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Google Nest makes some pretty good sounding speakers | My mid 2021 Nest lineup review

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I’ve been meaning to write a review on the 2020 Nest Audio but decided to review the entire current Google Nest speaker lineup as of mid-2021. Personally, I believe that Google hit the ball out of the park with what they have to offer and I will tell you why.


Nest Audio - is the latest smart speaker from Google and it builds on the OG Google Home from way back when. The 2020 Nest Audio is better designed and the sound of the speaker is significantly improved. The Nest Audio is much more dense and heavy and the sound that it produces is a reflection of that heft. I liked that Google got rid of the radiators that were featured on the Google Home giving the Nest Audio a much more natural sound. Bass is prominent while the mids and highs are rich even at high volume. Of course, the Google smarts are there making this speaker quite the upgrade over the previous model. I'm no audiophile but these speakers will provide the sound you want in just about any space in a home.


Nest Mini - replaces the OG Google Home Mini from 2017. This was probably the worst sounding speaker to date so Google wasted no time replacing this speaker with the Nest Mini in 2019. The Nest Mini sounds rich and vibrant to me which was a far cry from the previous model. Muffled and lack of bass is what I recall from the OG Google Home Mini. Bass is louder in the Nest Mini although not deep but that's to be expected. If you have the Google Home Mini from 2017 do yourself a favor and upgrade to the Nest Mini especially if you care about how your music sounds. Again, I am no audiophile but the Nest Mini more than gets the job done in my bedroom. 


Nest Hub Max - is Google's first max smart display with a clear focus and how music sounds. The Nest Hub Max is probably Google’s best-sounding speaker but will say the Nest Audio is right there. The Nest Hub Max was released in 2019 so we may see an update this year. I'm not sure how they can improve the sound. Maybe add one more tweeter. It's not the clearest sounding speaker and is tuned more for bass in my estimation. Overall, the Nest Hub does the trick and also makes for a good choice when watching movies.


Nest Hub gen 2 - is the successor to the Nest Hub and was released just this year in March 2021. Sound-wise the Nest Hub gen 2 beats the OG Nest Hub by a landslide. Clarity and bass are noticeably better on the gen 2 model. It also gets louder and maintains quality sound at higher volumes. The sound alone in the new model is worth the upgrade in my opinion. 


Google has clearly made strides with the way its speakers sound. Although Google's sound profile is very neutral it produces a rich sound that is very pleasing to my ears. And again I am no audiophile and your mileage may vary but all of these speakers satisfy my casual listening needs.


I do have one recommendation. Music sounds much better in pairs.
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