The market for true wireless headphones has been rather crowded for some time, regardless of the price range. In the high-end, if the rivals are not lacking, the Apple headphones are still the market leaders.
The French Devialet took the opportunity to announce its response to the big players in the sector such as Apple, Sony, Sennheiser or Bose. Are the Devialet Gemini headphones up to the challenge of its foreign competitors? Discover without further delay our test of the Gemini, these true wireless headphones with active noise cancellation.
Presentation of the Devialet Gemini
When we evoke the French brand Devialt, we first think of its Bluetooth speakers, the Phantom, which have been causing a sensation for a few years now thanks to their unprecedented power and reduced size. As a result, seeing the French brand enter the ultra-competitive world of true wireless headphones is an event in itself.
If the market is somewhat saturated with tenors such as Sony, Sennheiser, Bower & Wilkins, or Bose, Devialet has an excellent brand image. Logically, one expects a lot from the Devialet Gemini, whether it be in terms of sound quality or active noise cancellation.
At first glance in this test, one has the impression that the Gemini are imposing. Once in the ear, we discover that if the design occupies a good part of the ear, they do not stand out like some competing earphones. As a result, you can, for example, run your hand through your hair without fear of dropping them
The Gemini come with white silicone tips and the user can choose between 4 different sizes. We might have liked black tips but once in place, we will not see them. In the end, it has the advantage of not highlighting the dust on the tips
Certified IPX4, we were impressed by the holding of Devialet Gemini in the ear. That it is in a sporting environment or in the everyday life, they do not move. Above all, with a relatively light weight compared to the majority of competitors, we forget about them and we don’t feel any discomfort after long hours of use.
If the box is not the most imposing, it remains large and some may reproach it for its size. On the other hand, we really appreciated the sliding lid, much more practical in use. If it is not a determining criterion, we appreciate the wireless recharge of the box. Speaking of recharging, you should know that the Devialet Gemini offers an autonomy of about 6 hours with a little more than two complete recharges with the box. It is exactly what promised the brand: we had no bad surprise on this side there. To note that we tested all that with the active noise reduction.
No physical buttons but sensitive buttons on the surface of the earphones. The design is rather well thought out insofar as the sensitive buttons are well distinct from the rest of the surface of the headphones. As a result, you don’t fumble when looking for the controls.
On the controls side, no volume control. It’s a pity. By default, a single press on any earphone allows you to start or stop the music, a double-press allows you to go back to the previous track or go to the next track and finally, a long press allows you to switch between noise cancellation or Transparency mode. Via the iOS (or Android) application, you can set the double-tap with, instead, the launch of the smartphone’s voice assistant.
Noise reduction and Sound
While there are already tenors in the field of noise cancellation, we were eager to discover how Devialet was going to manage in this area. As it happens, the French company is doing very well, even if Bose and Sony are still a little better in absolute terms.
Now, don’t make us say what we didn’t say: Devialet is doing very well and has nothing to be ashamed of on a daily basis. While the design could suggest a great passive isolation, it is not the case when the music is not launched. On the other hand, once the music starts, we discover a very good passive isolation and not at all prone to wind.
The settings are done via the iOS/Android application with three possible levels. It is not as fine as Bose, for example, which offers 10 levels, but in reality, three levels are more than enough. If the Low and High levels speak for themselves, I didn’t notice any real difference between the High and Airplane levels. However, as is often the case, everything will be done via the application (and not via the headphones).
Devialet’s noise cancellation is a hybrid system with microphones outside and inside each earphone. This allows an analysis of the noise before it reaches the user’s ear, and an analysis at the time of playback. The cancellation of noises in itself is excellent, it is super effective in town by immersing you in your universe. One did not hear any more the outside world except when it was a question of paying attention to certain details.
We also made the test of Devialet Gemini on a bicycle to apprehend the resistance to the wind: unfortunately, the microphones remain sensitive to the wind, which means that in case of strong winds, one will hear the wind to type in the microphone. So, we will put the earphones rather on the Neutral position. Moreover, we would have liked to have a shortcut on the earphones for this position. With a long press, we switch between the noise cancellation or the transparency mode. So, to have this neutral position, it will be necessary to pass by the application.
By default, the sound is very warm and precise. One finds a certain similarity with Bose in the highs and the mediums. On the other hand, it is on the level of the bass that Devialet will mark the experience of its signature. They are powerful and very deep. But the difference is at the level of perception with this sensation that the bass remains a little longer when the competition is already passing the next note. It’s hard to explain but the bass remains somewhere even when there is no more.
As usual, the tests were done on Ryuichi Sakamoto’s compositions or Rich Bryan’s RAP without forgetting the Pop classics. The restitution of the instruments is impressive. In addition, there are equalizers to customize the sound rendering if the default one does not suit the user. To finish, Devialet has completed its score with an excellent management of the quality of calls with a clear restitution, just like for our voice during our exchanges, all without external noises. We are not far from Apple’s level, a reference in this field.
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