Apple HomePod 2 vs Echo Studio: What’s the distinction?

For those who’re searching for a sensible speaker able to delivering immersive spatial audio, there are two gadgets that may instantly come to thoughts: the Apple HomePod 2 and the Amazon Echo Studio. 

Each audio system earned a formidable 4.5-stars from our reviewers, however which is healthier? 

We’ve put the HomePod 2 and the Echo Studio head-to-head that can assist you determine which speaker is the perfect match to your dwelling. 

Pricing and availability 

The Apple HomePod 2 got here out in February 2023 and prices $299/£299, whereas the Amazon Echo Studio launched on the finish of 2019 and is at present priced at $199.99/£219.99. 

Design 

The HomePod 2 and the Echo Studio have comparable cylindrical designs with material finishes. Each audio system are additionally out there in a alternative of black or white. Nevertheless, there are a selection of variations between the 2 each when it comes to fashion and controls. 

The HomePod 2 appears to be like quite a bit like the unique HomePod. It’s small at simply 168mm tall and the impartial mesh background helps it to mix into softer environments, nevertheless it’s fairly heavy at 2.3kg. 

On prime of the speaker is a display that pulses if you play music or work together with Siri. The show contains contact controls, that means you possibly can press to play and pause, alter the quantity and maintain down to talk with Siri. 

The Echo Studio is way taller and heavier than the HomePod 2 at 206mm and three.5kg. The speaker is wrapped in a rough, scratch-resistant material which, just like the HomePod 2, permits the Echo Studio to mix into its background fairly than draw consideration to itself. 

In contrast to the HomePod 2, the Echo Studio has 4 bodily buttons, together with quantity up, quantity down, an Alexa button and a button to chop the microphone, successfully stopping Alexa from listening in in your conversations. 

There’s additionally a hoop that circles the highest of the speaker that lights up everytime you say Alexa’s title with totally different color indicators for various actions, resembling quantity up and microphone off. 

Options 

The obvious similarity between the HomePod 2 and the Echo Studio is that each gadgets are good audio system with their very own voice assistants. The HomePod 2 has Siri and the Echo Studio has Alexa. 

Each good assistants can play music, reply questions, provide updates on the information, climate, visitors and sports activities scores, and command different supported good dwelling gadgets. 

One main restriction to the HomePod 2 is that it can’t be arrange or used to stream music with out an iOS system. For that reason, Android customers will possible have a better time choosing the Echo Studio. 

With Siri, you possibly can ask the HomePod 2 to play particular artists, albums and songs from Apple Music. You can too hearken to Spotify and tracks from different music companies by way of AirPlay, although you possibly can’t set them as default or management them by way of Siri. You can too switch music out of your telephone to the HomePod 2 seamlessly by holding your system on prime of the speaker, which is a neat characteristic for if you enter your property. 

Like the unique HomePod, there’s no Bluetooth assist to attach different gadgets and we did discover the HomePod 2 to be a bit of gradual at instances, possible as a consequence of its reliance on AirPlay 2. 

Sensible dwelling assist covers a lot of producers, together with Google, Amazon and Apple itself. That is largely due to the embedded Thread radio that permits it to assist Matter gadgets. Sensible dwelling tech may be managed by Siri instructions as soon as they’re arrange in Apple Residence and we discovered actions truly occurred quicker than after we requested Alexa on an Echo Present 8. 

Apple also can let you know how heat and humid your room is due to built-in temperature and humidity sensors. 

Lastly, you possibly can pair two HomePod 2 gadgets for stereo sound or join the HomePod 2 to your TV to make use of as an Atmos-capable speaker. 

The Echo Studio, however, does include Bluetooth assist, that means you possibly can join all kinds of gadgets to the speaker to play music. You can too solid songs instantly from the Amazon Music HD app or by Spotify Join, which we discovered to be one of the best ways to pay attention on this speaker as Bluetooth presents noticeably decrease volumes. 

Alexa, in the meantime, allows a variety of abilities from checking the climate to managing the lights and central heating, with Zigbee assist for appropriate good dwelling gadgets. Alexa also can play music out of your service of alternative, that means you aren’t restricted to 1 platform relating to the voice assistant as you might be with the HomePod 2. 

You may mix two Echo Studios to play music left and proper in stereo, or add an Echo Sub to create a 2.1 system with greater bass. The Echo Studio also can join wirelessly to the TV Dice (2nd gen) and Hearth TV Stick 4K to spice up your TV audio. 

Audio high quality 

Each the HomePod 2 and the Echo Studio include spatial audio assist, that means music sounds extra immersive than that produced by a normal good speaker. 

Each audio system additionally profit from software program that tweaks the audio relying on the room and positioning of the system. 

The HomePod 2 presents unbelievable audio efficiency and we discovered it to be comfortably the best-sounding good speaker of its dimension. Spatial audio provides depth to tracks, vocals are crisp and clear, and bass is unbelievable. 

The Echo Studio, in the meantime, is the best-sounding Echo speaker by far, however not the best-sounding speaker in its worth bracket. 

The woofer provides the Echo Studio a stronger and weightier sound than most audio system at its worth, however midrange and treble can fall quick in comparison with equally priced audio system. We discovered the bass gave tracks loads of energy and drama, nevertheless it might be overwhelming, dominating over vocals and treble at instances. 

Verdict 

For those who stay in an Apple family and are trying to find a fantastic-sounding good speaker with hands-free smarts from Siri, go for the HomePod 2. 

For those who’re an Android consumer searching for extra flexibility relating to music companies, in addition to wide-ranging good dwelling assist from the Alexa voice assistant and Zigbee, look towards the Echo Studio as an alternative.