Google Home Max

The Google Home Max has very good overall sound quality. Bass has good impact but is a bit boomy, and goes fairly deep. Midrange is fairly even but is a bit hazy and grainy. Treble is extended but is a touch smeared. Does a decent job of recovering room ambience and is just a bit congested and lacks fine detail and complexity. No significant difference between WiFi, Bluetooth and wired sound quality. Provides a decent volume level in a large sized room. As a stereo pair they can be placed to provide better stereo separation than many other models and sound quality improves slightly, but midrange lacks fine detail and complexity and bass is prominent and somewhat boomy. Stereo pair also scores very good.

Versatility is excellent. It's a stereo speaker, with multi-room support and supports stereo pairing with another Google Home Max. Wireless: WiFi supports dual-band and this unit has Bluetooth but lacks speakerphone functionality. Communications: Has support for calling, but lacks support for texting and messaging. Digital Assistant Muting: Has a dedicated switch to disable the digital assistant by muting its microphones. Audio Connections: Has an analog audio input. Audio Tailoring: Has auto calibration, and treble and bass controls. OS Support: Android and iOS. Other connections and features: Has a USB-C device port. Streaming by voice command: Supports voice command of many common streaming services such as Google-Play Music, Pandora, Spotify, Tune-In, iHeart Radio. Voice ID: Supports voice identity - a feature which allows the account holder with their "voice print" to access personal information.

Overall ease of use of the Google Home Max is very good. Wireless setup: Requires an app downloaded to a mobile device, it's easy and intuitive - needs instructions which are included in app, may or may not involve inputting WiFi network password, and account setup. Bluetooth: This feature is only available after WiFi setup - However, it can be initiated in app device settings but this method is less intuitive; a verbal command works best, for example "Ok Google start Bluetooth pairing" then prompt with verbal instructions. Note: Instructions can be requested of "Ok Google" which provides clear instruction on verbal commands. Console controls: The volume control is a volume ribbon which is prominent and well labeled and is easy to actuate and the unit provides a non-persistent graphical display of level. Volume may also be controlled via a natural language command. Audio mute: Play/Pause as mute is a labeled touch control and has a non-persistent indicator that it is engaged. However, verbal command has a non-persistent indicator that muting was engaged and a play command ("OK Google Play") plays content but not at the higher volume when it was paused - requiring a volume level command or touch control of volume. However, if the command is "Ok Google unmute" the music plays back at the same level it was originally muted at - not playing at the same volume level is unintuitive. Microphone mute: Well marked, but not well placed behind the unit, with clear indication when it is engaged. Source selections: Requires app to be installed, app installation is straight forward. Once app is installed switching between inputs requires selecting the "cast" icon in a 3rd party supported app. Fairly intuitive but subject to 3rd Party implementation of cast selection. App remote: Volume control not obvious due to extremely poor placement - only available when content is playing; however, it is repeatable with clear graphic and index of setting. Mute: The marking is not the most obvious, although there is a clear indication when it is engaged. Voice transport controls: Natural language control of transport (Play/Pause/Skip/Mute), volume controls and source selection was easy and intuitive except where noted for the mute function.