Short answer: the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen. It ranks #2 of 15 powered desktop speakers by sound quality (rated 3.8/5) at $219.99 and is still sold new; the Google Home Max ranks #15 (rated 3.6/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
Why pick the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen: A great sounding Amazon smart speaker, with wide sound from one box, Dolby Atmos and a built in smart home hub. Watch for: SoundGuys still marked it down on Value (4.0 of 10) given the $219.99 list price, and it is explicitly not true left-right stereo from one cabinet, so a stereo pair is needed for real width in a larger room.
What the Google Home Max does well: A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass. It supports AAC Bluetooth, which the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen lacks. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen lacks. The tradeoff: Discontinued by Google since 2020, so it can no longer be bought new; used and refurbished stock is what remains, and RTINGS calls its soundstage mediocre despite the driver count.
Buy the Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the Google Home Max is discontinued, so it is only available used.
Want more options? Browse the full Powered Home rankings.
A great sounding Amazon smart speaker, with wide sound from one box, Dolby Atmos and a built in smart home hub.
A large Google smart speaker with two woofers, automatic room tuning and stereo pairing, praised by owners for its bass.
Prices on this page were last checked November 5, 2026 at 10:30 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Amazon Echo Studio 2nd Gen | Google Home Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $219.99 each | $399 each Discontinued |
| Ranked | #2 of 15 in Small Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #15 of 29 in Medium Size Powered Desktop Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | No Battery |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Alexa Home Theater) | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room, Chromecast built-in) |
| Power Input | External AC adapter | AC power cord |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Weight | 3.6 lbs (1.632 kg) | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Wi-Fi 6E) | Yes (2.4GHz/5GHz) |
| App | Yes (Alexa) | Yes (Google Home) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes (mic mute button, far-field) | Yes (6 far-field mics for Smart Sound room correction) |
| EQ | Yes (Bass/Mid/Treble + Dolby Virtualizer, via Alexa app) | Yes (Media EQ + Room EQ, automatic via Smart Sound) |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Alexa app) | Yes (Wi-Fi stereo pairing via Google Home app) |
| Drivers | 3.75in high-excursion woofer, 3x 2.25in full-range drivers (L/R/up) | 2x 4.5in high-excursion woofers, 2x 0.7in tweeters |
| Inputs | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Aux, USB-C |
| XLR Input | No | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | Yes (3.5mm) |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | Yes |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 6.1” x 5.6” x 5.8” (155 x 142 x 147 mm) | 7.5” x 13.2” x 6.1” (190 x 336 x 154 mm) (H x W x D) |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa / Alexa+ | Google Assistant |
| Streaming Services | Amazon Music, Apple Music, Spotify, SiriusXM | Chromecast built-in, Spotify Connect, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio |
| Amplifier Power | - | 6x Class-D amplifiers |
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