Devialet Mania: looks good, but I don’t love it
12.1.2023
Translation: Julia Graham
The first portable speaker from premium brand Devialet only wows me with its aesthetic.
Devialet’s first portable Bluetooth speaker is available in black and grey. I’ve got the black version – and I’ve never set eyes on a better-looking Bluetooth speaker. It doesn’t matter if I look at the thing from the front, above or sideways; it’s always perfect. And that’s despite the integrated handle, which Devialet incorporated with the buttons via a continuous band. What an elegant solution.
If only the rest of the device was as great as it looks.
Mediocre controls
The box works with Bluetooth as well as your home Wi-Fi. I tested it out with Apple devices, and in this environment, the box connected to Wi-Fi via AirPlay 2.
Once I turn the device on, it takes at least ten seconds before it’s ready to use, which it signals by making a noise. In terms of design, the speaker features three buttons on each side. The status display is above one of these sets of controls. Unfortunately, it’s next to the wrong set, volume and play/pause. However, the status display is actually linked to the three buttons on the other side: the on-off switch, Bluetooth and battery level. That’s to say, you can’t see the status and the buttons it provides information on at the same time.
This isn’t the end of the world. For one thing, you get to know your way around the device so you can find the buttons without looking. And besides, you mostly control the speaker via its app.
That being said, I had even more difficulty with the latter. It’s the same app you use for other Devialet products. I’ve never found it particularly intuitive, but at least it works as yet. This time, however, I encounter all kinds of problems. When I turn it off, the «switch off» button doesn’t disappear. Moreover, the app intermittently loses connection to the device, meaning I can’t apply any settings. Occasionally, it doesn’t make requested changes to the volume or equaliser, as you can see in the video. And other times, it doesn’t play at the displayed volume.
The device can also play music without the app, but only via Bluetooth. And if you do that, you miss out on equaliser and firmware updates. On that point, the app regularly receives firmware updates. So, we can live in hope that Devialet will solve the issues. I haven’t yet tested to see if the Android version works better.
Sound: once again, bass-heavy
Let’s get down to the most important bit: the sound. If you want an intense and particularly deep bass, this speaker ticks all your boxes. It’s impressive how much oomph this round, black device packs in. For hip-hop and EDM, this provides the desired effect.
But the bass can be too aggressive for other music. It’s really a matter of taste, but I personally don’t like the frequency tuning. I find that the basses, especially the really deep ones, are too dominant compared with the rest of the sound. It lacks power in the mids, where you find piano, vocal and guitar frequencies.
That’s why I experimented with the equaliser in the first place. Obviously, I can use it to reduce the bass, but that doesn’t alter the fundamental focus of the sound pattern.
Most Bluetooth speakers are pretty much designed to be bassy. Seemingly, that’s what most people want. So you’re not dependent on a single subjective opinion, I also gave the device to my audio colleague Livia to see what she thought of the sound. She didn’t think it was bad, albeit a bit hollow – and not as amazing as she expected given the price tag.
However, for me it isn’t just that the woofer is overpowering, it’s also that it seems to work in an unpredictable way. To give you an extreme example, in this recording of Beethoven’s «Für Elise», the woofer is going completely berserk, despite the fact the track doesn’t feature any bass. There must be something in the background noise that triggers the Bluetooth speaker. This doesn’t happen with other recordings from the same piece. You’ll see what I mean in the video.
Differs from room to room
The room the speaker is in plays a big part in the way the bass is heard – in other words, if you notice it for all the wrong reasons because of rumbling and thudding. If the device is outside, there’s less interference than if it’s in a small room. However, this speaker seems to be made for small spaces. When outside, the device doesn’t show off its AirPlay feature. And for very big rooms, it’s too slender.
With its four speakers and two subwoofers, the device can produce stereo on its own. But it doesn’t sound as three-dimensional as two boxes set apart. Although it uses the same app as Devialet’s Multiroom speaker, according to Devialet, it’s not compatible with stereo or multiroom groups.
The Devialet speaker boasts four integrated microphones for calibrating itself in the room. These are designed to ensure an even better surround sound. However, the effect is rather subtle.
You can also reportedly use the microphones for voice control with Amazon and Alexa. This doesn’t work in Switzerland at the moment, which is why I can’t put it to the test. There’s a slider on the device itself for switching off the mics.
Charging and battery
When I tried it out, the battery life was satisfactory. I reckon it pretty much tallies up with the ten-hour runtime listed by the manufacturer. But that’s only if you’re using the device constantly. The speaker also charges up when switched off – and it’s relatively quick. If you don’t use it for a few days, you’ll need to charge it first
by placing the Mania on a plate-shaped charging surface. This looks just as elegant as the speaker. It initially charges the box very quickly, but for a full battery, you’ll need about three hours.
Source: David Lee
Verdict: looks – hell yeah; the rest – meh
The Devialet Mania has enchanted my eyes but not my ears. For me, the deep basses are too overpowering and the surround sound isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. To add to that, the app proved very unreliable in my test. Obviously, if you relish deep, loud basses, you’d come to a completely different conclusion. But I can’t personally recommend it at this price point.
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
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