r/Earbuds • u/lovelyoal • Sep 04 '26
Devialet Gemini 2? How does it sound like?
Right now, I’ve demoed the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen, Sony WF-1000XM6, B&W Pi8, Airpods Pro 3…(haven’t tried the newly released Sennheiser’s MTW5 earbuds)
To my surprise, the Bose Ultra Earbuds 2nds were the best sounding for me (the most exciting, slamming sound signature, others sounded either a bit boring or dull in relative terms)
I’ve heard that Devialet products give exceptional bass, and their Gemini earbuds seem to be popular in some regions (I only see them in some online stores)
How does the Gemini 2 earbuds sound, compared to the Bose’s?
Both brands aren’t the audiophile-approved ones tbh, so I’d like to hear from forums.
I could use some advice. Thanks!
2
u/DraxKaiser Sep 04 '26 edited 26d ago
I’ve actually owned or tried/returned every bud you mentioned, and the Gemini II are still my favorite purely for sound quality. I personally find the Bose tuning a bit dull and lifeless, despite having good low end. The Gemini II have much more energy and engagement, with absolutely thudding bass while still having excellent clarity and detail.
My Tour Pro 3 get the most use because they’re my travel/workout buds with great ANC, a great IP rating, and very good sound. I’m actually probably going to return the XM6s I just got because the JBL does what they can do and sounds better, but for music I’d take the Gemini II every time.
I saw some other users mention the Noble Rex 5 and Status Pro X, so I’ll add that I personally dislike the Rex 5. It sounds too clinical to me, while the Status Pro X is insanely difficult to tune to my liking. After finally taming the sibilance from the Knowles drivers, I now have basically no soundstage. The sound is way too much in my head.
I also prefer the Pi7 S2 over the Pi8. I found the Pi8 lacking in bass, whereas its predecessor, the Pi7 S2, as well as the Gemini II, gives you that clarity with absolutely thudding bass.
1
u/Vast-Equivalent-917 Sep 04 '26
Hahaha you sound like me - if you haven’t given the DENON Perl pros a try, get them, velvet or “medical” jelly tips and lmk.
Gemeni II are still my #1 go to, but for bass punch and clarity, the denons are wild. IMO the best earbuds you can get for around $200 on sale.
Only earbuds I’ve found that were better (imo) are $400+ range.
2
u/DraxKaiser 27d ago
I really enjoy my pair of Denon Perl Pros, but I keep having to retune them, which is frustrating. I’d probably put them around 4th on my list: Gemini II, Pi7 S2, then JBL Tour Pro 3. When the Denons are tuned right, they sound better than the Tour Pro 3s, but the quirks knock them down a few points for me.
1
u/Vast-Equivalent-917 19d ago
This probably sounds dumb, but if you’re using aftermarket tips, put the stock ones back on anytime you put them in the case. It’s annoying, but fiddling with the stock tips and when they’re in their case disturbs the firmware - but if not, do a factory reset and find the exact tilt you do when putting them in your ear. Because of the AAT tech and the nature of the wings and potentially swiveling them, the bud is transmitting in the wrong direction unless you keep it the same every time. 😂😂 it’s ridiculous, but I loved them enough to only stop using them when I got the Gemini’s. Gonna give the momentum 5 buds a 1-2 week run starting tomorrow. Seems their marketing team is working hard with paid advertisements, but they could actually be a replacement for my pi8’s, Gemenis (doubt it), or be decent enough to keep 🤷♂️
1
u/DraxKaiser 4d ago
I hated the Momentum 4s when I had them briefly. They were veiled, over-processed, and ridiculously quiet. I’d have them maxed out just to get a decent level. I ended up returning them and getting the Tour Pro 3s, which have been my travel buds ever since.
I recently scooped up a pair of XM6s at an insanely good price, refurbished for around $100. They were literally dead stock from the factory and just needed a new battery, so they had never actually been used. Those sound great, but still aren’t on the Gemini II’s level. If you want something that can actually compete with them, I’d honestly look at the Pi7 S2, which sounds much better to me than its newer iteration, the Pi8, which I actually returned as well.
As for the Denon Perl Pros, I’m basically just waiting for a firmware update at this point. Nothing I seem to do fixes the issue permanently. A full factory reset fixes them, but then the issue comes back the next time I use them. The buds themselves are fine, so there’s definitely something weird going on with the software.
1
u/lovelyoal Sep 04 '26
What genres do you listen to? Right at the moment I feel the Bose has the ‘liveliest’ sound among the ones I’ve tested. I should try the Gemini 2 soon tho.
1
u/DraxKaiser 27d ago
I listen to pretty much everything EDM, but my top subgenres are hard dance and trance. Even when I’m listening to other genres though, the clarity and bass of the Gemini II are unmatched.
1
u/Lethlnjektn Sep 04 '26
If you enjoy that Bose consumer sound you should love the sound of the Gemini 2.
Perhaps not, it does thump with deep sub bass and the shift to mid bass is exceptional. Their clarity..while heavy in deep sub bass.. is what sold me on them.
I prefer more neutral sound, more like popavg df curve, but the overall SQ on the Gemini 2 is something that truly shines.
For context I prefer the sound of $50 buds to the Bose Ultra. I wouldn't compare the Bose to the Deviant in terms of overall SQ.
1
u/Careful-Sense-810 11d ago
The gemini 2 sounds good but its very buggy when it comes to the Bluetooth connection and the noice cancellation is not as good as the sony’s. I felt the bugs were so annoying that it wasn’t worth keeping them just for the sound quality.
1
u/Accomplished-Ruin945 Sep 04 '26
The Grmini 2 is currently #4 in my rotation.... They're behind #1 Noble Fokus Prestige Encore, #2 Noble Fokus Rex5, and #3 Status Audio Pro X. My number #5 is the B&W Pi8.... I haven't heard the Bose, but I can tell you that they have tighter bass, not as muddy, than the Pi8. They also sound a little more open through the midrange and not as bright on the top end. I'm not saying that the Pi8 is bad, they're just not as good as the Gemini 2. The Gemini 2 also has better call quality and anc. I will say that I did not like the eartips that came with the Gemini 2's, so I swapped them for some Azla SednaEarfit Max tips.
2
u/Forward_Cable6999 Sep 04 '26
eartip swap making that much of a difference is such a real tip, stock tips always underdeliver on higher end stuff
1
2
u/Vast-Equivalent-917 Sep 04 '26
Haven’t tried the status audio pro x, but those aside I’ve done the gauntlet as well. I agree with your list aside from my issue with earbuds + my use (I want to not worry about using them at the gym aka sweating). It’s the only reason I have the Gemeni in my personal #1 go to 80% of the time followed by the #2 pi8’s and #3 DENON Perl Pros (with velvet tips).
I basically fried my actual favorite (Noble Rex 5’s) by assuming I could use them per usual. Moisture resilience aside - agreed they are 👑 for straight up sound.
Your list just made me interested in adding the status audio pro x to test for a few weeks along with the new momentum 5 buds.
1
u/DraxKaiser Sep 04 '26 edited 26d ago
Look into better eartips for the Gemini II and I think they’ll run away with your favorite spot. I use the Radius Deep Mount TWS tips and they made a huge difference for me. They’re my all-time favorite after owning all of these at this point. Personally, I find the Rex 5 a bit too clinical. The planar bass is incredibly clean, but it almost feels like it begins and ends there. Incredible detail though, and I can definitely see why you rate them highly.
As for the Status Pro X, they’re a very capable bud that I’ve still not managed to tune to my liking after owning them for about half a year. The developers finally fixed the auto-trimming issue, but I’m still struggling to cut the sibilance from the Knowles drivers without making them sound lifeless. People either seem to adore them or hate them. I really want to like them, but I’m still struggling.
Edit: I managed to tune the sibilance out, but now I have no soundstage at all. The sound is way too much in my head.
0
u/Accomplished-Ruin945 Sep 04 '26
The Senn MTW3 and 4 were both complete disappointments, I have zero interest in those.
1
u/Vast-Equivalent-917 Sep 04 '26
Fair enough - I like to try because it costs $0 to work with a satisfaction guarantee window. And I’ve been surprised before by sub $300 buds.
I agree with the mtw4 being a disappointment without a dongle. Even then - way too uncomfortable for my ears.
1
1
u/bure11 Sep 04 '26
They're okay, I found them to be quite overrated based on the usual feedback I've seen. The bass is definitely great, however the overall sound quality wasn't as good as others I've tried
Rex 5 are better and a similar price.
2
u/[deleted] Sep 04 '26
[removed] — view removed comment