After a first attempt in 2017, in the framework of a partnership with the British television operator Sky, Devialet is truly launching into the soundbar market. The manufacturer unveils Dione, an all-in-one model that does not require a subwoofer or additional satellites at the rear.
The 12 kg, 120 cm wide and 77 to 88 mm high bar stands out for its 17 active speakers, eight of which serve as subwoofers for sending low frequencies (LFE). These are the rectangular speakers in the image below.
The Dione also has 8 full-range loudspeakers grouped in two blocks placed on the left and on the right. Devialet innovates for the central channel with a sphere comprising a broadband loudspeaker and two passive loudspeakers (radiators). This can be manually rotated 180 degrees when the soundbar is positioned for wall mounting (the kit is supplied), as shown in the photo below.
Using onboard gyroscopes, the Dione automatically swaps channels for left and right, as well as sending sound up or down. In addition, it has an acoustic calibration system and microphones that optimize the sound according to the room in which it is installed.
Eight channels for Dolby Atmos content
Dolby Atmos compatible, the soundbar benefits from 8 audio channels (5.1.2 configuration) with 5 main channels (center, left, right, left surround and right surround), a low frequency channel and 2 Dolby Atmos elevation channels. It offers a high power of 950 watts RMS and a sound pressure level of 101 dB SPL at 1 meter.
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The Dione features dual-band Wi-Fi ac and Bluetooth 5.0 interfaces (SBC and AAC audio codecs), as well as HDMI 2.1 eARC/ARC, Gigabit Ethernet connectors and a TOSLINK S/PDIF optical socket. It is compatible with AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and UPnP standards.
For cinema, but also for music
To control the soundbar, Devialet offers a free mobile application. This allows you to update your operating system, activate the acoustic calibration of the room and choose the audio mode best suited to use: cinema, music, spatial or voice. To better enjoy the music, a proprietary spatialization algorithm transforms mono or stereo sound into 5.1.2 multichannel sound.
The Dione soundbar is available in a single color (dark gray) at a price of 2190 euros.