Google Nest Audio review
Our Verdict
The fabric-covered Google Nest Audio might not look like a premium smart speaker, but its punchy performance begs to differ. Information technology's the best-sounding option nether $100 for Google Home and Nest customers.
For
- Eco-friendly, bonny exterior
- Balanced sound and soaring vocals
- Speedy Google Banana responses
Confronting
- Invisible affect controls can exist fickle
- Can't be used an an audio-out source
Tom'southward Guide Verdict
The material-covered Google Nest Audio might not look like a premium smart speaker, only its punchy functioning begs to differ. It's the best-sounding pick under $100 for Google Home and Nest customers.
Pros
- +
Eco-friendly, attractive exterior
- +
Counterbalanced sound and soaring vocals
- +
Speedy Google Banana responses
- +
Cons
- -
Invisible affect controls tin can exist fickle
- -
Tin't exist used an an sound-out source
- -
Google Nest Audio quick specs
Price: $99
Colors: Chalk, Charcoal, Sand, Heaven, Sage
Size: 6.89 x four.89 ten 3.07 inches
Weight: 2.65 pounds
Speakers: 75-mm woofer, xix-mm tweeter
Mics: 3
The Google Nest Sound is an odd replacement for the original Google Abode. Different the company'due south debut smart speaker, which was deployed as a control center for Google Assistant, Nest Audio is positioned equally a dandy-sounding—but not too expensive—speaker and a hands-free domicile hub second.
At $99, the Google Nest Audio is $thirty less than the original Google Habitation and primed to compete with the all-new, spherical Amazon Echo. With the influx of people spending more than time inside, interest in raising a home's IQ is hotter than ever before, and investing in one of the best smart speakers is a expert place to start.
- Google Nest Audio vs. Amazon Echo
- Check out the best Bluetooth speakers
Although it won't eclipse the pricier Sonos I in volume or depth, this Google Nest Audio review explains how its strengthened sound performance gives you a reason to upgrade your Google Home. And how Google's patient arroyo to smart speaker updates seems to exist paying off.
Note likewise, that as part of the the Tom'due south Guide Awards 2021 Sound categories, the Google Nest Sound is the proud recipient of our Best smart speaker for music award. You can visit the chief Tom's Guide Awards 2021 hub for the full list of awards and winners.
Google Nest Sound: Price and availability
The Google Nest Sound is available starting October five for $99; you can buy it in one of 5 colors: Chalk, Charcoal, Sand, Sky, or Sage.
Google Nest Sound review: Blueprint
The Google Nest Audio looks like last twelvemonth's Google Nest Mini grew in one of those produce molds that brand centre-shaped watermelons.
Some might say the elliptical Nest Sound looks like a 7-inch tall pill or oversized eyeglass example, but I see a smoothen-edged smart domicile device that looks less techy than others, in a good way.
While the calming Heaven blueish model I reviewed doesn't quite match in my neutral-hued living space, in the right color information technology would alloy in well no matter where I placed it in the room. I could likewise see myself balancing out my entertainment eye with a second Nest Audio for the opposite side of my Boob tube stand.
Beneath its front-facing, fabric-swathed exterior, the Google Nest Audio has the expected LED condition array. On the back, in that location's a physical microphone toggle, but no other buttons interrupt the woven sleeve. Instead, capacitive touch controls merely beneath the top seam tin be used for decision-making music, although it'southward not exactly obvious where they are. You accept to be intentional with your taps, as well, otherwise yous might intermission your playlist instead of raising the book. I had that upshot a few times.
Google Nest Audio review: Sound performance
When I set up up the Google Nest Audio next to the Sonos 1 for comparison testing, I didn't expect the Nest's 19-millimeter tweeter and 75mm mid-woofer to continue up with Sonos's amplifiers, even with its Media EQ feature that adapts sound to the room. To some extent, that held up — the Nest Sound doesn't get as loud as the Sonos One, despite being 75% louder than the original Google Home.
But in terms of audio quality, Google found a steady stride. With the assist of Airplay and casting, I bounced between the Nest Sound and Sonos One for a series of my favorite songs. Although the latter's profile sounded more circuitous, the Nest Sound nearly had the Sonos One beat in vocal clarity.
Alicia Keys sounded so buttery smooth in You lot Don't Know My Name's opening line that I could envision her smirking over her piano, knowing she nailed the notoriously difficult run. Although I remember the Nest Audio's profile favors vocals a smidge more an artist might intend, it works well for a speaker trying to inundation an entire room with even sound.
If you haven't heard Miley Cyrus cover Blondie's Heart of Glass yet, alter that. Even meliorate if you tin can mind through a Nest Sound, which delicately layers the synthetic bongo drums, sizzling cymbal ringlet and double-tracked bass before opening up for the guttural depth of Cyrus's newer sound.
Meanwhile, the steady bass line in Kendrick'due south Lamar's Humble sounded pronounced and punchy. I don't call up bass enthusiasts will observe the gripping vibrations they crave with the Nest Audio, but it's an obvious comeback from the Google Home.
On a similar note, although Marvin Gaye'southward Own't No Mount High Enough sounded more than infectious no matter where I stood in the room in relation to my Sonos One, the Nest Audio also held its ain. It doesn't accept the same capacity for all-encompassing sound as the Sonos One, but for its size and price y'all can consider me impressed with its balance.
If you'd similar, you tin can pair ii Google Nest Audio speakers for stereo sound, or grouping the Google Nest Sound with other in-brand speakers and displays for music throughout the dwelling house. Y'all cannot, however, employ Google Nest Audio as a standalone sound out source for your smart Television set, fifty-fifty the new Google Chromecast with Google TV. For the aforementioned cost, the new Amazon Repeat supports this characteristic.
Google Nest Audio review: Smart dwelling house features
With the exception of the Google Nest Hub Max, or perhaps Pixel phones, y'all won't find a meliorate vehicle for Google Assistant than the Nest Audio. The speaker unlocks all of the best Google Home commands and best Google Assistant commands equally far equally your voice can reach. Although a whisper won't be enough, it'south microphones tin can pick up "Hey Google" fifty-fifty over loud tunes.
Y'all can tell those tunes to tranquillity down with your vox, or ask Google to recommend songs that suit your preferences, so long as you're a YouTube Music or Spotify Premium subscriber. Of form, like with all the best Google Home speakers, y'all can inquire Google for reminders, to control any of the best Google Home compatible devices you take paired or to make a phone telephone call.
All of your advice with the Google Nest Audio'due south is candy on-device through the speaker'due south TeraOPS chip, meaning your assistant can amend larn your needs while alleviating the mutual privacy concerns that come with voice recordings. That said, you can review and manage your interactions at whatever fourth dimension in your Google account. Our guide on how to delete recordings from Google Habitation tin can help with that.
Either fashion, the TeraOPS chip also allows for speedier Google Assistant responses. On other Google smart speakers, I've found the virtual butler may take several seconds to search for, say, a song request, merely not with the Google Nest Audio. Responses came noticeably faster, and that'south being said by a person who sometimes spends half their day speaking to vocalization administration.
What wasn't as noticeable was the Ambience IQ feature, which is supposed to raise Google Banana'due south phonation volume when the speaker pics up on an additional noise source. I couldn't trigger a change by raising the TV book or using an electric toothbrush — but when I banged two pans together (distressing, neighbors) in the middle of Google telling me the weather, I suppose the assistant got louder. But I don't create such a cacophony often.
Google Nest Sound verdict
Google Nest Sound won't persuade an Alexa user to switch sides, only information technology'southward exactly what a Google Dwelling house owner could exist looking for four years afterward — noticeably stronger audio, faster Google Assistant responses and less plastic-looking exterior.
Amazon, on the other hand, is establishing a biannual update procedure for its $99 Echo. Should smart speakers need to exist replaced this often? Not in my opinion. The Google Nest Audio is a smart speaker that volition sound practiced for years to come.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/google-nest-audio
Posted by: wolfesuieckled.blogspot.com
0 Response to "Google Nest Audio review"
Post a Comment