High-end audio brand targets more ‘affordable’ portable speaker market with Devialet Mania. But can it win at this price?
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
T3 Verdict
Reasons to buy+Portable design with decent battery life+Adaptive sound based on environment+Devialet’s version of ‘affordable’+Bassy, authoritative sound
Portable design with decent battery life
Adaptive sound based on environment
Devialet’s version of ‘affordable’
Bassy, authoritative sound
Pricey considering the competition
Design may divide opinion
App needs more EQ control
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
I’ll make no secret of it up front: I’m a big Devialet fan. At least, I particularly love the French audio company’s Phantom line of products. Which are bonkers expensive, brilliantly capable, and, much as I’d like to own a pair, I unsurprisingly do not.
Which is what makes the Devialet Mania seem immediately appealing to people like me: this is Devialet’s version of ‘affordable’, and while still not exactly pocket change, I can totally see why in the current economic climate the brand is putting some focus to a speaker that’s under a four-figure asking price, aiming to be one of thebest wireless speakersout there.
However, the competition in this market isn’t exactly sparse, even from other high-end brands' hardly-budget (and generally more wired-to-the-wall) offerings. I did think as aSonos Move alternative that the Devialet made some sensethough.
So can the Devialet Mania, the company’s first portable speaker and one in contention forbest Bluetooth speaker, hold its own in this already bustling market? As the brand changes its hand to other areas of focus, such as home cinema with its superDevialet Dione soundbar, the odds are seemingly in its favour…
Devialet Mania: Price & Availability
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
So just how much cash are we talking about? In the UK the Mania is £690, in the US and Europe it’s $/€790, while you won’t find it on sale in Australia at the time of writing.
So, yes, Devialet’s version of ‘affordable’ is far from cheap, but this is a decadent brand anyway. Its Opéra de Paris special edition version, finished with gold trim, is even pricier at £890/$990, so make of that what you will.
The interesting part is the comparable competition. WhileNaim makes the Mu-so Qb (2nd Gen),Bowers & Wilkins the Zeppelin Wireless,Bang & Olufsen the Beosound Emerge, none of those are wireless products. It’s only really the larger-yet-cheaperSonos Movethat’s likely to catch most people’s attention as a logical alternative (you could almost buy two of those to Devialet’s one).
Today’s best Devialet Mania and Devialet Mania Opera de Paris dealsDevialet Mania Opera De Paris$1,099ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Devialet Mania and Devialet Mania Opera de Paris dealsDevialet Mania Opera De Paris$1,099ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Devialet Mania and Devialet Mania Opera de Paris dealsDevialet Mania Opera De Paris$1,099ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Devialet Mania and Devialet Mania Opera de Paris deals
Devialet Mania Opera De Paris$1,099ViewSee all prices
Devialet Mania Opera De Paris$1,099ViewSee all prices
Devialet Mania Opera De Paris$1,099ViewSee all prices
Devialet Mania Opera De Paris
Devialet Mania Opera De Paris
$1,099View
$1,099
$1,099
See all prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Devialet Mania review: Design & Setup
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
The Mania’s box looks a bit, er, maniacal really, finished in a wash of purple sploshes that remind me of a certain cider brand’sWild Fruitpackaging. Thankfully you needn’t stare at the box for long: pull the Mania out from its cubic clutches and the colour palette of the speaker itself is entirely de-hued to a range of greys and blacks (Light Grey and Deep Black are indeed the official offerings on sale).
I have to say I think the design will be divisive though. I like how its design language echoes that of other Devialet speakers, namely the Phantom, with a near-spherical and symmetrical shape being really eye-catching. That’s all finished in metal and coated in fabric and is totally in-line with what I’d expect from the brand.
The odd part? That plastic ‘strap’ which contours around the centre part, acts as a carry handle, and just lacks that real luxe look and feel. It’s too run of the mill to look convincingly Devialet for me. It’s also where the six buttons are housed, which function just fine, but do have oddities such as the battery level being on the opposite side of the actual battery display (error?) and the multi-coloured light indicator behind that plastic not illuminating especially convincingly through its surface.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Setup is a cinch, too, with the ability to use the Mania as a Bluetooth speaker or Wi-Fi connected device via the Devialet app (iOS/Android). Adding the speaker is as easy as connecting it to your Wi-Fi network and then you’ll be given a whole variety of typical source options, from Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, TuneIn, among others.
Devialet Mania review: Sound Quality
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
This Active Stereo Calibration works really well, too, providing stereo sonics in a much more spritely manner compared to when you switch the feature off. You can do this via a simple toggle control within the app and the difference is night and day. I like that it’s automated, totally faff-free, and certainly effective. It’s a lot less bother to setup than, say,Sonos’iPhone-only TruePlay feature.
Fire the Mania up and there’s no doubting its bass capability or general authority of sound. It’s loud and robust in its delivery, although it’s not powerful enough to fill out big rooms in my opinion, excessive volume sees everything come a little unhinged overall. Given its size, however, this isn’t a giant surprise.
The other immediate take-away is that Devialet is really bass-focused, with a particular penchant for the low-end, but at the cost of the high-end and mid-levels for various genres of music. I was listening to a rock show on BBC Radio 1 and while not flat, the profile just lacked the kind of pep I would expect, with too much bass and a lack of sparkle.
(Image credit: Devialet)
(Image credit: Devialet)
Fortunately this can be tweaked within the app, with a simple bass/treble adjustment slider. I do wish the app had a more detailed EQ adjustment, as I’d tinker away to get a more rounded sound, which I’d want to save as a preset per genre, for example (this not being possible as it stands).
However! It appears to be rather genre specific, as once I dabbled in various Pete Tong mixes and releases (I’m having a bit of a house music moment in 2023) and the speaker gave such 4/4 tunes an enthusiastic lease of life. So if you like your dance music, the Devialet will be a perfect portable, with all the bass you need. For some other genres, it’s less than perfect to my ears, when I’d expected it to be more adaptable.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
So where is all this sound coming from? The Mania deploys dual woofers, front and rear, which are mesmerising to watch as they wobble away when outputting low-end frequencies (and it’s capable down to 30Hz). There’s also a quad full-range driver setup, each of which are positioned in an angled upper position to outwardly project sound outward in a more immersive way.
When it comes to battery life the Devialet Mania delivers true on its 10 hours per charge, and I’ve been playing the tunes pretty loud in the office (and kitchen, and living room – such is the pleasure of a true portable). When the battery is low it doesn’t warn you with any sounds at all, though, it just goes off, which is unusual. You can monitor the battery within the app on a percentage-based system, which is good, and as there’s a plug included in the box a recharge from dead to full only takes around three hours.
Devialet Mania review: Verdict
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Having listened to the Devialet Mania for a number of weeks I was eventually impressed. It’s not suited to all genres of music, as it’s generally bass-heavy, but for those who like the low-end stuff this is a decent small and portable speaker that’ll deliver enthusiastic sound wherever you decide to put it – its Active Stereo Calibration working really well for automatic adjustment.
The most obvious contention is, of course, its generally high asking price, especially considering the likes of theSonos Movehave been out for a number of years already and available at a lower price. I do find the smaller Devialet product easier to cart about and connect to via Bluetooth, and some will find it more visually interesting, too, as from the right angle the finish is certainly eye-catching.
So is the Devialet Mania worth its asking price? For some it will be on the basis of build and bass alone. No, it’s not up to Phantom levels of audio delivery, but it’s telling of the times that Devialet is diversifying its product line-up for a wider potential audience.
Also consider
As I’ve laid out in the price section of this review, there are loads of wired speaker alternatives that might suit you better for an at-home experience: the B&W Zeppelin Wireless and the Naim Mu-so Qb 2 being two great examples.
If it’s wireless portability you want, however, then the Sonos Move remains the most obvious, capable and cheaper alternative to the Devialet Mania.
Today’s best Devialet Mania, Sonos Move, Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation, Bowers Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless and Bang Olufsen Beosound Emerge dealsSonos Move$399$314.98ViewSee all pricesNaim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation$999ViewSee all pricesBang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge$1,049ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Devialet Mania, Sonos Move, Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation, Bowers Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless and Bang Olufsen Beosound Emerge dealsSonos Move$399$314.98ViewSee all pricesNaim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation$999ViewSee all pricesBang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge$1,049ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Devialet Mania, Sonos Move, Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation, Bowers Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless and Bang Olufsen Beosound Emerge dealsSonos Move$399$314.98ViewSee all pricesNaim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation$999ViewSee all pricesBang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge$1,049ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Devialet Mania, Sonos Move, Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation, Bowers Wilkins Zeppelin Wireless and Bang Olufsen Beosound Emerge deals
Sonos Move$399$314.98ViewSee all pricesNaim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation$999ViewSee all pricesBang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge$1,049ViewSee all prices
Sonos Move$399$314.98ViewSee all prices
Sonos Move$399$314.98ViewSee all prices
Sonos Move
Sonos Move
$399$314.98View
$399$314.98
$314.98
See all prices
Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation$999ViewSee all prices
Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation$999ViewSee all prices
Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation
Naim Mu-So Qb 2nd Generation
$999View
$999
$999
See all prices
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge$1,049ViewSee all prices
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge$1,049ViewSee all prices
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge
Bang & Olufsen Beosound Emerge
$1,049View
$1,049
$1,049
See all prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
This case turns your iPhone or Android phone into an e-reader, but there’s a catchActually, there are a couple…
Actually, there are a couple…
Traeger’s new Woodridge pellet barbecues have got me excited for grilling seasonTraeger debuts three new wood pellet grills
Traeger debuts three new wood pellet grills
How to watch the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and what to expectWe should get a deep dive and more details on the Switch 2 in April
We should get a deep dive and more details on the Switch 2 in April
