What we get of today’s voice-controlled speaker is more than a speaker used for listening music; it can be viewed as smart digital assistants, device controllers, shopping tools, and more. We are leaded into a colorful speaker world thanking to Amazon echo which was first released almost unknowingly in 2014. As its tough competitor, Google also had its Home speaker and stands out for its powerful performance in answering questions. Considering their multiple usages, it is hard to choose a better one from them; however, if sound quality is the priority you should take, then, let’s have a look who will be the winner.
Which is better—-sound quality
To find out how the Home and the Echo compare in this regard, the editor has compared several test results by collecting data from professional labs including blind-listening tests and borrowed the critical ears etc. It found that the Echo seemed to have almost no bass, so much of the drive and rhythm of the music was lost, and voices could sound harsh and sibilant. But the Home had a muffled midrange and treble, making voices harder to understand. The Echo’s biggest plus is that it can go much louder than the Google Home and do so without distorting, while on the other hand, Google was able to make better use of the “boundary effect” to produce more bass.
When using voice-controlled speaker, voice control itself must be your concern. From this perspective, you may expect that both the Alexa and Home could complement each other as the microphone on the Echo was more sensitive than the Home, but Google was much better at finding music on podcast like Spotify than Amazon.
To conclude, voices from Alexa sound more natural and understandable, but if you prefer more bass, Home is more ideal than Alexa.
How to choose
Actually, the most amazing elements of voice-controlled speaker are not their primitive role as speakers any more but their special functions such as being digital assistants and smart home controllers. So the best smart speaker for your home can vary depending on your priorities, the stuff you already have, and the services you already subscribe to. Comparison between Google Home and Amazon Echo from following aspects could serve as reference when you decide to buy either of them.
|
Task |
Amazon Echo |
Google Home |
|
Streaming support for music, podcasts, etc. |
Better for Amazon services, including Audible. Works as a Bluetooth speaker for any mobile audio source. |
Better for Google services, including YouTube. Works as a Chromecast speaker for supported apps, and has Bluetooth capability. |
|
Speaker quality |
Voices sound more natural and understandable—though it lacks bass. For even better sound, get an Echo Dot and connect it to a good speaker. |
Get instead if you prefer more bass, even if voices sound less clear, or if you want to use it as part of a Chromecast multiroom audio setup. |
|
Digital assistant |
Supports more services, can add events to a calendar, and can order off of Amazon. |
Get instead if you already use Google Keep and Google Express. |
|
Answering questions |
Get instead if you’re willing to fill Alexa’s knowledge gaps by enabling third-party skills. |
More detailed responses to a wider variety of questions without having to enable additional skills. |
|
Smart-home control |
Supports more platforms and products. |
Get instead if it supports what you already have and you prefer a slightly more conversational tone. |
Resources from: Amazon Echo vs. Google Home: Which Voice Controlled Speaker Is Best for You?
Hope this will be helpful for you, and do not hesitate to comment below if you have any questions or suggestions!
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