A premium product to the test – the first headphones from the French company Devialet… For 15 years, these guys have been developing their amazing acoustics, releasing stylish and high-tech models with a very serious sound. Now we are offered branded quality in a portable format. When creating Gemini twin headphones, the motto was simple and logical: we love music, we want to cut off external noise, we don’t want to miss voices.
Accordingly, here is the popular TWS form factor to make it easier to take the device on the road, and the aptX codec, and ANC active noise cancellation, and “transparent” mode, and many other functions. All is good, but the price tag of the model is frankly high. Therefore, I was looking forward to her review to honestly find out if everything works so smoothly here, whether the sound impressed me and whether I would call Devialet Gemini the best TWS headphones at the moment. To the point.
Visual impressions
As always, unboxing begins with an equally mixed sense of solemnity, anticipation, and skepticism. Before us is an elegant, but austere cardboard box with a picture of a case of headphones and mother-of-pearl soap bubbles. Hopefully this is a hint of a holiday vibe, not a future disappointment. Above there is an inscription “(Im) permeable sound”, a reference to the modes of noise reduction and “transparency” is clearly made. The box also contains the main characteristics of the model and a brief description of the technologies used, we will return to this later.
In the kit we get XS, S, M and L silicone ear pads in a neat holder, a charging case and a Type-C cable. By the way, the case is large in size, this is a minus. But in terms of weight, it is quite light, it has a light indicator,Phantom Reactor . The lid opens according to the slider principle, it is original and very convenient, although the construction is slightly loose, you will have to handle it carefully. But I’m still happy about the variety. The headphones are attached inside with tenacious magnets. The niches for them are deep, so if you use third-party attachments, you do not need to remove them every time.
The design of Devialet Gemini is neat and discreet, they are made of dark matte plastic, there are company emblems on the faceplates. The sound guides are short, with a slight bend. Personally, the fit did not suit me very well, the bodies, of course, kept in my ears, but I would not dare to run with them. I will not scold them, I have come across more capricious options, but I will also praise them for their convenience. I advise you to try on the model before buying, this is an individual question.
Functionality
As we all know, modern wireless headphones are no longer just an acoustic device, but rather a gadget. And the owner of a flagship can rightly count on a range of useful features that they will use every day. What tempts us with Devialet?
Let’s start with the basics. The Gemini model received Bluetooth version 5.0 with the high-level aptX codec, proprietary speakers with a 10 mm diaphragm are installed, there is basic IPX4 waterproof protection, the case is also protected from moisture, and it also has wireless charging according to the most common Qi standard. The battery life is about 6 hours, plus three full recharges in the case, for a total of 24 hours. The indicators are not record-breaking, but quite decent.
Now about the most popular technologies. There is a patented hybrid active noise canceling system with three levels. The implementation is really very mature, the ANC mode did not cause fatigue even for me, although I am extremely sensitive to this, and drowned out external sounds as much as possible for in-ear headphones. The influence on the musical signal is moderate. When answering calls, adaptive noise canceling is activated. In addition, we have two levels of Transparency mode at our disposal, I also have no complaints about it.
About additional functions. PBA (Pressure Balance Architecture) uses cascade decompression chambers to control the pressure inside the ear canal and reduce fatigue during long listening sessions. EAM (Ear Active Matching) analyzes the shape of your ear and adjusts frequencies in real time for a specific user. And IDC’s internal delay compensation technology is responsible for absorbing high frequency noise. There is also a “smart” pause, playback stops when you remove the headphones, and then it resumes itself.
Devialet Gemini’s controls are touch sensitive, the reaction to touch is very sensitive. There are no voice prompts, only beeps, but I still had the feeling that these headphones were alive. They respond to touching the touchpads with a quiet click, which is a good idea. And sometimes they get pretty darn stubborn.
The model connects to familiar devices automatically, it also turns off on its own if you hide the headphones in a case, but both processes periodically fail, and this is very annoying. In addition, the twins did not make friends with my Ultima , the sound was very quiet. With some Astell players there is such a problem, pay attention to this. Otherwise, everything is fine – the connection is stable, the connection is fast, there is no delay during playback. The microphones for calls are excellent, although for this price I did not expect anything else.
It remains to tell you about the support of the branded application. Through it, you can set up touch control, update the headphone firmware, change the level of noise reduction or “transparency”, turn on the equalizer, and control the charge percentage. We are also offered a funny test for individual selection of ear pads, this function really works. Well, to quote the manufacturer, your ears are your rules.
Sound
The main testing was done on iBasso DX220, iBasso DX160 and iPhone 12 Pro.
Frankly, this was the first time I was preparing to listen to TWS with such interest. And, it seems, not in vain. The new Devialet Gemini play beautifully and delicately, building their own unique style. Overall, these earbuds still do not outperform wired rivals in this price class, but they have clearly stepped over the line indicating the highest quality possible for a True Wireless.
The model is literally created for the spoiled audiophile who wants to listen to complex music via Bluetooth. Uncolored timbres, clarity and detail, no obtrusive peaks, a wide stage, good control over the entire range – I can quite call the presentation universal. Sometimes you expect more brightness and showiness from it, there is a little lack of energy and depth of colors, although, I do not argue, such airiness makes the sound less tiring.
I would also like more weight and permission, this is a strong point, but the aptX codec requires some trade-offs. Moreover, there would be a choice. While in the top class there are only one of the competitors Sennheiser headphones , we’ll talk about them later.
In general, the character of the model seemed natural and intelligent to me. She is moderately picky about the quality of the material, she does not wind up the degree of drive, but she also absolutely does not hide the initial emotionality. Good mid-clarity allows the headphones to handle a wide variety of genres smoothly. I think if I ordered Gemini without wiretapping, acquaintance with them would definitely not disappoint me. Anyway, the aspect of their sound.
More details on frequencies.
The headphone bass is fast, light and firm, with true definition and initial rendering of layers and textures. There is no swap by weight, I would not recommend Devialet Gemini bassheads, but for everyone else, the range of questions will not cause. Is that the depth of the sub is not fantastic, the blow sometimes does not seem too strong, although the recording itself has an influence here.
The mids are transparent, warm and detailed. There is no excessive dryness on them, as well as excessive honey viscosity, the instruments play cleanly, lively and softly. The stage is quite voluminous and free, its scale is impressively revealed with the right choice of attachments. The upper middle does not hurt the ear, there is no accentuated aggression here.
High frequencies verified, clear and fast. They are distinguished by beautiful harmony and melody, their length is very good for wireless, and their neutrality allows you to reliably transmit acoustic parts. Not a standard for gourmets, but they cope with their tasks.
About comparisons
Of course, two will participate in this duel – Devialet Gemini and Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2… For most of the characteristics, these models are completely identical, only Devialet has a little more proprietary technologies, and Sennheiser bypasses the rival in autonomy, offering 7 hours on a single charge and 28 hours with a case.
The quality of the implementation of noise reduction and the “transparency” mode is about parity. I also note that the fit of the Momentum personally suited me better, but this information should not influence your choice, our ears are different.
The price tag is somewhat more tasty, but in the top segment this is also hardly decisive if the buyer is looking for an ultimatum option once and for a long time. The main question is what is the sound?
In short, the Devialet has a slightly higher resolution and detail, the picture is smoother and more natural, the timbres are watercolored, the treble is slightly more technical. Sennheiser’s wireless flagship is perceived as more emotional and charismatic, it gives a musical, juicy mids, highlighted bass with a characteristic thick velvety and bright, but less extended treble. If you want a driving, rich sound with engaging accents, this is your ideal.
And for those who want to listen to a variety of compositions for a long time and calmly, enjoying a light scattering of nuances and natural tonal range, the new Devialet Gemini will be interesting.
More about Devialet Gemini can be found here.
Conclusion
This is not a mainstream model given the cost and neutrality of sound delivery, but many audiophiles will find their Hi-End TWS here. Of course, taking into account the peculiar shape of the cases and the occasional lags, I will not argue that this is the last killer of tops. But today other manufacturers still have to try to offer something similar. So listen, test with your sources, I recommend the model for review, this is an important milestone in 2021.