With just a few days left before the biggest showdown this site has ever done for bluetooth earphones, I sit here jacked into my PC with my Pi8’s using the Transmission case feature and I’m literally shaking my head as I write this article. I am truly wondering why I am even bothering with this contest. The ability to transmit lossless audio from any source is just something unseen by any other Brand of earphones on the planet. The quality the Pi8’s already have just with bluetooth is unmatched by anything I’ve heard to date. And when you through in the Transmission feature it not even fair anymore. I’m actually questioning the need to even do this epic showdown test. I know for sure that the Bowers and Wilkins is the ONLY earphone brand that does this. The Denon’s don’t do it and the Devialet don’t.
This feature alone could stand as the greatest feature difference that makes this contest useless. The quality of this sound and ability to do this could be single biggest reason to pay $400. Yes, I said it, this could be the first earphone worth $400 because of what they deliver on better than anyone else.
I used to think this feature was so worthless because people marketed it wrong. They marketed it as an option to use if you were flying and needed to listen to movies on a flight. This is not at all the only or even the best option for this feature. Nobody told me I could use this thing on a PC , MAC, TV, a Dj deck, or even a Video game console( wouldn’t use it in competition because there is a small delay). Then, with all these options, you get the same lossless quality regardless of source. It is truly outstanding and genius, and no other earphone brand in the world does this but Bowers and Wilkins.
I’m just shaking my head here and truly questioning if I should go through with this contest because I think I know where this is going end up before I even get started. I mean, honestly, how is anything going to beat this? The level of comfort, the look, sound, features, and small footprint of the case is just too much to ask of anyone. I can’t believe how much having the proper understanding of a possible flaw that ends up not being one makes a difference. Yes, I was mad at the battery life 100% status over days not being 100% and the charging times of the earbuds in the case. But once I got my case to transmit again(thought it failed) after finding out it can’t do this if you have two source connected already for multipoint, I became more acceptable of the concessions and understood the weight of all the great things this earphone does.
So, what can this earphone from Devialet truly stand to have over the Pi8? I don’t have it yet, and yes, I purchased it because I can’t find a single person who has ever thought that these weren’t superior to the Pi8 in sound quality. I just can’t believe there is something that exists better than what I’m hearing. But I truly stand by await such an experience, even though I highly doubt it exists. But the biggest question is what else can it do and how much better could it truly be in sound even if true. I guess this is what the competition will prove to be. The Pi8’s aren’t perfect in ANC, Hear-thru, nor in phone call quality. Yes, they charge slow, and they lose battery life in the case after multiple days of non-use, whether on the purpose of design or by flaw. But on paper, the Gemini 2 has nothing that stands out in features, but perhaps they can capitalize on more battery life at 22 hours vs. 20. Maybe the sound is better along with the ANC and hear-thru. And if this is the case, this would make it more interesting, but given them the victory is a completely different task because they are more money and do less on paper.
Even the Denon Perl Pro has a killer feature for measuring sound in your ears automatically that is the best in the world of bluetooth. They also have the largest soundstage in the world is are now ony $150, which is hands down the great deal on planet earth for a Bluetooth that is, at best 2nd, at the very least 3rd best of all bluetooth earphone out today. But even they have issues with battery life not living up to promised spec given. So yes, all these things will have to be taken into account during this upcoming comparison and shoot-out. It’s going to be a big comparison and a challenging consideration, but I still don’t see how anything can truly beat the pi8’s.
Tech-N-Things 