by their sensitivity curve; for novices, by their size. The largest model, equivalent to the first one released in the previous version (2015), is now defined in its new “Ultimate 108 dB” version; while the smaller model—the one we tested—is now called “Ultimate 98 dB.” Here, this data defines the maximum sound pressure level (SPL), expressed in the well-known logarithmic unit: the decibel (dB).
MODERN & DISCREET DESIGN OBJECT
On the model we are interested in, the total depth of the chassis is only 21.9 cm, with a height of 16.8 cm and a width of 15.7 cm, making it a speaker that can be placed anywhere and can be extremely discreet. When they were first released, the Ultimate speakers were available in black (Deep Forest) or white (Light Pearl) at a price of €1,500 each, or with gold sides (Gold Leaf) for the Opéra de Paris version, at €1,800.
On the latter, the side panels no longer have a glossy mirror finish, but are carefully covered with moongold leaf by Ateliers Gohard in Paris (https://www.ateliers-gohard.com/). The Bluetooth chip is not yet the latest 5.3, which was not available at the time of development, but the one just before, 5.2, which is already very reliable, although our rigorous approach means that we still recommend improving signal quality by using Wi-Fi 5 (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) or an RJ45 Ethernet connection (100/1,000 Mbps).
A mini-Toslink optical input can also be used, particularly for home theater applications. But most of you will probably prefer to send files directly via streaming apps, with which the Phantom Ultimate is widely compatible, whether for transfers via AirPlay, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, or even the very open UPnP. And as proof of Devialet’s clear interest in high fidelity, these speakers are also Roon Ready.
TECHNOLOGICAL FEAT
Whether or not you like the type of speaker that the Phantom Ultimate represents, you can’t help but recognize the technological value of the product and the number of patents that have gone into it, the vast majority of which are sound-related. In a heavy plastic shell (each speaker weighs 4.3 kg in total), a tiny grille cut directly into the chassis stands out on the front.
On the sides, two bass speakers stand out prominently. Synchronized by the patented HBI® (Heart Bass Implosion) system, these two side woofers descend to frequencies of 14 Hz with an impact that owes much to the temporal technology redefined internally as SAM® (Speaker Active Matching).
ADH® (Analog Digital Hybrid) technology links analog and digital components, with overall data processing performed by an NXP iMX8 Nano 4 x 1.5 GHz processor and the DOS3 operating system. This allows for Adaptive Volume Level (AVL™) control coupled with a six-band equalizer (see screenshots below) to fine-tune the listening experience to your own preferences. And to adapt to certain situations in just a few clicks, three modes are already pre-set: Music, Cinema, and Podcast. The second offers more powerful bass, while the last is more precise and designed for monitoring.
Numerous accessories such as a Tree stand (€199), a Gecko wall mount (€149) wall mount, and a Remote (€189) allow you to perfectly adapt the Ultimate 98 dB to your room and enjoy your digital music with sampling rates of up to 192 kHz/24 bits.
INSTALLING THE DEVIALET PHANTOM ULTIMATE 98 DB
Received in their Paris Opera version, the Phantom Ultimate 98 dB speakers were listened to separately and paired to be tested mainly in stereo. Compared to a high-end system with passive speakers, they were compared to other more traditional hi-fi systems, then positioned everywhere, on a mantelpiece, near a window, in small to large rooms, offset from each other in height, etc. Without ever failing, these French active speakers were also used in a home theater context, but above all tested on all styles of music, sometimes with modified settings using the six-band equalizer. Wi-Fi was also compared to a wired connection to the box and to Bluetooth.
Designed to work on its own, this Devialet active speaker is also intended as a true music product to be used in pairs in a stereo configuration. To do this, it takes a few minutes after connecting to Wi-Fi for the two speakers to recognize each other, specifying which one will be on the left and which one on the right.
THE SOUND OF THE DEVIALET PHANTOM ULTIMATE 98 DB
Although we mostly listened to them in pairs during our tests, the Phantom Ultimate 98 dB speakers are also designed to work independently. In this case, the sound does come from a single source, but the wave management is well enough designed to give the real sensation of music that is clearly separated to each side. So, you may even be impressed by the stereo effect it produces, a far cry from the truly monophonic sound of many competing connected speakers.
Once paired, the new Phantoms stand out from their predecessors with a more refined sound, which still seeks to develop the bass, but with precision across the entire bandwidth. While some people reject the product on principle, we have to admit that we don’t dislike its seductive side at first glance.
Admittedly, the most convincing sound quality is found with modern music, particularly electronic and American rap, but the product is truly versatile, especially in stereo. Compared to a much more expensive system made up of separate components, or even a system of equivalent price with passive speakers and a more conventional amplifier, the Phantom Ultimate is less focused on flexibility and naturalness, for example compared to high-efficiency speakers or paper cones.
On the other hand, it has a dynamic range and bass management that are very difficult to find at this price point, especially when you factor in the combined investment of the source, amplifier, speakers, and cables.
Placed about 1 m apart, they deliver a very directional sound with a clarity that demonstrates the quality of the streaming module and ADH technology first, and then the DSP for overall consistency. As expected, but with more conclusive results than for many streamers, Bluetooth is not as good as Wi-Fi. On the other hand, in a good environment, once you have perfectly connected the two Phantoms to your network, Wi-Fi is almost always as stable as a wired connection, which we therefore don’t think is really necessary with these speakers.
In the frequency analysis, the treble rises high and only distorts at the very top of the spectrum at very high volumes, or occasionally with instruments such as certain trumpets, which the small Ultimate makes stand out when it needs to reproduce a maximum of extreme harmonics. Due to the precision sought, the midrange does not tend towards roundness, but rather towards a form of rectitude that does not detract from flexible listening and a particularly modulable sound thanks to the equalizer.
Unsurprisingly, however, it is the bass that interests us the most. This is particularly true of this 98 dB model, which has less volume than the Ultimate 108 dB, but no less compression or impact. In this regard, this new version of the small Phantom is impressive. Despite its size, it doesn’t need a subwoofer at all, even for listening to electronic music or watching action movies.
Of course, you can go further with a subwoofer or the higher-end model, but the small Phantoms are very compact and are not just relays to be placed at the back of a 5.1 home theater system. On the contrary, they are real performers that are completely self-sufficient, especially if you invest in a pair. With this new Ultimate version, music can be analyzed in detail and listened to at low volumes without losing any detail. And when listening at higher volumes, you’ll see how the Phantom can set the mood!
OUR CONCLUSION
Small in size, the Devialet Phantom Ultimate 98 dB is definitely not small in sound. Powerful, lively, with impressive bass, it also impresses with its precision and bandwidth. Add to that its ergonomics, since all you have to do is plug one in and connect it to the power supply and the Internet—or even just Bluetooth and a battery—to enjoy all the digital music you want.
A pair of these speakers can be compared to a full hi-fi system, simplifying the number of components and improving ergonomics. And on this point, not only do these little Phantoms benefit from all the technologies of their larger counterparts, including a six-band equalizer, but they are also sufficient to adapt to a screen and enhance the effects of action movies or even musicals.
We recommend you try them out.
Author(s): Vincent Guillemin
Technical Sheet: Devialet Phantom Ultimate 98 dB
- ORIGINE : France
- PRIX :
- 1 500 € (Light Pearl ; Deep Forest)
- 1 800 € (Opéra de Paris)
- DIMENSIONS : 168 x 157 x 219 mm
- PUISSANCE : 400 W
- ENTRÉES NUMÉRIQUES : 1 x optique Toslink ; RJ45 100/1 000 Mbps ; Bluetooth 5.2 ; Wi-Fi 5
- RÉPONSE EN FRÉQUENCE : 18 Hz – 25 kHz (+/- 6 dB)
- SENSIBILITÉ : 98 dB (1 m)
- TAUX D’ÉCHANTILLONNAGE :
- Entrées : 192 kHz /24 bits
- DSP : 96 kHz/32 bits
- SERVICES DE STREAMING : AirPlay ; Google Cast ; Spotify Connect ; Tidal Connect ; UPnP ; Roon Ready (RAAT)
- FINITIONS : Deep Forest (noir) ; Light Pearl (blanc) ; Opéra de Paris (doré)
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