French luxury audio brand Devialet has collaborated with two young artists, Yang Bao and Wa Liu, to introduce a limited edition version of the company’s flagship Phantom I 108 dB wireless loudspeaker called the Devialet Phantom I 108 dB by Yang Bao & Wa Liu.
Although it’s functionally the same as the regular Phantom I, which sells for $3,199 in white/gold or dark chrome, the price of the artistic edition jumps up to $6,700 USD.
Bao and Liu’s design celebrates the Lunar New Year 2024, the Year of the Dragon. Inspired by Bao’s concept of “Infinity Music”, their creation dubbed, “ANIMAL,” reflects an ever-evolving, living entity, adorned with layers of 22.5-carat gold and polished red varnish set by hand by Ateliers Gohard.
The collaboration signifies a new chapter in Devialet’s alliance with Ateliers Gohard, which was born in 2017 as the artisans were entrusted with the gold leaf application of Phantom Opéra de Paris. This long lasting partnership continues to represent the celebration of a synergy between artistic vision and masterful execution, where tradition and technology intertwine.
Within Chinese cultural symbolism, the dragon is unique as the sole mythical creature in the zodiac. This collaboration for the Lunar New Year encapsulates the very essence of the dragon, echoing the animalistic spirit of Devialet Phantom I: powerful, enigmatic and deeply rooted in cultural heritage.
Emmanuel Nardin, Devialet’s co-founder and Chief Design Officer, says:
“As our flagship product, Phantom I is the perfect balance of artistry and industry-leading technology, truly encapsulating Devialet’s founding ethos of combining breathtaking design with audio excellence. As we enter our first-ever artistic collaboration, we’re excited to be delivering the speaker in a very emotional and sensitive limited edition with Yang Bao and Wa Liu.
A pair of highly talented young artists, their creative expertise has brought both the magic and animality of the dragon to life, enabling Phantom to once again raise the bar for listening experiences.”
The Artists
Wa Liu is a multimedia artist and graduate from Yale and MIT. She said:
“When you play music on it, especially with heavy bass, it always feels like it is alive. That’s the reason why we’re focusing on the idea of animality and metamorphosis on this design, to create something that is breathing while also producing very beautiful music”.
Yang Bao is an installation artist and Juilliard-trained pianist and composer. He said:
“We believe that both science and art need to utilize these two senses, the logical mind and the more emotive mind, to better understand our surroundings and our fast changing world.”
Phantom Series
The Devialet Phantom I 108 dB sits atop the range boasting 1,100-watts of power. The equally sized Phantom I 103 dB offers half the power for a thousand dollars less. Meanwhile, the similar looking, but smaller sized Phantom II models cut amplification down to 350/400-watts for $1,099/$1,399, respectively.
Connect to any Phantom model via Wi-Fi, AirPlay 2, Bluetooth 5.0, Spotify Connect, or UPnP. Listen to just one or two as a stereo pair. In addition, all Phantoms are Roon Ready and include Devialet’s App for additional features and customizations such as syncing multiple units for multi-room setups.
Price & Availability
The limited edition Devialet Phantom I 108 dB by Yang Bao & Wa Liu is available to buy now on Devialet’s website for $6,700 USD (£5,300).
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