Alexa is one of the most popular voice-controlled assistants that can help you synchronize your smart home. But you don’t have to buy an Amazon Echo to get Alexa. There are lots of smart speakers on the market that either connect to Alexa or come with Alexa built-in.
All of the smart speakers on this list can control your smart home devices, make phone calls, and perform all the other tasks that Alexa can do.
Whether you’re looking for a smart speaker for your home entertainment system or one that you can carry to the beach, here are the best for you to choose from:
Sonos Beam: Best Smart Soundbar
It’s a compact soundbar specially made to work with your TV. It can be used in conjunction with other speakers as well. You can join two other Sonos speakers, wirelessly. This connectivity makes it perfect for living rooms. The Sonos Beam can also connect with your Fire TV, so you can watch your favorite shows with the sound of your voice.
Speaking of voices, Sonos claims that their speaker was tuned by Oscar-winning sound engineers to clarify dialogue. The Beam comes with a Speech Enhancement feature on their app that boosts dialogue when characters are whispering.
Marshall Stanmore II Voice: Best Smart Speakers for Audiophiles
If you want a smart speaker that sounds good, you should probably look for a company that specialized in audio before smart speakers were even around. Marshall began by making amplifiers in 1962. Since then, their audio equipment has been used on stage by musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Slash.
With their new smart speaker, you can have concert-quality sound in your house. This device doesn’t only look like it belongs backstage, it sounds like it too. The top of the device features controls for volume, treble, and bass. It also has far-field voice recognition, so you can tell Alexa to turn it up, even when you’re across the room.
Echo Show (2nd-Generation): Best Smart Speaker With a Display
The Echo Show has a screen that lets you see what music you’re playing. You can also view the lyrics and start a little karaoke session with your friends. It has access to Amazon Prime videos and Alexa’s daily news briefing. Plus, you can make video and voice calls or connect to another Echo Show.
With all of the smart speakers on this list, you can control your smart home devices, make hands-free phone calls, and everything else that an Amazon Echo can do. But, unlike an Amazon Echo, these speakers offer better sound quality.
If you want to know all the cool things you can do with Alexa, check out our previous blog.
Sonos One: Best Bookshelf Speaker
If you want a smart speaker that sounds good for half the price of the Marshall, the Sonos One is an excellent choice. It has excellent audio and a compact design. It’s very convenient because it’s compatible with almost any environment that you prefer.
This Alexa-enabled smart speaker is suitable for those who want to have a home theater setup because it can connect to Sonos’ larger speakers as well as its TV soundbar. Or, you can pair it to another Sonos One and set them as right and left speakers for stereo sound.
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