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And indeed, if you check the Google Home Max page on the Google Store, you’ll see that the white and black models are listed as out of stock. Finally, if you really have your heart set on the Home Max, now is a great time to buy one. While it’s sold out on the Google Store, you can still find the Home Max at third-party retailers for just $179Remove non-product link, the speaker’s Black Friday price. Pairing two units to run in stereo mode will cost you $200, which is still half the introductory price of a single Home Max device.
It has gone on sale for lower and lower prices over the past few months, and now we know why — the Home Max is no longer being manufactured. Ours is great and the perfect fit for the room we use it in where we don't want smaller or bigger or a display. Yes we have many other devices in different rooms so I understand the options.
Google Nest Audio
However, the newer Nest speakers can't reach the same volume levels as the Home Max — the Home Max has a pair of 114mm subwoofers and 18mm tweeters, while a single Nest Audio has a 75mm woofer and a 19mm tweeter. The Nest Audio also doesn't have an AUX input, which was available on the Home Max. Over Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the large speaker was on sale for as much as 50% off in some places signaling Google wanted to get rid of remaining stock. There’s no word if Google plans to release an equally behemoth speaker, although the search giant did just introduce the Nest Audio. You can buy two for $200, which is half the Home Max’s original asking price.
They're still great and a lot less than the Sonos Move, even including the rechargeable bases. It was more of a robot assistant than anything we had ever seen before, and it sold really well. Because of the large size, the Google Home Max can really push some air so the low end is fairly strong just because of physics. In the song Moon River by Frank Ocean, the low E string is a little too strong for my taste, but it gives the song some grittiness and never gets in the way of his vocals in the midrange, which is what counts.
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At $99 apiece, it’s much cheaper, and buying two for stereo is more palatable. The Home Max is essentially a larger version of the original Google Home which was introduced in November 2016. Google Home Max gets dual 4.5-inch high-excursion woofers for superior sound quality. However, existing Home Max users should note that they will continue to receive software updates and security fixes. The Home Max was released in 2017 as Google's top-tier speaker, combining the brains of a Google Home with the massive subwoofers and tweeters more commonly found in hi-fi setups.
Then I played back a recording of myself saying “Hey Google” and played it from a separate speaker at distance of 5, 10, 15, and 20 feet. Sure, this isn’t the most scientific test ever devised but it does highlight how at higher volumes the microphones on the speaker have a hard time picking up voices. There is an AUX jack to plug in other devices and six far-field microphones for “Hey Google” detection. The writing has been on the wall for quite some time, but as of today – reported by 9to5 Google – our favorite speaker in the office is no longer for sale. This isn’t a big price reduction, out of stock alert, or future warning from Google. This time around, the Google Home Max is finally gone for good, and my hopes for a proper replacement may be gone as well.
Google Home Max
Launched in December 2017, the Google Home Max and Mini marked the company’s expansion into the smart speaker market. The device debuted at a steep $399, which also included 12 months of YouTube Music. However, the price dropped quite regularly after launch and went to as low as $149 during Black Friday 2020. Google has now sold out of the last few units of the device and discontinued it.
The difference in sound quality and decibel level is quite obvious, and is the next step down form Hub Max if you are comparing these products. Also your POV is quite narrow in only looking at these only as personal assistants. It is quite a shame that they have discontinued Google Home as it was quite superior to the Nest Minis. According to a report by Engadget, the Home Max is sold out on the Google Store and will no longer be manufactured. Google did confirm that existing Home Max users won't see any changes in their service, and that the company will still provide software updates and security fixes to the speakers. The company has sold out of the product on the Google Store and is no longer manufacturing new units.
The Home Max has both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capabilities, and supports multi-room audio for sound throughout the house. In addition, the Home Max has Google Assistant built right in, with a six-mic array meant to help with voice recognition. Although Google has sold out of the Home Max on the Google Store, it is still available in select third-party stores such as BuyDig and Verizon. But since Google is no longer manufacturing the product, they may run out of stock permanently any time now. If you’re interested though, the Google Home Max is a $179 buy right now.
I admit, I’m already in the group of people that use a Google Home, but that’s mainly for setting alarms, timers, and asking it questions while I cook. With the Google Home Max I still do all of those things, but all while listening to music or podcasts. That said, if you can get one for cheap somewhere it’s worth considering. Put aside the price and size, the Google Home Max is still more than a decent smart speaker. It is expectedly quite loud and supports stereo mode if you have two units (that’s nearly $800! at launch). Software-enabled features such as Smart Sound, which adjusts the equalizer to the current environment, make for high-quality sound in all surroundings.
It was launched at $399 in the US in Chalk and Charcol colour variants, though the device is listed as ‘Out of Stock’ on the official Google Store in the US. Another hurdle that the Google Home Max never overcame was its big, bulky design. Measuring more than a foot long and seven-and-a-half inches high and six inches deep, the Home Max certainly lived up to its name. Google execs later admitted that would-be customers frequently noted the speaker’s size when explaining why they decided not to buy one. Google Assistant paired with smart home electronics like lights, outlets, doorbells, thermostats, locks, and TVs is awesome. A speaker is only the start, you need the rest of the items and they will only get better.
When we originally saw the Google Home begin to get deep discounts and then move to the discontinued state, it wasn’t long after that we got news about the official replacement for it in the Nest Audio. While I don’t think we’ll see an official Google Home Max replacement in the next few months, I still think there’s room for something similar to it in the Nest speaker lineup for sure. With home theater rumors swirling for Google’s home speakers, it would be great if a soundbar-type speaker was created to take the place of the Google Home Max.
Of course, you won’t be getting the same levels of loudness as the Home Max, but the newer device is more portable, and cheaper. At the end of the day, the Nest Audio is a great speaker at a great price, but it is no replacement for the richness and bass the Google Home Max can produce. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get a standalone smart speaker that has Google Assistant built right in, either. Heck, the Nest Mini is Google's own answer for a cheaper alternative that doesn't suck, and you'll like it every bit as much as you would its older and more expensive cousin. It works exactly the same — plop it on an end table or a counter, talk to it by saying "Hey Google," and it talks back. The slight emphasis in the lower frequencies will probably be a positive for most people because of its subtlety.
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