Devialet has unveiled its first ever portable speaker. The Devialet Mania promises "adaptive 360° stereo sound" and a suitably-luxurious design that references the pricier Devialet Phantom range.
The bowling ball-sized Mania packs a condensed version of the French firm's proprietary audio technology. Four full-range drivers – plus two subwoofers in a 'push' configuration to reduce distortion – promise a frequency range as low as 30Hz and as high as 20,000Hz.
Active Stereo Calibration meanwhile uses four microphones to adapt the Devialet Mania's sound to its surroundings. Place the Mania in the centre of a room, for example, and the 360-degree stereo mode is automatically activated. Place it against a wall and the two full-range rear drivers up the ante to deliver a more expansive soundstage.
Battery life is a claimed 10 hours, which is a full 20 hours less than you'd get from the Award-winning Dali Katch G2, one of the best Bluetooth speakers we've tested so far. Then again, the Devialet Mania is rated IPX4 splash resistant – the Katch has no such indoor/outdoor protection.
Streamers can use the built-in Amazon Alexa voice assistant to listen to music via wi-fi, Bluetooth 5.0, AirPlay 2 and Spotify Connect. That's in addition to the dedicated Devialet App and the sprinkling of capacitive touch controls on the device itself.
Devialet describes the design as 'an ode to the Phantom', hence the spherical, polished ring surrounded by a luxe woven fabric. There's also a handle, so you can transport your 2.3kg audio baby from the living room to the garden and beyond.
The Devialet Mania comes in black and grey and is available now from Devialet's website. Both finishes are priced at £690 / $790 / AU$1400. The optional docking station for charging will set you back £69 / $80 / AU$140.
Not enough bling? Why not consider the Paris Opéra edition, embellished with 24-carat moongold (gold that has a 'uniquely rich' tone, apparently). You'll have to pay a bit more, of course. The Paris Opéra edition goes for £890 / $990 / AU$1700.
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