Admit it: you fall in love with Alexa. From playing music and setting timers to checking the weather and turning off your smart lights using just your voice, there's something irresistible about Amazon Echo's proprietary voice recognition software. . However, Alexa is changing. For years confined to answering dumb questions and pot-sounding speakers made only by Amazon, Alexa is now on the rise. Along with a massively expanding Alexa skill set comes a new motivation for sound quality. From the audio-focused Echo Studio to upgraded versions of the Echo and Echo Dot, Amazon is increasingly committed to giving users a better sound experience, something third-party brands from Bose to Sonos do. going through Yamaha - they're haunted for a few years. That's not to say there isn't an incredible variety of Alexa-enabled speakers. Before you buy, ask yourself what you really want. An alarm clock? An office gadget? An intercom type video call device? Or a complete home theater system? All of these products and more are now under the control of Alexa as the smart speaker matures. Here are the best Alexa speakers - Echo and others - for your smart home right now:
1. SonosOne
An amazing Alexa smart speaker with a warm and accurate soundstage Fabulous sound quality Hi-Res Audio Expensive Takes a while to set up Is this the best smart speaker? After years of powering its own multi-room home audio system, Sonos went on to produce the spectacular Sonos One, complete with touch controls, two Class-D digital amplifiers, a midrange woofer and tweeter, its soundstage is impressive. . , energetic and low. It's easy to set up, with Trueplay's nifty tuning process (which requires you to bring your phone into the room while it plays test sounds), while a new update has just added Hi-Res. Audio to mix. It's so good as a standalone speaker that you can even buy it without Alexa. Read more: Sonos One review2.Amazon EchoStudio
Dolby Atmos surround sound Easy setup Large size doesn't fit everyone 3D audio is average Amazon's first premium smart home theater speaker is its best-sounding Echo yet. One of the most powerful speakers you'll find for the money at 330W, buy two Amazon Echo Studio speakers and you can set them up in the Alexa app to create an immersive home theater. It's really impressive, but to get the most out of it, consider becoming an Amazon Music HD subscriber. Our only complaint is that its downmixing of stereo tracks to Dolby Atmos is inconsistent. Read more: Amazon Echo Studio review
3. Amazon Echo Dot (XNUMXrd generation)
A smart home gateway with improved audio quality
Compact fabric design Clear call quality Lack of 3,5mm AUX port Basic sound quality The latest iteration of Amazon's very small smart speaker, this third-generation Echo Dot lets you control your smart home, stream music from Spotify and Amazon Music and make phone calls. free hands. We like its compact size, sleek rounded design, and fabric finish, as well as its improved sound quality over previous versions of the Echo Dot. There's no 3.5mm aux jack to hook it up to an extra speaker, however, no built-in LED clock, and the sound quality though is a step up from previous versions. it's no match for the larger, more expensive products in the Echo range. . Read More: Amazon Echo Dot (XNUMXrd Gen) Review
4. Amazon Echo (XNUMXrd generation)
The 2019 Echo sounds better than ever Improved sound quality Incredibly versatile Similar to Echo Plus Not much new Is it worth upgrading your old Echo with this new one? Probably not, but it's still a great smart speaker that offers better sound quality than the second-gen Echo. Very similar to the Echo Plus in terms of appearance, this new Echo - only available in Twilight Blue as well as Charcoal, Heather and Sandstone by default - uses the Echo Plus's identical neodymium drivers and 3-inch woofer. . It's not exciting, but the latest Echo is one of the most versatile options in Amazon's Echo lineup. Read more: Amazon Echo (3rd Gen) review5. Amazon Echo Dot with clock
This modified Echo Dot is ideal for a nightstand
Touch to snooze alarm 3.5mm AUX port Sound quality is disappointing. Basic built-in microphone Not much to get excited about, the latest version of the Echo Dot. In other words, unless the question you ask Alexa most often is "What time is it?" If that's you, or if you're specifically looking for a smart device for a kitchen or nightstand, the Amazon Echo Dot with Clock is your perfect Echo. In fact, the only real difference between a regular Echo Dot and this version is a segmented LED clock display that revolves around the Dot's sleek fabric grille. As a bonus, you can tap the top of the device to snooze alarms. Read more: Amazon Echo Dot with clock review