Google Home Max Review: Pricey but impressive

Back when I reviewed the outset Google Home, 1 of my key criticisms of the smart speaker was how lacklustre its sound quality is in comparing to virtually of Amazon'south Repeat devices.

Especially when sitting abreast the the standard 2nd-generation Amazon Echo, the base model Google Home just isn't up to par with the majority of smart speakers on the audio quality forepart. The Google Home Mini is as dismal in the sound quality department.

The Domicile Max though, Google's high-end smart speaker that fabricated its way to the United States a few months ago and is now finally getting a release in Canada, is a completely different story.

The Max amounts to 1 of the best sounding smart speakers currently available in Canada, especially since Apple's HomePod is not fix to launch until June 18th.

The world of Wi-Fi connected smart speakers has diddled up over the last few years, with almost every major tech giant, including Microsoft, Apple tree, Google, Amazon and fifty-fifty connected speaker maker Sonos, jumping in on the action.

While most of the smart speakers released and then far — with the exception of the Sonos I — have been low-end and relatively inexpensive, the Google Home Max is designed with loftier-end sound in mind and features an as high-end price tag.

The Max is both the largest (it's massive) and most expensive smart speaker to makes its way to Canada then far, coming in at a pricey $499 CAD. While the Dwelling house Max features the aforementioned smart functionality as the Home and Dwelling Mini, the device'southward real draw is sound allegiance.

With the Max taking on Sonos and other high-end manufacturers, the primary question surrounding the pricey smart speaker is how it compares to the competition.

Large, simply also minimalist and sleek

Since the Max measures in at a hefty five.8kg (13lb), I found it difficult to discover a location to put the speaker that fabricated sense in my tiny habitation.

Start I placed it in my kitchen merely found it took up as well much counter space. Adjacent, I opted to put it on a side table near my couch, but again, came to a like conclusion.

Finally, I decided on placing the Max on the acme of my Boob tube stand up in a horizontal position. Dissimilar other smart speakers, the Max tin can be oriented either vertically or horizontally, making fit easily into most people'due south home decor.

That said, placing the Max vertically switches the speaker to mono mode, while situating the speaker horizontally results in stereo sound output. The speaker switches between these two forms of audio output automatically thanks to built-in orientation sensors, which is a great move on Google's office.

It's worth noting that the Max doesn't feature mounting points or a floor stand up, and so you really do need to find adequate surface space to place the speaker. While this probably won't exist an issue for almost people, those who live in modest apartments could have problems with finding an acceptable location for the Google Home Max.

Nether the hood, the Max packs impressive specs. The speaker features 4 drivers, 2 four.5-inch long-throw subwoofers, 2 0.vii-inch tweeters and 6 Class-D amplifiers.

The Max as well features six far-field microphones for picking up vocalisation commands, a USB Type-C port that can be used with an ethernet adapter (I didn't examination this characteristic out) and a 3.5mm headphone jack in lodge to hook the Google Home Max to external devices similar a record player or other audio device.

In general the Max feels like a solid, well-made speaker that's able to go caput-to-head in build-quality with established players in the audio infinite like Bose or Pioneer.

If you aren't fond of the cloth-covered design of the original Google Home or Google Home Mini, you aren't going to like the wait of the Max. The Max also comes in both 'Chalk,' which is marketing speak for white, and blackness, or 'Charcoal.'

Finally, Google'due south Abode Max speaker besides comes with a magnetic safe pad that sits under the speaker to assistance isolate vibrations from the surface you lot've placed it on. This also prevents the Max from damaging wooden surfaces, an effect Apple surprisingly overlooked with the HomePod (which is finally coming to Canada on June 18th).

Unlike other Home devices that include a dedicated 'Mute' push, the Max features a touch strip on its tiptop, which switches to the side when the speaker sits vertically. Along with volume control, this strip too allows sound to be paused. In my experience the volume command worked well in most situations, though I also found information technology finicky in some instances.

The motion of swiping from left to right needs to exist performed multiple times in order to raise the book significantly. Thankfully it'south as well possible to increase the speaker's volume with voice commands, though these need to be repeated also.

Information technology's all well-nigh that bass

Simply what nigh the Max's sound quality? Overall the Google Domicile Max sounds great and is a vast comeback over whatever smart speaker I've used, apart from two Sonos Ane speakers paired for stereo audio (more than on this later).

I tested diverse music genres with the Max and establish that it'due south virtually well suited to bass-heavy tracks. With this in listen, don't expect the Max's bass to rival a standalone subwoofer. It's also possible to hike upward the Max's volume levels to a significant decibel before distortion becomes really noticeable.

The Max does a bang-up job of handling highs and lows, with a pleasing mid-range that sounds decent across a variety of genres. For instance, the bass inNWA's 'Straight Outta Compton' was clear and deep, while Hawethorne Heights' 'Bad Frequencies' — a song that despite falling into the post hardcore genre, features a surprising corporeality of bass in the vocalist's screaming — as well sounded spectacular pumping through the Max.

On the lighter side of the spectrum, tracks like Taylor Swift's 'Carmine,' a song full of what is considered high tones, also sounded crisp and clear.

Essentially, any song I casted to the Max sounded corking, regardless of genre, which isn't something I've been able to say about other smart speakers I've tested.

The Max is besides capable of being prepare to a stereo configuration if you happen to ain an additional Max Speaker, though this isn't a characteristic I was able to test out considering I only had one review speaker. I did, however, attempt out the Max with other Home devices by setting up multi-room audio between two Google Home speakers and the Max. This resulted in room-filling sound I found very impressive.

With all this praise in listen, while the Max sounds slap-up on its ain, the speaker'southward audio quality doesn't quite match two Sonos 1 speakers paired together for stereo playback. Sound is clearer and more crisp when emitting out of 2 Sonos I speakers, though they do lack the Max's deep bass.

With two Sonos One speakers ($249 each) coming in at the same $499 toll as the Google Dwelling house Max, this makes opting for Google'south high-end speaker more difficult.

Currently, the Sonos One simply supports Amazon's Alexa phonation-activated assistant, which isn't as capable equally Google Assistant. Google's voice-activated banana is eventually coming to the company'southward smart speaker though, says Sonos.

Intelligent 'Smart Sound'

The Max has ability to automatically tune to the room it's placed in via its born microphones and a process Google calls 'Smart Sound.' Information technology'due south difficult to say how much this adjustment really affects audio quality since it's e'er running and you don't even really know when the speaker is analyzing its surroundings.

Sonos also offers a similar feature called 'TruePlay,' though it requires walking around a room with an iOS device and isn't compatible with Android smartphones. This process must also be repeated every time you move the Sonos Ane to a new room.

The Max is compatible with all services that back up Google Cast including Spotify and Google Play Music, but unfortunately not Apple Music, given the walled-garden arroyo Apple has pushed with its music streaming service. It's likewise possible to stream music via Bluetooth or through the Max's rear iii.5mm headphone jack. Though I just tested this feature out a few times with a turntable, sound quality was impressive.

My experience with Google Cast and the Home Max wasn't without issues though. While Google Play Music playback was solid, songs frequently dropped when I was using Spotify. It's unclear if this is the error of my abode internet connection and router, or a firmware/hardware trouble with the Max.

I haven't had a trouble with the multiple Repeat devices I take in my apartment, or even other Google Habitation speakers. In some cases Spotify worked perfectly with the Max, so it'south unclear what'south causing the issue. Making the state of affairs even more complicated, the audio dropping glitch doesn't occur when casting to multiple Google Habitation devices simultaneously.

I reached out to Google Canada regarding the problem and was told that this is a known result and that a fix was recently pushed out solving it. As of the publication of this review, I'chiliad still occasionally experiencing audio issues when casting from Spotify to the Max. If this problem is resolved, I'll update this review with additional details.

Since the Max is a smart speaker, just like the Domicile and Mini, it features congenital-in Google Assistant integration cheers to six far-field microphones that are capable of picking up voice commands from across the room, allowing users to inquire random questions, skip tracks, suit the volume and request music from a specific streaming platform.

The Max is neat at responding to my requests, even when music is playing at high volumes. I'd even go and then far as to say that the Max is more consistent at responding to commands than the standard Google Abode or Mini, which makes sense given it features six mics. The standard Google Home and Mini feature just two far-field microphones.

Update 04/06/2018: The review has been updated with information related to Apple'due south HomePod making its way to Canada.

Source: https://mobilesyrup.com/2018/05/16/google-home-max-review-canada/

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