Amazon Echo Studio (1st generation), Our best-sounding Alexa speaker, Perfect for living rooms, family rooms, and other large spaces, Charcoal

UPDATE I’ve had the 2.1 setup connected to a 4K Stick for 5 months, which has been used as a sound bar/stereo in our master bedroom. From a music perspective, it sounds it’s pretty good! The sound stage is full and produces decent bass. I wish it got a little louder. I find the bass response better for music than movies (I LOVE heavy bass in action scenes). If you like heavy bass for action movies, you may be a little disappointed. . I have, but no longer experience the connectivity issues others have written about. Mine were limited to music playback, however the issue subsided a few months ago. I’ll address three improvement areas: 1) When connected with the sub, all the lows go through the sub and the woofers on the studios are rendered useless, unless the volume is high. The trade-off is clearer sound than when the studios are paired alone. Personally, I look at it as a design flaw. All three units should produce lows (or at least have the settings in the EQ to do so) for a better, more immersive bass experience. What good is a 5.25’ Studio driver if it won’t be used when paired?? 🤔 2) As other reviewers have mentioned, there is a lip syncing issue when used as a home theater. Depending on the source the fire stick is decoding, there can be a noticeable sound lag. I have not discovered a way to address this issue. 3) The Studios have the ability to play lossless tracks (24bit). However, paired with a Fire device (Cube, 4K stick... doesn’t matter) the output drops to 16bit, because the sound is decoded in the Fire device and played through the Studio. This simply means that fidelity/musical clarity is lost . The limitation lies within the Fire device, not the Studio. However, it’s worth mentioning because when connected to a Fire device, the Studios will be limited to the capability of the decoding device. If they’re used as a stand-alone stereo for music only, you can use the Studios to their full ability. BOTTOM LINE I like the setup. I already owned the Eco Sub so its cost had no bearing on my buying decision. The Studios were an add-on for me. In fairness, I came out off of pocket $240 for both Studios combined. With that said, FOR ME I find great value and functionality. The question is, if I was to start over and pay full retail ($400 for two Studios + $130 for the sub) for a wireless stereo/sound bar system, what would I think? Could I find a better wireless Atmos Sound bar + woofer with no lip syncing issues for the money? YEP! Could I find a better wireless Smart stereo for the money? I’m not so sure! Could I find one that does both pretty well? I doubt it! Could I split the money between two decent systems, one for music and one for theater? Not why would I go do that??? I’d get one that could do multiple things. FOR THE MONEY it’s good buy. It’s not a Sonos Playbar + Sub (which is 2x the cost) nor a B&W sound bar & Sub (which is 4x the cost). It’s good for the money. If you can look past the intermittent lip sync issue, go for it. If that's a deal breaker, spend more and get a sound bar that also produces good music. ———————————————————— The speakers sounds great! No complaints; simple setup, quick calibration and I was off to the races. From a price point, it's comparable to the Sonos One. From a sound quality, it far exceeds. Sonos One is probably slightly clearer, but that's where the comparisons stop. Echo Studio has a wider/fuller sound stage, more bass, gets louder. The closest comparison is probably the HomePod or Play 3. IMO, this sounds better than both. I already own an Echo Sub and ordered an additional Studio for pairing. I have yet to connect to FireTV 4k to test the home theater setting. In summary, this produces very good sound, the price is reasonable and it's the best smart speaker on the market... in my humble opinion...

The Echo Studio is a quantum leap from any other speaker that Amazon has produced to date. Everything else sounds like a transistor radio in comparison. The sound separation is fantastic and you can actually feel the bass at higher volume levels. There a couple of issues, however. The vaunted 3D sound is a waste on anything other than the songs that are specifically set up for it. DO NOT use it as a default setting. The music that is not 3D will sound muddy and the vocals will be lost in the mix. However, if you turn it off, the music will immediately brighten and the vocals will be clear and crisp. There are a lot of online reviews where they claim that the clarity of the vocals is lacking. That is because they were early reviews and took place before you could turn off the Spatial enhancement option. Second, if you combine the speaker in a group or as stereo pair, playing the amazon music app causes songs to stop playing at random and skip to the next song. I have read online where it stops playing altogether for some people. It does not happen when just playing though a single speaker. I have not experienced the problem, as yet, when playing through the alexa app. However the Alexa app navigation leaves something to be desired. Also the Alexa app doesn’t show the quality of the track that’s playing. Ok, issues out of the way, I have 2 of the Echo Studio paired for stereo and the sound is a revelation. Listening to the White Album in Ultra HD reveals melodies and instrumentation that I’ve never heard before. The clarity of the voices is amazing. It’s like listening to it for the first time. The 3D tracks sound great as well. There is a massive sound stage. The music really does envelop you. It’s not the same as surround sound. So those looking to relive the days of 5.1 SACD and DVD-HD will be disappointed. It’s impossible to get the same effect from one or two speakers. You won’t hear discrete sounds from behind you, but instead you get a full range from in front of you. It’s difference between sitting the front row for a concert (Echo Studio) and sitting on stage in the middle of the orchestra (5.1 surround). I haven’t tried out the pair for fireTV as yet. The current options for Dolby Atmos are limited and I’ve already watched the new season of Jack Ryan, but I may try this at some point in the future. The amazon credit for turning in an old Echo, sealed the deal on getting the second Studio. The wait for a second one was too long from Amazon, so I got it at Best Buy. They also participate in the Echo buy back program. So, I turned in an old echo dot and got 25% off the new studio (the discount is the same regardless of which echo you turn in), along with a $5 credit. So instead of $219 (with tax), I got the second studio for $155 (with tax). Great deal and with the discount it’s about the same price as an Echo Plus. The size may be an issue to some, but it wasn’t with me. In order to accommodate 5 speakers, there is no way for it fit into the same space as the Plus. The space is really need to fit the subwoofer and it certainly makes a difference. So my final thoughts: It’s a fantastic speaker. Much better than anything else you can get from Amazon. The price is right, especially if you turn in old echo dot (any echo really, but the dot is the cheapest of the bunch and you get the same discount). Don’t use the Stereo Spatial Enhancement. The songs in 3D will play that way regardless of the setting and it makes everything else sound worse (in my opinion). There may be point when Amazon releases an update to fix this, but at this point it’s worthless. I have never had a Bose or a Sonos, so I can’t compare, but I doubt anything in this price range can compete with what the Studio has to offer. If sound quality is important to you and you subscribe the Amazon HD music service (the studio is the only device Amazon offers that can play the Ultra HD music in full 24/196 quality), I would say run don’t walk to get one (or two) of these. You won’t regret it. UPDATE: I did try out the Dolby Atmos feature last night. I watched some of Jack Ryan and Carnival Row. The effect was just as outstanding as the music. Wide sound stage and clear, crisp dialogue. I do think that for watching movies the subwoofer might be a good addition. The bass was definitely present, but I think that the subwoofer would add some welcome bottom to the sound field (Perhaps that will be a Black Friday/Christmas purchase). The setup was fairly simple after restarting the 4K firestick. Initially the firestick was greyed out in the Alexa app, but after a restart it showed up. Set up involved just following the instructions after that. As stated before, there are very few options to watch Dolby atmos enabled content on Amazon. It does not allow it from Netflix, and as of yet, does not have the option for the Disney+. Hopefully that will change at some point in the near future (although I’m not holding my breath). However, since my main reason for buying the Studio in the first place was for music playback, I see the Atmos option as an added bonus. Update 2: they have fixed spatial enhancement mode! It sounds fantastic. If you toggle between the two modes, you can actually hear the sound field shrink. It's now very worthwhile. Also I added a sub to the mix and it does wonders for the sound. If you are using the studio in the kitchen or a home office, one will work spectacularly. If you are using it in a living room or large space then 2 with a sub is the way to go. The sub adds so much depth when you are listening in a larger space. Currently playing through the app is a problem but voice commands still work fine.

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! ADDENDUM: After two years, these still shine as brightly as ever. But the thing that must be emphasized is that this system of two Echo Studios and the Echo Sub is designed to take full advantage of Amazon Music’s HD streaming service, since these can work together only with streamed audio. Using that enables you to get at least CD quality audio recorded in lossless FLAC files (what Amazon calls HD, 16-bit/44.1kHz) for everything in the catalog, and Ultra HD (up to 24-bit/192kHz) available on an ever-growing list of recordings. In addition, it is also capable of playing Amazon’s (admittedly still in limited quantity) so called 3D Audio recordings (Amazon Music supports Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial audio formats). If you don’t get the Amazon Music HD package ($12.99 monthly with Prime / $14.99 without), then you will be missing out on what these speakers are designed to deliver. Amazon’s Ultra HD music must be heard on a system that supports it to be appreciated. It truly is something else in audio quality, significantly better sounding than any CD or LP. And Amazon Music’s catalog is growing by leaps and bounds every month. It is currently quite vast, even its Classical Music selection which has exploded in the two years since the Echo Studio was introduced. Using the Amazon Echo Link ($140), you could get this same quality streaming audio (or even better depending on your amp and speakers) for an existing Hi-Fi setup (at least I think you can- there seems to be some confusion about whether it supports the full 24-bit/192kHz Ultra HD), although you could not get 3D Audio with the Link. You could also use the Echo Link to attach any other sub-woofer to your Echo Studio pair but that would also require an additional amplifier thrown in. However, if you don’t have that Hi-Fi system already, these (2 paired Echo Studios and the Echo Sub) are the way to go to take full advantage of Amazon Music HD at a very favorable price. Just compare their cost to that of a good Hi-Fi system consisting of amplifier, pre-amp, two speakers and a sub-woofer as well as the Echo Link you’d need. The Echo speakers here are a definite bargain for getting excellent audio with minimal wires or fuss!

TL;DR for the Echo Studio is that the speaker, whether paired with the Echo Sub or not, running hi-fi music (I’m on Amazon HD) sounds fantastic, but there are so many glitches with it that I’m hard pressed to give it a full recommendation. I love music, but don’t consider myself an audiophile. I’m a family man and don’t have the luxury of a dedicated “listening room,” and I’m certainly not going to spend thousands on a home sound system. I like listening to music while having my morning tea, relaxing in my bedroom, and when in my car. I have so far been using a pair of Sony XB-43 bluetooth speakers at home and they have been adequate. I decided to look at upgrade options when I went over to Amazon HD for my streaming service (I also tried Tidal, but that’s for another review). I wanted something convenient, plug & play, and as a parent, relatively childproof. Bluetooth was not an option, as one loses most of the hi-fi benefits over bluetooth. Enter the Echo Studio. I already have a few Echo Dots, Fire TV, and as mentioned, Amazon HD Music, so it seemed like a natural fit. It should be noted however, that although Alexa Cast only works with Amazon Music, you can stream music with the other major services, Spotify, Apple Music, Tidal, and others. So I bought an Echo Studio for the breakfast area where I have my tea, and where I had previously been moving a bluetooth speaker every morning. Setup was quick and painless and I was immediately impressed with the sound. It’s not a high-end home stereo system, but it’s the best single-unit speaker system I have ever had and heard. And it’s $200. I used the Alexa app to set the EQ, but you can simply tell Alexa to “increase bass” or “reduce treble” or make any other adjustments on the fly, mid-song or whenever you like. I see some reviewers complaining about the sound profile and wonder if they made EQ adjustments for their personal preferences or to suit the type of music being played. Impressed, I ordered a second Studio and an Echo Sub for my bedroom. Setup and pairing the Sub was equally simple. At first I thought the Sub was defective, or not set up correctly, because I could barely hear anything coming from it. Turns out that for me anyway, it needs to be at a certain volume and playing certain music for it to really be felt. But feel it you will, as the Sub makes the music fill the room in a way that the Studio by itself doesn’t. Make sure you put the Sub on the floor. The glitches started here, with the bedroom Studio. The music would randomly stop playing, whether during a playlist or simply when I had asked it to play music from a certain artist or genre. When I say that, I mean every single time I used it. Two or three songs and then nothing. Extremely frustrating. My wifi setup is solid, so I looked at suggestions online, and several people recommended putting your Studio on your 5GHz and cordoning it off there (everything else in the house on your 2.4GHz). I tried this, but it did not solve the problem (I ended up leaving the Studios on 2.4GHz and it has been the best option). I unplugged and went through setup on the Studio again and the problem, for the most part, seemed resolved. I took the opportunity to bump my internet tier up to improve my overall household speeds. The music on both my Studios will still stop playing occasionally though, for no apparent reason, with a strong internet connection. And they will go into “red ring” mode too, which is extremely frustrating. Fast forward to now. Sound quality is noticeably better than my bluetooth speakers, and I mean noticeably. I am hearing guitar strings and cymbal crashes on music that I don’t remember ever hearing before. I used my bluetooth speaker last night for a bit and it was painful. There is no way I can ever go back to standard definition music streaming and bluetooth speakers. Think SD television versus HD television. Now for the drawbacks. These things are glitchy. Music will stop playing for no reason. Voice recognition of the music or the playlist you asked for is hit and miss. The Studio itself will go into “Sorry, I’m having trouble right now” mode (red ring mode) and won’t play any music for you. At all. For five minutes or for an hour. I have to remind myself that it is a somewhat data-intensive streaming service and think back to the earlier days of Netflix and the like. Also, while it is convenient to just tell Alexa what you want to listen to, at times I miss having the control of just playing music from my phone, and the Alexa casting is frustrating. Bring up the Amazon Music app, start playing your music (which you have to do before you get the casting button), wait for it to connect, then finally get the music going. Yes, it's probably only seven seconds, but trust me, it feels cumbersome. Again, even Netflix needs to load up. If you happen to use a voice command directly to the Studio while casting (because when casting, you lose the Alexa voice control function from your Amazon Music app) it reverts back to Alexa app control and you’re out of casting mode (and phone control). Even if you don’t, the casting drops after a bit and you have to go through the connection process again. I’m not going to pair the Studio over bluetooth to get phone control, if I wanted bluetooth quality sound I wouldn’t have bought the Studio. (I did pair it once to check it out, and the music was at a super low volume). It would be nice to be able to browse the music app and tap a song or playlist at any time and just have it play on the Studio as with a bluetooth connection. As it is, I have to tell Alexa to play it while I’m looking at music choices on the app and hope she gets it right. While on the Alexa app and controlling from there, sometimes it will show me the playlist I’m listening to, sometimes it doesn’t. I also have Apple Music, as other family members are on Apple Music, and other than one time at the outset, it will play the Apple Music when requested without any problems (Amazon Music is my default setting). As I sit writing this review, my Studio has played my music flawlessly the entire time and sounds fantastic, and this is what keeps me in the Echo Studio game and considering a third Studio to stereo pair in the bedroom with the Echo Sub (Prime Days?). If it performed this way consistently and the Alexa and Amazon Music apps integrated more smoothly, I would give the Echo Studio a 100% recommendation. I am holding out hope that future software updates will smooth out the rough edges. Until then, know what you’re getting. A sweet-sounding, self-contained hi-fi smart speaker system that will both delight and frustrate you.

(Note: This was written by me and posted elsewhere, so ignore the personal references – I have simply pasted it here so that I didn’t have to write it again!) Two regular Echo speakers paired in stereo mode don't even come close to the ear-pleasing sound that comes from two Echo Studios in stereo mode. As you said, Ty, you listened to only one Studio speaker, and some of that listening was in a surround mode. The Echo Studio does not "shine" with just one Studio (when playing regular stereo music files, which are the most common). Two of them paired in stereo mode sound exponentially better. I humbly ask you to reconsider your 7 rating for sound quality and change it to 9 or 10, for the benefit of potential buyers interested in purchasing high quality equipment. If using two Echo Studios in stereo mode, turn off the "Upmixing" toggle switch in the Alexa app. Upmixing tries to adapt 2-channel stereo music to the 3D potential of the Studio. If you don't turn off upmixing, the sound will not be that clear and direct, and you will get the wrong impression about how good these speakers really are. That is why some reviewers gave the Echo Studio a low rating when it first came out because you could not turn off the “upmixing” (Stereo Spatial Enhancement) feature, but now you can. With that feature turned on, the speaker will try to add some processing to the sound and that doesn't sound very good in stereo mode with two Studios. That processing may sound ok with one Studio, but even then it's hit-and-miss, depending on which song is playing. Up-mixing is not perfect and not best for all songs. Comparison of the Echo Studio to the Regular Echo: The regular $99 Echo has drivers (internal speaker units) whose sound gets somewhat trapped inside the enclosure case, as the separate woofer and tweeter drivers face each other with a small space between them (they point down and up, not out -- one pointing at the other!) instead of facing outwardly like the Echo Studio’s drivers. But the 3 midrange drivers and one tweeter inside each Echo Studio are facing outward and project the sound outside of the enclosure. That makes a big difference -- there's much more clarity and presence in the midrange and treble. It does not get muffled or trapped inside the enclosure at all; it is allowed to come out clearly and completely. I am hearing detail in songs I’ve been playing for decades -- details I’ve never heard before. Those details are clear as can be without being harsh or grating to the ears. The outward facing circular arrangement of the midrange and tweeter array act like sort of a wide-dispersion tweeter – no matter where you are standing you hear each speaker channel’s sound very clearly (ideal for when you are moving around, working in the kitchen, etc. And I am talking about stereo mode here, not a surround mode). The bass is clear and mostly tight – just right without overdoing it. And if you listen to talk radio on these, the sound (EQ) automatically adjusts itself so that the talker's voice doesn’t sound boomy (those built-in monitoring microphones work well). Finally, it is recommended to adjust the EQ settings using the Alexa app, and set the EQ to: Bass middle (5 on the scale), Midrange boosted to about 6 or 7 out of 10, and Treble to about 8 out of 10 (this sounds best in the very small alcove that I have these speakers set up in). Use a good-sounding music file for test listening – an audio file that has never been compressed more than once, and has been encoded well, and been recorded in high quality (not necessarily a hi-res file). An excellent sounding sample to buy and use for testing purposes is Rudolf from Burl Ives’ album “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas”. Sure, it’s an old-fashioned song but it is extremely well-recorded and encoded (at least on the specific album I mentioned). You can purchase it for 99 cents on Amazon’s online digital music store if you want to have it stored in the cloud and playable on demand -- on these speakers. Note about Setup: if you have a weak Wi-Fi signal, the slow signal from your Wi-Fi router may cause some confusing delays during setup, so if you encounter this, begin by finding a way to get an adequate signal strength to these excellent speakers. Move your router closer or maybe buy a Wi-Fi extender if your Wi-Fi signal is weak in the spot where the two Studios are located. After a minute or so of getting established, they will find their way to sync with each other and play in perfect, flawless stereo without you having to do anything after the setup. Written by Bob M (from Rhode Island)

4 words to describe Echo Studio. "I Absolutely Love It!" You get sent an email notification from Amazon it will be arriving. They give you the information needed to make sure your ready for setting it up when you receive it. The links are easy to follow and make sure you download the Alexa app prior to it arriving. That way the process is seemingly easier than just plugging in and going "Willy-Nilly" without a clue on what your doing. Also, it's important you have you Internet 🛜 password in hand when setting the Bluetooth. There's a lot of settings in the app for this item but just take your time so you don't set something wrong unexpectedly. Otherwise the whole setup is easy. You can play around with the other settings later. Just make sure it works out of the box when going through the initial setup. Then it's clearly enjoyment time if all goes well. The Echo Studio is a HUB device. So keep that in mind. Functionality is a breeze and the design is perfect for any room. Sound is incredible and you can tweak it. Do not max out equalizer or you can potentially damage the speaker's inside it. I have the bass set to the middle. Even there it rattle's the floor. The midrange and treble are very crisp to the ear especially after a tweak. Find you own perfect balance though. Refer to Alexa app for all your questions and other things it can do. Echo Studio automatically updates itself after connecting to the app. It's worry free! I just can't get over the sound it produces for such a small tabletop speaker. I'm very happy with it. I plan on buying a second one to really amplify my experience by linking both for True Stereo 2.0 and possibly the Echo Subwoofer. Yes, other Alexa speakers may be linked to this. Again, the Alexa app helps if planning on doing it. Moreover, it really is a great entertainment investment. Definitely worth the purchase. Besides, it comes with a Alexa shopping bag you can use when going to a convenience store for party snacks. Lol Believe me, i think it was intentional.😉 Enjoy the Vibes with Echo Studio while having Alexa a voice command away. DJ Alexa! 😂 Thanks Amazon, for an incredible Bluetooth speaker.

I had been looking at, and watching reviews of the Echo Studio since it was announced last year, and had decided, it was a product, that I initially wanted to get my hands on, and at least test. Since I have been happy with my Echo Plus 2nd Gen, and Echo Dot 3rd Gen, I put the studio on the back burner. Earlier this month, I just happened to be at my local Best Buy, and they had a couple in stock, so I decided to grab one. First Impressions: The studio looks and feels to be well built It seems to be able to fit into a good amount of places, although I've only had it in one so far, but (judging by that location) leads me to believe, even though the largest echo speaker, that it can fit anywhere (within reason). The sound is extremely well balanced, at least for the majority of music I listen to, and even a good stereo mix is immersive on this speaker, the left and right channels come out clear, and it's NOT just stereo, it does immerse you, however, I have noticed that it depends on the style and recording quality of the music as to how well that works. As others have mentioned in reviews, by default the Echo Studio has a Spacial feature enabled to enhance stereo. I'll leave this up to YOU to turn it off, or leave it on. I will leave this suggestion, if you don't have a technical background in audio, and want to keep things simple turn this off in the Alexa app under settings:device settings: your echo studio:audio settings. I say this because it's essentially what Dolby Pro Logic, and other similar technologies do to simulate surround sound from stereo. Some music it actually helps and gives a nice affect to, and others it distorts, and actually makes sound worse. Putting that aside though Audio sounds really good through this device, and the bottom line is, to get the best performance, you can't always use the defaults, or someone else's settings, because there are too many variables. that can change. Other things I've found to share, Initially I had WiFi issues with the 5ghz channel, because the Echo doesn't get full signal where it's at here, but switching to the 2.4ghz channel has made things more stable, not just for the echo studio, but features like multi room music, and overall performance. My advice here is: Yes, 2.4ghz is going to be a slower channel then the 5Ghz one in many cases. However, for an audio only device such as an echo without a screen, it's not going t make a difference in performance. So if issues with Wifi, and it's on the 5ghz channel, try setting it to 2.4. Amazon even recommends this, in their help article on updating and troubleshooting Wifi settings with echo products. Let me rephrase that, they suggest 5ghz for faster performance but suggest 2.4 for better stability and signal range. Bottom Line: The echo studio is a great smart speaker with a unique design and purpose. As always, while the sound is great from this device, it's not a replacement for a dedicated surround system. If you're ok with this fact, and still want to try this product, I recommend it 100%.

Amazon really came through with this product. A few things to take into consideration: Sound Quality: While the sound quality is extremely good, especially given the price range, it’s definitely not on the top of the audiophile list. That being said, for the average person, this is a great speaker. It lacks luster in the mids so lyrics themselves aren’t as crisp as other high fidelity speakers on the market. However, the bass is awesome. No distortion. Also, this thing gets LOUD. Great for a house party or if you feel like rocking out. Alexa: While this may not be the BEST speaker out there, the Alexa integration and capability is great. The mics will pick up your voice from across the room even with music blasting. If you’re a heavy Alexa user then the great sound quality and seamless Alexa integration makes this the speaker for you. I personally run all my smart home devices through Alexa so having one more assistant in the room is great. Size: This speaker is chubby. Kind of looks like a chopped off robot head. It will definitely not just blend in the background. I have it on the corner of my desk 60x30 and still have plenty of room multiple screens and peripherals. Room adaptation: This speaker will definitely fool the room with sound. As far as the “3D Sound goes”, it’s really going to depend on the placement and structure of the room. If you place this in the corner of a room and try to listen to it from the opposite corner, you do loose some of that full sound effect. Also, the size and material of your room are going to effect the acoustics and how the sound bounces off the walls. It seems you really only get that full 3D sound effect if it’s directly in front of you and you have 4 solid walls for the sound to bounce off of. I have mine on the corner of the desk with the front speaker facing me. When I’m sitting at my desk I really get the full 3D effect. To manually reset/calibrate to a room hold down the command button for about 15 seconds. 3D MUSIC: This speaker performs optimally when playing 3D Music from Amazon. Something to keep in mind though is that there are only about 1,000+ 3D song a offered. Who knows what the future has in store but that shouldn’t be the selling point if you’re looking at this speaker. Either way, you’re still getting great sound from any music app. Built in Zigbee: I don’t use any zigbee devices so I can’t comment on this. I also couldn’t figure out how it really works. Competition: For the same prize you could purchase a smaller Sonos One. Which one has better sound quality is up for debate but what’s lacking in the Sonos is Bluetooth connectivity. Also, the built in Alexa is limited. Using it as a sound bar: I personally only use this for listening to music while I’m at my desk. I can’t really see this being better than a a bar and subwoofer around the same price range or even slightly more expensive. I think it would work great with two Studio’s but then again ... there might be better options at that price range. User preference. Summary: I truly am impressed with this speaker and really enjoy using it. If you’re a casual music listener Like me and currently or plan to utilize Alexa, this is a great speaker. If you really want to fill the room then I would consider buying two and strategically placing them somewhere in the desired room.