It works a treat, too, delivering a pleasingly comfortable yet authoritative performance that you'd be happy listening to all day. The new A1 supports Qualcomm’s latest aptX Adaptive Bluetooth 5.1 codec, and of course, Alexa is built-in (in a manner of speaking – it's a Bluetooth-only speaker). It boasts similar dimensions to a large floury bap, but that's where any comparisons with baked goods end. B&O's output could reasonably be described as "premium" and "innovative" – and the Beosound A1 (2nd Gen) wireless speaker is no exception.
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In the Danish tech specialist’s catalogue you'll find a wheel-shaped wireless speaker, a TV that opens up like a butterfly, and an 8200-watt monolithic speaker comprising 18 drivers.
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Read the full review: Amazon Echo (4th generation)īang & Olufsen isn’t noted for following the herd. The cylinder design has gone, in favour of a Magic 8-Ball-esque sphere, and perhaps fittingly you can ask it any question you want – as long as it’s plugged in to power and linked to your wi-fi. There's an impressive selection of third-party support, (once you’ve linked your streaming service accounts, it'll play music from Apple Music, Spotify or Deezer over wi-fi, and even if you don’t link any music-provider subscriptions, the Echo will play from Amazon Music by default – and you’ve always got TuneIn radio) and the pulsating ring of light is relocated to the lopped-off base.Īlexa feels present and useful but not imposing, the Alexa app support makes placement and multi-room configurations a breeze, and the sound quality, while a step down from superb, easily passes the sound-per-pound value test for a smart home hub of this modest price.
You don’t need an especially keen eye to realise that Amazon has started from scratch for this fourth-generation Echo. Slightly underwhelming treble -Not fully omnidirectionalĪmazon's inaugural smart speaker is back with a whole new look, a built-in Zigbee smart hub, and more potential under its new 100 per cent recycled hood. From the moment we start playing music, it’s clear that the HomePod Mini comfortably outperforms its size and price, quite frankly embarrassing its direct competition with the sophistication and maturity of its sound. It’s a really powerful way to discover new music, and Alexa is nowhere near as good at it. Get its swirling orb of coloured light up and running (when Siri is listening or processing) though, and you realise you've got a classy performer on your hands.Īfter a short period of learning, Siri will respond to the phrase “Hey Siri, play something I'll like” not by streaming your most played track of the last few weeks, but by playing something that you may have never listened to before but is a good fit for what you often do listen to. In fact, it’s even dwarfed by the new Echo Dot. At just 8.4cm tall and 9.8cm wide, it’s quite a bit smaller than the similarly spherical Amazon Echo. Limited third-party service support -Lacks a full control app And they're both in this list, with full-fat reviews attached. Luckily, every product here comes with our full fat, unabridged, comprehensively star-rated review attached – and if it didn't get at least a highly-commended four-star review under test conditions, you won't find it on this list.įrom cheap budget options to premium sonic experiences, read on for our pick of the best smart speakers for music and voice features. And Amazon's most expensive smart device to date, the 3rd-gen Echo Show 10 launched on 25th February, swiftly followed by Google's more budget screen-enhanced option. Be realistic about your budget and what to expect. Some of the smaller smart speakers are limited purely because of their dimensions. This can vary quite a lot between models and manufacturers and spending more doesn't always guarantee a better listening experience. (While these do both work with other services, they're tightly integrated with those made by their creators, making them much slicker to use.)įinally: sound quality. Love shopping at Amazon and have a Prime account? An Amazon Echo might be right up your alley. If you frequently use Google's services – Calendar, Maps, Gmail – maybe a product with Google Home baked in would be best for you. It's also worth thinking about which ecosystem you use most.
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