Devialet Mania – High-end Portable Speaker Review

Devialet Mania Portable – Smart Speaker

I am excited to share my thoughts on Devialet Mania, the first high-end portable Bluetooth speaker from the renowned French hi-fi brand. This smart device features built-in support for Alexa and a convenient handle seamlessly integrated into its design, making it easy to bring the speaker from room to room. Whether you are streaming audio over Wi-Fi indoors or switching to Bluetooth for outdoor use, Devialet Mania offers versatility in its connectivity options. It also supports wireless charging, though the Devialet Mania Station must be purchased separately. While Mania may not be as visually dramatic as some of Devialet’s previous offerings, it still promises to deliver robust sound quality and stands as a formidable player in a crowded and competitive market.

What’s in the box

The box contains the following items:

• Devialet Mania speaker
• Speaker bag
• Power supply unit
• USB-C cable
• Sleeve with user notice, safety instructions, and flyers for Alexa and the product range
• Docking station (only included in the Opéra de Paris version)
• User guide

Specs & Features

Performances

Sound Testing Performance (Score/Rank)

Devialet Mania Indoors

Devialet Mania is a great speaker for voice assistants, with built-in Alexa support that allows you to easily control your music with your voice. Alexa performs well (9/10), even in noisy environments or when you’re far away from the speaker. If you don’t want the assistant to listen to you, you can easily turn it off through the app. Devialet Mania is also a good choice for podcasts and audiobooks (7/10), with clear reproduction of dialogue right out of the box. You can even use the Voice dialogue enhancement preset to make voices sound more crisp.

The speaker’s portable design makes it easy to take with you from room to room. When it comes to music, Devialet Mania is decent, with relatively accurate reproduction of voices and lead instruments, though the overall sound can be a bit dull due to the lack of treble. The speaker does offer good bass for bass-centric genres, and you can make some adjustments to the bass and treble through the Custom preset in the app.

It is worth noting that Devialet Mania is not ideal for watching videos and movies, as it has high latency over Bluetooth, which can cause lip-syncing issues. To avoid this problem, it’s best to watch videos over an Apple AirPlay 2 connection, which has much lower latency.

Devialet Mania Outdoors

The Devialet Mania is a solid choice for outdoor use. Its durable design, which includes an IPX4 water resistance rating and a built-in handle, makes it easy to take on the go. Additionally, the speaker’s Bluetooth connectivity allows for seamless music streaming from a phone, and its impressive battery life ensures that you can keep the tunes going all day. It’s worth noting, however, that Devialet Mania should not be submerged in water. Overall, the speaker offers solid performance in terms of build quality, Soundstage, dynamics, and portability, and its Bluetooth range capabilities are also noteworthy.

However, On the other hand, its scores in the following areas were lower: battery (5.9/10), Frequency Response Accuracy (6.8/10) and EQ (6/10). Note that I did not evaluate its multi-device pairing or wireless latency in this review.

Compared To Other Speakers

This smart Bluetooth speaker is the first from the manufacturer to offer a portable design, but it’s the hefty price tag that makes it stand out from the competition. It has decent sound quality out-of-the-box and a few customization tools to help you switch up its sound; however, its short battery life is pretty disappointing, and you’ll have to pay even more if you want to add on the wireless charging dock. Overall, while it has some appealing features, this speaker may not be the best value for the money.

Accessories

I have to say that Devialet Mania speaker is a fantastic device on its own. However, the addition of the wireless charging dock takes it to the next level. No longer do you have to worry about being tethered to a power source while using your speaker. Although, you will have to purchase it separately. The light gray color of the dock is a nice touch, adding a sleek and modern look to the overall setup.

Final Thought

In conclusion, Devialet Mania is a stylish and versatile smart speaker that offers built-in support for Alexa and a convenient handle for easy portability. While it has decent sound quality and some customization options, its high price point and short battery life may be disappointing to some users.
Additionally, the speaker’s latency over Bluetooth may not be suitable for watching videos and movies, though it performs well with Apple AirPlay 2. Overall, while Devialet Mania has some attractive features, it may not be the best value for the money.

If you’re looking for more innovative gadgets to keep an eye on, be sure to check out our article on Top 5 must-see AI gadgets to watch in 2023. With the rapid advancements in technology, there are sure to be some exciting new releases on the horizon.