Bowling in the deep

Devialet's first portable wireless speaker comes trundling into our hands looking totally unique... but will we be bowled over by its thumping bass?

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₹92,000 / avstore.in

Does it resemble a glitzy bowling ball? A gym kettle bell? Maybe a teapot? We're used to Devialet serving up products that are downright weird, so it's no real surprise the firm's first portable speaker is a distinctive one.

At 2.3kg the Mania is a dense little thing - definitely on the heavy side for slinging into a backpack and taking any further than 'down the garden'. It's reassuringly constructed and finished, mind you.

That weight hints at what's inside too: four full-range drivers lurk beneath the fabric grilles, with two woofers in a push-push arrangement at the sides. It aims to deliver "360° stereo sound", using four mics to adjust its output relative to where you plonk it down. And thanks to an IPX4 rating, those surroundings can even safely be a little on the damp side.

Can something so small deliver sonic performance to put its hi-fi rivals to shame?

Going for bowled

The remote that's free with most Devialet speakers is an optional extra here. It shows its age with microUSB charging.

Bowled as love

A rubberised strip splits the speaker right down the middle, peaking into a convenient carry handle. Playback and volume buttons line one side, while power, Bluetooth and a battery indicator button are on the other. There's also a teeny tiny mute slider for silencing the built-in mics.

Bowler power