Google Nest Audio Review
Sound Intelligence for Your Home
Updated May 4, 2023
By Jason Rogers
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4.3/5
Smart Home by Design’s Verdict - Google Nest Audio delivers rich, room-filling sound in a sleek and stylish package. With Google Assistant built-in, it offers not just music playback but also smart home control and personal assistance. Its ability to pair with other Nest speakers for stereo sound or whole-home audio makes it a versatile option for audiophiles and smart home users alike.
PROS
✅ High-Quality Sound: Delivers rich, clear audio with a significant emphasis on music fidelity, enhancing the listening experience.
✅ Voice Control: Integrates seamlessly with Google Assistant for hands-free control of your music, smart home devices, and access to information.
✅ Multi-Room Audio: Allows for the creation of a home sound system by connecting multiple Google Nest Audio devices or other compatible speakers.
✅ Adaptive Sound: Automatically adjusts the audio based on the environment, ensuring the best sound quality regardless of the room's acoustics.
✅ Sleek Design: Features a stylish and minimalist design that blends into any home decor.
✅ Environmentally Friendly: Built with sustainable materials, including a durable fabric cover made from recycled bottles.
CONS
❌ Requires Wi-Fi: Dependent on a stable Wi-Fi connection for streaming and smart features.
❌ Limited Physical Connectivity: Lacks auxiliary ports, limiting wired connections to external audio sources.
❌ Google Ecosystem Centric: Optimized for use within the Google ecosystem, which may limit integration with non-Google smart home devices or services.
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◦ Superior Sound for Music Lovers: Engineered for music enthusiasts, providing high-quality sound that brings out the best in your favorite tracks.
◦ Effortless Voice Commands: Empowers users with voice-controlled convenience, offering a hands-free way to play music, manage tasks, and control smart home devices.
◦ Seamless Home Audio Experience: Facilitates the creation of a connected home audio system, allowing for synchronized music playback throughout your home.
◦ Intelligent Audio Adjustment: Features adaptive sound technology that fine-tunes music to fit the acoustics of the space, ensuring optimal listening conditions.
◦ Eco-Conscious Design: Demonstrates Google's commitment to sustainability, featuring environmentally friendly materials in its construction.
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◦ Enhancing Home Entertainment: Ideal for users looking to elevate their home audio setup, perfect for immersive music listening and enhanced audio for movies and games.
◦ Smart Home Integration: A great addition to homes already equipped with Google Assistant-enabled devices, offering centralized control over your smart home ecosystem.
◦ Multi-Room Music Setup: Suitable for creating a whole-home audio experience, enabling users to enjoy music, podcasts, and more in any room.
◦ Sustainable Tech Enthusiasts: Appeals to environmentally conscious consumers, aligning with preferences for products designed with sustainability in mind.
◦ Voice-Controlled Convenience: Enhances daily routines for those who appreciate the ability to control music and smart devices using just their voice, adding a layer of convenience to everyday activities.
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What are the top features of the Google Nest Audio?
The Google Nest Audio stands out for its rich, room-filling sound that comes from its 75mm woofer and 19mm tweeter, designed to deliver clear highs and deep bass. Its sleek, minimalist design is both functional and aesthetically pleasing, fitting seamlessly into any home decor. Engineered for music lovers, it offers an adaptive sound that adjusts to the acoustics of your room, providing an optimized listening experience. Integration with the Google Assistant ecosystem allows for effortless voice control of your music, smart home devices, and access to all the functionalities of Google Assistant, including scheduling, reminders, and real-time answers to your questions.
How does the Nest Audio integrate with the Google ecosystem?
The Nest Audio integrates seamlessly with the Google ecosystem, enhancing your smart home experience. It allows for voice control over thousands of compatible smart home devices, including lights, thermostats, and TVs, through Google Assistant. Users can easily stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks from services like YouTube Music, Spotify, and Google Podcasts. Additionally, when used with other Google Home or Nest speakers, it supports multi-room audio, enabling you to play music throughout your home or listen to the same song in different rooms.
Is the Google Nest Audio user-friendly for first-time smart speaker users?
Yes, the Google Nest Audio is designed to be extremely user-friendly, making it accessible to first-time smart speaker users as well as those familiar with smart technology. Setting it up is straightforward with the Google Home app, guiding users through each step, from connecting to Wi-Fi to integrating smart home devices. Its intuitive voice commands and the helpful feedback from Google Assistant make interacting with Nest Audio a simple and enjoyable experience.
Do I need a Google account to use the Nest Audio?
To maximize the functionality of the Nest Audio, a Google account is required. This account provides access to personalized services, allows for the syncing of preferences and data across devices, and enables the use of services such as YouTube Music, Google Calendar, and Google Maps. While basic functionalities are accessible without a Google account, having one enriches the user experience with a wider range of features and customization options.
How does the Nest Audio fare for music and entertainment?
The Nest Audio excels in delivering a high-quality music and entertainment experience. Its hardware, featuring a 75mm woofer and 19mm tweeter, ensures a balanced sound that's rich and immersive. The speaker's adaptive sound technology adjusts the audio based on your room's acoustics, enhancing clarity and depth. With support for major streaming services and voice control for easy playback, the Nest Audio is ideal for audiophiles and anyone looking to elevate their home entertainment setup.
Can the Nest Audio be used as a productivity tool?
Certainly. The Nest Audio can serve as an effective productivity tool, thanks to its integration with Google Assistant. It can manage your calendar, set reminders and alarms, make hands-free calls, and provide real-time answers to questions, all through voice commands. For households with multiple Google or Nest devices, it supports broadcasting messages throughout the home, making it easier to communicate with family members. Whether you're managing your schedule or need quick information, the Nest Audio enhances productivity effortlessly.
What are the privacy and security features of the Nest Audio?
Google has built the Nest Audio with privacy and security in mind. It includes a physical switch to turn off the microphone, providing users with control over their privacy. Voice recordings can be reviewed and deleted through the Google Home app, and users have the option to adjust their privacy settings to manage data collection and sharing preferences. Additionally, all communications with Google Assistant are encrypted, ensuring your personal information is protected.
Does the Nest Audio support Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity?
The Nest Audio supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, offering versatility in how it connects to the internet and other devices. Wi-Fi connectivity allows for streaming music, accessing Google Assistant services, and controlling smart home devices. Bluetooth support enables the Nest Audio to connect to smartphones, tablets, and other devices for streaming audio content directly, providing flexibility for users who prefer using their own media libraries or streaming apps not supported natively.
What makes the Nest Audio's smart home capabilities stand out?
The Nest Audio's smart home capabilities are enhanced by its deep integration with Google Assistant, allowing users to control a wide array of smart home devices with voice commands. This includes not just Google-made products but also thousands of third-party smart devices, from lights and thermostats to security cameras and TVs. Its ability to create and trigger routines through Google Assistant simplifies daily tasks, such as turning on the lights and playing your favorite playlist with a single command, making it a central part of any smart home ecosystem.
How does the Google Nest Audio perform with voice recognition in noisy environments?
The Google Nest Audio is designed with advanced voice recognition technology, enabling Google Assistant to accurately hear and respond to commands even in noisy environments. It utilizes a three-microphone array and sophisticated processing algorithms to distinguish your voice from background noise. This ensures that your commands are recognized and acted upon promptly, providing a seamless interaction with Google Assistant regardless of the ambient sound level.
Specifications
Specification | Details |
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Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz/5 GHz), Bluetooth® 5.0 |
Smart Home Integration | Works with Google Assistant, supports a wide range of smart home devices for voice control |
Audio | 75mm woofer and 19mm tweeter, 3 far-field microphones, 2-stage mic mute switch (hardware-based) |
Features | Stream music, podcasts, and audiobooks from services like YouTube Music, Spotify, and more, Voice Match, Multi-room audio, Ambient IQ |
Power | 30W power adapter |
Dimensions | 6.89 in x 4.89 in x 3.07 in |
Weight | 2.65 lbs (1.2 kg) |
Materials | Enclosure made from 70% recycled plastic |
Warranty | 1-year limited warranty |
Come back later for our comprehensive review.
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I'm Jason, your guide in the smart home tech world. My tech passion began in childhood, leading me to become an avionics technician in the Air Force and later earn a Computer Engineering degree. With a background in software and data engineering, I bring a unique mix of experience and knowledge to my product reviews and guides. I focus on the practical use of technology, offering insights on the latest smart home innovations rooted in both technical accuracy and real-world application.
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Email me: jason@smarthomebydesign.com