Smart speaker advice needed

Bingers

Hi all,

I have recently been sucked completely into the world of Google Home and I love it. I currently have a Google Home and a Google Mini but want to go one further with either a Google Home Max or another smart speaker with Google Assistant. The Max retails at about £400 but I would go down the eBay route and aim to spend something around the low £200 mark. It's a lot of clever speaker at that level and I understand the sound quality is as you'd expect from a £400 speaker. However, it's still a lot of money and this morning I stumbled upon this https://www.whathifi.com/lg/wk7/review which, by all accounts, is an awesome smart speaker with top-notch sound quality powered by Meridian which I could get new for less than £100. I mean, I could get two for less than a single Google Home Max!

So my first question is, does anyone have any experience of either, and therefore an opinion...?

Then the next question...am I even doing the right thing...?! Bear with me here... My TV/speaker situation is currently antiquated but works brilliantly - I have a decent Samsung smart TV plugged into an old-ish Cambridge Audio amplifier and Tannoy floor standing speakers. But we live in a small cottage and the speakers take up a lot of space. Does anyone know if I can connect either the Google Home Max or the LG WK7 to the TV (non-Chromecast, but could buy the dongle if needs be) so that it is always connected and ready to go? The joy of the current set up is that it's always connected (by good old fashioned wires) so when the TV is on, the sound always comes through the speakers, no switching on/connecting required.

No idea if this is the right place to be asking such specific techie questions but any thoughts appreciated and feel free to steer me in the right direction if this is not the place for it!

Many thanks in advance.

Richard

wongataa

Bingers wrote: »

Then the next question...am I even doing the right thing...?! Bear with me here... My TV/speaker situation is currently antiquated but works brilliantly - I have a decent Samsung smart TV plugged into an old-ish Cambridge Audio amplifier and Tannoy floor standing speakers. But we live in a small cottage and the speakers take up a lot of space. Does anyone know if I can connect either the Google Home Max or the LG WK7 to the TV

The Google Home max has an external input so you probably could connect it to the TV. You can't connect the LG to the TV. To be honest your current setup would probably sound better and you know it works. If you really want to have smaller speakers attached to your TV then a decent soundbar would be the way to go.

Bingers

Thanks Wongataa - that's helpful. Have investigated soundbars but very few seem to have Google built-in (those that do are expensive and/or only available from the US), and I am loving the ability to stream music throughout the house via the Google speakers (albeit the Mini has terrible sound, hence the need to move it to another room and install something meatier in the living room!). So I guess it's a question of whether I prioritise TV sound quality, or streaming, or whether I keep the existing setup and just add the additional smart speaker to the mix...! Decisions, decisions.

Thanks again for your input.

almillar

How about a Chromecast Audio, which you could plug into your amp. You can then cast your audio to it - but it's not 'smart' as in able to talk to you. That'll be the best sound if not the most straightforward.

Bingers

almillar wrote: »

How about a Chromecast Audio, which you could plug into your amp. You can then cast your audio to it - but it's not 'smart' as in able to talk to you. That'll be the best sound if not the most straightforward.

Good thinking too - thanks almillar. I think I'm still keen to try to lose the huge speakers if they can be replaced with something that sounds sufficiently decent (I realise the current set up is going to be hard to beat without shelling out big time) AND has smart capabilities for music streaming. The Max makes sense in that it can be plugged into the TV but it's sooo much more money for not that much better sound than the LG WK7, from what I can gather, albeit second hand/opened boxed they are cheaper obviously... That said, the more research I do, the more I think I may just stick with the current set up but add the WK7 for better quality streamed music in the living room. I don't know. :undecided

RumRat

Bingers wrote: »

Good thinking too - thanks almillar. I think I'm still keen to try to lose the huge speakers if they can be replaced with something that sounds sufficiently decent (I realise the current set up is going to be hard to beat without shelling out big time) AND has smart capabilities for music streaming. The Max makes sense in that it can be plugged into the TV but it's sooo much more money for not that much better sound than the LG WK7, from what I can gather, albeit second hand/opened boxed they are cheaper obviously... That said, the more research I do, the more I think I may just stick with the current set up but add the WK7 for better quality streamed music in the living room. I don't know. :undecided

The Sonus Beam soundbar is awaiting a software upgrade to install Google assistant (in the next couple of months hopefully) so you could wait for the upgrade or buy one now in anticipation....

Bingers

RumRat wrote: »

The Sonus Beam soundbar is awaiting a software upgrade to install Google assistant (in the next couple of months hopefully) so you could wait for the upgrade or buy one now in anticipation....

Aye, I'd spotted that too...just frustrating they haven't published a release date yet as it looks very, very convincing. Top marks for lateral thinking, RumRat, thank you. I shall put it in the pot with the other thoughts and see what emerges. Patience v sound quality v decluttering v money...!

steviebabes

One thing to bear in mind if you want to use wifi for the TV sound is syncing the sound and picture, there will always be a short delay which can be quite annoying.

Heedtheadvice

I have just read the review.
It is quite complientary about the functions and the sound.....for a smart small speaker.


However although you do not mention which Tannoy speaker you currently have if it is of similar quality to match your amp you could be very dissapointed in the sound quality.


Many of these small 'high functionality' speakers sound quite impressive for their size and cost but fall down on real sound quality compared to good simple speakers. You mayfind that trade off acceptable but will only know after listening tests.


Interestingly that review summary says good bass....but very little about sound in the body text! That says a lot. It also has a few adverse comments and lots about functionality...........read into that what you will!


Oh and not a stereo pair......?

Bingers

Heedtheadvice wrote: »

I have just read the review.
It is quite complientary about the functions and the sound.....for a smart small speaker.


However although you do not mention which Tannoy speaker you currently have if it is of similar quality to match your amp you could be very dissapointed in the sound quality.


Many of these small 'high functionality' speakers sound quite impressive for their size and cost but fall down on real sound quality compared to good simple speakers. You mayfind that trade off acceptable but will only know after listening tests.


Interestingly that review summary says good bass....but very little about sound in the body text! That says a lot. It also has a few adverse comments and lots about functionality...........read into that what you will!


Oh and not a stereo pair......?

All very good points - thank you.

Am well aware the sound quality will not be a patch on the Tannoys which are, for want of a lesser word, majestic. I will not be parting company with them, merely storing them until I can find the space. Or not storing them but continuing to use them for the TV and for big sounds, while using the LG (or Home Max...) for day to day music streaming.

The LG seems to win in terms of fairly glowing reviews in terms of sound quality (for a smart speaker of this size), price point, and functionality. Have hunted high and low and even a second hand Max is £250+ and while I appreciate the sound will be better, will it be 2.5 times better given it's 2.5x more expensive than a brand new LG? Possibly. Justifiably so? Possibly not.

So...I think my mind is made up - I think it's going to be the LG WK7, meaning I'll keep the standard Google Home with acceptable sound quality in the kitchen, the LG in the living room with good sound quality, and the Mini in the bedroom with bedroom sound quality! And I'll worry about what to do with the galumphing great Tannoys another day.....! And if the Google Home Max is reduced in the future, then I'll have another look.

Now just to wait for payday...!

Chesheer

I am using Amazon Echo with Alexa. Pretty googd assistant.