Are you looking for a smart speaker to deliver amazing sound quality, voice control, and smart home integration? If so, you might want to consider the Google Home Max White, the premium smart speaker from Google that was released in 2017. In this article, we will review the features, benefits, and drawbacks of the Google Home Max White, and answer frequently asked questions about it.
What is the Google Home Max White?
The Google Home Max White is a smart speaker part of Google’s Home line of smart speakers. It is an upgrade to the original Google Home and Google Home Mini speakers, and it is designed to be a high-quality speaker for audiophiles who want to enjoy music with the best possible sound quality.
Google Home Max White has a sleek, minimalist design, smooth contour, and rounded edges. It has a lovely cloth speaker grille that covers the front and top of the device, and white LEDs that glow behind it to display volume levels. The speaker grille is available in white/light gray (chalk) or black/gray (charcoal) colors. The speaker measures 7.5 by 13.3 by 6.1 inches (HWD) and weighs 11.7 pounds.
The Google Home Max White has dual 0.7-inch tweeters and dual 4.5-inch woofers that deliver powerful and balanced sound. It also has six far-field microphones that can pick up your voice commands from across the room, even when the music is loud. The speaker supports Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, and can work alone, in stereo pairs, or as part of a whole-home audio system with other Google Home devices.
The Google Home Max White also has a built-in voice assistant, Google Assistant, that can answer your questions, play your favorite songs, control your smart home devices, and more. Using voice commands, you can say “Hey Google” or “OK Google” to activate the assistant, or use the touch controls on the top of the device to adjust the volume, play/pause the music, or mute the microphones.
What are the benefits of the Google Home Max White?
The Google Home Max White has many benefits, making it a great choice for anyone who loves music and smart home features. Some of the benefits are:
- Excellent sound quality: The Google Home Max White has impressive sound quality that can fill any room with rich and clear sound. It has a feature called Smart Sound that adjusts the equalizer settings automatically based on your room’s acoustics and the type of music you are playing. It also supports high-fidelity audio formats like FLAC and WAV, and can stream music from popular services like Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, and more.
- Voice control: The Google Home Max White lets you control your music and other functions with just your voice. You can ask Google Assistant to play any song, artist, album, genre, or playlist you want, or let it choose something based on your mood or preferences. It can also skip tracks, adjust the volume, pause/resume the music, or repeat/shuffle the playlist. You can also use voice commands to access other features like news, weather, traffic, sports, jokes, trivia, and more.
- Smart home integration: The Google Home Max White can also be a hub for your smart home devices. You can use voice commands to control compatible devices like lights, thermostats, cameras, locks, plugs, switches, and more. You can also create routines that automate multiple actions with one command. For example, you can say “Good morning” to turn on your lights, adjust your thermostat, play your morning playlist, and get a summary of your day.
- Multi-room audio: The Google Home Max White can also sync with other Google Home devices to create a multi-room audio system. You can play the same music on all your speakers or different music on each. You can also group your speakers into zones for easy control.
What are the drawbacks of the Google Home Max White?
The Google Home Max White is not a perfect device, and it has some drawbacks that you should be aware of before buying it. Some of the drawbacks are:
- High price: The Google Home Max White has the highest retail price of any smart speaker on the market, with a retail price of $399. This might be too costly for people looking for a more affordable option. You can find cheaper smart speakers with similar features, such as the Amazon Echo Studio or the Sonos One.
- Large size: The Google Home Max White is also one of the largest smart speakers on the market, with a hefty weight and a bulky shape. This might make placing it in some spaces hard, especially if you have limited room or want to keep it discreet. You might also need to find a sturdy surface to support it, as it can vibrate and move when playing loud music.
- Limited compatibility: The Google Home Max White is compatible with many smart home devices and music services, but not all of them. For example, it does not support Apple Music, a popular music service for many iPhone users. It also does not work with some smart home devices that use different protocols or standards, such as Zigbee or Z-Wave. You might need to check the compatibility of your devices and services before buying the Google Home Max White.
Features of the Google Home Max White
The Google Home Max in White is a smart speaker with many features, making it a great device for music lovers and smart home enthusiasts. Some of the features are:
- Built-in Google Assistant: The Google Home Max in White has a built-in voice assistant, Google Assistant, that can answer your questions, control your smart home devices, and play your favorite music. It is possible to activate the assistant using simple voice commands such as “Hey Google” or “OK Google” to activate the assistant, or use the touch controls on the top of the device to adjust the volume, play/pause the music, or mute the microphones.
- Excellent sound quality: The Google Home Max in White has impressive sound quality that can fill any room with rich and clear sound. It has dual 0.7-inch tweeters and dual 4.5-inch woofers that deliver powerful and balanced sound. It also has a feature called Smart Sound that automatically adjusts the equalizer settings based on the acoustics of your room and the type of music you are playing. It also supports high-fidelity audio formats like FLAC and WAV, and can stream music from popular services like Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora, and more.
- Smart home integration: The Google Home Max in White can also act as a hub for your smart home devices. You can use voice commands to control compatible devices like lights, thermostats, cameras, locks, plugs, switches, and more. You can also create routines that automate multiple actions with one command. For example, you can say “Good morning” to turn on your lights, adjust your thermostat, play your morning playlist, and get a brief summary of your day.
- Multi-room audio: The Google Home Max in White can also sync with other Google Home devices to create a multi-room audio system. You can play the same music on all your speakers or different music on each one. You can also group your speakers into zones for easy control. For example, you can say “Play jazz in the living room” or “Play rock in the bedroom” to enjoy different genres in different rooms.
These are some of the features of the Google Home Max in White that make it a versatile and powerful smart speaker. If you want to learn more about it, you can check out some of these reviews.
Reviews of the Google Home Max White
There are many reviews about the Google Home Max in White on the internet, but below I summarize some of the main points from three sources I found using my search tool.
- TechRadar gave the Google Home Max a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, praising its excellent sound quality, voice control, and smart home integration. They also liked its attractive design and multi-room audio feature. However, they criticized its high price, large size, and limited compatibility with some music services and smart home devices.
- PCMag also rated the Google Home Max 4 out of 5 stars, calling it the first smart speaker with serious audio performance. They appreciated its powerful and balanced sound, innovative sound feature that adjusts to the room acoustics, and built-in Google Assistant. They also noted its drawbacks, such as too much bass for audio purists, and the need for better lossless audio options.
- SoundGuys had a positive review of the Google Home Max, saying that it is the best option for most people who want a loud smart speaker that sounds good. They highlighted its impressive volume, clarity, bass response, and easy setup and integration with other Google Home devices. They also mentioned some of its flaws, such as its weight, lack of portability, and discontinuation by Google.
I found some of the reviews about the Google Home Max in White. You can check out my links if you want to read more details. I hope this helps you learn more about this smart speaker.
Conclusion
The Google Home Max White is a premium smart speaker with excellent sound quality, voice control, and smart home integration. It is a great choice for anyone who loves music and wants to enjoy it with the best possible sound quality. However, it has some drawbacks, such as its high price, large size, and limited compatibility. You should weigh the pros and cons of the Google Home Max White before deciding if it is worth buying.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Google Home Max White:
Q: How do I set up the Google Home Max White?
A: To set up the Google Home Max White, you need to install the Google Home app on your smartphone or tablet, and then follow the instructions on the screen. You will need to connect the speaker to your Wi-Fi network, sign in with your Google account, and choose a name and location for your speaker. You can also customize your settings, such as adjusting the bass and treble levels, choosing your default music service, and linking your smart home devices.
Q: How do I use the Google Home Max White as a stereo pair?
A: To use the Google Home Max White as a stereo pair, you must have two speakers of the same model and color. You can then use the Google Home app to create a speaker group and choose which speaker will be the left and right speakers. The balance and volume can also be adjusted for each speaker individually or together.
Q: How do I reset the Google Home Max White?
A: Hold down the factory reset button for 15 seconds on the back to reset the Google Home Max White. You will hear a confirmation sound and see the LEDs flash orange. The speaker will then restart and erase all its data and settings. You will need to set it up again using the Google Home app.
