Speakers

Apple’s only connected speaker is the HomePod (which makes up for Siri’s shortcomings with its excellent acoustic quality). Google, on the other hand, offers several such products geared to “Home” use, with names like Mini and Max. The largest of these products, the Google Home Max, is the one we will be discussing here.

Retailing for around 399$, this connected speaker was engineered to satisfy even the most demanding listeners. In other words… to make you forget about the mediocre acoustic performance of the Google Home (which retails for much less: 129 dollars). A world leader in wireless technology, Google is now seeking to validate its wireless connected speaker. And, after having spent a few weeks testing the Home Max, we have to say that it still has a lot of room left for improvement.

The Home Max isn’t very elegant but it does have some great features

A connected speaker designed to fit in with a person’s interior decor should, above all, be aesthetically appealing. However, it would be fair to say that the Google Home Max is somewhat lacking in this respect. Very massive, the Google Home’s big brother is not very elegant: it resembles a large gray or black brick (your two color options) that sticks out when it is placed on top of a piece of furniture. At least the Home Max has very good finish quality (there’s nothing protruding from the speaker’s case); also noteworthy is its ability to be placed vertically in the manner of a bookshelf speaker. Google also supplies a small, magnetic silicone support to prevent the speaker from being in direct contact with the surface it is sitting on.

We did like this speaker’s front panel: it is covered with thin fabric that is translucent enough to allow the speaker’s four luminous indicators to show through when using the Google Assistant. Of course, the direction of these indicators will depend on the speaker’s orientation. At the top of the speaker (or on its side if it is being used vertically), can be found a tactile surface (distinguishable by its darker color) which will allow you to increase/decrease the speaker’s volume or pause audio playback. These controls work very well and can be used if you prefer not to make use of the speaker’s voice commands.

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You may be looking to upgrade your speakers in order to improve your gaming experience, or you may need high quality audio for a large space – regardless of what your requirements are, you will find that choosing from the wide range of computer speakers on the market can prove to be an overwhelming task. However, with the right information, you will be able to make the process easier, simpler and more successful. From two simple speakers that have limited functionality to a seven speaker system that is all-encompassing, here are a few key pointers in choosing the best sound system for your needs.

There are several points to take into consideration when you are comparing the different speaker systems available; and the following advice will help you to make the most of these.

Understanding Speaker Specs

Deciding on the specifications of the speakers you need, and making a list of them, will help you to more easily compare the specs of different types of speakers, making the process easier.

What Is Frequency Response?

Each speaker can produce a specific range of frequency; the frequency response (measured in Hertz) tells you the range of that particular speaker. The volume a speaker is able to produce is determined by the frequency and the audio signal it is given. A flat frequency response occurs when a speaker’s volume is able to remain the same even when the frequency is changed.

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