When it comes to sound quality, a good smart speaker should have exceptional voice recognition and music playback, so far-field microphones are just as important as tweeters and woofers. The far-field microphones must be able to hear your voice commands in the face of background noises, and you shouldn’t have to shout to get the speaker to pick up your voice commands from a distance. Audio software is also important, and more and more speakers are incorporating features like adaptive audio, which allow your smart speaker to adjust to the acoustic conditions of the room. In addition to the dual assistant support, sound quality is what makes the Sonos One particularly attractive, and the reason the speaker sounds so good is because of its audio hardware and tuning software. It has two class-D digital amplifiers, one tweeter, and one mid-woofer to deliver rich, clear sound with strong bass. You can hear a noticeable improvement in quality when compared with many other smart speakers on the market. At 6.3 x 4.7 x 4.7 inches, 4 pounds, and available in black or white, the unassuming unit fits in just about anywhere. It’s easy to pair two Sonos Ones together for stereo sound, add the speaker to a surround sound system, or make it part of a multi-room audio configuration. Plus, with automatic firmware updates and intuitive touch controls, the Sonos One is extremely user-friendly for such a full-featured smart speaker. The latest Echo sports a gorgeous, brand-new design, a spherical presentation that’s simultaneously very attractive and easy to blend into home decor. It features a laundry list of improvements over its predecessor, including a faster processor, improved sound, better smart home integration, and a built-in temperature sensor. Erika, our product tester, loved the 4th Gen Echo’s design, power, and value, and praised the AZ1 Neural Engine Processor (which plays a major role in the Echo’s excellent voice recognition capabilities). First, the design: a cute-as-a-button rounded dot reminiscent of the candy of the same name, swaddled in soft cloth bifurcated into grey and blue. Our reviewer, Erika Rawes, loved the modern elegance of this new spherical form factor. And it’s no slouch in terms of performance either. While the 4th Gen isn’t a massive improvement over previous iterations, it continues to deliver great sound, amazing voice recognition, and near-flawless Alexa integration (and, by extension, smart home integration). Available in charcoal, chalk, sky, and coral colors, the Home Mini offers a simple design. Four gentle LED dots light up on top as status indicators, and you can tap on the sides to control the volume. Although this speaker doesn’t have the superior sound you’d get from some of the larger speakers, the 360-degree sound output is powerful enough to play music throughout an entire floor of your home, and you can even pair two Google Home Minis if you want stereo sound. Voice recognition is exceptional on the Home Mini too, and the three far-field mics can hear your commands from across the room. Google Home Max is the speaker to go for if you’re serious about how your music sounds. The Home Max puts an emphasis on clean sound and powerful bass. Within the simple exterior are two 4.5-inch woofers and dual 0.7-inch tweeters working together to produce big, room-filling, bass-heavy sound. It’s further enhanced by a Smart Sound feature that uses machine learning technology to set equalizer settings based on the acoustics of the room and the speaker’s placement. You can set up the Google Home Max to stream from YouTube Music, Spotify, Pandora, and other services. Plus, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and wired auxiliary connection options, you have a lot of flexibility in your audio sources. Unlike Alexa or Google Assistant, however, Apple’s digital assistant lacks a vast selection of third-party skills. You can still do a lot with the HomePod mini though. You can check the news, use it as a speakerphone to make calls, check messages, control smart devices and create scenes, and so much more. In addition to its digital assistant’s features, the smart speaker also supports wireless connections via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Apple AirPlay 2, along with an aux input jack for wired audio connections. Bose SimpleSync technology also lets you sync music with portable speakers and headphones. With an elegant design, the 8-inch tall speaker has options in black or silver. It’s also not quite as minimal as other smart speakers, with the inclusion of a small color LCD screen to display info and album art for the current song you’re playing. But, this device looks good with just about any home decor. The Beam is loaded with a center tweeter, four full-range woofers for mids and lows, and three passive radiators to move air and improve the bass sound. It also has five D-class amplifiers tuned to match the speakers, as well as five far-field microphones for voice recognition. There’s an Ethernet port and HDMI with an Audio Return Channel (ARC) for sending TV audio back to the speaker. You can also take advantage of Airplay 2, as well as the brand’s multi-room audio system capabilities if you have other Sonos devices. The HomePod mini has exceptional sound clarity, with a full-range driver, dual passive radiators, and computational audio. Equipped with Apple’s S5 chip, it has audio tuning software that can make real time adjustments to the volume or speaker movement based on the particular song. That, coupled with 360-degree audio makes for great music. Voice recognition is top notch too, with a four-mic array (including a mic that helps it decipher the difference between its own music and voice commands). Apple prioritized privacy in the HomePod mini, as well, so you can use the device securely without having to worry too much that your data will end up in the wrong hands. Multi-room music lets you group Google Nest devices and play music on all your devices at the same time. You can switch your song or podcast from one speaker to another, so you can walk upstairs without interrupting your song. You even can pair two Nest Audios together, and they can provide amazing stereo sound. Great sound isn’t the only thing the Nest Audio offers though. The built-in Google Assistant can help you organize your day, answer questions, keep up with the news, control your smart home, make voice calls via Google Duo, and so much more. It has a quad-core A53 1.8 GHz processor and machine learning engine, which help the assistant respond faster. On top of all this, the speaker is exceptionally durable, with a rounded rectangular shape and an eco-friendly enclosure made of 70 percent recycled plastic. Anton Galang started writing about tech in 2007 as an editorial contributor to PC Magazine and PCMag.com. He was also previously the Editorial Director of print and digital media at A+ Media.
What to Look for in a Smart Speaker
Voice Assistant - Do you prefer Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri? If you choose an Echo speaker, Alexa will be your assistant, and you’ll reap the benefits of wide compatibility, easy to create routines, and a huge library of skills. If you go with a Google Nest speaker, you’ll have Google Assistant, which offers an awesome interpreter mode and detailed answers to questions. Siri is a good option for those who prefer the familiar and tried and true Apple assistant. Some speakers, like the Sonos One, offer more than one assistant. However, these smart speakers typically cost a bit more. Sound Quality - Many people use their smart speakers to listen to music, so the way that music sounds is especially important. Does it have good low, medium, and high tones? Typically, price and sound quality are positively correlated, and the sound might be the biggest thing that separates a $200 smart speaker from a $50 speaker. If you just want a smart speaker to act as a voice controller for your smart devices, go for an Echo Dot or Home Mini. However, if music is your primary concern, you’ll be happier with something like the regular Echo, the Sonos One, or the Nest Hub Max. Compatibility - Is the speaker compatible with the smart devices you want to control? Some devices require a specific Assistant, like Alexa, although most modern smart devices are compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant. Additionally, check for features like Bluetooth compatibility, and compatibility with the music streaming services you typically use.
