Sonos One是Play:1的值得和优越的升级版，它拥有Play:1的所有优秀功能和性能，还可以选择Alexa和Google Assistant，而且它的声音远比亚马逊Echo和Google Home好听。马歇尔Stanmore II Voice和Google Home Max都是更大、更强大的谷歌助手配备的音箱，但它们的价格都是Sonos One的两倍左右。与此同时，Sonos Beam则以声霸的形式提供了同样的流媒体支持和语音助手的选择。
但与许多Bose产品一样，它的价格偏高，Sonos One仍然是我们的编辑选择，因为它能以较低的60美元提供类似的音质和功能。如果你正在寻找更强大的产品（并愿意相应增加预算），Google Home Max和Marshall Stanmore II Voice在很多方面都是我们现在看到的很多紧凑、圆形、单声道智能音箱的解毒剂。
The new Echo 4th Gen is a big change in aesthetics and design for the Echo line. The new spherical shape is wider and shorter than previous Echo versions, and now focus sound in one primary direction instead of 360 degrees. It adds an extra tweeter, and seems to produce more sound than previous versions. Here are my early thoughts so far, after using it for about 24 hours:THE GOOD:Setup was incredibly simple. I just powered the device on, and the Echo announced that it was ready for setup. I opened the Alexa app on my phone, and the new Echo was automatically detected and set up instantly. I didn’t have to enter any information at all. It can’t get any easier than this.BETTER SOUND. This new Echo has an extra tweeter, for a total of two 0.8 inch tweeters, and the same 3.0 inch Sub from the Gen 3 Echo. This new Echo is designed with the tweeters pointed forward, and the speaker placement seems to generate more bass also somehow, even with the same Sub as the Gen 3. All in all I think it sounds much better than Gen 3, with a little more bass and louder max volume. This could also be do to the sound-mapping feature that allows Echo to maximize the sound by detecting the acoustics and shape of the room. You can also pair two of these in stereo; and you are supposed to be able to use it as a speaker for your FireTV device, though I haven’t tested that out yet.Temperature sensor included. Yes, you can ask Alexa what the temperature is, and it seems very accurate so far. This is a nice touch, and I look forward to doing more testing, to see if I can set up routines based on temperature.AZ1 Processor. This new Amazon processor promises better voice recognition and faster Alexa responses. In my testing so far, I have barely noticed a slight speed improvement (for example turning on certain room lights) but there are supposed to be upcoming updates that will make an even bigger difference in speed.Zigbee + Sidewalk Bridge. This comes with a Zigbee hub, just like previous versions of the Echo Plus. It also contains the new Sidewalk Bridge, which allows the Echo to use bluetooth and radio connections to connect to some smart devices at long range, and push data to the internet.THE BAD:No 360 degree speakers. While I personally prefer the sound of this new version, some people might miss the 360 degree speaker setup of previous Echo generations. It certainly might lead to a situation where the ideal placement of the Echo in your room could be different.White power cord. This is minor, but a strange choice. No matter what color Echo you get, the power cord is white. Some people might find that annoying.Voice detection is not great while loud music is playing. This surprised me, as previous generations haven;t really struggled with this in my experience. I’m not sure if it is because this speaker is much louder, but Alexa hasn’t heard me a few times when I talked while the music was playing at max volume. This could be annoying if you often listen to very loud music.NEUTRAL: -Aesthetics. I think I preferred the look of the cylinder design, instead of this new sphere shape. This is totally personal preference of course. I also wish the entire sphere was fabric, instead of being plastic on the back side. Some people might prefer the ball shape though, so that is up to you.All in all, I’m keeping this new Echo because of the better sound and faster responsiveness, but it is not really a massive upgrade. Pretty decent so far, I’ll update this review and try to answer any questions in the future!
Becca 说：
Your browser does not support HTML5 video. I preordered this echo dot with clock and began using the first day available on November 5th 2020. I have multiple 3rd generation echo dots with clock and I love the upgrade to the 4th generation echo dot with clock. I chose the Twilight Blue color and it’s great looking in person. It’s a nice break with additional from the charcoal and sandstone color but still looks elegant and sleek in design. The light ring on the base and digital clock display and brighter and more crisp than the 3rd generation dot. It’s very easy to read. The speakers and microphone are improved as well. The wire is a light grey color and the 15w Adaptor is rectangular in shape versus the square shape of the 3rd generation 15w power Adaptor. The manual buttons to control the echo are on top similar to last years model, but slightly recessed towards the back so they are not in view when staring directly and the front of the digital clock face. The speaker is more full in front of the dot and raises in the back where the wire plugs into dot. Setup was easy. I am considering trading in my older 3rd generation echo dots with digital clock for additional 4th generation echo dots with digital clock instead.
Wise Buyer 说：
Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Just received it today for my daughter. She loves it! For years she has been trying to get her hands on my echo devices. Now she has our own. I must say it is a big Improvement from the 3rd Generation Echo Dot.It has true surround sound.~ The LED clock on the front is very bright, and displays the time in standard, and military time. It has a time, and alarm indicator.~ The lights around the base increase and decrease according to the volume setting. This Echo dot puts on a nice little light show, if could almost be used as a night light.~ The buttons for the microphone, volumes up, down, and deactivation button sit on top of the 4th gen echo. With raised button symbols it can easily be accessed even in the dark.~ The sound quality is a real improvement. You can hear channels, lows, midrange, and highs. I mean it a small speaker, so you can’t expect to get bass thumping, room shaking sound. But it will surprise you with how powerful it is for it’s size.~ The microphone is a upgrade also. It’s very sensitive, and can hear you practically whisper across the room.~ It still has the 3.5 mm output jack to connect to bigger speaker systems. So you can still get that room shaking sound. If you have big speakers you can make them smart.If you’ve ever had a smart speaker before(echo, google) or you have a whole host of skills aside from playing music you can activate from the Alexa app.~ Apps to set reminders, lists~ Set alarms, and timers.~ Play games, and trivia, and puzzles.~ Read to you from your Kindle books, and Audible acct.~ Control smart devices like smart lights, outlets, and even smart locks.- The one drawback (Con) that I found is that when – I have its side by side with the 1st, and 3rd generation Echo Dot it is actually a few seconds slower in responding.But overall the 4th generation Echo Dot is a improvement. You get for playing music, and it plays music better than the previous gens. Amazon continue to improve, and make a good thing great.
Honest Reviewer 说：
Pros:__________• The globe design with the fabric speaker layout is a decent upgrade from all the previous flat Echos. With the glowing ring now at the bottom of the device, you get a mini space ship.• The “tap to snooze” is a feature that will be helpful if anyone wants this Echo near their bed. When the alarm rings you just need to tap the speaker (the device) with two or more fingers and it will go to snooze for a short time. No button pressing, just anywhere on the speaker and it’ll let you sleep a little more (but just a little more).• A 3.5mm audio jack for connecting a wired speaker. This is something that Google’s nest mini no longer has. I appreciated that Amazon put this in.• If you never used amazon products before, the setup process on any of their machines are ridiculously easy. This is no exception. Just a phone, an app and that’s it.• I’ve had their previous model and setting this up was even easier because all the info I had on my account (Wi-Fi password, smart-plugins, etc.) just merge in flawlessly with this Echo.• Alexa itself is fast. From weather to set times, to stories, and even jokes. If I want directions she responds almost instantly and overall performs excellent, like the previous model.• One of the perks of Amazon Echos is the vast inventory of smart devices that you can connect with. You can buy smart plugins, smart lights, and 1000s more to make your place a “smart” place. In this day in age, the restrictions on what a smart device can be are minimal, and overall it’s a big reason why you want to buy an Echo instead of Apple’s Homepod.• You’re able to listen in on another room if you’re not in the area and the Echo is. A pretty neat tool to have if you’re in an “uncertain” relationship.• The Echo does an excellent job of understanding your routines. For example, my hallway, and bedroom lights are always on at the same time before bed. If I’m in bed I can say “Alexa, good night” and Alexa will shut both of them off. This can also be used to say “Alexa, good morning” and Alexa can turn on any smart devices at the same time in the morning. TV, stereo, coffee maker, all you need is a smart device connector.• Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Deezer, Spotify. You have all the choices in the world in choosing your music channel (except of course google and apple music)• This Echo can connect with any of the other models of Echos, regardless of generation. This means that you just need to tap the Announce tab on Alexa and you can say/type a message of your choosing. All Echos in you have will be able to repeat what you said. I found this pretty niffy if you have kids throughout the house and you want them to come to you.• The light-up time and temperature are bright and never overbearing.• Echo can also call landlines, and any calls placed to numbers in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico for free. Note: Your Wi-Fi strength will be your indicator if the call quality will be good for you.• The volume on these devices doesn’t bring in any distortion or cranked tones when turning this device up high.• Overall the volume balances heavily towards the highs and mid-tones. A decent performance for the size that it is.Cons and Oks:__________• There is little to no volume bass in this device. The result makes an overall boomy experience. It’s still decent sound but it wasn’t something I was amazed by.• This isn’t a 360 design as the fabric covering the speaker covers only around 2/3rds of the Echo. This leaves a bare wedge in the rear.• As much as the voice assistant is helpful, you still need to speak to Alexa with a “specific” dialogue to get what you need. One of the benefits of Google in my eyes is the software in their mini. You’re able to be more open in the conversational dialogue. Alexa isn’t there yet.• For the size, I have to say that you’re getting a pretty large power brick.• Alexa Guard is a cool feature where it can inform you in the app if Alexa hears a smoke alarm or breaking glass when you’re out. I put this in the Con section because I kept getting false alarms from Alexa. I don’t know if this was a glitch but I assume that a software update will fix this problem. When it does, then it’s indeed a great tool to have, but don’t expect it to be beneficial if you have an indoor dog/cat.• Amazon does have a $5/month service where the save guard will listen to footsteps and opening doors. Don’t know why you have to pay for this if the software is already on the device.• I wish that you can buy the kids the designs for the Echo without the need to buy a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.Bottom Line:__________This is either an alarm clock next to your bed or a nice radio when you’re cooking. It’s small, light, and you have the same Alexa power that Amazon’s more expensive Echos have. With the price that it is, this Echo is a great way to see if you want to start making your house a “smart” house, or even for someone who isn’t tech-savvy. I do recommend that you fork over the extra $10 and buy this Echo with the backlit clock.Now for those who have any of the previous models, this isn’t worth the buy. There aren’t many significant changes. The main function of this Echo is the same performance as any other model (this is coming from someone who has the previous gen). Amazon still hasn’t fixed the bass issue, then again you’re paying not much for this.In the end, Amazon does a great job with the software of these devices. They’re very simple to use and don’t take that much power in using them. As I mentioned, one of Amazon’s best perks is the vast variety of third-party dealers that the Echo can connect with. This is something that both the google mini and Apple’s Homepod don’t even come close to.Overall: An updated design built well for your bedroom or kitchen, but no need to upgrade from its predecessor.Hope I was a help to you.Love,Honest Reviewer
Stephanie M Matamoros 说：
Updating – now pretty much unusable. Doesn’t pick up our voice at allUpdating – over time, it has gotten worse. I talk directly to it, but it never responds. All of the devices in the other rooms much further away answer. Even with an update, the microphone doesn’t work well.Updating my review to one less star. I have an Alexa in my kitchen, my living room (this one) , and my bedroom. Both are dots. You can be standing in the living room talking to the device over it, and the other Alexas respond to you. The microphone is awful. Thinking about returning. I stopped delivery on the 3 to order the 4 when it came out. Now, I wish I didn’t.My black device came with a horrible looking white aftermarket cord that is not Amazon original ; at least match the color. It sounds ok; I have Alexa devices all around my house and compared to the dot, I think it’s honestly just ok. Not amazing.
D. W. 说：
I actually prefer the more balanced sound from my echo plus (2nd gen) without needing to mess with the equalizer. I also prefer the 360° sound from the echo plus. after going back-and-forth I’ve personally experienced the microphones on the echo plus pick up my voice better. in my opinion this new version just sounds a little bit louder with more bass even though they both have the exact same drivers with the exception of the new one having an extra tweeter which doesn’t really make a difference in the sound. I actually had to turn down the bass just a little because it sounded a little… messy. i’m not really sure why they completely changed the design and got rid of the 360° sound and made it a directional sound speaker instead. i’m a little confused. One more thing I noticed about the new speaker is when the volume goes up the bass goes down which is very common for all these speakers and most Bluetooth speakers but it seems especially evident in this newest version of the echo. they could’ve at least made the bluetooth option volume sync with your phone with this new version. and of course it wasn’t compatible to pair with my echo plus for stereo. ok i’m done.
TXEggplant 说：
I’m a HUGE fan of Echo devices. I have one in nearly …. *thinking* … yes, nearly every room (I don’t have one in the dining room but only because the ones in other rooms can pick up my voice while I’m in the dining room). I even have a car one so … when I saw this one … I was PRETTY intrigued. I bought it to go in the bathroom, to replace my Dot that I have in there, plugged into and hanging on the wall via a bulky thing made just for it that you can find on Amazon (that I don’t mind … I’m just saying it’s bulky).The set up on the Flex is just as easy as the set up on other devices. You plug it in, it starts up and if it’s registered and you have an Alexa account on your phone, you’re set to go.PRO – there’s a USB port on the bottom of the Flex, so you can plug in a charger cord or a fan cord or whatever you want that is USB powered. Nifty! I was going to plug in a night light.But, the sound. So, the sound is not as good as the most recent generation of Dots (pre the one with the clock, I haven’t tried that one yet). It’s a much smaller speaker, obviously, and the sound isn’t as rich. I plugged it into the outlet in the bathroom, turned on the shower and hopped in for a listen. Even at the highest volume, it wasn’t really the sound I was looking for to get me going in the morning. Boo. So, I replaced it with my bulky Dot and took the Flex into my computer room, where I don’t really NEED an Echo device because I have a Fire TV with Alexa built in but … my family can’t drop in on that (NOT a bad thing, right?).Because of my outlet situation, I ended up putting it in an outlet midway up the wall, behind a small lamp. I had to turn it upside down. I noticed that either because it’s in a bigger space (13’x9′) or because it’s upside down, the sound is better but still not like a Dot but still passable. Like a first generation Dot’s sound.Anyhow, my husband dropped in on me with it last night and it worked great. It would be great for a garage or a small bathroom without a shower or somewhere where there isn’t a lot of background noise. Of course, you can use the USB to plug in a speaker but … there’s already a speaker. It’s literally touted as a mini-speaker!I also found the voice pickup wasn’t as responsive as my newest Dot. It responds but you have to give it a second to wake up to your voice and speak slower.I don’t want you to think I don’t like this Flex … I really do. I think it’s perfect for certain spaces … ones that don’t have a lot of background noise and are smaller. I really like the added USB and I like the shape and the way it looks on the wall. I think if you’re going to have Echo devices, you should have them in every room (especially as you age) and they should be the right ones for each room. This one serves a purpose for specific spaces and the price is certainly right.
C.Q. Young 说：
Your browser does not support HTML5 video. I use it outside in my caport to control all my exterior lights – I can do it from my phone, but that’s a pain, especially if I am dirty, have my hands full, etc. I can get my outside lights on with ease, and I can still get time temp, time, weather, or place calls from it by just telling it to call someone on my contact list or just spout out the number. It has Bluetooth which I have tried and after figuring out how to configure it through the Alexa app on my phone, it works beautifully. Also there is a 3.5mm headphone jack that connects with ease to a speaker. Love it so far!The onboard sound is tinny and very small sounding, but I expected that from this very small device.
Joseph Siegler 说：
I got this for one of the primary reasons I suspect most multi-echo households will. The size. My house has a large central room that all the other rooms feed off of. We have echoes in just about every room in the house, except the central room. The main reason for that is the cords that are on the dots. I would have loved a 3G dot in this central room, but the location of all the power outlets make it visually unappealing. I’d have to run a cord to where I could put the dot, and that would just look bad.So when Amazon announced this little item, it was an automatic purchase. Now I know we don’t have it for music – my office setup handles that (Two Echo 2.0’s & the echo subwoofer). But my wife does not have a particularly loud voice, and when she tries to issue commands to turn on lights in other rooms, it frequently mishears her.So I wanted one for this central room, but didn’t want a cord. This is perfect. The voice isn’t as good as a regular speaker, but that’s to be expected. But it does work as something for light conversation – or commands to turn lights on and off.One goofy thing about this, I have it on an outlet near the floor, and to that, our cats checked it out immediately upon installation. There is a skill you can do to make your device meow like a cat, and it was most enjoyable.Anyway, the device is small – I have pictures below of the thing in my hand before I installed it.Bottom line is – this does what it says. Adds Alexa to areas where it wasn’t before via a very small footprint device. It lacks sound fidelity due to its size, but if you know that going on, and don’t plan on this to be your primary music source, then you’re good.
Harry Sachs 说：
After installing the update (that took an hour) it still won’t consistently play music. I don’t know if this device is ready for primetime as this seems like a common issue.I was very excited for this one as I use my original echo daily to listen to the radio or music. Little difference between this device and the original when it comes to listening to talk radio like NPR or news streaming. The music that it did play sounded better than the original echo (much of the difference was an increase of bass). It sounded good when it played music.I have returned it because of the inconsistency and lack of functionality. I opted to not get a replacement though because I have my echo spot hooked up to a Boston Acoustics speaker that sounds as good and it’s cheaper than the $200 For this speaker.Having used this “studio” version, I would recommend hooking up your old Alexa to a quality speaker instead of spending the money on this one. I find this to be a much more versatile option. Plus this thing is huge and didn’t fit in the place where my original echo sits.My experience with Amazon customer service this time was horrible! I talked with about 15 different representatives to arrange for a ups pickup for the defective one and now I need to contact ups and try to accomplish this. Seems like Amazons policies or customer service has taken a nosedive.
A. Meller 说：
Disclaimer: this is not my first Echo device – I have altogether 5 of them at the moment, and have used them for at least 3 years.Unlike other reviewer who criticized this gadget, I had no problems with setting it up and with using it. It works fine, plays music and answers questions. I am just unhappy with the sound, that was, of course, the primary reason to upgrade from Echo Plus to this device.The good:a. Bass is better that on my Echo Plus.The bad:a. Trebles are very bad and muddy. Rudimentary equalizer settings (Bass, Midrange, Treble) are not sufficient to adjust the sound properly. I believe the problem is mostly due to phase cancellation effect on a single tweeter that mixes signal from left and right channels. Amazon developers, please consider either adding another tweeter in the next generation, or employing a better algorithm that will minimize phase cancellation effect.b. The switch for “Stereo Spatial Enhancement”, that is enabled by default, makes the sound much worse and completely kills the trebles.c. There is a clear dis-balance in volume between spoken voice (that appears too quiet) and music (too loud). So every time you use it, you need to adjust the volume.d. Light ring that shows that Alexa is listening for you can be seen only from above, and not from the side, so if you ask Alexa to do something from 3 steps away, you don’t know if it can hear you or not.
Steve Pugliese 说：
There will be plenty of reviews for the Studio in stand alone, single speaker use. It does sound excellent that way. But if you pair two Studios and throw in the Echo Sub, that is an extraordinary composition! That is the way to do the Echo Studio! That is how I’ll review it here.I decided I must pair two Studios since I had two Echo Plus’s stereo paired with an Echo Sub and it sounded pretty darn good. So I had to try the Studio paired in stereo, and since I had the Sub, I threw that in too. What else am I going to do with it? The Sub added a lot to the two Plus’s. I wondered would you even notice it with the two Studios? I’m here to say that you definitely notice it. You notice it’s not there, I can tell you.The sound of this whole system (two Echo Studios and the Echo Sub) is quite exceptional. I would have to say it’s thrilling! Yes, it costs $530 but that is bound to come down and did I tell you that it sounds incredible? It commands a respect, it really does. There is such a depth to this. The bass is deliberate and authoritative. Very punchy. It has exceptional dynamic range (at high volumes this can be startling) and the stereo image is just stunning. An enormous stage. Those 6 midrange speakers sound sweet indeed. Be sure to turn everything up in the equalizer in Audio Settings of the device in the Alexa App. This thing likes loud! It can easily handle max volume for extensive listening.You crank this up to ten and it literally takes over the room. If you can listen at that volume for awhile with this system (you must live without neighbors) you will be found with a huge smile on your face.All of Amazon’s music library is now available in lossless CD quality streaming or better, which shines on this. The new celebrated 3D formats also sound excellent, though I thought there’d be more to them (Abbey Road sounded great but I didn’t think it was transformed). But anything you play on this will sound exceptional. I really can’t believe Amazon has taken it this far from the original Echo. Bravo! I notice that the Apple Homepod is now down to $200 at Best Buy. Would two of them paired sound better than this setup? I truly doubt it. They’d need a subwoofer and none, as far as I know, are available for it.A few things. The circling Alexa lights are now on top of the speaker. You can no longer really see them from the side, which is unfortunate. I love those lights! And two, the Studio comes with this “spatial” setting set. I recommend turning it off. In the Alexa app, go to the device and then Audio Settings and below the equalizer is that on off button for the spatial effect. I don’t find it adds anything even though it really changes the acoustics. But if you want to hear music as it was recorded, leave this off.Oh, and I have to say that Amazon still does not make it super easy to set this all up. You have to start with a new or deregistered speaker. Set up each separately and then pair them. But it’s anything but obvious or close to foolproof. Come on, Amazon!And I feel I must tell you that you can’t connect to the Studio by Bluetooth when stereo paired. It will only play through one Studio, the first one you set up. To use the Studios in stereo pair with the Echo Sub, you can only stream. And you can only stream if you pay.Finally, then, these things are big. Really quite large. And seemingly only available now in black, though there’s a gray one in Amazon’s web site ads. This is not a speaker that sits demurely upon a table. It’s almost as big as the Echo Sub, if that helps visualize it. But you will definitely be challenged as to its home, because that is where this will stay, like forever. Especially if you go for the whole magilla. But I urge you to at least try it (the whole magilla!). But be prepared, I guarantee you won’t send them back!UPDATE: After a software update, the Spatial effect is now the preferred way, so leave it on. Turning it off now makes the music too flat. I think it may even turn off one of the mid range speakers. But something’s missing!
Brian 说：
First off, I looked through the reviews to see why people had issues with this speaker. I noticed many were issues with the app and/or software complaints. I will touch on that aspect.First impressions with this speaker is it is well designed. Small but heavy. Very well constructed. I have a much older Bose soundlink mini Bluetooth speaker that is still running strong after many years. I have confidence in the brand and the way the devices are made. This one is certainly bigger than the soundlink mini and also will need to remain plugged in. But where you lose in portability you gain massively in audio quality. This speaker has a fantastic range of audio. The bass is strong and deep even without being turned up. I actually prefer the bass level at a lower setting with Bose as I feel you get a more natural and balanced audio at that level. That’s more of a personal preference. I did test it with full base to get an idea and it certainly would not disappoint people who love base heavy music.As far as the software is concerned, you do need to download the Bose app to really get the most out of this speaker. I followed the instructions. I wish I could say it was a super easy setup but there were some slight issues with pairing the device to work with Alexa and also to get Spotify registered. That being said once you mess with the app a bit for anyone with a little bit of tech knowledge this is not a complicated set up. The firmware update I installed perhaps was not available when earlier reviewers had purchased the device. Pandora worked flawlessly right away. Like I said Spotify was a little fussy to link at first. As far as Alexa goes you need to go into the Alexa app first and add the Bose device before you can use the Alexa voice control. Once you do get it programmed the speaker is one of the best I’ve tried in this class.My favorite feature of this device is the 6 preset stations setting with the buttons available for quick changing on the top of the speaker. Meaning you can have station #1 be your favorite pandora station and #2 be your favorite Spotify station. Or you can have several stations from just one of the apps preprogrammed in. This is a great touch that many other speakers have not adapted with physical buttons for easy control.This is a very well made product that is fairly priced in this type of speaker class. The audio is superb. I wouldn’t take away any stars for a software issue that seems to be almost fully resolved at the time I tested the device.
Chef o' da future 说：
I have several other Bose systems and they pretty much perform well. This would be OK for podcasts, books, Alexa or Google voice assistants (though it doesn’t support Google Play Music). It produces “room filling” — but low quality — murky sound satisfactory for stoned millennials. Sounds like an industrial strength AM radio. My old 1st gen Bose Soundlink Mini sounds much sweeter, just not as loud.
A. Hunt 说：
The sound quality is good and I’m giving it two stars because it comes in a really nice box. Setup failed because a required firmware update failed. This left the speaker unusable. Spent three hours this morning researching the problem, I found many other purchasers having the same problem, then I had to download an update, get the correct USB cable, and then try to update the speaker firmware. My update also failed but I was able to finish setup of the Bose Home speaker. I have no idea of the condition or state of the Home Speaker 300 or the version of the software that it is currently running but it is “working”. I mean by working I’m able to play music and Alexa is working.Beware! There are problems in the setup of the Bose Home Speaker 300. It may be better to wait or look for other options.
damianicus 说：
My wife’s brother has two Gen 1 of these so I bought one for my wife’s birthday. Followed instructions, got it set up. Worked great. Then 10 to 20 minutes later Alexa would say “I’m having trouble understanding” Reset it. Re-set it up, same thing. Over and Over. Called Sonos help number and the wait was 45 minutes. No. Returned for the the Amazon speaker which is half the price. Sonos, get your stuff right before releasing.
Bruce Wayne 说：
I bought a few of these sonos gen 2 units and set them up. Easy breezy to do. Ran into a small hiccup with setting up Alexa but that was user error and I figured it out. It’s just a multi multi multi step process I wasn’t anticipating. The speakers are great. I love that I can take calls and not rely on regular Bluetooth speakers. However! I bought these with the intention to not have to purchase the amazon echo or dot or whatever because of sound quality. I’m finding that the Alexa function is incredibly limited. It WAS advertised that Alexa voice calls were unsupported. BUT it had no mention of other things, such as routines and other automatic processes. Why can’t I have an Alexa Routine work with SONOS? That’s one of Alexa’s features that are wonderful. Aaaaaaand now I have three speakers that are as helpful as coasters, in my opinion, with simple functionality that isn’t possible. This unit is 10 stars if they can fix with a firmware update. Otherwise I will likely send them back. It’s just not worth the cost to have limited Alexa functionality. It’s pitched as ‘use Alexa for everything but voice calls!’ Not true.Update: after three days? All of the speakers are out of connection and don’t work with Alexa or playing audio in general. I think there is a bug they need to fix where the device doesn’t connect to WiFi properly. I’m no tech wizard but I like to think I know mostly everything when it comes to easy-to-use devices and setups. I trouble shooted as best I could with customer service. Still no bueno.
Radi0head 说：
The sound is amazing. So much better than my Echo speaker (obviously.)The connection gets worse each day. I never had any problem with a device staying connected to my network so I’m not sure If I got a defective one but I’m about 2 days from returning this. The sonos app is terrible. I wrote to them for help which is my last try before returning. This speaker won’t stay connected and then the process to get it reconnected only works if I unplug it and connect it directly to the router. If you are planning on keeping it right next to your router maybe it would be tolerable to constantly go through this?Alexa is slower to respond on this device as well.
The new Echo 4th Gen is a big change in aesthetics and design for the Echo line. The new spherical shape is wider and shorter than previous Echo versions, and now focus sound in one primary direction instead of 360 degrees. It adds an extra tweeter, and seems to produce more sound than previous versions. Here are my early thoughts so far, after using it for about 24 hours:THE GOOD:Setup was incredibly simple. I just powered the device on, and the Echo announced that it was ready for setup. I opened the Alexa app on my phone, and the new Echo was automatically detected and set up instantly. I didn’t have to enter any information at all. It can’t get any easier than this.BETTER SOUND. This new Echo has an extra tweeter, for a total of two 0.8 inch tweeters, and the same 3.0 inch Sub from the Gen 3 Echo. This new Echo is designed with the tweeters pointed forward, and the speaker placement seems to generate more bass also somehow, even with the same Sub as the Gen 3. All in all I think it sounds much better than Gen 3, with a little more bass and louder max volume. This could also be do to the sound-mapping feature that allows Echo to maximize the sound by detecting the acoustics and shape of the room. You can also pair two of these in stereo; and you are supposed to be able to use it as a speaker for your FireTV device, though I haven’t tested that out yet.Temperature sensor included. Yes, you can ask Alexa what the temperature is, and it seems very accurate so far. This is a nice touch, and I look forward to doing more testing, to see if I can set up routines based on temperature.AZ1 Processor. This new Amazon processor promises better voice recognition and faster Alexa responses. In my testing so far, I have barely noticed a slight speed improvement (for example turning on certain room lights) but there are supposed to be upcoming updates that will make an even bigger difference in speed.Zigbee + Sidewalk Bridge. This comes with a Zigbee hub, just like previous versions of the Echo Plus. It also contains the new Sidewalk Bridge, which allows the Echo to use bluetooth and radio connections to connect to some smart devices at long range, and push data to the internet.THE BAD:No 360 degree speakers. While I personally prefer the sound of this new version, some people might miss the 360 degree speaker setup of previous Echo generations. It certainly might lead to a situation where the ideal placement of the Echo in your room could be different.White power cord. This is minor, but a strange choice. No matter what color Echo you get, the power cord is white. Some people might find that annoying.Voice detection is not great while loud music is playing. This surprised me, as previous generations haven;t really struggled with this in my experience. I’m not sure if it is because this speaker is much louder, but Alexa hasn’t heard me a few times when I talked while the music was playing at max volume. This could be annoying if you often listen to very loud music.NEUTRAL: -Aesthetics. I think I preferred the look of the cylinder design, instead of this new sphere shape. This is totally personal preference of course. I also wish the entire sphere was fabric, instead of being plastic on the back side. Some people might prefer the ball shape though, so that is up to you.All in all, I’m keeping this new Echo because of the better sound and faster responsiveness, but it is not really a massive upgrade. Pretty decent so far, I’ll update this review and try to answer any questions in the future!
Your browser does not support HTML5 video. I preordered this echo dot with clock and began using the first day available on November 5th 2020. I have multiple 3rd generation echo dots with clock and I love the upgrade to the 4th generation echo dot with clock. I chose the Twilight Blue color and it’s great looking in person. It’s a nice break with additional from the charcoal and sandstone color but still looks elegant and sleek in design. The light ring on the base and digital clock display and brighter and more crisp than the 3rd generation dot. It’s very easy to read. The speakers and microphone are improved as well. The wire is a light grey color and the 15w Adaptor is rectangular in shape versus the square shape of the 3rd generation 15w power Adaptor. The manual buttons to control the echo are on top similar to last years model, but slightly recessed towards the back so they are not in view when staring directly and the front of the digital clock face. The speaker is more full in front of the dot and raises in the back where the wire plugs into dot. Setup was easy. I am considering trading in my older 3rd generation echo dots with digital clock for additional 4th generation echo dots with digital clock instead.
Your browser does not support HTML5 video. Just received it today for my daughter. She loves it! For years she has been trying to get her hands on my echo devices. Now she has our own. I must say it is a big Improvement from the 3rd Generation Echo Dot.It has true surround sound.~ The LED clock on the front is very bright, and displays the time in standard, and military time. It has a time, and alarm indicator.~ The lights around the base increase and decrease according to the volume setting. This Echo dot puts on a nice little light show, if could almost be used as a night light.~ The buttons for the microphone, volumes up, down, and deactivation button sit on top of the 4th gen echo. With raised button symbols it can easily be accessed even in the dark.~ The sound quality is a real improvement. You can hear channels, lows, midrange, and highs. I mean it a small speaker, so you can’t expect to get bass thumping, room shaking sound. But it will surprise you with how powerful it is for it’s size.~ The microphone is a upgrade also. It’s very sensitive, and can hear you practically whisper across the room.~ It still has the 3.5 mm output jack to connect to bigger speaker systems. So you can still get that room shaking sound. If you have big speakers you can make them smart.If you’ve ever had a smart speaker before(echo, google) or you have a whole host of skills aside from playing music you can activate from the Alexa app.~ Apps to set reminders, lists~ Set alarms, and timers.~ Play games, and trivia, and puzzles.~ Read to you from your Kindle books, and Audible acct.~ Control smart devices like smart lights, outlets, and even smart locks.- The one drawback (Con) that I found is that when – I have its side by side with the 1st, and 3rd generation Echo Dot it is actually a few seconds slower in responding.But overall the 4th generation Echo Dot is a improvement. You get for playing music, and it plays music better than the previous gens. Amazon continue to improve, and make a good thing great.
Pros:__________• The globe design with the fabric speaker layout is a decent upgrade from all the previous flat Echos. With the glowing ring now at the bottom of the device, you get a mini space ship.• The “tap to snooze” is a feature that will be helpful if anyone wants this Echo near their bed. When the alarm rings you just need to tap the speaker (the device) with two or more fingers and it will go to snooze for a short time. No button pressing, just anywhere on the speaker and it’ll let you sleep a little more (but just a little more).• A 3.5mm audio jack for connecting a wired speaker. This is something that Google’s nest mini no longer has. I appreciated that Amazon put this in.• If you never used amazon products before, the setup process on any of their machines are ridiculously easy. This is no exception. Just a phone, an app and that’s it.• I’ve had their previous model and setting this up was even easier because all the info I had on my account (Wi-Fi password, smart-plugins, etc.) just merge in flawlessly with this Echo.• Alexa itself is fast. From weather to set times, to stories, and even jokes. If I want directions she responds almost instantly and overall performs excellent, like the previous model.• One of the perks of Amazon Echos is the vast inventory of smart devices that you can connect with. You can buy smart plugins, smart lights, and 1000s more to make your place a “smart” place. In this day in age, the restrictions on what a smart device can be are minimal, and overall it’s a big reason why you want to buy an Echo instead of Apple’s Homepod.• You’re able to listen in on another room if you’re not in the area and the Echo is. A pretty neat tool to have if you’re in an “uncertain” relationship.• The Echo does an excellent job of understanding your routines. For example, my hallway, and bedroom lights are always on at the same time before bed. If I’m in bed I can say “Alexa, good night” and Alexa will shut both of them off. This can also be used to say “Alexa, good morning” and Alexa can turn on any smart devices at the same time in the morning. TV, stereo, coffee maker, all you need is a smart device connector.• Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, Deezer, Spotify. You have all the choices in the world in choosing your music channel (except of course google and apple music)• This Echo can connect with any of the other models of Echos, regardless of generation. This means that you just need to tap the Announce tab on Alexa and you can say/type a message of your choosing. All Echos in you have will be able to repeat what you said. I found this pretty niffy if you have kids throughout the house and you want them to come to you.• The light-up time and temperature are bright and never overbearing.• Echo can also call landlines, and any calls placed to numbers in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico for free. Note: Your Wi-Fi strength will be your indicator if the call quality will be good for you.• The volume on these devices doesn’t bring in any distortion or cranked tones when turning this device up high.• Overall the volume balances heavily towards the highs and mid-tones. A decent performance for the size that it is.Cons and Oks:__________• There is little to no volume bass in this device. The result makes an overall boomy experience. It’s still decent sound but it wasn’t something I was amazed by.• This isn’t a 360 design as the fabric covering the speaker covers only around 2/3rds of the Echo. This leaves a bare wedge in the rear.• As much as the voice assistant is helpful, you still need to speak to Alexa with a “specific” dialogue to get what you need. One of the benefits of Google in my eyes is the software in their mini. You’re able to be more open in the conversational dialogue. Alexa isn’t there yet.• For the size, I have to say that you’re getting a pretty large power brick.• Alexa Guard is a cool feature where it can inform you in the app if Alexa hears a smoke alarm or breaking glass when you’re out. I put this in the Con section because I kept getting false alarms from Alexa. I don’t know if this was a glitch but I assume that a software update will fix this problem. When it does, then it’s indeed a great tool to have, but don’t expect it to be beneficial if you have an indoor dog/cat.• Amazon does have a $5/month service where the save guard will listen to footsteps and opening doors. Don’t know why you have to pay for this if the software is already on the device.• I wish that you can buy the kids the designs for the Echo without the need to buy a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+.Bottom Line:__________This is either an alarm clock next to your bed or a nice radio when you’re cooking. It’s small, light, and you have the same Alexa power that Amazon’s more expensive Echos have. With the price that it is, this Echo is a great way to see if you want to start making your house a “smart” house, or even for someone who isn’t tech-savvy. I do recommend that you fork over the extra $10 and buy this Echo with the backlit clock.Now for those who have any of the previous models, this isn’t worth the buy. There aren’t many significant changes. The main function of this Echo is the same performance as any other model (this is coming from someone who has the previous gen). Amazon still hasn’t fixed the bass issue, then again you’re paying not much for this.In the end, Amazon does a great job with the software of these devices. They’re very simple to use and don’t take that much power in using them. As I mentioned, one of Amazon’s best perks is the vast variety of third-party dealers that the Echo can connect with. This is something that both the google mini and Apple’s Homepod don’t even come close to.Overall: An updated design built well for your bedroom or kitchen, but no need to upgrade from its predecessor.Hope I was a help to you.Love,Honest Reviewer
Updating – now pretty much unusable. Doesn’t pick up our voice at allUpdating – over time, it has gotten worse. I talk directly to it, but it never responds. All of the devices in the other rooms much further away answer. Even with an update, the microphone doesn’t work well.Updating my review to one less star. I have an Alexa in my kitchen, my living room (this one) , and my bedroom. Both are dots. You can be standing in the living room talking to the device over it, and the other Alexas respond to you. The microphone is awful. Thinking about returning. I stopped delivery on the 3 to order the 4 when it came out. Now, I wish I didn’t.My black device came with a horrible looking white aftermarket cord that is not Amazon original ; at least match the color. It sounds ok; I have Alexa devices all around my house and compared to the dot, I think it’s honestly just ok. Not amazing.
I actually prefer the more balanced sound from my echo plus (2nd gen) without needing to mess with the equalizer. I also prefer the 360° sound from the echo plus. after going back-and-forth I’ve personally experienced the microphones on the echo plus pick up my voice better. in my opinion this new version just sounds a little bit louder with more bass even though they both have the exact same drivers with the exception of the new one having an extra tweeter which doesn’t really make a difference in the sound. I actually had to turn down the bass just a little because it sounded a little… messy. i’m not really sure why they completely changed the design and got rid of the 360° sound and made it a directional sound speaker instead. i’m a little confused. One more thing I noticed about the new speaker is when the volume goes up the bass goes down which is very common for all these speakers and most Bluetooth speakers but it seems especially evident in this newest version of the echo. they could’ve at least made the bluetooth option volume sync with your phone with this new version. and of course it wasn’t compatible to pair with my echo plus for stereo. ok i’m done.
I’m a HUGE fan of Echo devices. I have one in nearly …. *thinking* … yes, nearly every room (I don’t have one in the dining room but only because the ones in other rooms can pick up my voice while I’m in the dining room). I even have a car one so … when I saw this one … I was PRETTY intrigued. I bought it to go in the bathroom, to replace my Dot that I have in there, plugged into and hanging on the wall via a bulky thing made just for it that you can find on Amazon (that I don’t mind … I’m just saying it’s bulky).The set up on the Flex is just as easy as the set up on other devices. You plug it in, it starts up and if it’s registered and you have an Alexa account on your phone, you’re set to go.PRO – there’s a USB port on the bottom of the Flex, so you can plug in a charger cord or a fan cord or whatever you want that is USB powered. Nifty! I was going to plug in a night light.But, the sound. So, the sound is not as good as the most recent generation of Dots (pre the one with the clock, I haven’t tried that one yet). It’s a much smaller speaker, obviously, and the sound isn’t as rich. I plugged it into the outlet in the bathroom, turned on the shower and hopped in for a listen. Even at the highest volume, it wasn’t really the sound I was looking for to get me going in the morning. Boo. So, I replaced it with my bulky Dot and took the Flex into my computer room, where I don’t really NEED an Echo device because I have a Fire TV with Alexa built in but … my family can’t drop in on that (NOT a bad thing, right?).Because of my outlet situation, I ended up putting it in an outlet midway up the wall, behind a small lamp. I had to turn it upside down. I noticed that either because it’s in a bigger space (13’x9′) or because it’s upside down, the sound is better but still not like a Dot but still passable. Like a first generation Dot’s sound.Anyhow, my husband dropped in on me with it last night and it worked great. It would be great for a garage or a small bathroom without a shower or somewhere where there isn’t a lot of background noise. Of course, you can use the USB to plug in a speaker but … there’s already a speaker. It’s literally touted as a mini-speaker!I also found the voice pickup wasn’t as responsive as my newest Dot. It responds but you have to give it a second to wake up to your voice and speak slower.I don’t want you to think I don’t like this Flex … I really do. I think it’s perfect for certain spaces … ones that don’t have a lot of background noise and are smaller. I really like the added USB and I like the shape and the way it looks on the wall. I think if you’re going to have Echo devices, you should have them in every room (especially as you age) and they should be the right ones for each room. This one serves a purpose for specific spaces and the price is certainly right.
Your browser does not support HTML5 video. I use it outside in my caport to control all my exterior lights – I can do it from my phone, but that’s a pain, especially if I am dirty, have my hands full, etc. I can get my outside lights on with ease, and I can still get time temp, time, weather, or place calls from it by just telling it to call someone on my contact list or just spout out the number. It has Bluetooth which I have tried and after figuring out how to configure it through the Alexa app on my phone, it works beautifully. Also there is a 3.5mm headphone jack that connects with ease to a speaker. Love it so far!The onboard sound is tinny and very small sounding, but I expected that from this very small device.
I got this for one of the primary reasons I suspect most multi-echo households will. The size. My house has a large central room that all the other rooms feed off of. We have echoes in just about every room in the house, except the central room. The main reason for that is the cords that are on the dots. I would have loved a 3G dot in this central room, but the location of all the power outlets make it visually unappealing. I’d have to run a cord to where I could put the dot, and that would just look bad.So when Amazon announced this little item, it was an automatic purchase. Now I know we don’t have it for music – my office setup handles that (Two Echo 2.0’s & the echo subwoofer). But my wife does not have a particularly loud voice, and when she tries to issue commands to turn on lights in other rooms, it frequently mishears her.So I wanted one for this central room, but didn’t want a cord. This is perfect. The voice isn’t as good as a regular speaker, but that’s to be expected. But it does work as something for light conversation – or commands to turn lights on and off.One goofy thing about this, I have it on an outlet near the floor, and to that, our cats checked it out immediately upon installation. There is a skill you can do to make your device meow like a cat, and it was most enjoyable.Anyway, the device is small – I have pictures below of the thing in my hand before I installed it.Bottom line is – this does what it says. Adds Alexa to areas where it wasn’t before via a very small footprint device. It lacks sound fidelity due to its size, but if you know that going on, and don’t plan on this to be your primary music source, then you’re good.
After installing the update (that took an hour) it still won’t consistently play music. I don’t know if this device is ready for primetime as this seems like a common issue.I was very excited for this one as I use my original echo daily to listen to the radio or music. Little difference between this device and the original when it comes to listening to talk radio like NPR or news streaming. The music that it did play sounded better than the original echo (much of the difference was an increase of bass). It sounded good when it played music.I have returned it because of the inconsistency and lack of functionality. I opted to not get a replacement though because I have my echo spot hooked up to a Boston Acoustics speaker that sounds as good and it’s cheaper than the $200 For this speaker.Having used this “studio” version, I would recommend hooking up your old Alexa to a quality speaker instead of spending the money on this one. I find this to be a much more versatile option. Plus this thing is huge and didn’t fit in the place where my original echo sits.My experience with Amazon customer service this time was horrible! I talked with about 15 different representatives to arrange for a ups pickup for the defective one and now I need to contact ups and try to accomplish this. Seems like Amazons policies or customer service has taken a nosedive.
Disclaimer: this is not my first Echo device – I have altogether 5 of them at the moment, and have used them for at least 3 years.Unlike other reviewer who criticized this gadget, I had no problems with setting it up and with using it. It works fine, plays music and answers questions. I am just unhappy with the sound, that was, of course, the primary reason to upgrade from Echo Plus to this device.The good:a. Bass is better that on my Echo Plus.The bad:a. Trebles are very bad and muddy. Rudimentary equalizer settings (Bass, Midrange, Treble) are not sufficient to adjust the sound properly. I believe the problem is mostly due to phase cancellation effect on a single tweeter that mixes signal from left and right channels. Amazon developers, please consider either adding another tweeter in the next generation, or employing a better algorithm that will minimize phase cancellation effect.b. The switch for “Stereo Spatial Enhancement”, that is enabled by default, makes the sound much worse and completely kills the trebles.c. There is a clear dis-balance in volume between spoken voice (that appears too quiet) and music (too loud). So every time you use it, you need to adjust the volume.d. Light ring that shows that Alexa is listening for you can be seen only from above, and not from the side, so if you ask Alexa to do something from 3 steps away, you don’t know if it can hear you or not.
There will be plenty of reviews for the Studio in stand alone, single speaker use. It does sound excellent that way. But if you pair two Studios and throw in the Echo Sub, that is an extraordinary composition! That is the way to do the Echo Studio! That is how I’ll review it here.I decided I must pair two Studios since I had two Echo Plus’s stereo paired with an Echo Sub and it sounded pretty darn good. So I had to try the Studio paired in stereo, and since I had the Sub, I threw that in too. What else am I going to do with it? The Sub added a lot to the two Plus’s. I wondered would you even notice it with the two Studios? I’m here to say that you definitely notice it. You notice it’s not there, I can tell you.The sound of this whole system (two Echo Studios and the Echo Sub) is quite exceptional. I would have to say it’s thrilling! Yes, it costs $530 but that is bound to come down and did I tell you that it sounds incredible? It commands a respect, it really does. There is such a depth to this. The bass is deliberate and authoritative. Very punchy. It has exceptional dynamic range (at high volumes this can be startling) and the stereo image is just stunning. An enormous stage. Those 6 midrange speakers sound sweet indeed. Be sure to turn everything up in the equalizer in Audio Settings of the device in the Alexa App. This thing likes loud! It can easily handle max volume for extensive listening.You crank this up to ten and it literally takes over the room. If you can listen at that volume for awhile with this system (you must live without neighbors) you will be found with a huge smile on your face.All of Amazon’s music library is now available in lossless CD quality streaming or better, which shines on this. The new celebrated 3D formats also sound excellent, though I thought there’d be more to them (Abbey Road sounded great but I didn’t think it was transformed). But anything you play on this will sound exceptional. I really can’t believe Amazon has taken it this far from the original Echo. Bravo! I notice that the Apple Homepod is now down to $200 at Best Buy. Would two of them paired sound better than this setup? I truly doubt it. They’d need a subwoofer and none, as far as I know, are available for it.A few things. The circling Alexa lights are now on top of the speaker. You can no longer really see them from the side, which is unfortunate. I love those lights! And two, the Studio comes with this “spatial” setting set. I recommend turning it off. In the Alexa app, go to the device and then Audio Settings and below the equalizer is that on off button for the spatial effect. I don’t find it adds anything even though it really changes the acoustics. But if you want to hear music as it was recorded, leave this off.Oh, and I have to say that Amazon still does not make it super easy to set this all up. You have to start with a new or deregistered speaker. Set up each separately and then pair them. But it’s anything but obvious or close to foolproof. Come on, Amazon!And I feel I must tell you that you can’t connect to the Studio by Bluetooth when stereo paired. It will only play through one Studio, the first one you set up. To use the Studios in stereo pair with the Echo Sub, you can only stream. And you can only stream if you pay.Finally, then, these things are big. Really quite large. And seemingly only available now in black, though there’s a gray one in Amazon’s web site ads. This is not a speaker that sits demurely upon a table. It’s almost as big as the Echo Sub, if that helps visualize it. But you will definitely be challenged as to its home, because that is where this will stay, like forever. Especially if you go for the whole magilla. But I urge you to at least try it (the whole magilla!). But be prepared, I guarantee you won’t send them back!UPDATE: After a software update, the Spatial effect is now the preferred way, so leave it on. Turning it off now makes the music too flat. I think it may even turn off one of the mid range speakers. But something’s missing!
First off, I looked through the reviews to see why people had issues with this speaker. I noticed many were issues with the app and/or software complaints. I will touch on that aspect.First impressions with this speaker is it is well designed. Small but heavy. Very well constructed. I have a much older Bose soundlink mini Bluetooth speaker that is still running strong after many years. I have confidence in the brand and the way the devices are made. This one is certainly bigger than the soundlink mini and also will need to remain plugged in. But where you lose in portability you gain massively in audio quality. This speaker has a fantastic range of audio. The bass is strong and deep even without being turned up. I actually prefer the bass level at a lower setting with Bose as I feel you get a more natural and balanced audio at that level. That’s more of a personal preference. I did test it with full base to get an idea and it certainly would not disappoint people who love base heavy music.As far as the software is concerned, you do need to download the Bose app to really get the most out of this speaker. I followed the instructions. I wish I could say it was a super easy setup but there were some slight issues with pairing the device to work with Alexa and also to get Spotify registered. That being said once you mess with the app a bit for anyone with a little bit of tech knowledge this is not a complicated set up. The firmware update I installed perhaps was not available when earlier reviewers had purchased the device. Pandora worked flawlessly right away. Like I said Spotify was a little fussy to link at first. As far as Alexa goes you need to go into the Alexa app first and add the Bose device before you can use the Alexa voice control. Once you do get it programmed the speaker is one of the best I’ve tried in this class.My favorite feature of this device is the 6 preset stations setting with the buttons available for quick changing on the top of the speaker. Meaning you can have station #1 be your favorite pandora station and #2 be your favorite Spotify station. Or you can have several stations from just one of the apps preprogrammed in. This is a great touch that many other speakers have not adapted with physical buttons for easy control.This is a very well made product that is fairly priced in this type of speaker class. The audio is superb. I wouldn’t take away any stars for a software issue that seems to be almost fully resolved at the time I tested the device.
I have several other Bose systems and they pretty much perform well. This would be OK for podcasts, books, Alexa or Google voice assistants (though it doesn’t support Google Play Music). It produces “room filling” — but low quality — murky sound satisfactory for stoned millennials. Sounds like an industrial strength AM radio. My old 1st gen Bose Soundlink Mini sounds much sweeter, just not as loud.
The sound quality is good and I’m giving it two stars because it comes in a really nice box. Setup failed because a required firmware update failed. This left the speaker unusable. Spent three hours this morning researching the problem, I found many other purchasers having the same problem, then I had to download an update, get the correct USB cable, and then try to update the speaker firmware. My update also failed but I was able to finish setup of the Bose Home speaker. I have no idea of the condition or state of the Home Speaker 300 or the version of the software that it is currently running but it is “working”. I mean by working I’m able to play music and Alexa is working.Beware! There are problems in the setup of the Bose Home Speaker 300. It may be better to wait or look for other options.
My wife’s brother has two Gen 1 of these so I bought one for my wife’s birthday. Followed instructions, got it set up. Worked great. Then 10 to 20 minutes later Alexa would say “I’m having trouble understanding” Reset it. Re-set it up, same thing. Over and Over. Called Sonos help number and the wait was 45 minutes. No. Returned for the the Amazon speaker which is half the price. Sonos, get your stuff right before releasing.
I bought a few of these sonos gen 2 units and set them up. Easy breezy to do. Ran into a small hiccup with setting up Alexa but that was user error and I figured it out. It’s just a multi multi multi step process I wasn’t anticipating. The speakers are great. I love that I can take calls and not rely on regular Bluetooth speakers. However! I bought these with the intention to not have to purchase the amazon echo or dot or whatever because of sound quality. I’m finding that the Alexa function is incredibly limited. It WAS advertised that Alexa voice calls were unsupported. BUT it had no mention of other things, such as routines and other automatic processes. Why can’t I have an Alexa Routine work with SONOS? That’s one of Alexa’s features that are wonderful. Aaaaaaand now I have three speakers that are as helpful as coasters, in my opinion, with simple functionality that isn’t possible. This unit is 10 stars if they can fix with a firmware update. Otherwise I will likely send them back. It’s just not worth the cost to have limited Alexa functionality. It’s pitched as ‘use Alexa for everything but voice calls!’ Not true.Update: after three days? All of the speakers are out of connection and don’t work with Alexa or playing audio in general. I think there is a bug they need to fix where the device doesn’t connect to WiFi properly. I’m no tech wizard but I like to think I know mostly everything when it comes to easy-to-use devices and setups. I trouble shooted as best I could with customer service. Still no bueno.
The sound is amazing. So much better than my Echo speaker (obviously.)The connection gets worse each day. I never had any problem with a device staying connected to my network so I’m not sure If I got a defective one but I’m about 2 days from returning this. The sonos app is terrible. I wrote to them for help which is my last try before returning. This speaker won’t stay connected and then the process to get it reconnected only works if I unplug it and connect it directly to the router. If you are planning on keeping it right next to your router maybe it would be tolerable to constantly go through this?Alexa is slower to respond on this device as well.