Google Home Max on sale August 9 for $549

Alex Choros - Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor

Last updated 01 August 2018

Google's supersized Home Max smart speaker will hit Australian stores on August 9 priced at $549, about a year after it first launched in the US.

Google says that music has been the number one use case existing Google Home owners, and developed the Home Max to deliver an even better listening experience. Thanks to two 4.5-inch woofers and two 0.7-inch tweeters, the Home Max is said to be 20 times louder than a standard Google Home.

In addition to some impressive hardware, Google Home Max uses "Smart Sound" software to adapt audio to your listening environment. For example, walls near a speaker can amplify lower frequencies, and in turn, muddle sound quality. Home Max uses its six microphones to measure the reflected sound, process it, and issue a corrective effect to make your music sound balanced. Smart Sound is also able make "subtle tasteful adaptations" that react to the background noise in your home. You'll also find a detachable magnetic base in the box that is used to prevent vibrations.

Google Home Max can be used as a stereo-pair with a second unit, and also be grouped with other Google Home and Google Cast enabled speakers.

While Google Home Max sounds better than a Google Home or Google Home Mini, it's powered by the same Google Assistant. You can use voice commands to control your music, smart home devices such as lights (if you have them), get cooking tips, weather forecasts, calendar appointments, news briefings, and more. In addition to asking for songs by name, you can also use Assistant to search for albums by describing the cover art, and search for songs using lyrics.

Google Assistant is now able to learn your voice and tie it to your Google Account and preferred music service. This means you and your family or housemates can all request songs from your personal Google Play Music or Spotify account, without muddling up anyone else's listening preferences. Google Home Max can learn up to six voices.

Google Home Max connected to a turntable

Home Max also has 3.5mm line-in which can be used to connect devices such as old MP3 players or a turntable (you'll need your own pre-amp though). Stereo-pairing is supported for line-in devices, but multi-room isn't.

You'll be able to grab the Google Home Max in a choice of "charcoal" or "chalk" from major retailers including JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, David Jones, the Good Guys, and the Australian Google online store.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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