Devialet has launched its most affordable speaker, and it is also battery-operated for portability. The Devialet Mania retails at S$1360 in Singapore, extending the market to consumers with a slightly tighter budget without eroding the brand premium. While 4-figure speaker units are not uncommon, battery-operated ones usually do not cost that much. But after reviewing the Mania, I must say that the bass experience is worth getting it.
Devialet speakers don’t just look outstanding, they sound marvellous, especially how they generate the kind of energy at the low-end. The first impression upon the first unboxing is that it resembles a kettlebell with a small handle. Most of the speakers are covered with fabric mesh to house the four aluminium full-range drivers, while exposing the two push-push woofers that are simply mesmerising to watch as they gyrate to the low frequencies.
The speaker is IPX4 water rated, and has enough battery for a 10-hour play time. A charging dock can be purchased separately. The package comes with a simple draw-string cloth bag if you seriously intend to bring it out of the house to show off the speaker and the sound. With built-in Wi-Fi capabilities, you can stream lossless digital audio without being limited by Bluetooth compression and the transmission range. Once the speaker is connected to the Wi-Fi using the companion smartphone app, the Mania can be selected for audio streaming from Spotify or Airplay. Even smarter if you connect it to Amazon Alexa, where you can actually give voice commands to play your favourite music. For privacy, you can disable the microphone from listening to you, but that would also disable the Active Stereo Calibration feature where it listens to your room acoustics and optimises the sound.
The buttons on the speaker are rubberised and indented, so they require a bit more effort to press. The markings are not very distinct at low light and they have symmetrically laid out on both sides, so it’s not easy to remember which button does what. Fortunately, everything can be controlled remotely via the smartphone app.
The star experience of listening to Devialet speakers is the woofer performance, and the Mania is no exception. It automatically detects the room acoustics through four built-in microphones and actively calibrates the sound to deliver a 360-degree music experience. The size is perfect for enclosed rooms where the Phantom series speakers might be an overkill. Retaining the signature sound in a small portable form factor, the treble is not aggressively bright while the bass is a natural showoff. I might prefer the tuning to be a bit more sparkling, which can be easily adjusted through the app to suit individual preferences.
I really like how the lower frequencies rumble with confidence when listening to music at a lower volume. For most speakers, the bass only resonates when the volume is turned up. Not for Devialet Mania. They are great for most modern genres, especially those with well-mixed bass. Just go and play the “Sleep” playlist on Spotify, and then you will experience subsonic sounds that could even drive your senses nuts. Classical genre might not sound as revealing unless the treble is bumped up on the EQ.
Verdict
The Devialet Mania is THE portable speaker that can deliver the deep bass that you never thought existed in a sound recording. Don’t take my word for it, visit a Devialet showroom and experience it yourself. At a retail price of S$1360, it is affordable for those who appreciates sound and design. The treble can do a little bump depending on your music genre.