With the release of the Echo Dot Max, Amazon has made big changes to the middle tier of its smart speaker line. The Dot Max is the new standard for people who want room-filling sound and next-generation artificial intelligence in a small, powerful package. It sits between the Echo Dot, which is small and affordable, and the Echo Studio, which is high-end and focused on audiophiles. This device does the job of a standard fourth-generation Echo, but with much better audio and processing power and a smaller footprint. Its design, which is based on the now-famous spherical shape, includes the signature LED light ring in a new, streamlined control surface on the front of the sphere.
The Echo Dot Max’s most interesting improvement is its completely redesigned acoustic architecture, which was done in direct response to customer requests for better sound quality in the Dot series. Amazon has added a high-tech two-way speaker system to a Dot-branded device for the first time. The design includes a high-excursion woofer that focuses on deep, resonant bass frequencies and a custom tweeter that makes high notes sound clear and crisp. The new design does away with the separate speaker module that was used in earlier models and instead puts the speaker directly into the housing of the device. This change in technology effectively doubles the internal air space, which lets the speaker produce almost three times the bass output of the 5th-generation Echo Dot. The sound fills the room and automatically adjusts to the acoustics of the space.
The Echo Dot Max is designed to get the most out of Amazon’s next-generation AI, Alexa+, in addition to its physical drivers. Amazon’s custom-designed AZ3 chip powers the speaker. It has a brand-new AI Accelerator built in. This special silicon makes it much better at picking up and processing conversations. The better chip and microphone array make it easier to talk to Alexa in a more natural way, blocking out background noise and making it much more accurate at hearing the wake word. The speaker can handle more complicated, contextual questions and commands from the new Alexa+ because it focuses on edge-based AI processing. This makes the smart home experience feel faster, more personal, and more intuitive than ever before.
The Echo Dot Max also works perfectly with other home entertainment systems. One of the most exciting things about it is that you can connect it to other Echo speakers that work with it, like the redesigned Echo Studio, to make a makeshift home theater. Users can connect up to five Dot Max or Studio devices to Fire TV sticks that work with them. This lets them make a powerful and immersive surround sound system that competes with mid-range soundbars, all controlled by Alexa. With a competitive price, the Echo Dot Max offers a great value by giving users premium sound quality and early access to the Alexa+ AI platform’s advanced features right out of the box. This makes it the new default choice for people who want to improve their home’s core smart speaker experience.