4 Smart Speakers You Shouldn’t Miss Out On
When everything feels cluttered and overwhelming, nothing works better than sitting back and listening to some good music. You will be surprised to see how music can explain thoughts that even you cannot figure out on your own.
However, listening to music is only fun when you have a speaker that can give you an immersive experience. A good speaker can help you listen to even the most intricate details in a song.
Being an audiophile, I’ve purchased a few smart speakers to see which one emerges as the victor. Here are some of my top picks.
Amazon Echo (4th Generation)
If you have an Amazon ecosystem at home and rely heavily on Alexa, then you should get the 4th generation of the Amazon Echo. It has a better sound quality, which makes every song a delight to listen to, especially songs with extra effects. For instance, listening to Bohemian Rhapsody on this speaker just takes you to another dimension!
The speaker is also quicker to respond to voice commands as compared to its predecessors. However, to make the most out of your speaker’s performance and response, make sure that you connect it to a fast and reliable internet connection. I’ve used mine with my high-speed Xfinity Internet connection, and it always worked like a breeze!
The Echo 4 also works as a Zigbee hub, which works as a home automation hub and forms a network between all your smart devices. While the speaker may not be very loud, it’s still a decent improvement compared to its previous models. It also comes at a brilliant price, making it a budget-friendly option for you.
Sonos Era 100
Sonos has been among the top speakers on my list for a while now. While the speaker is compact, it gives a pretty good output when it comes to sound. Not only did it improve the stereo system with the Era 100, but also amped up the bass too. It has a 25% larger woofer size, which makes sure that every corner of your room gets uniform sound.
It also comes with a built-in room tuning feature, which runs a frequency scan of your room and automatically tweaks the equalizer to give you better sound quality. There is a large volume slider on top and a switch that lets you mute the mic so that the voice assistant doesn’t keep turning on. These two controls make the user experience quite convenient.
However, do keep in mind that the speakers only support Apple AirPlay 2 and Alexa, not Google Assistant. Don’t go ahead with the idea if you intend to use Google Assistant.
Google Nest Audio
This one is for the Google Assistant users and the best part is that it comes at a price that doesn’t drain your wallet. The speaker comes with a balanced sound, but it doesn’t pack a powerful bass, which you will have to compromise on. The speaker pays attention to the highs of a song, giving more attention to detail.
It also comes with Bluetooth and Google Cast support, which makes it easier for you to play your music using your smartphone. Not only that, but you can also use Google Assistant on your phone to play songs on your speaker. Google Assistant isn’t only useful for listening to music, but it can respond to common queries like what the weather is like today or news updates.
The speaker is easy to carry around within your house, which makes things very convenient. The Nest Audio is also a great idea if you wish to automate your house by buying smart home devices, as the Nest Audio works as a great hub.
Apple HomePod (2nd Generation)
If you’re an Apple fan and haven’t read anything related to Apple yet, then fret not. There is a smart speaker dedicated to Apple devices: the Apple HomePod 2. It comes with a stronger woofer and improved tweeters that give you more attention to detail in music. It is also compatible with Dolby Atmos, giving you the most out of your music streaming experience using Spatial Audio.
Apple has also allowed Siri to run third-party apps, such as Deezer, Pandora, and Spotify, which opens up more horizons to music streaming. You can play your favorite music on apps, such as Spotify using your smartphone. The audio output will be through the Apple HomePod, giving you a better music streaming experience.
A Bonus Tip
Make sure that you purchase the premium versions of your favorite music streaming apps, such as Spotify so that you can have a seamless streaming experience. Having the premium version will allow you to stream in better quality, play music on repeat, shuffle music, unlimited skips, and no ads at all!
