Devialet, French specialist in high-fidelity audio, is launching a portable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible speaker, the Mania, equipped with innovative technology, which adapts the sound according to the environment in which it is located.
Those who have had the chance to hear the sound produced by the Phantom speaker know that the French high-end audio specialist Devialet does not mess around when it comes to producing a design product that delivers powerful and of very high quality (and incidentally sold more than 1000 €).
A little over two years ago, Devialet teamed up with Huawei to design a more affordable yet highly effective speaker, the Sound X, which is still on sale at around €365. The two manufacturers then continued their collaboration with two other models, including the Huawei Sound Joy, a mobile speaker sold for €139, quite similar to other affordable portable speakers on the market, such as the UE Boom, the JBL Flip, etc. (read our test of the Huawei Sound Joy).
Today, Devialet unveils the Maniaa more personal vision of the portable speaker, aimed at users who want high-fidelity sound and a particularly sophisticated design.
Almost round, since it measures 17 x 19 x 14 cm, for a weight of 2.3 kg, the speaker displays a clearly larger format than that of the Huawei Sound Joy! It has a kind of strap that acts as a handle, on which are several control buttons (of course the speaker can also be controlled via the manufacturer’s iOS and Android application, which includes an equalizer) .
To provide very high-level audio quality, the Mania features no less than four broadband speakers and two woofers. The set diffuses sound over 360 degrees. The manufacturer promises punchy bass and crystal clear treble. In addition, Devialet uses a technology called ASC (for Active Stereo Calibration), which takes advantage of 4 loudspeakers to optimize the audio rendering according to the environment of the speaker: indoors, outdoors, near a wall (in this case the sound is no longer broadcast on 360 and more user-focused), etc.
The Mania can be accessed via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or AirPlay 2. It’s also compatible with Spotify Connect and Amazon’s smart assistant, Alexa, to control it using voice commands .
For the rest, the Devialet Mania is certified, IPX4, which protects it from malfunctions in the event of splashes. You will therefore have to be careful when listening to music in your bathtub or by the pool, since it is not completely waterproof, unlike the Huawei Sound Joy, which is certified IP67.
The autonomy of the speaker is ensured by a 3200 mAh battery, which must guarantee, according to the manufacturer, 10 hours of listening. Good point, the Mania comes with a USB C power supply, always practical when used indoors.
The Devialet Mania is already available in two colours, light gray or black, for €790. A future test will allow us to know if this tidy sum is justified by a truly extraordinary audio quality.