Amazon Echo Studio newest model compact design immersive spatial audio and Dolby Atmos with Alexa Early Access Graphite

The Echo Studio speakers have been the perfect solution for our church's multi-room A/V needs. Recently, the church moved our three ViewSonic projectors from rolling carts to ceiling mounts and needed something other than a wired connection (which was either too expensive to do well due to wiring installation costs, or too feeble to be useful when done with more affordable speakers) or Bluetooth speakers, which were too complicated, inconsistent, "buggy," and not able to be integrated as a single functional unit. The solution? Installing an Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K to make each of the ViewSonic projectors "Smart," naming each Fire TV Stick by location, connecting the Fire TV Stick 4K to the WiFi network, and connecting the Echo Studio speakers to the Fire TV Stick in each room. Setup is dead simple: use the Alexa App to set up the speakers (you may need to run a software update... Do It as there are significant software improvements) and connect the Echo Studio speakers to the WiFi network (the App walks you through the steps). Then, use the Fire TV Stick remote to set up Home Theater mode in the Fire TV Stick options. Ensure all components are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, or this won't work. The Echo Studio speakers connect to the Fire TV Stick via the Home Theater Mode setup. The software to set up Home Theater was slow to roll out, coming after the speakers had been on the market for several weeks, but as of mid-December, the software has been updated and improved, and the speakers pair seamlessly and sound fantastic, with rich, immersive, spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. An added benefit is that the Fire TV Stick and Echo Speakers connect as a single group and can be controlled by the Fire TV Stick remote. The only downside, which is entirely manageable and a more-than-fair tradeoff, is that the Home Theater Mode takes a moment to connect when the system is turned on each time. A message will appear on the screen, "Home Theater Being Optimized." It takes some time, but it is worth it. The projectors can now be used to show streaming video via Apps (YouTube TV, Disney+, Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount+, Netflix, Spotify, and any other available App) and to mirror laptop computers for applications like PowerPoint presentations. Amazon Fire TV Stick does not support Apple AirPlay (thanks, Amazon), but there are applications you can download to enable Apple mirroring. Mirroring from a PC is enabled through the Fire TV Stick settings. These speakers are expensive, but they were the best solution we found for our A/V needs and work perfectly, delivering room-filling sound and an actual theater-quality audio experience. Read more

UPDATE: I returned this product. After several weeks of use I just can't justify the cost and downgrade from my old Echo V4 sound, I ordered the older V4 from Best Buy. I rarely write Amazon reviews, but felt compelled to share my experience with the new Echo Studio (2025 model). I feel I paid a premium price ($220) for a device that sounds worse than the $100 Echo 4th Gen I already own! I have 7 Echo devices: 4 Dots (hockey puck style), a Show 5, an Echo 4th Gen, and this new Echo Studio. These are primarily used for whole-house ambient jazz music while I putter around the house during the day. I placed the new Studio in my kitchen/family room area. Despite boosting the equalizer (max bass, midrange at -3, treble at -1), I still can't achieve even half the bass volume and richness that I get from my older Echo 4th Gen. I was really hoping the "studio" upgrade would provide some great-sounding music... it doesn't. Another complaint is the assistant's voice volume is very low. When I ask a question, I have to be nearby to quickly hit the volume + button to hear clearly what is being said. I've gone through all the adjustments and don't get any better sound or improved volume from the assistant's voice. I hope Amazon addresses these issues with a software update, perhaps allowing users to fully disable the spatial audio feature. For now, if you're considering the new 2025 Studio model, be aware you might be getting a reduced-size woofer and an overly bright treble sound profile that may not meet expectations. Read more

I hesitated before upgrading to a premium smart speaker, but the Echo Studio (newest model) has completely changed how I use audio at home. Right out of the box, the compact design impressed me - it feels solid without being oversized, and the graphite finish blends right into our living room decor. Sound quality is the real standout here. Music feels alive in a way I didn't expect from a speaker this size. The spatial audio and Dolby Atmos support add a depth and richness that's noticeable even with everyday playlists. Artists I've listened to for years suddenly have layers and details I'd never picked up before. Even at higher volumes, the clarity stays crisp and balanced, with deep, punchy bass and clean mids and highs. Alexa integration is smooth and intuitive. I've always used Alexa casually, but the responsiveness here is noticeably better - quick to pick up commands and easy to interact with from across the room. The Early Access features are a nice touch too; it feels like I'm getting new capabilities before most other users, which is fun and genuinely useful. Smart home control, timers, reminders - everything works just as you'd expect, and Alexa handles multi-step requests with ease. I also appreciate the setup experience. It paired instantly through the Alexa app, and I had it running in minutes. The device feels future-ready, and I like that Amazon continues to support new features without needing hardware upgrades. After weeks of use, this has become the speaker I default to for everything - music, podcasts, news, ambient sound, alarms. It's a versatile centerpiece for any room, and I genuinely notice the difference compared to my old speakers. If you're considering an upgrade from a standard smart speaker or want an immersive audio experience without cranking up volume, this model is absolutely worth it. Great sound, solid Alexa performance, and thoughtful design - highly recommended. Read more