Devialet took advantage of the start of the school year to launch its new Gemini II, with a very important focus on noise reduction, all in a French setting.
We are in the final stretch towards the end of year holidays and manufacturers are all preparing for a period where competition is strong, very strong. And this is even more true in the wireless earphone market which has never been so crowded. All brands that are directly or indirectly involved in the world of audio necessarily offer products. Afterwards, not all manufacturers necessarily try their hand at the high end, but some brands have no choice.
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This is the case of Devialet, a very French brand that competes with the big names in electronics such as Apple, Sony and Bose. But as we know, to compete is not to dominate and in the sector, Apple and Sony have a good head start. Indeed, if Devialet has no problem being a high-end or even premium brand, the average consumer does not necessarily think of Devialet when choosing.
We spent some time with the new headphones from DevialetTHE Gemini II which have been available in a normal version since the start of the school year and in a “ Opera » for those who want a more exclusive design. In any case, here is our opinion on the new headphones from the French manufacturer, the Devialet Gemini II.
Presentation and characteristics of the Devialet Gemini II
When we talk about the Devialet brand, we inevitably think of their Bluetooth speakers, the Phantom, which have been causing a sensation for several years thanks to unprecedented power in a very small footprint. So, we don’t necessarily think of the fact that the French manufacturer also offered wireless headphones. The Gemini, first of their name, left a strong impression on us. But as with competitors, it was not necessarily perfect and above all, technologies evolve.
Devialet still benefits from an excellent brand image and just by mentioning the brand, we only expect a high-end product or more. It can not be otherwise. The partnership with Huawei was ultimately more than discreet to the extent that the conflict between the Chinese manufacturer and the American government meant that the Chinese manufacturer had lost its luster. Afterwards, the years of work with Huawei were not in vain and Devialet must have learned some positive things from it.
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This year, the case has been updated, so that the whole thing is much more discreet, small and therefore portable. Moreover, with the French manufacturer, we are not talking about a case but a case. Yes, word choice is important. In short, with the case, the Gemini II offers a total autonomy of 22 hours, or a little more than three recharges since the headphones themselves offer an autonomy of up to 5 hours. In 2023, it’s a little light when you know that some offer up to 7 hours on a single charge with active noise cancellation. We were shooting around 4 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation. Yes, it’s light in 2023.
In terms of design, we discover smaller headphones compared to its predecessors. The case itself subtly mixes plastic and a metal frame for the most beautiful effect. The headphones are therefore smaller and if you pay attention, you can find something of the design of the Phantom, the emblematic speakers of the French brand. The Devialet Gemini II are available in black and white versions as well as an “Opéra” version with a gold finish.
Smaller than its predecessors, the headphones fit perfectly in the user’s ear and above all, they do not protrude too much from the ear. We are far from the first generation which seemed more classic in its approach. The Gemini IIs come with silicone tips and the user will have the choice between 4 different sizes. IPX4 certified, whether in a sports environment or in everyday life, the headphones do not move and above all, we forget them quite quickly and we do not feel any discomfort after long hours of use.
No physical buttons but sensitive buttons on the surface of the headphones. The design is also quite well thought out in that the sensitive buttons are very distinct from the rest of the surface of the headphones. So, we don’t fumble when looking for orders. On the controls side, everything is configurable from the iOS and/or Android applications, which are still just as complete.
Noise Reduction and Audio
On the previous generation, Devialet only offered classic active noise cancellation. Except that Devialet understood that it was time to offer its interpretation of ANC in order to better compete with the big players in the market such as Apple, Sony, Bose, etc. Also, with the Gemini II, Devialet offers adaptive ambient noise cancellation technology depending on the environment and the position of the earphone in the ear in order to maximize cancellation. But that’s not all since Devialet engineers have added in-house technology, Active Wind Reduction (AWR), which reduces wind noise. It’s something that we don’t necessarily think about, but some manufacturers have a lot of trouble with the wind, and that’s often how we tell the difference between a high-end product and a mid-range or even lower-end product. ‘entry level.
In fact, if, in our opinion, Sony remains the master of noise cancellation (we have not tested the latest Bose Ultra yet), Devialet is doing very well and in our different test situations, we Didn’t have any complaints. We were in our bubble with our music and/or our podcasts. It is therefore excellent in itself on a daily basis but it is just that it is not the best on the market. Nothing dramatic. Ditto for the Transparency mode which we find successful but once again, a notch below what Apple offers, the reference in the field.
And finally, for the sound, we are talking about Devialet and it is needless to say that we expect a lot from it, especially with these new 10mm titanium diaphragms. By default, the sound is very warm, a bit like its predecessors but on the Gemini II, we found that the bass was sometimes a little too privileged. Nothing dramatic since everything is adjustable from the equalizers in the mobile application. As usual, the tests were carried out on compositions by Ryuichi Sakamoto or rap by Rich Bryan without forgetting the Pop classics. The reproduction of the instruments is impressive. And as we said above, there are always equalizers to possibly personalize the sound reproduction if the default one does not suit the user. Finally, Devialet continues its momentum and offers very good management of call quality with clear reproduction, just like our voice during our discussions, all without external noise which is rather well attenuated.