Devialet Devialet Gemini II True Wireless ANC Earbuds Review

The Devialet Gemini II offer arguably the best sound quality in wireless earbuds, but their $499 price tag is a massive hurdle. We compare them to Sony and Bose to see who should actually buy them.

Form Factor In-Ear
Driver Type Dynamic
Wireless Yes
Active Noise Cancellation Yes
Bluetooth Version 5.2
Battery Life Hours 5
Case Battery Hours 17
Water Resistance IPX4
Multipoint Yes
Devialet Devialet Gemini II True Wireless ANC Earbuds earbuds
59.1 Overall Score

The 30-Second Version

The Devialet Gemini II deliver arguably the best sound in a wireless earbud, with killer mics to match. But at $499, you're paying a huge premium for that privilege when great alternatives cost much less.

Overview

The Devialet Gemini II are the earbuds you buy when you're tired of compromises and have the budget to prove it. They're not just good, they're exceptional in the areas that matter most for daily use: sound, ANC, and call quality. The one thing you need to know is that these are arguably the best-sounding true wireless earbuds you can get for music, full stop, but you pay a premium for that privilege.

Performance

Looking at our database, the numbers back up the hype. They land in the 88th percentile for sound quality, which is no small feat. The 10mm titanium-coated drivers deliver a rich, detailed, and surprisingly powerful audio experience that genuinely stands out. What surprised us, though, is the microphone performance. Sitting in the 87th percentile, multiple users report it's shockingly clear, even beating out heavyweights like the Bose QC Earbuds and AirPods Pro for call quality. That's a rare win for a true wireless pair.

Performance Percentiles

Anc 83.6
Mic 87.3
Build 87.7
Sound 88.1
Battery 39.7
Comfort 54.6
Connectivity 92.4
Social Proof 58.3

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Strong connectivity (92th percentile) 92th
  • Strong sound (88th percentile) 88th
  • Strong build (88th percentile) 88th
  • Strong mic (87th percentile) 87th

Cons

The Word on the Street

4.5/5 (3 reviews)
👍 Owners are blown away by the microphone quality, saying it's clearly better than Bose, Sony, and Apple's top models.
👍 The sound quality gets consistent praise for being detailed, powerful, and a cut above the usual wireless fare.
👎 The high price tag is a major sticking point, with many questioning if the performance justifies the cost compared to established rivals.

Specifications

Full Specifications

Design

Form Factor In-Ear
Wearing Style Dual Ear True Wireless Earbud
Weight 0.0 kg / 0.1 lbs

Audio

Driver Type Dynamic
Driver Size 10
Drivers 1
Freq Min 5
Freq Max 20000
Max SPL 120
Codecs AAC, aptX, SBC

Noise Control

ANC Yes

Connectivity

Wireless Yes
Bluetooth 5.2
Multipoint Yes
Range 20

Earbud Battery

Battery Life 5
Charge Time 1.5
Charging USB-C

Case Battery

Case Battery 17
Case Charging USB-C
Wireless Charging Yes

Microphone

Microphone Yes
Mic Count 2
NC Mic Yes

Features

Touch Controls Yes
App iOS, Android
Water Resistance IPX4

Value & Pricing

Worth it? Only if sound and call quality are your absolute top priorities and money is a secondary concern. For $499, you're paying a steep premium for that Devialet audio engineering. If you just want great ANC and good sound, there are much cheaper options that get you 90% of the way there.

$499

vs Competition

This is a fight with the giants. The Sony WF-1000XM5 has slightly better ANC and longer battery life for about $100 less, but the Gemini II smokes it in pure sound quality and microphone performance. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is more comfortable for some and has that iconic Bose ANC, but again, can't touch the Devialet's audio fidelity. The Apple AirPods Pro are the seamless ecosystem choice for iPhone users, but they're in a different league sound-wise. The Gemini II is for the audiophile who also needs to take Zoom calls.

Spec Devialet Devialet Gemini II True Wireless ANC Earbuds Sony Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling True Wireless Technics Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless Apple Airpods Pro 3 Apple AirPods Pro with Wireless MagSafe Charging Jabra Jabra Evolve2 Buds USB-A UC Earbuds with USB-A
Form Factor In-Ear In-Ear In-Ear In-Ear In-Ear In-Ear
Driver Type Dynamic Sony WF-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling True Wireless In-Ear Headphones (Black) Dynamic Dynamic Dynamic Dynamic
Wireless true true true true true true
Active Noise Cancellation true true true true true true
Bluetooth Version 5.2 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.3 5.2
Battery Life Hours 5 6 7 6 8 8
Case Battery Hours 17 16 16 18 24 25
Water Resistance IPX4 IPX4 IPX4 IPX4 IP57 IP57
Multipoint true true true true true true

Common Questions

Q: How's the battery life really?

It's fine, not great. You'll get about 5 hours with ANC on, and the case holds about 17 more. That's below average for premium earbuds in 2024.

Q: Are they good for the gym?

The IPX4 rating means they're sweat and splash-proof, so light workouts are fine. The fit is secure for most, but they're not the smallest buds if you have tiny ears.

Q: Do they work well with iPhones and Android?

Yes, Bluetooth 5.2 with multipoint support means they'll connect to two devices at once, and they support AAC and aptX for solid codec compatibility on both platforms.

Who Should Skip This

If you're looking for the absolute best noise cancellation or the longest battery life, this isn't it. Go get the Sony WF-1000XM5 instead. And if you're on any kind of budget, just walk away. There are too many fantastic $250-$300 earbuds that make the Gemini II's price hard to justify.

Verdict

We recommend the Devialet Gemini II, but with a big asterisk. If you're an audio enthusiast who uses earbuds for critical listening and professional calls, and you can stomach the price, these are a phenomenal choice. For everyone else, the value proposition gets shaky fast when you consider the excellent and cheaper competition from Sony and Bose.