Can the Devialet Mania be considered equal to the Phantom II but with a shrunken downsize? With the release of the Mania from Devialet, many people are coming to the conclusion that the Devialet Mania is basically a Phantom II but just toned down while costing a lot less.
Devialet is a name that falls strictly under the upper-class category of audio accessories. With the Devialet Phantom 2 costing no less than a fortune, experiencing true Devialet sound has been out of a lot of people’s reach until now. Introducing the Devialet Mania, which costs significantly less than other Devialet models and makes the Devialet experience a little more affordable. With that in mind, let’s check out why the Mania is the talk of the town and how Devialet plans to help more people come under their banner.
Comparison Between Devialet Mania and Phantom II?
With the announcement of its next top-of-the-line speaker titled “Mania”, Devialet has brought, among other things, a portable smart speaker with 360-degree surround sound. The French company is famous for providing speakers that excel at performance while weighing heavy on your wallet since they possess a team of expert engineers that work tirelessly to come up with designs that are both intelligent and come bearing the signature technology you’ll only get from Devialet.
| Specification | Devialet Mania | Devialet Phantom 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Loudspeakers | 4 Aluminium full-range drivers + 2 woofers | 1 x Aluminum Full-Range driver2 x Aluminum Bass drivers |
| Maximum Sound Level | 95 dB SPL at 1 meter | 95 dB SPL at 1 meter |
| Connectivity | AirPlay 2Spotify Connect Bluetooth: A2DP and AVRCP profiles, AAC, SBC audio codecs | Airplay 2Spotify Connect Bluetooth: A2D and AVRCP profiles, AAC, SBC audio codecs Roon ReadyUPnP Renderer Analog/Optical jack input |
| Network | Wi-Fi Dual-band (802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz)Bluetooth 5.0 | Wi-Fi Dual-band (a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz & 5GHz)Ethernet RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps (Gigabit)CPL Homeplug AV2 |
| Frequency Response | 30Hz – 20kHz | 25Hz to 20kHz |
Appearance
Now, seeing these two speakers side by side, we can see how the Mania maintains the distinct Devialet aesthetic with a spherical shape that can be compared to a luxurious kettlebell while feeling like one, too, since it weighs a massive 2.3 kilograms. The spherical shape also helps to provide a 360-degree sound, as you can place the speaker in the middle of the room, and it’ll automatically adjust the soundstage with equal weighting in the front, back and sides.
While we do appreciate how the Phantom 2 looks with its modernist sculpture-inspired build that’s delicately crafted out of an aluminum central core and glass-fiber composite body, it does look a lot bulkier in comparison to the Mania, while holding specs that are fine on its own, but inferior when compared to the mania.
Design
A shining example of it could be the Devialet Phantom II, which practically gives a new meaning to the phrase “Performance Art”. When it comes to the design of Phantom 2, you’ll notice how all of the Devialet models have the same distinct art style with minor but impactful altercations to make them stand out. Instead of trodding down the beaten path like the other manufacturers, the French High-End Hi-Fi brand manages to stand tall from the crowd thanks to their signature ADH amplifiers that originated over a decade ago!
On the flip side, the Mania, while costing a lot less, by the way, comes with 360-degree surround sound, four 25w Full-range drivers, two separate 38w woofers as an extra addition, and Alexa Smarts built in!
Features
The Phantom 2 is NOT a portable device. In order to yield the maximum benefit, you need to consider your environment, location, power output, and other things with care, since the Phantom 2 costs a lot more than your average speaker set, and you really wouldn’t want to damage it.
On the flip side, with the Devialet Mania, you’re essentially getting a Devialet-labeled speaker, which is portable, comes integrated with voice assistant as the manufacturer’s first smart product, AND has an IPX4 rating with ten hours of battery life.
Our Takeaway
“In Short – Compared to Devialet Mania, the Phantom 2, however, is a bit expensive, that too without being portable. With that, we can say the Devialet Mania can in fact, act like a shrunken-down version of the phantom 2 that boasts the same devialet audio quality but at a much lower price point. It enables more people to experience what Devialet has to offer in terms of audio performance.“
