The Mania’s claims portend an almost out-of-this-world experience for a small portable speaker. Alas, the reality on the ground quickly brings us back to earth. Devialet’s first nomadic loudspeaker has undeniable qualities in terms of sound and use – one thinks in particular of its advanced wireless connectivity (for a loudspeaker of this type), its dynamic, percussive, very powerful rendering and its deep bass — but the overall experience is nothing short of extraordinary. The speaker can even sometimes err on some fairly conventional and essential points, causing small frustrations that we would have done well without, especially given the high price positioning.
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Great robustness, ease of use, rich, detailed and powerful sound… the SRS-XB43 combines all the ingredients of an excellent portable speaker. It is also one of the best in its category, alongside its little sister, the SRS-XB33, a model a little easier to transport and a little less powerful, but just as efficient.