Phantom Ii 98 Db Matte Black Wireless Speaker

Verified claims

Calibration

Factory-calibrated via laser measurement of 60+ driver parameters per unit.

Protection

SAM continuously monitors each driver's Safe Operating Area to prevent overload.

Sound quality

Co-designed open-loop SAM yields 7.0 Harman score, no pre-echo.

Distortion

Distortion remains below 0.001% even at 98 dB output.

Stereo imaging

SAM-calibrated drivers and 0.001% THD deliver stable, precise stereo imaging.

Preference

Buyers choose a stereo pair of 98 dB over a single 108 dB for better imaging.

Connectivity reliability

Users report frequent connectivity drops; Ethernet and resets help but issues remain.

Bluetooth codecs

Supports only AAC and SBC Bluetooth codecs, not aptX HD or LDAC.

Footprint

A stereo pair of Phantom IIs occupies 11.6 L and produces 18 Hz bass.

Audio sync

AV Sync setting and HDMI extractor resolve audio sync delay and low optical output.

Surround

Stereo pair delivers locked dialogue and stable imaging; wireless surround not supported.

Setup

Wired Ethernet and ear-level placement optimize connectivity and soundstage.

Build construction

Aluminum composite cabinet with zero internal wiring and automotive-grade construction.

Durability features

Push-push woofers cancel vibration; sealed chamber avoids port noise; SAM protects drivers.

Reliability record

No documented widespread hardware failures; includes 2-year warranty and firmware updates.

Space

Stereo pair volume (11.6 L) matches an integrated amp; no subwoofer needed.

Placement flexibility

Sealed design and vibration cancellation allow near-wall, shelf, or wall-mount use without boom or buzz.

Spousal approval

Multiple owners report spousal approval that larger floorstanding speakers lacked.

Bass

Produces 18 Hz bass without a subwoofer; some listeners find it requires higher volume for balance.

Streaming feature history

Buyers note streaming features were once removed but DOS 3 restored most.

Software reliability

Buyers report audio cutouts that require resets; wired Ethernet typically resolves the issue.

Software integrations

Roon Ready for native hi-res streaming and SAM algorithm for optimized driver control.

Connectivity placement

Wired Ethernet or powerline adapter prevents connectivity drops.

TV sync

AV Sync setting in app reduces delay on optical input; HDMI extractor improves movie sound.

High-res streaming

AirPlay 2, Roon Ready, UPnP, and optical input deliver lossless high-res audio.

Network streaming

Direct hi-res endpoint via Roon Ready, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and UPnP.

Network stability

Wired Ethernet connection resolves frequent Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity drops.

TV audio

Optical input enables TV audio with AV sync adjustment; HDMI extractor improves volume consistency.

System integration

Compact all-in-one replaces separate amp, streamer, and speakers, but no wireless surround.

Product record

Title

Phantom Ii 98 Db Matte Black Wireless Speaker

Brand

Devialet

Price

2100 CAD

Availability

Out of stock

SAM Speaker Matching and driver control

• Devialet’s SAM Lab characterizes each speaker model by using laser vibrometry to capture driver displacement, deformation, velocity, and acceleration — a semi‑automated process that can be completed in under 8 minutes per model and yields over 60 parameters. The Phantom II’s on‑board SAM processor uses this model to correct the signal specifically for the Mk II’s aluminum full‑range and dual bass drivers, rather than applying a generic DSP curve.
• The Speaker Active Matching algorithm first took shape during the Phantom loudspeaker R&D, not from Devialet’s Expert amplifier series — in fact, the technology was later ported to the Expert line. Consequently, the Phantom II’s built‑in SAM is the most deeply integrated implementation, designed in tandem with its coaxial architecture rather than as an add‑on.
• SAM continuously computes each driver’s Safe Operating Area from a physical behavioral model, acting as a real‑time limiter that prevents over‑excursion even as the Phantom II’s 400W amplifier approaches its 98 dB SPL peak. This protection lets the speaker sustain high output levels without mechanical stress or thermal risk, a necessity for an ultra‑compact enclosure delivering deep bass.
• SAM’s correction can push usable low‑end bandwidth down by up to one octave, enabling the Phantom II to achieve its 18 Hz (−6 dB) specification from dual aluminum bass drivers housed in a compact 4.3 kg sealed volume — a low‑frequency reach that would otherwise demand a much larger cabinet.
• Unlike room correction systems that rely on microphones, SAM operates as an open‑loop, strictly causal algorithm with no pre‑echo artifacts — meaning it requires no user setup and never introduces the timing smearing or spatial distortions that can arise from feedback‑based correction. The Phantom II’s soundstage and transient response remain untouched by the processing itself.

How ADH amplification works in the Phantom II

• The Magic Wire DAC used in the Phantom II feeds a Texas Instruments PCM1792 chip directly into the Class A stage via a 16.7 kΩ, 0.01% precision resistor — by stripping out op-amps and current mirrors, Devialet eliminated several sources of noise and thermal distortion, which is how the Phantom II achieves its quoted 0.001% THD even at full 400W output.

Stereo pairing and immersive soundstage expansion

• Devialet omitted the tweeter from the Phantom II, routing the entire midrange and treble through one aluminum full-range driver per cabinet—this eliminates crossover phase rotation in the vocal band, so a stereo pair places dialogue and lead instruments at a locked, palpable center point that doesn't wander with frequency.
• The active spherical design disperses sound evenly in all directions, so a stereo pair maintains a wide, stable soundstage even for listeners sitting well off-center—unlike narrow-dispersion speakers where moving a foot to the side collapses the stereo effect into the nearer channel.
• The ADH amplifier’s claimed 0.001% total harmonic distortion means that even as a pair hits 98dB peaks, spatial cues like reverb decay and panning aren't obscured by distortion artifacts; the stereo soundstage stays crisp and layered rather than hardening or collapsing when pushed.

Build quality and materials for long-term durability

• Devialet's automated production line assembles the Phantom II with such precision that the speaker can be built with a complete absence of internal wiring, eliminating potential points of mechanical failure and signal degradation that plague traditional loudspeaker construction.
• The side plates visibly move in response to the internal pressure generated by the woofers, yet they do so without audible rattling or distortion — a testament to the tight mechanical tolerances and the rigid fiberglass‑reinforced PC‑ABS construction that forms the lateral flanks.
• Across the Phantom II series, no widespread hardware reliability issues have been publicly documented, and Devialet provides a full 2‑year warranty along with active firmware support — reassurance that the premium materials and assembly translate into ownership durability, not just showroom appeal.
• The Phantom II is produced in France on an assembly line that rivals the automation levels of advanced car manufacturers, ensuring consistent unit-to-unit precision that contributes to the speaker's sealed acoustic integrity and the flawless exterior finish.
• The enclosure is a bi-injected composite comprising an inner polycarbonate layer reinforced by fiberglass and a metal insert for extra rigidity, a polished ABS outer shell, and a pressure-injected aluminum central core — the result is a dense, resonance-immune cabinet that lets the 400W amplifier and dual woofers operate without housing-induced coloration.

How the Phantom II compares to traditional hi-fi setups

• Devialet cites a –6 dB bandwidth stretching from 18 Hz to 21 kHz, a bass extension more typical of a dedicated subwoofer than a single 4.3 kg sphere — eliminating the need for a separate sub in music-oriented setups and keeping the system visually discreet.
• Out-of-the-box Roon Ready certification means the Phantom II can be the endpoint in a hi-res multi-room system without an additional network streamer — a feature that typically requires a separate component in a passive speaker chain, shrinking the system’s box count and avoiding an extra digital cable.
• At 157×168×219 mm each, a stereo Phantom II pair occupies roughly 11.6 liters total volume while housing amplification, DAC, and streaming — a footprint that merely matches the volume of a typical integrated amplifier chassis, making it possible to get deep, detailed stereo sound in rooms where a full-size hi-fi rack is visually or spatially impossible.
• The ADH amplifier runs in pure Class A for low-level signals and engages Class D for high-power demands, achieving a claimed total harmonic distortion plus noise of 0.001% — a vanishingly low figure normally associated with high-end standalone power amps, ensuring that the amplification built into each tiny Phantom II adds virtually no audible grain or harshness.
• Independent spinorama analysis by researcher Pierre Aubert yields a predicted preference score of 7.0 without subwoofer (8.1 with sub) for the Phantom II, significantly higher than the larger Phantom I’s 5.7 — a score that places the compact sphere among the most tonally satisfying wireless speakers measured, implying that buyers trading floorstanders for this speaker won’t sacrifice the balanced, enjoyable sound of a well-tuned passive monitor setup.
• The sealed-chamber Heart Bass Implosion arrangement with opposed aluminum dome woofers delivers large-driver bass output without a port, so low-frequency clarity remains free of the chuffing and turbulence noise that ported bookshelf speakers often exhibit when pushed — a legitimate acoustic advantage for listeners sensitive to mechanical distortion at high playback levels.