Design
The design of the speakers is very elegant. At first glance, it is very reminiscent of the Homepod that Apple launched in 2018. It comes in a cylindrical shape with small grooves at the bottom and a plastic ring at the top with the buttons and LED lights.
The buttons are to raise and lower the volume, but it also has two others: one to indicate that Alexa is not listening (in this case, the red led light turns on) and another to manually initiate the voice command (it is say, you no longer have to say “Alexa” at the beginning of the sentence).
However, this is a home use only speaker that you would not be able to use outdoors. To turn it on, it has to be connected to a light source. On the other hand, the speaker weighs three kilos, which is not a problem if it is on a surface, but it is not comfortable to transport either.
Being a smart speaker, you can connect it to the internet wirelessly, but it also has an output for you to connect an ethernet cable if you want more stability in the connection. Along with this, it is accompanied by an auxiliary input and a USB port.
The horn is only available in gray.
Audio
Despite being a smart speaker, the audio is impressive because it offers surround sound. This means that inside the Echo there are five speakers strategically placed to reproduce sound in a 270-degree spectrum.
In addition to the four speakers at the top, the Echo Studio has a designated lower section for the team’s subwoofer, which is not common to find in smart speakers.
The low-end frequency response meets expectations for a smart speaker with a dedicated subwoofer. However, when listening to music in surround mode, part of the mid-high frequency range is lost.
On the other hand, they also have Dolby Atmos technology, which adds space, clarity and depth to the audio. You could say it’s an audiophile smart speaker.
Compatible software and accessories
The speaker can connect to streaming services like Spotify. However, consider that it will not connect to Google services such as Play Music -although it can also be connected as a bluetooth speaker through a voice command-.
But, what I do recommend to get the most out of them is to use them with a streaming service that offers songs with Dolby Atmos, such as Apple Music, Tidal or Amazon Music HD.
Note, however, that setting up the speaker with Apple Music isn’t a native Echo Studio setup, so it’s complicated and you’ll have to search for instructions.
On the other hand, I consider that the Amazon Alexa application still does not offer a perfect user experience. It took me a long time to link the speaker to Spotify – although this can be attributed to the fact that I tried it with an iPhone 11, although it is not impossible, if it is difficult.
Aesthetically, the app did not seem pleasing to me. However, you can get much more out of your speakers if you use the features it has. For example, right there you can add more devices from the Amazon family, as well as create routines, set alarms and timers, request reminders and even include “skills” and video games.
For example, among some of the skills that the Echo Studio can do are from trivia with Akinator and talking to Pikachu, to asking him to give you the news from your favorite channel daily.
In addition, the speakers can be connected with the Fire stick – Amazon’s smart remote control. This means that you could listen to the audio from your television through the Echo studio.
The horn costs 4,999 pesos and you can find it on Amazon.
Do I recommend buying the Alexa Echo Studio?
If it’s purely a smart home speaker you’re looking for, it’s a great option at a reasonable price, especially if you’re an active Amazon Music HD user.
I do not recommend it if you are looking for speakers for rough use or that require constant transport.
On the other hand, I also do not recommend it if you already have other devices from brands other than Amazon, such as a Google assistant, since it will not be compatible.
Also, consider if you are a user who is going to take advantage of the virtual assistant. If not, you can find non-smart speakers with the same audio quality designed for the home, like a Bose SoundLink Revolve Plus or a Marshall Acton II.
