- RATING
Amazon has delivered on two important fronts - sound and style - the Echo Studio and Echo Dot Max embody both on top of the remarkable smart home features they put at your fingertips. If these are your first smart speakers - they will be a game changer.
The new Amazon Echo speakers – the Echo Studio and Echo Dot Max – have been redesigned with a new look and enhanced with a better sound.
Both smart speakers are powered by Alexa to help you with everything from checking the weather and adding to your shopping list to finding information and listening to the radio.
Users can play music across several Echo devices and control smart home products thanks to the built-in smart home hub which works with Matter and Zigbee.
ECHO DOT MAX – $199
This is a new speaker in the Echo line-up – it might be small (it’s 10.87cm wide) with a tiny footprint but it sounds big.
The design is simple and minimal and is covered with 3D knit fabric to give it a premium look and feel.
The circular shape also helps it sit within your home without standing out but it also creates an impressive silhouette.
On the audio side, the Echo Dot Max has had a noticeable upgrade with meatier bass and improved clarity.
When we were listening to our music through Apple Music and through the radio and it packed a punch big enough to fill a room.
It’s available in three colours – Amethyst, Glacier White and Graphite.
ECHO STUDIO – $429
If you want all the bells and whistles of an Alexa speaker but want higher quality audio then the Echo Studio is the device for you.
The speaker is actually 40 per cent smaller than the original but that hasn’t affected with sound.
The Echo Studio is 15.5cm wide and 14.8cm tall so it has generous proportions without being so large that it takes over the room.
The sound quality is the best we’ve heard from an Echo speaker thanks to a 3.75-inch high excursion woofer and three full range drivers that can deliver lossless high definition audio that can adapt to the room it’s sitting in.
Users can pair their favourite music and audio services – Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music and Audible.
The bass is something special – it’s a level that will appeal to younger listeners who like an extra helping of bass.
But at the medium and high levels it can still offer remarkable clarity.
And not only are you getting audio quality there is also spatial audio and Dolby Atmos so it adds a larger sound scape that will surround you.
No matter what you like to listen to, the Echo Studio delivers with music, audiobooks and podcasts – it covers all your home speaker needs.
VERDICT
Amazon has delivered on two important fronts – sound and style – the Echo Studio and Echo Dot Max embody both on top of the remarkable smart home features they put at your fingertips. If these are your first smart speakers – they will be a game changer.
