Forget boring bookshelf speakers, Devialet's new Phantom looks insane

There's still a big market for bookshelf speakers, but increasingly listeners are seeking integrated solutions – the best Wi-Fi wireless speaker systems, ultimately – without the need for a separate amp or any other kit.

While powered bookshelf speakers are great – here's the top 3 we recommend – they're all a bit, well, samey. Enter, then, Devialet's new Phantom Ultimate, which is a visual stunner like nothing else on the market.

• I tried Devialet's new 5-star speaker – it looks better than a Bowers and blows Sonos out the water

It's not the first Phantom from the company, of course, with the initial release a decade ago, back in 2015. There have been iterations between then and now, too, but it's the latest Phantom Ultimate that reworks the product's innards for the better, while bringing design tweaks to its well-established exterior.

At first glance, if you're familiar with the original Phantom, you might think nothing has changed. Look closer, though, and you'll spot the domes – which vibrate to both sides, adding visual character to the listening experience – are now complete forms, no circular 'cut-out' to their centre, as with the original product.

Image 1 of 11

The Phantom Ultimate also comes in two main colourways, as pictured in the above gallery, in Light Pearl and all-new Deep Forest – the latter appearing black-grey in low-light conditions, with its green and almost blue hues expressing a different visual in brighter light.

Devialet's collaboration with Opéra de Paris also continues in the Ultimate product – which is available in smaller 98dB and larger 108dB versions – with a special-edition model also available, which is hand-finished with gold leaf. It adds to the price, naturally, but is a unique spectacle.

The visual is a key factor for the Phantom Ultimate, but Devialet's high-end sound expertise is the real reason you'd want to own one. The products are high-resolution capable (24-bit/192kHz) and cater for a wide sound range (18Hz to 25kHz – the 108dB is even broader, at 14Hz to 30kHz).

Whether you want to Bluetooth or connect via Wi-Fi, optical cable or Ethernet, the Ultimate supports the lot. With AirPlay, Google Cast and a spate of streaming service support cooked in, there's also a new app update which provides more personalisation, including a six-band equaliser (EQ) for optimum control.

The Devialet Phantom Ultimate is available to pre-order right now. The 98dB model is priced at £1400 / €1500 / $1900, while the 108dB model is £2800 / €3200 / $3800. This is high-end sound, with an associated high-end cost, therefore, but the quality is second to none.

You can form a stereo pair with two Phantom Ultimate, too, if you double the asking price. However, due to an all-new processor – future-proofing the product for years to come – there's no backwards compatibility in pairing to an older Phantom product.