Google Nest Audio Speaker Review

[davidc]

Nice to see a 2W speaker is tested this good. The aluminum case is kind of high tech, the LED slot on the front causes a good amount of interference.
But never ever will I accept a google spy in here.

Still using a 1st gen ua Boombox in the workshop, EQing is mandatory. Also a pretty good sounding device and the battery pack is changeable, good old times. (The speaker is more than 10 years in use under roughest conditions and still working fine

What's the difference between a 1st gen and 2nd gen boombox?

 

[EJ3]

But never ever will I accept a google spy in here.

Me either, nor one from any of the other brands.

 

[oceansize]

Me either, nor one from any of the other brands.

You've quite a few posts in this thread - Google's bots must be well aware of your thoughts on the issue by now.

 

[Jimbob54]

MOD NOTICE

I think the privacy concerns about smart speakers have been well thrashed out by now . Let's keep discussion in this review thread to the audio and connectivity aspects of the device please . I'll be deleting any further OT /privacy posts and warning and /or thread banning repeat offenders . Thanks .

 

[yo!]

What's the difference between a 1st gen and 2nd gen boombox?

This was 1. gen

 

[silkpurse]

Ideally someone figures out how to get an i2s input or even a line level input into these.

 

[Ears of Tin]

Ordered last night from BestBuy, $50. Delivered this afternoon. I'm currently seasoning it by casting local files with LMS/picore. It replaced the original Google Home speaker (the flower vase shape) which started having trouble staying connected to our wifi after about ten years. Sounds great in our modest-sized dining room. Primarily for background dinner music.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

TLDR the entire thread:
How do you connect this to a P?
Any way to have a wired connection?
How would one connect it to a subwoofer?

A pair of these + sub + APO + Peace for EQ, would be a cheap(Yes!), yet objectively performant desktop system.
Especially if one finds a non-“Big -Brother-is-listening-and-watching-you” method to configure the system...

Peace.

 

[EJ3]

Hi

TLDR the entire thread:
How do you connect this to a P?
Any way to have a wired connection?
How would one connect it to a subwoofer?

A pair of these + sub + APO + Peace for EQ, would be a cheap(Yes!), yet objectively performant desktop system.
Especially if one find a non-Big Brother is listening and watching you method to configure the system...

Peace.

2 subs please! The we are in full agreement (at least for 'background' noise).

 

[Ears of Tin]

Especially if one finds a non-“Big -Brother-is-listening-and-watching-you” method to configure the system...

My needs are simple. I would be content to use the mechanical switch to turn off the microphone. Then I can just cast content to it (and about six other Google devices) from LMS, Radio Paradise, Podcast Addict, etc. But my wife prefers more functionality; Spotify by default instead of Youtube, voice recognition so "whats on my schedule today?" reads her calendar, "Buy eggs" puts it on her shopping list instead of mine, voice control of lights. Some Big Brother is required for those features.

 

[fcserei]

Hi

TLDR the entire thread:
How do you connect this to a P?
Any way to have a wired connection?
How would one connect it to a subwoofer?

A pair of these + sub + APO + Peace for EQ, would be a cheap(Yes!), yet objectively performant desktop system.
Especially if one finds a non-“Big -Brother-is-listening-and-watching-you” method to configure the system...

Peace.

There is no analog signal in the whole signal chain, just on the speaker terminals.
The power amp/DSP combo chip has i2s input, but I don't know how much google messing with the config of the chip after initialization. You can try to experiment with hijacking the signal at that point.
IMHO The easiest way to use this speaker independently from Google is to feed the speakers with an external DSP crossover and power amps. A Linkwitz transform in the bass, 2nd order crossover at 1450 Hz ( and no front grill ) gives a very smooth, but loudness limited response across the 70Hz-20KHz range

 

[olieb]

IMHO The easiest way to use this speaker independently from Google is to feed the speakers with an external DSP crossover and power amps. A Linkwitz transform in the bass, 2nd order crossover at 1450 Hz ( and no front grill ) gives a very smooth, but loudness limited response across the 70Hz-20KHz range

That is exactly what I did. (Well I used 1800 Hz LR4.)
I bought several units of these as "defective", figuring that the defect is in the electronics and the drivers will be ok.
First I tried to reproduce the peaks and dips in midsummer (resonance?) but could not do it. Some hiccups (4 kHz) and hiccdowns (10.5 kHz) but not what Amir measured.
My measurements
orange: nearfield (1 cm) from woofer
with Umik in the living room (gated 6 ms) 25 cm distance
black: with grill
red: without grill (the grill/cloth seems to reduce treble quite a bit)
green: with front grill pulled out about 3 mm (there seem to be reflections)

blue: tweeter without grill, with Umik in the living room (gated 6 ms), 25 cm distance
black: woofer nearfield 1 cm, ungated, level adjusted
red: woofer 25 cm, ungated
orange: woofer 50 cm, ungated

Then I took off all the electronics (everything is nicely done with screws) and measured the drivers directly.

All the electronics inside. I only reused the white pin connector in the center to connect to the drivers.

I have an old Minidsp 2x4 that I use for EQ.
For aesthetic reasons I wanted to use the plastic panels but not accept the disadvantages.
I peeled off the cloth and cut out the grill for the tweeter.
Now it looks like this:

I might sand and paint it later. Still in progress.

This is the FR that I arrive at (gated again and without grill). In bass I adjusted for ≈60 Hz, - 3dB. But this works only for moderate levels of course.

 

[fcserei]

That is exactly what I did. (Well I used 1800 Hz LR4.)
I bought several units of these as "defective", figuring that the defect is in the electronics and the drivers will be ok.
First I tried to reproduce the peaks and dips in midsummer (resonance?) but could not do it. Some hiccups (4 kHz) and hiccdowns (10.5 kHz) but not what Amir measured.
My measurements
orange: nearfield (1 cm) from woofer
with Umik in the living room (gated 6 ms) 25 cm distance
black: with grill
red: without grill (the grill/cloth seems to reduce treble quite a bit)
green: with front grill pulled out about 3 mm (there seem to be reflections)
View attachment 410186


blue: tweeter without grill, with Umik in the living room (gated 6 ms), 25 cm distance
black: woofer nearfield 1 cm, ungated, level adjusted
red: woofer 25 cm, ungated
orange: woofer 50 cm, ungated
View attachment 410187

Then I took off all the electronics (everything is nicely done with screws) and measured the drivers directly.
View attachment 410195
All the electronics inside. I only reused the white pin connector in the center to connect to the drivers.

I have an old Minidsp 2x4 that I use for EQ.
For aesthetic reasons I wanted to use the plastic panels but not accept the disadvantages.
I peeled off the cloth and cut out the grill for the tweeter.
Now it looks like this:
View attachment 410193
I might sand and paint it later. Still in progress.

This is the FR that I arrive at (gated again and without grill). In bass I adjusted for ≈60 Hz, - 3dB. But this works only for moderate levels of course.
View attachment 410189

You measurements are matching mine on page 12. it looks like most of the HF resonances in the original measurements are caused by the grill.
There are no tricks in the google signal handling, except the loudness dependent bass boost. You can have a less aggressive one with the external crossover, with a little less bass but no compression.

 

[Krusty09]

Just a heads up, Home Depot has the speaker for 49.00 bucks a d free shipping. Only in gray I think.

Just thought some one might like to know

 

[elak]

I bought those and I'm very satisfied. I only worry about 2 issues that appeared yesterday - volume increased on its own, and track was changed on its own by speakers. No one from other home members made joke etc. Have anyone faced such problems? When I googled it, results shown, that there were such problems before.

 

[Walter]

I bought those and I'm very satisfied. I only worry about 2 issues that appeared yesterday - volume increased on its own, and track was changed on its own by speakers. No one from other home members made joke etc. Have anyone faced such problems? When I googled it, results shown, that there were such problems before.

For what it is worth, I've got about 400 hours of use on mine and have never had either of these things occur.

 

[ninetylol]

These speakers really ruined audio for me!

I wanted to give myself a present and upgrade to Kali IN-8v2 especially to use them with the TV but even the Kalis measure worse then my Nest Audio. Its a pity those Nest Audios have a latency problem with bluetooth else i would be set for life.

Red are Google Nest Audio - Turquise Kali IN-8v2

 

[EJ3]

If they can fill my home AND 1/8 acre or so of my yard (when I have the widows open) with music, I would have to give them consideration.
Any less volume level, I don't care how good they are, they won't be useful to us & our lifestyle.

 

[ninetylol]

@EJ3 yeh SPL is a factor, I for one cant play any louder than 80db with neighbours around.

 

[Barrelhouse Solly]

I think you mean either "low price/joy" or "high joy/price"

Depends on whether high modifies price or price/joy.