Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Echo Studio - High-fidelity smart speaker with 3D audio and Alexa
Skip to main content
.us
Hello Select your address
All
Select the department you want to search in
Hello, Sign in
Account & Lists
Returns & Orders
Cart
All
Disability Customer Support Best Sellers Amazon Basics Customer Service New Releases Prime Today's Deals Music Books Amazon Home Registry Fashion Kindle Books Gift Cards Toys & Games Automotive Sell Shopper Toolkit Pet Supplies Computers Pharmacy Coupons Home Improvement Beauty & Personal Care Video Games Luxury Stores Smart Home Health & Household Handmade Audible
Gear up for spring outdoors

  • Echo Studio - High-fidelity smart speaker with 3D audio and Alexa
  • ›
  • Customer reviews

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
32,617 global ratings
5 star
77%
4 star
13%
3 star
5%
2 star
2%
1 star
3%
Echo Studio - High-fidelity smart speaker with 3D audio and Alexa

Echo Studio - High-fidelity smart speaker with 3D audio and Alexa

byAmazon
Configuration: Echo StudioChange
Write a review
How customer reviews and ratings work

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon
See All Buying Options

Top positive review

All positive reviews›
Steve Pugliese
5.0 out of 5 starsThese must be paired in stereo!
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
There will be plenty of reviews for the Studio in stand alone, single speaker use. It does sound excellent that way. But if you pair two Studios and throw in the Echo Sub, that is an extraordinary composition! That is the way to do the Echo Studio! That is how I'll review it here.

I decided I must pair two Studios since I had two Echo Plus's stereo paired with an Echo Sub and it sounded pretty darn good. So I had to try the Studio paired in stereo, and since I had the Sub, I threw that in too. What else am I going to do with it? The Sub added a lot to the two Plus's. I wondered would you even notice it with the two Studios? I'm here to say that you definitely notice it. You notice it's not there, I can tell you.

The sound of this whole system (two Echo Studios and the Echo Sub) is quite exceptional. I would have to say it's thrilling! Yes, it costs $530 but that is bound to come down and did I tell you that it sounds incredible? It commands a respect, it really does. There is such a depth to this. The bass is deliberate and authoritative. Very punchy. It has exceptional dynamic range (at high volumes this can be startling) and the stereo image is just stunning. An enormous stage. Those 6 midrange speakers sound sweet indeed. Be sure to turn everything up in the equalizer in Audio Settings of the device in the Alexa App. This thing likes loud! It can easily handle max volume for extensive listening.

You crank this up to ten and it literally takes over the room. If you can listen at that volume for awhile with this system (you must live without neighbors) you will be found with a huge smile on your face.

All of Amazon's music library is now available in lossless CD quality streaming or better, which shines on this. The new celebrated 3D formats also sound excellent, though I thought there'd be more to them (Abbey Road sounded great but I didn't think it was transformed). But anything you play on this will sound exceptional. I really can't believe Amazon has taken it this far from the original Echo. Bravo! I notice that the Apple Homepod is now down to $200 at Best Buy. Would two of them paired sound better than this setup? I truly doubt it. They'd need a subwoofer and none, as far as I know, are available for it.

A few things. The circling Alexa lights are now on top of the speaker. You can no longer really see them from the side, which is unfortunate. I love those lights! And two, the Studio comes with this "spatial" setting set. I recommend turning it off. In the Alexa app, go to the device and then Audio Settings and below the equalizer is that on off button for the spatial effect. I don't find it adds anything even though it really changes the acoustics. But if you want to hear music as it was recorded, leave this off.

Oh, and I have to say that Amazon still does not make it super easy to set this all up. You have to start with a new or deregistered speaker. Set up each separately and then pair them. But it's anything but obvious or close to foolproof. Come on, Amazon!

And I feel I must tell you that you can't connect to the Studio by Bluetooth when stereo paired. It will only play through one Studio, the first one you set up. To use the Studios in stereo pair with the Echo Sub, you can only stream. And you can only stream if you pay.

Finally, then, these things are big. Really quite large. And seemingly only available now in black, though there's a gray one in Amazon's web site ads. This is not a speaker that sits demurely upon a table. It's almost as big as the Echo Sub, if that helps visualize it. But you will definitely be challenged as to its home, because that is where this will stay, like forever. Especially if you go for the whole magilla. But I urge you to at least try it (the whole magilla!). But be prepared, I guarantee you won't send them back!

UPDATE: After a software update, the Spatial effect is now the preferred way, so leave it on. Turning it off now makes the music too flat. I think it may even turn off one of the mid range speakers. But something's missing!

ADDENDUM:

After two years, these still shine as brightly as ever. But the thing that must be emphasized is that this system of two Echo Studios and the Echo Sub is designed to take full advantage of Amazon Music’s HD streaming service, since these can work together only with streamed audio. Using that enables you to get at least CD quality audio recorded in lossless FLAC files (what Amazon calls HD, 16-bit/44.1kHz) for everything in the catalog, and Ultra HD (up to 24-bit/192kHz) available on an ever-growing list of recordings. In addition, it is also capable of playing Amazon’s (admittedly still in limited quantity) so called 3D Audio recordings (Amazon Music supports Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial audio formats). If you don’t get the Amazon Music HD package ($12.99 monthly with Prime / $14.99 without), then you will be missing out on what these speakers are designed to deliver. Amazon’s Ultra HD music must be heard on a system that supports it to be appreciated. It truly is something else in audio quality, significantly better sounding than any CD or LP. And Amazon Music’s catalog is growing by leaps and bounds every month. It is currently quite vast, even its Classical Music selection which has exploded in the two years since the Echo Studio was introduced.

Using the Amazon Echo Link ($140), you could get this same quality streaming audio (or even better depending on your amp and speakers) for an existing Hi-Fi setup (at least I think you can- there seems to be some confusion about whether it supports the full 24-bit/192kHz Ultra HD), although you could not get 3D Audio with the Link. You could also use the Echo Link to attach any other sub-woofer to your Echo Studio pair but that would also require an additional amplifier thrown in. However, if you don’t have that Hi-Fi system already, these (2 paired Echo Studios and the Echo Sub) are the way to go to take full advantage of Amazon Music HD at a very favorable price. Just compare their cost to that of a good Hi-Fi system consisting of amplifier, pre-amp, two speakers and a sub-woofer as well as the Echo Link you’d need. The Echo speakers here are a definite bargain for getting excellent audio with minimal wires or fuss!
Read more
1,451 people found this helpful

Top critical review

All critical reviews›
A. Meller
2.0 out of 5 starsNot "Studio" sound quality
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Disclaimer: this is not my first Echo device - I have altogether 5 of them at the moment, and have used them for at least 3 years.

Unlike other reviewer who criticized this gadget, I had no problems with setting it up and with using it. It works fine, plays music and answers questions. I am just unhappy with the sound, that was, of course, the primary reason to upgrade from Echo Plus to this device.

The good:
a. Bass is better that on my Echo Plus.

The bad:
a. Trebles are very bad and muddy. Rudimentary equalizer settings (Bass, Midrange, Treble) are not sufficient to adjust the sound properly. I believe the problem is mostly due to phase cancellation effect on a single tweeter that mixes signal from left and right channels. Amazon developers, please consider either adding another tweeter in the next generation, or employing a better algorithm that will minimize phase cancellation effect.
b. The switch for "Stereo Spatial Enhancement", that is enabled by default, makes the sound much worse and completely kills the trebles.
c. There is a clear dis-balance in volume between spoken voice (that appears too quiet) and music (too loud). So every time you use it, you need to adjust the volume.
d. Light ring that shows that Alexa is listening for you can be seen only from above, and not from the side, so if you ask Alexa to do something from 3 steps away, you don't know if it can hear you or not.
Read more
1,302 people found this helpful

Search
Sort by
Top reviews
Filter by
Verified purchase only
All stars
All formats
Text, image, video
Filtered by
Verified purchasesClear filter
32,530 global ratings | 7,044 global reviews

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

From the United States

Steve Pugliese
5.0 out of 5 stars These must be paired in stereo!
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
There will be plenty of reviews for the Studio in stand alone, single speaker use. It does sound excellent that way. But if you pair two Studios and throw in the Echo Sub, that is an extraordinary composition! That is the way to do the Echo Studio! That is how I'll review it here.

I decided I must pair two Studios since I had two Echo Plus's stereo paired with an Echo Sub and it sounded pretty darn good. So I had to try the Studio paired in stereo, and since I had the Sub, I threw that in too. What else am I going to do with it? The Sub added a lot to the two Plus's. I wondered would you even notice it with the two Studios? I'm here to say that you definitely notice it. You notice it's not there, I can tell you.

The sound of this whole system (two Echo Studios and the Echo Sub) is quite exceptional. I would have to say it's thrilling! Yes, it costs $530 but that is bound to come down and did I tell you that it sounds incredible? It commands a respect, it really does. There is such a depth to this. The bass is deliberate and authoritative. Very punchy. It has exceptional dynamic range (at high volumes this can be startling) and the stereo image is just stunning. An enormous stage. Those 6 midrange speakers sound sweet indeed. Be sure to turn everything up in the equalizer in Audio Settings of the device in the Alexa App. This thing likes loud! It can easily handle max volume for extensive listening.

You crank this up to ten and it literally takes over the room. If you can listen at that volume for awhile with this system (you must live without neighbors) you will be found with a huge smile on your face.

All of Amazon's music library is now available in lossless CD quality streaming or better, which shines on this. The new celebrated 3D formats also sound excellent, though I thought there'd be more to them (Abbey Road sounded great but I didn't think it was transformed). But anything you play on this will sound exceptional. I really can't believe Amazon has taken it this far from the original Echo. Bravo! I notice that the Apple Homepod is now down to $200 at Best Buy. Would two of them paired sound better than this setup? I truly doubt it. They'd need a subwoofer and none, as far as I know, are available for it.

A few things. The circling Alexa lights are now on top of the speaker. You can no longer really see them from the side, which is unfortunate. I love those lights! And two, the Studio comes with this "spatial" setting set. I recommend turning it off. In the Alexa app, go to the device and then Audio Settings and below the equalizer is that on off button for the spatial effect. I don't find it adds anything even though it really changes the acoustics. But if you want to hear music as it was recorded, leave this off.

Oh, and I have to say that Amazon still does not make it super easy to set this all up. You have to start with a new or deregistered speaker. Set up each separately and then pair them. But it's anything but obvious or close to foolproof. Come on, Amazon!

And I feel I must tell you that you can't connect to the Studio by Bluetooth when stereo paired. It will only play through one Studio, the first one you set up. To use the Studios in stereo pair with the Echo Sub, you can only stream. And you can only stream if you pay.

Finally, then, these things are big. Really quite large. And seemingly only available now in black, though there's a gray one in Amazon's web site ads. This is not a speaker that sits demurely upon a table. It's almost as big as the Echo Sub, if that helps visualize it. But you will definitely be challenged as to its home, because that is where this will stay, like forever. Especially if you go for the whole magilla. But I urge you to at least try it (the whole magilla!). But be prepared, I guarantee you won't send them back!

UPDATE: After a software update, the Spatial effect is now the preferred way, so leave it on. Turning it off now makes the music too flat. I think it may even turn off one of the mid range speakers. But something's missing!

ADDENDUM:

After two years, these still shine as brightly as ever. But the thing that must be emphasized is that this system of two Echo Studios and the Echo Sub is designed to take full advantage of Amazon Music’s HD streaming service, since these can work together only with streamed audio. Using that enables you to get at least CD quality audio recorded in lossless FLAC files (what Amazon calls HD, 16-bit/44.1kHz) for everything in the catalog, and Ultra HD (up to 24-bit/192kHz) available on an ever-growing list of recordings. In addition, it is also capable of playing Amazon’s (admittedly still in limited quantity) so called 3D Audio recordings (Amazon Music supports Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial audio formats). If you don’t get the Amazon Music HD package ($12.99 monthly with Prime / $14.99 without), then you will be missing out on what these speakers are designed to deliver. Amazon’s Ultra HD music must be heard on a system that supports it to be appreciated. It truly is something else in audio quality, significantly better sounding than any CD or LP. And Amazon Music’s catalog is growing by leaps and bounds every month. It is currently quite vast, even its Classical Music selection which has exploded in the two years since the Echo Studio was introduced.

Using the Amazon Echo Link ($140), you could get this same quality streaming audio (or even better depending on your amp and speakers) for an existing Hi-Fi setup (at least I think you can- there seems to be some confusion about whether it supports the full 24-bit/192kHz Ultra HD), although you could not get 3D Audio with the Link. You could also use the Echo Link to attach any other sub-woofer to your Echo Studio pair but that would also require an additional amplifier thrown in. However, if you don’t have that Hi-Fi system already, these (2 paired Echo Studios and the Echo Sub) are the way to go to take full advantage of Amazon Music HD at a very favorable price. Just compare their cost to that of a good Hi-Fi system consisting of amplifier, pre-amp, two speakers and a sub-woofer as well as the Echo Link you’d need. The Echo speakers here are a definite bargain for getting excellent audio with minimal wires or fuss!
1,451 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


A. Meller
2.0 out of 5 stars Not "Studio" sound quality
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
Disclaimer: this is not my first Echo device - I have altogether 5 of them at the moment, and have used them for at least 3 years.

Unlike other reviewer who criticized this gadget, I had no problems with setting it up and with using it. It works fine, plays music and answers questions. I am just unhappy with the sound, that was, of course, the primary reason to upgrade from Echo Plus to this device.

The good:
a. Bass is better that on my Echo Plus.

The bad:
a. Trebles are very bad and muddy. Rudimentary equalizer settings (Bass, Midrange, Treble) are not sufficient to adjust the sound properly. I believe the problem is mostly due to phase cancellation effect on a single tweeter that mixes signal from left and right channels. Amazon developers, please consider either adding another tweeter in the next generation, or employing a better algorithm that will minimize phase cancellation effect.
b. The switch for "Stereo Spatial Enhancement", that is enabled by default, makes the sound much worse and completely kills the trebles.
c. There is a clear dis-balance in volume between spoken voice (that appears too quiet) and music (too loud). So every time you use it, you need to adjust the volume.
d. Light ring that shows that Alexa is listening for you can be seen only from above, and not from the side, so if you ask Alexa to do something from 3 steps away, you don't know if it can hear you or not.
1,302 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Harry Sachs
1.0 out of 5 stars Each devices have become so riddled with problems I can't recommend.
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
After installing the update (that took an hour) it still won't consistently play music. I don't know if this device is ready for primetime as this seems like a common issue.

I was very excited for this one as I use my original echo daily to listen to the radio or music. Little difference between this device and the original when it comes to listening to talk radio like NPR or news streaming. The music that it did play sounded better than the original echo (much of the difference was an increase of bass). It sounded good when it played music.

I have returned it because of the inconsistency and lack of functionality. I opted to not get a replacement though because I have my echo spot hooked up to a Boston Acoustics speaker that sounds as good and it's cheaper than the $200 For this speaker.

Having used this "studio" version, I would recommend hooking up your old Alexa to a quality speaker instead of spending the money on this one. I find this to be a much more versatile option. Plus this thing is huge and didn't fit in the place where my original echo sits.

My experience with Amazon customer service this time was horrible! I talked with about 15 different representatives to arrange for a ups pickup for the defective one and now I need to contact ups and try to accomplish this. Seems like Amazons policies or customer service has taken a nosedive.
735 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Ted J. Wheeler
5.0 out of 5 stars For the Money Incredible!
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
I am very pleasantly surprised. I have an Echo Plus which I thought sounded good (but it's mono). I'm a big-time audiophile. My home theater subwoofer is a Velodyne SPL-1200 II (1000 Watt with a 12" Kevlar cone), my main speakers are hand made with RAAL electrostatic ribbon tweeters and solid bamboo cabinets - five identical. Point being, I enjoy good sound and I have a very picky ear. I like full range clarity and balance. More than anything, I'm tired of wires at my home computer workstation, I've tried so hard to simplify things. My Bose Companion 20's are incredible but they're cumbersome, top-heavy and require way too much wiring.

Problem is, no single speaker I've tried has had the sound-stage two or more speakers can have. So I decided to try this... Awesome Amazon. Incredible. The Dolby Atmos actually sounds like I am sitting in front of two speakers (or more). I had to move it around a little bit to find a sweet spot but it is so nice. Frank Sinatra sounds like he's in the room. The bass is full without distortion unless you crank the volume all the way, the clarity is there. The unit is heavy and substantial. I'll be enjoying this for both my computer content and yours as I have the Dot, Alexa, and Echo Plus.
Customer image
Ted J. Wheeler
5.0 out of 5 stars For the Money Incredible!
Reviewed in the United States on November 12, 2019
I am very pleasantly surprised. I have an Echo Plus which I thought sounded good (but it's mono). I'm a big-time audiophile. My home theater subwoofer is a Velodyne SPL-1200 II (1000 Watt with a 12" Kevlar cone), my main speakers are hand made with RAAL electrostatic ribbon tweeters and solid bamboo cabinets - five identical. Point being, I enjoy good sound and I have a very picky ear. I like full range clarity and balance. More than anything, I'm tired of wires at my home computer workstation, I've tried so hard to simplify things. My Bose Companion 20's are incredible but they're cumbersome, top-heavy and require way too much wiring.

Problem is, no single speaker I've tried has had the sound-stage two or more speakers can have. So I decided to try this... Awesome Amazon. Incredible. The Dolby Atmos actually sounds like I am sitting in front of two speakers (or more). I had to move it around a little bit to find a sweet spot but it is so nice. Frank Sinatra sounds like he's in the room. The bass is full without distortion unless you crank the volume all the way, the clarity is there. The unit is heavy and substantial. I'll be enjoying this for both my computer content and yours as I have the Dot, Alexa, and Echo Plus.
Images in this review
Customer image
Customer image
496 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Aaron
5.0 out of 5 stars Beats the Beam!
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
I had a Sonos beam and sub combo that cost $1,200 and it sounded great but I was never happy with it not being able to be a part of the multi room audio with all of my other echo speakers. I was hoping the Studio might be close enough in sound quality that I could replace Sonos. I purchased two Studios and a sub it has definitely surpassed my expectations. Goodbye Sonos! I feel like our living room is the closest we can get to a movie theater experience without spending thousands of dollars and you can get it all for a little over $500. Sonos is definitely clear and loud but I feel the Atmos and 3D Music add a depth to the sound that the Sonos is missing. It's like a whole new experience watching Jack Ryan with these running Atmos...so good!

I didn't have any issues adding the Studios/Sub to a Home Theater group to my Fire TV. All you have to do is make sure the Fire TV and Studios all have the latest firmware. You can check in the Fire TV menu and you can ask the Studios to update the software. I even like how when you increase volume the Fire TV cube and both Studios Alexa indicators light up so you can tell how much you are increasing/decreasing volume.

Amazon has always provided a great value for their good products at a good price but I feel they have exceeded expectations with the Studio. This is definitely an awesome product for an awesome price!
294 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Josh
1.0 out of 5 stars Would be nice if this music-centric Echo would play music
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
UPDATE 11/21/19 - I received a replacement unit on 11/13. I set it up and everything seems to be working. I would note that for whatever reason the packaging of the replacement was more generic than what I originally got (the box didn't have the picture of the device on it, just was plain black) and it didn't come with the power cord which I had sent back with the defective unit. I don't care about the box at all but why not supply the power cord??? (luckily for me I had a spare I could use from another device - it's just a generic figure 8 power cord). I did also pair the new device with an echo sub I used to have connected to a stereo pair of Gen 2 Echos. I like the sound from the studio and I definitely can hear the difference in 3D music vs. non-3D music. Interestingly now that it is paired with the sub I don't really notice the Studio being that much better than the stereo pair of Gen 2 echos (with sub) that I used before when playing non-3D music. Granted I'm no audiophile but I'm wondering if it was worth the upgrade when I already had the sub to help the Gen 2 Echos in the bass dept. I debated changing the rating since the replacement works as advertised and I think Amazon customer service was great (although after leaving the negative review below they called me within an hour or two - otherwise I had been waiting for a few days for follow-up), however the whole review/experience may get missed by others if I up the score so I'll leave as-is.

ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW 11/11/19:

I preordered this speaker the day after it was announced. With 8 existing Echos around the house I was more than excited to experience the sound quality from this HomePod killer. It arrived on launch day (11/7) and I immediately went to work setting it up. With baited breath I told Alexa to "play the best of 3D music" in order to get the full 3D experience and Alexa repeated my command as a confirmation. Then...... nothing. No music. No sound. Was the volume too low? No, it was set around 5/10. About 30-45 seconds after the initial command Alexa told me "Sorry, I'm having trouble playing the music".

Long story short I tried everything - playing different stations, playlists, individual songs, etc. All with the same result. Alexa would repeat my command as confirmation (just like the other Echos prior to playing what I asked) but then there was silence for anywhere from 15-45 seconds before she would tell me "I'm having trouble playing the music". I called tech support after running through all the online suggestions (reboot cable modem, reboot router, reset Echo, remove and reinstall Alexa app, etc.). Even though the Studio was in the same spot in my house where an existing Echo pair with Sub was located I put the Echo Studio 6 inches from the router and went through some more troubleshooting with the tech on the phone. I asked the Studio to update software and was told on several attempts "Sorry, I experienced a problem, please try again later".

To be clear the Echo does everything else it is supposed to - control lights, answer questions, play the news, etc. It just won't play music (and I'm an unlimited subscriber).

After an hour on the phone with the Amazon tech he was clueless. He pulled some logs to send to engineering team and I've yet to hear back. I REALLY wanted to love this new Echo and the sound quality but right now it's not even up to par with an Echo Dot - at least the Dot can play music.

I'm sure this will get sorted out somehow, either with some update or with the replacement of the device itself. It's just frustrating to wait so long for the preorder, get the device, and have it not work. And Amazon's Echo Studio page is saying it's out of stock until 12/10 so it may be another month before I can have the chance to hear music on a replacement. I hope others that got theirs on launch day didn't have the same experience!
240 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Bobo Blackboots
5.0 out of 5 stars It's worth upgrading... Again!
Reviewed in the United States on November 13, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
edit: Over two years later and Studio is still selling for the original price I paid SEP 2019. Also, she still sounds great in our main open area. This studio handles our 3,000 sqft rancher minus 4 bedrooms. I had an amazon sub in there for maybe a month before moving it out. The studio doesn't reach down enough (nor the sub) to sound good when spatially displaced from each other. It sounds better with just the studio's 5.3" driver than with the sub at the side of the room. The studio sits on our bar, rather central, and projects very well and plenty deep enough for the family's tastes.
---------------------------------------
Great upgrade for my open floorplan. I started with a dot and worked my way up until I had the previous top model (3" woofer and .8" tweeter) paired with the matching sub. While that pair was great across the spectrum, the soundstage was off due to the sub sitting against the wall, rather than next to the echo. I had reservations that the front firing tweeter on the Studio wouldn't disperse well from the center of the house, however that isn't an issue. The studio sits on my kitchen bar and points away from the kitchen. It does great at filling the central part of the house with music, including the kitchen "behind" it. Had I not done my research, I probably wouldn't have realized it had a front firing tweeter, vice up or down.
I moved the sub into the master bedroom where it's near that echo. This added the low end to the bedroom without the spatial blur of the sub sitting away from the mids/highs.
Back to the Studio... it delivers premium sound to the bulk of my first floor and now that the woofer is integrated into the echo, the soundstage is no longer off/annoying.

There has been a steady improvement in audio quality over the past several models and generations, now that the Studio delivers premium sound in a single package... I'm not sure where Amazon will go next. I'd buy a smaller future device IF it delivered equal sound quality. I am not interested in sacrificing range or depth for size though. The Studio fits fine on the bar and I can crank it up when the wife is out.

Considering the Studio is full range in a single device, I am very pleased with the pricing. If Amazon offers any holiday deals, you should definitely give in and upgrade to at least one studio. If no deals soon, give in and pay full price like I did. I think it's still a bargain at full price.

For comparison, downstairs I have the studio, a premium echo with sub paired, another premium, 1 echo in the garage, and dots in the kids' rooms. I guess towers will eventually work their way into the kids' rooms... upstairs I run Monitor Audio Silver 7.2 with SVS cylinder subs and I still have a dot hooked up to my receiver to listen to audio commands.

Well done Amazon. Oh, one final nod to incorporating a spectral automatic equalizer to immediately adjust the Studio's audio output to match it specifically to your room's configuration.
212 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Leo B
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Speaker for the Price
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
I got this unit to replace my old Bose SLII and it was an excellent decision; your get a decent bass and clear sound. I really liked some of the 3D sound songs available in Amazon HD, however not all of them are impressive. I also tried the extended stereo feature and it does a decent job in electronic music but it sound unnatural in acoustic/vocal songs.

I did not notice any difference between Spotify and Amazon music, I'm not 100% that the streaming was even HD because when I clicked in the icon Amazon Music app said that the information was not available. I don't rate down the speaker for this because is an Amazon HD problem, but just to make my point clear: this is not an audiophile grade speaker, it sounds very good but it doesn't reach the clarity I got from my M-Audio monitors.
In my humble opinion this speaker is a better option than Apple Homepod.
210 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Dean
3.0 out of 5 stars Audio Issues when configured as home theater
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
This journey got started when Amazon recently announced their newly upgraded music service, Amazon Music HD.
For an audiophile, musician and music lover such as myself, this announcement was the holy grail of music. Amazon claimed you can now access millions of tracks in lossless hi resolution audio quality. But let m clear on what this really means to avoid confusion. Typical streaming services such as Spotify stream with audio quality that is sub-par to audio CD's. Amazon's new service boasts both HD audio and Ultra HD audio. When you pull up a track on the service, it designates whether it is an HD audio track, or an Ultra HD audio track. An HD audio track is CD quality, with a bit rate of 16 bits and a sampling rate from 44.1khz to 48kkhz. While many marketers tout this as lossless, it's not really lossless, but it is a big improvement over standard streaming. On the other hand, true lossless is what Ultra HD audio is all about. True lossless Ultra Audio tracks must have a bit rate of 24 bits, and a sample rate that can go as high as 192k. These are true hi-resolution audio tracks that are much better sounding than HD tracks. I was an early adopter of the now defunct DVD-Audio/SACD formats, which were true 24 bit hi-res audio, so I immediately upgraded to the new Amazon Music HD service, excited to have such a vast library of hi-res audio tracks now at my disposal.

I had recently downsized my home, so didn't have the room anymore for a true 5.1 discreet surround system anymore. I'v been using a soundbar and wasn't happy. So when Amazon introduced the Echo Studio, I took notice. After researching, I learned that the Echo Studio supports 24 bit audio, meaning it has the ability to play Ultra HD tracks. So it was time to update my audio system. I went to Best Buy the first day the Studios went on sale there, and invested in 2 Echo Studios and an Echo Sub.

In the Alexa app, you can configure these components for a home theater environment and that was my plan. I had also already owned a Fire TV Cube, which was great for streaming my content and controlling my home theater devices using voice commands. I upgraded my Fire TV Cube to gen 2 in anticipation of integrating it with my Echo Studios and Sub.

If you want Dolby Atmos soundtracks when watching movies, you need to have the Fire TV/Fire TV Cube in the mix, as the Fire TV performs the audio decoding for these surround modes. Through the Alexa app, it was relatively easy to configure the Fire TV Cube, configure each Echo Studio for left and right channel, and the sub. That is my Home Theater Group.

Now this is where things begin to derail. I said to Alexa "Play Jack Ryan", and I was immediately impressed with the sound emanating from the 2 Studios and the Sub. It did a great job decoding the Dolby Atmos soundtrack, and short of a true discreet surround setup, I was quite impressed. Center dialog came through nicely, soundtrack effects were presented on a nice wide soundstage, giving a nice surround illusion without actual rear speakers.

Next up, the moment I've been waiting for. Time to listen to some 24 bit hi res audio. Through the Amazon Music HD app in the Fire TV Cube, I searched for some Ultra HD tracks. Again the tracks are designated as HD or Ultra HD. I decided to play The Sound of Silence by Disturbed, which was marked as Ultra HD. "Alexa, play the Sound of Silence by Disturbed". Oddly, the song started playing, but it took about 5 seconds for the audio to actually kick in, cutting of the beginning of the song. The other thing I noticed was when I used the voice command, it pulled up the standard HD version of the track. I knew there was an Ultra HD version, as I had just looked for it. So I did a manual search, found the Ultra HD version and started playing it. Oddly, it sounded no different from the other version to me. The label on the screen said Ultra HD now, so this was odd. I clicked on the track information, and was surprised to learn that even though the screen label for the track is Ultra HD, the song was actually streaming at 16 bit, 44.1k audio. This is not hi-res Ultra HD at all. Any laymen would look at the screen and think they're streaming in Ultra HD because it says it's an Ultra HD track, but the track information was telling a different story.

This is where the call to tech support happened. Tech support sent some logs to the development team and them got back to me. What he tried to tell me at first, was that I was indeed listening to 24 bit audio through the Studios. How can that be possible when I'm actively streaming and it clearly says 16 bit, 44.1k. It didn't make any sense to me. Once you have the Cube integrated with the Studios, the voice interaction is between you and the Cube, not you and the Studios. Further, if you need the Cube to decode the Dolby Atmos soundtrack, then it stands to reason that the audio decoding is taking place in the Cube, not the Studios. That was my argument to the tech support guy, and he agreed that made sense. So...I've come to find out that the Cube is only capable of 16 bit audio output, not 24 bit. So the Cube is sending the audio to the Studios in lower resolution, not taking advantage of either the Ultra HD tracks in Amazon Music, or the capabilities of the Studio's hi-res audio capabilities.

So I cannot natively, in my home theater setup, issue a voice command and have Alexa play back an Ultra HD music file through the Echo Studio speakers. This was a huge let down, especially after making all this investment. But I still had one more test. If I bypass the Cube, and use the Amazon Music app in my iPhone to cast directly to the Studios, then this should give me Ultra HD audio in all its glory. I'm doing this for testing purposes only. I should have to, nor would I want to, whip out my phone in my home theater to play Ultra HD tracks. I should simply be able to issue a voice command to my home theater components, and the Amazon Music app in my home theater system should be doing it for me.

The cool thing about the mobile app version though, is when you click on the HD or Ultra HD icon, it displays the full resolution of the track, the bit and sample rates of the equipment it's connected to, and the actual resolution being played. SO now I can validate the bit rate and sampling rate going from my iPhone Amazon Music app directly to the Echo Studios. Only I can't. When I press the Ultra HD icon I get a message that says "Information not available when casting"! What?? So I can see this info on all my other playback devices such as my car entertainment system, my headphones, but not the Studios? So I still have no idea what the actual nit and sampling rates are bypassing the Cube.

Amazon: You are touting the benefits of Ultra HD hi-res audio. You have created an audiophile speaker with the Echo Studio (supposedly) capable of playing 24 bit Ultra HD tracks. But there is no way for me to stream these Ultra HD tracks natively in my home theater, and no way for me to even validate the audio resolution from my phone direct to the Studios. So here I am with all this new equipment and still can't natively enjoy hi res audio through a simple voice command to either my Echo Studios or the Cube. Seems to me the fix would be a software update to make the Cube 24 bit. Please don't make me buy a third 24 bit Cube!
128 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


Mike K
1.0 out of 5 stars Horrible home theater experience, epic fail
Reviewed in the United States on November 16, 2019
Configuration: Echo StudioVerified Purchase
When this was anounced I was so excited, I thought I finally found the holy Grail of home theater. Get a pair of these, an echo sub, and a 4k FireTV edition tv. Let it all mate and be a beautiful compatible system that finally just works. No wires, Dolby atmos, what a joy it should be.

Well it doesn't work!

Basically its worthless for home theater use with Amazon's own Fire TV edition tv's

Can't connect wirelessly to FireTV edition as a home theatre in the app, as alexa app won't permit it, says not compatible.

So as work around, Bought a toslink to mini toslink cable and connected to Toshiba FireTV edition tv that way and it still stinks, you can't control the volume with the tv remote anymore, So i would need to buy another remote and give up the single remote which ruins the whole FireTV built into the tv all just works experience.

Didn't even get to the point of attempting to mate a second studio to the first to try and at least get 5.1 out of it (Amazon website, while totally unclear, seems to say the toslink input can NOT be shared anyway). Gotta go cancel my second order.

Even if pairing two does work, the second remote experience is probably a deal breaker. But the web is clear 3d and Dolby atmos wont pass over the toslink optical anyway. Just all around disappointing mess.

Epic fail that the most expensive top of the line echo speaker doesn't work with most expensive top of the line fire TV devices.

Totally bummed.

****Update 5 months later and still horrible. Acquired a 4k fire stick as a workaround. And the home theater experience is still terrible. If you pause, ff or rwd video and it loses synch. Frequently it disconnects and you have to reboot everything. Sometimes it disconnects and you have to remove it from the network. Terrible

Epic fail months later

Buy a sound bar or a real system for your home theater. Not this
124 people found this helpful
Helpful
Report abuse
    Showing 0 comments

There was a problem loading comments right now. Please try again later.


  • ←Previous page
  • Next page→

Questions? Get fast answers from reviewers

Ask
Please make sure that you are posting in the form of a question.
Please enter a question.
See all 1000+ answered questions

Need customer service? Click here
‹ See all details for Echo Studio - High-fidelity smart speaker with 3D audio and Alexa

Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations
›
View or edit your browsing history
After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Back to top
Get to Know Us
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • About Amazon
  • Sustainability
  • Press Center
  • Investor Relations
  • Amazon Devices
  • Amazon Science
Make Money with Us
  • Sell products on Amazon
  • Sell apps on Amazon
  • Become an Affiliate
  • Become a Delivery Driver
  • Start a package delivery business
  • Advertise Your Products
  • Self-Publish with Us
  • Host an Amazon Hub
  • ›See More Ways to Make Money
Amazon Payment Products
  • Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Cards
  • Amazon Store Card
  • Amazon Secured Card
  • Amazon Business Card
  • Shop with Points
  • Credit Card Marketplace
  • Reload Your Balance
  • Amazon Currency Converter
Let Us Help You
  • Amazon and COVID-19
  • Your Account
  • Your Orders
  • Shipping Rates & Policies
  • Amazon Prime
  • Returns & Replacements
  • Manage Your Content and Devices
  • Amazon Assistant
  • Help
EnglishChoose a language for shopping.
United StatesChoose a country/region for shopping.
Amazon Music
Stream millions
of songs
Amazon Advertising
Find, attract, and
engage customers
Amazon Drive
Cloud storage
from Amazon
6pm
Score deals
on fashion brands
AbeBooks
Books, art
& collectibles
ACX
Audiobook Publishing
Made Easy
Alexa
Actionable Analytics
for the Web
 
Sell on Amazon
Start a Selling Account
Amazon Business
Everything For
Your Business
Amazon Fresh
Groceries & More
Right To Your Door
AmazonGlobal
Ship Orders
Internationally
Home Services
Experienced Pros
Happiness Guarantee
Amazon Ignite
Sell your original
Digital Educational
Resources
Amazon Web Services
Scalable Cloud
Computing Services
 
Audible
Listen to Books & Original
Audio Performances
Book Depository
Books With Free
Delivery Worldwide
Box Office Mojo
Find Movie
Box Office Data
ComiXology
Thousands of
Digital Comics
DPReview
Digital
Photography
Fabric
Sewing, Quilting
& Knitting
Goodreads
Book reviews
& recommendations
 
IMDb
Movies, TV
& Celebrities
IMDbPro
Get Info Entertainment
Professionals Need
Kindle Direct Publishing
Indie Digital & Print Publishing
Made Easy
Amazon Photos
Unlimited Photo Storage
Free With Prime
Prime Video Direct
Video Distribution
Made Easy
Shopbop
Designer
Fashion Brands
Amazon Warehouse
Great Deals on
Quality Used Products
 
Whole Foods Market
America’s Healthiest
Grocery Store
Woot!
Deals and
Shenanigans
Zappos
Shoes &
Clothing
Ring
Smart Home
Security Systems
eero WiFi
Stream 4K Video
in Every Room
Blink
Smart Security
for Every Home
Neighbors App
Real-Time Crime
& Safety Alerts
 
    Amazon Subscription Boxes
Top subscription boxes – right to your door
PillPack
Pharmacy Simplified
Amazon Renewed
Like-new products
you can trust
   
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Notice
  • Interest-Based Ads
© 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates