Devialet Astra Integrated Amplifier Review

Devialet’s Expert line of integrated amplifiers first arrived over a decade ago, offering great digital connectivity in a compact chassis that suited both family spaces and modern interiors. The newly launched Astra represents the next step in this philosophy, with a revised chassis, a minimalist Art Deco-inspired aesthetic, upgraded internal components, and an expanded suite of physical and digital connectivity options.

Astra is the company’s latest flagship, designed in Paris and assembled in France. The design is minimalist, with the chassis crafted from a single block of aluminium. There are no visible cut lines, and the surface is sandblasted for a matte, brushed finish. A linear groove, inspired by traditional guilloché patterns, runs along the edge. Devialet says the choice of aluminium is due to its thermal conductivity, which aids heat management. The front panel is deliberately sparse, with only a screen and two buttons, reflecting a focus on clarity and simplicity.

Jean-Loup Afresne, the company’s CTO, told me that his goal was to: 

Craft an object that not only delivers exceptional sound but also captivates visually – enhancing the emotional experience of music through its very presence.

This amplifier is built to look good on a countertop or sitting atop a hi-fi rack; it sits low, with a top plate that stretches out over the input and output sections. Because of this, reaching the connections at the back can be awkward if you’re working from the front. That said, the Astra is light and easy to pick up, so you can quickly turn it around and access the inputs without hassle.

During the design phase, customer feedback emphasised the need for increased connectivity and integration, alongside improved audio performance – particularly with respect to dynamics and high frequencies. These were addressed through the inclusion of a wider range of streaming protocols, a more powerful processor, plus an updated power supply and ADH system. Devialet’s Analog Digital Hybrid technology aims to combine the linearity and refinement of Class A amplification with the power and compactness of Class D.

The manufacturer says that thermal management has been “radically optimised” in this new iteration, and adds that a new, faster and higher resolution hybridisation of the Class A and Class D amplifiers, combined with a revised power supply, allows for “extremely fine and precise high frequencies.” The amp delivers 300 watts per side at 4 ohms in solo mode, or 600W per channel at 4 ohms in dual configuration.

The Astra employs Devialet’s established technologies, including Speaker Active Matching, Record Active Matching and Magic Wire DAC. SAM adapts the audio signal to the characteristics of passive loudspeakers, using a database of 1,200 profiles, and is designed to ensure temporal alignment between the recorded signal and the acoustic pressure generated by the speakers. This is said to give punchier and more dynamic bass. The SAM implementation in Astra is identical to that in the pricier Expert series.

RAM allows the phono stage to be configured to match the characteristics of any turntable or vinyl record, and while the signal processing and schematics are unchanged from the Expert series, the PCB layout has been redesigned. The Magic Wire DAC is integrated within 5cm of the amplification stage, a design that Devialet states minimises signal degradation and controls background noise and distortion.

Astra’s evolution from the Expert series is most evident in its user interface, processing hardware, and connectivity. The amplifier runs Devialet’s new DOS3 operating system, which is intended to unify all current and future products from this brand within a single ecosystem and interface. The upgrade from the iMX6 to the iMX8 processor is said to give more processing power to ensure compatibility with the latest and future streaming services. Wireless connectivity has been expanded to include AirPlay, Google Cast, Roon Ready, Spotify Connect, Tidal, and UPnP, along with Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3.

The user experience has been revised with a new Advanced Configurator, which is accessible online via a Devialet account. This tool allows for more than twenty customisable parameters, including input and output selection, phono stage settings, volume, and speaker profiles. The app supports real-time, on-the-fly adjustments, which is claimed to be a significant improvement over the previous system. The new Devialet app will discover any new device on your local network and give easy access to its configuration.

While the web interface provides a wizard for initial system setup, most users will find the Bluetooth-enabled Devialet app and the online configurator useful for configuration and input changes. The remote has also been redesigned to include a screen and a central ring for volume adjustment in 1dB increments. All remote pairing and control functions are handled wirelessly over Bluetooth, but only one remote can be paired with the amplifier at a time. The Astra does not support infrared control at all, so traditional universal remotes or IR-based systems won’t work with this setup.

For existing Expert users, Devialet offers the Elevate trade-in programme, which allows users to return their Expert amplifier for a credit towards Astra. The process involves purchasing Astra, joining the Elevate program at checkout, returning the Expert, and receiving a credit directly to the original payment method. Devialet says this is a way to make upgrading more accessible to existing customers. The unit comes with a standard two-year manufacturer’s warranty that can be increased to five years at an extra cost.

To evaluate the Devialet in my listening environment, I streamed hi-res audio from Qobuz over Roon directly via the Ethernet port on the rear of the Astra. The playback was through my JBL K2 S9900 loudspeakers.

THE LISTENING

The Astra is a versatile performer, bringing out the unique qualities of every recording – whether it’s the subtlety of an acoustic piece or the intensity of a hard-hitting electronic number. It preserves the clarity, balance, and space of all sorts of musical genres and is great at low-level detail retrieval. Subtle cues like the placement of instruments and the decay of musical notes are easy to pick out, making the recording feel natural and immersive. Imaging is consistently precise, adding to the enjoyment and making it easy to get lost in the music. Enabling SAM is a real game-changer for bass-heavy tracks, with the system delivering bass that’s not only punchy but also well-controlled. The result is a satisfying, room-filling sound that retains definition and drive, even when things get intense.

For example, when listening to Elbow, Guy Garvey’s vocals and the band’s delicate instrumentation in the quieter moments of Leaders Of The Free World came through beautifully. The Astra handled these softer passages with care, letting the gentle textures and understated elements shine through.

As the song built from these calm sections into more powerful, anthemic moments, the amplifier never lost its grip on the finer points. Every soft vocal inflection and subtle percussive note was easy to pick out. Even as the music swelled, the Devialet balanced the energy and detail, making the listening experience engaging and revealing. This ability to maintain clarity and focus across such a wide dynamic range made each listen feel fresh and immersive.

When I cued up Grace Jones’s Private Life, the Astra really came into its own. It shone a spotlight on her unmistakable vocals and the subtle interplay between guitar, percussion, and studio effects. The amplifier’s ability to uncover details, like the gentle decay of reverb tails and faint instrumental cues, really stood out. This recording is known for its capacious soundstage, and the Astra delivered an airy, three-dimensional presentation, placing vocals firmly front and centre with the rest of the band stretched out across the sound field. You could easily pick out the location of each instrument, from the snap of the snare to the shimmering guitar lines and understated percussion.

The dynamic shading in the track, particularly in the rhythm section and Grace’s vocal delivery, was handled with ease. The music had room to breathe, with ambient sounds and background effects floating in the mix, adding to the overall sense of space and realism. The Astra didn’t just play the recording, it revealed the atmosphere and intent behind it – making the listening experience intimate and expansive.

Imaging is one of Astra’s real strengths. The Charlotte Adigéry & Bolis Pupul remix of Dry Cleaning’s Hot Penny Day is a track I often reach for when evaluating systems with BACCH processing, thanks to its open production and creative use of panning for instruments and effects. While the Astra doesn’t quite match BACCH’s fully immersive 3D spatial effects, it still delivers impressive width and depth, making it easy to isolate each element within the mix. The remix adds a tangible, textured dimension to Florence Shaw’s distinctive spoken-word vocals.

Through the Astra, every shimmering percussion detail came through cleanly, with no smearing or loss of definition. The track’s dynamic shifts, from the stripped-back verses to the more layered, energetic choruses, were handled with finesse, maintaining both clarity and impact throughout. Ambient effects and background vocals weren’t just confined to the front speakers. They even appeared behind the listener, creating a convincing three-dimensional soundstage. The result was an enveloping listening experience that drew me right to the heart of the music.

With my usual subwoofers switched off and the Astra handling bass duties, I was initially sceptical about whether the low end would hold up. However, once I enabled SAM on my JBL speakers, the improvement was obvious. The bass became noticeably tighter and more robust, with a level of articulation that caught me off guard. Listening to A Fragile Thing from The Cure’s recent comeback album, Simon Gallup’s bass lines came through with warmth and clarity. This track is densely produced and doesn’t offer much in the way of dynamic range, which can easily lead to muddiness in lesser systems. Yet the Astra pulled subtle detail from the overdriven bass guitar without letting it blur into the lush layers of guitars and synths. Even with all the competing elements in the mix, the amplifier kept everything distinct and well-balanced.

The excellent all-around ability of this high-end integrated amplifier is especially apparent with challenging electronic tracks like Ghost Rider’s Make Us Stronger. This system torture test is loaded with dense, high-energy electronic layers and relentless dynamics, which the Astra coped with stoically, and it showed its trademark spatial accuracy once again. The track felt immersive and alive, with a hard-hitting punch and rapid-fire transients – and the room filled with deep, tight and impactful low frequencies. Yet there was no sense of muddiness or overhang, as the bass remained controlled and articulate, even at high volume levels. The system maintained its composure, handling the track’s demanding bass lines without breaking into a sweat. Even at serious sound pressure levels, the Astra showed grace under pressure.

THE VERDICT

Sonically, Devialet’s new Astra integrated amplifier takes everything in its stride – from gentle folk music to intricate rock and heavy electronic beats, it stays detailed and spacious. It shows consummate clarity even when the musical going gets tough, and its deep, controlled bass lends the system serious weight without losing grip. No matter what the musical genre is, the Astra makes the listening experience engaging, making it easy to get lost in the music and encouraging repeat sessions.

It also improves on the already superb packaging of the original. Its sleek, room-friendly design and compact footprint will suit plenty of finicky living spaces. With its wealth of connectivity and features, the Devialet is an essential audition if you’re after a cost-no-object, all-in-one stereo solution. Indeed, I wouldn’t be surprised to see many current Expert owners taking a closer look at the Elevate trade-in programme to consider making the switch.

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