Table of Content
Plus, its compact size allows it to fit neatly into any space while still providing impressive sound quality. When it comes to streaming content on your TV, the Google Home Max is compatible with a range of streaming services, including Netflix and YouTube. It also has Chromecast built-in, so you can cast your favorite shows and movies directly from your phone or tablet to the speaker. And, to state the more or less obvious, it blows away the audio performance offered by the smaller Google Home speaker, though that speaker offers some decent bass depth for its size. If Google Assistant is a priority and solid audio performance is also high on the list, you won't be disappointed with the Home Max. In 2023, there's possibly a completely new virtual reality headset with augmented reality components.
A new HomePod could be transformed to include a screen for apps or widgets. Those rumors have persisted and suggest that early in 2023 a new HomePod, in some form, could make an appearance. There should also be plenty of design choices that will be worth picking apart for the casual observer. To finally see what "modular" means in the age of Apple Silicon, and glean insights about future Macs from the Pro's case shape and size. We'd like to imagine that a lot of Apple's technologies and services such as SharePlay, Fitness Plus, and Memoji, among many other things will make an appearance and transform our daily tasks. The Meta Quest 2 has been the most popular VR headset so far, and its been a compelling introduction to virtual reality for a lot of people.
Speakers & mics
It is actually only when standing close to the speaker that a listener can perceive a stereo dimension. Localizability of the sound sources is rather precise, but would undoubtedly be even better with crystal-clear high-ends. The speaker’s overall dynamics remain particularly precise and impactful at soft and even quiet volumes. Finally, the Smart Sound technology appears to be fairly efficient, adapting the device’s performance appropriately to its acoustic environment. For example, in our bathroom use case, the overall timbre performance remains highly consistent, despite the room’s strong reverberation. We put the Google Home Max through our rigorous DXOMARK Wireless Speaker test suite.
The Google Home Max and the Google Nest Mini both offer impressive performances for voice assistant, but the Home Max is a better choice for music and videos. Out-of-the-box, the Home Max has a better-balanced sound profile, and it can get louder. The Google Home Max is a small speaker that has built-in Google Assistant capabilities. It's voice-activated, and it can pick up your voice even if you aren't very close to the speaker. You can also mute the microphone when you don't want it to hear you.
Listening tests
After three years, Google has officially discontinued the Home Max as inventory is depleted. Dynamics are impressively well preserved at soft and quiet volumes. With a volume sub-score of 132, the Google Home Max comes very close to our top-ranking speaker in this category. It performed remarkably well in every use case we put it through, from bedtime to partying, to relaxing at home, friendly gatherings, in the kitchen, the bathroom, and even outdoors. Despite the promised “clear stereo sound in the entire room,” the sound stage could be much wider.
Google knew that if it was going to make a speaker of this size meant for listening to music, then it had to sound good. One way it decided to make that happen was by adding their own algorithms that allow the speaker to self-adjust its EQ depending on where you place it using six internal microphones. Once you’ve got it connected to your router then all that you need to do to connect to it is press the cast icon that pops up in the app you’re using.
Google Home Max Speaker test: Powerful and well balanced
Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. When sub-bass moments occasionally occur in the mix, the speakers deliver them with full-bodied presence that doesn't compete with the highs for the spotlight. Works as a mono speaker, a stereo pair, or part of a whole home audio system. The Google Home speakers light up to show when they’re listening, but sometimes they might be triggered on accidentally by something that sounds similar to the hotword. If you’re like me and need to be reminded of basic facts throughout the day, the Google Assistant still gives the best answers out of any personal assistant and it’s only getting better with time. Thread is the latest wireless mesh technology, designed to make your smart devices more connected and reliable.
The sound can be a little too revealing, and guitar lines in particular can sound a little too piercing for comfort. If you mainly want background music, you should spend half as much on the Sonos One. Ty Pendlebury is a journalism graduate of RMIT Melbourne, and has worked at CNET since 2006.
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He lives in New York City where he writes about streaming and home audio. Even though I'm a freelancer now, PCMag has been my home for well over a decade, and audio gear reviews are still my primary focus. Prior to my career in reviewing tech, I worked as an audio engineer—my love of recording audio eventually led me to writing about audio gear. Find out about the latest update to the Google Home platform and the totally redesigned, more personalized Google Home app. 3 Check g.co/nest/matternow for availability of Matter’s functionality.
This is a single-box speaker, and subject to all the compromises that type of form factor introduces. If you prioritize performance and are trying to decide between a pair of Maxes and a stereo system, the choice is easy -- get a stereo system. The Max's response to voice commands was excellent, and it did a better job deciphering my Australian accent than the Sonos One with Alexa. I found I could say "Hey Google" in a normal voice from 6 feet away and the speaker would hear it most of the time.
The Google Home Max is the first smart speaker we've seen with serious audio performance. Our dynamics tests measure how well a device reproduces the energy level of a sound source, taking into account attack, bass precision, and punch. Michael Brown / IDGThis touch-sensitive strip on the top of the speaker controls the volume and can play/pause your music. Getting a review unit late, as is the case with the Google Home Max, gives me the benefit of reading a lot of people’s opinions of a product before I formulate my own.
Speaking of videos, since the latency induced by both Google Cast and Bluetooth connections is quite significant, the auxiliary input at the back of the device is highly welcome. Further, the Smart Sound technology does, as promised, allow the speaker to adapt efficiently to its environment. Therefore, it is capable of dealing with complex acoustics, such as in bathrooms. There’s a touch-sensitive volume slider on the top of the speaker (the right-hand side when vertically oriented), along with touch-sensitive play/pause. There are no physical controls for track forward/track back, but you can, of course, accomplish that with voice commands. The speaker is remarkably adept at hearing the “Hey Google” wake word even when it’s playing music loudly.
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