The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is the second generation of the Amazon Echo Studio (1st generation). While the shift from a cylindrical to a spherical design is the most eye-catching change, there have been some tweaks under the hood, too. There's support for Alexa+ and the ability to combine up to five Echo Studios with a sub for the Alexa Home Theater experience. Plus, incremental upgrades like Wi-Fi 6 and a redesigned control interface bring it up to speed with its home speaker contemporaries.
Our Verdict
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is decent for music. It has a much more balanced frequency response compared to its predecessor, with more bass on tap and less treble roll-off. Combined with detailed mids, this speaker is a versatile choice that'll suit a variety of genres. Its spherical design means it's capable of reproducing sound consistently across different listening angles, too. Sadly, it's hampered by a lackluster dynamics performance and mono-only playback. It also lacks sound customization options compared to competitors, as its bass/treble controls lack the granularity of a graphic EQ.
Balanced default frequency response.
Mono-only playback.
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is middling for videos/movies. While it has the ability to be linked with other Echo Studios and a wireless subwoofer for the Alexa Home Theater experience, its weak dynamics performance and mono-only playback mean that it's not a great fit for soundtracking movie night. On top of that, it has high latency with both Android and iOS devices, so it's probable you'll run into some lip-sync issues. That said, its default frequency response is balanced enough that it can handle both explosion-ridden thrillers and dialogue-driven indie flicks.
Balanced default frequency response.
High latency with iOS and Android devices.
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is okay for podcasts. It's able to reproduce mid-range frequencies with plenty of detail, so your favorite hosts' voices will sound natural and lifelike. Its battery-less design means you'll need to keep it parked in one place, though, and its low top volume can be a limiting factor when listening from another room. Still, its directivity is good enough that your listening experience won't be too affected by how you're positioned around the speaker.
Balanced default frequency response.
Doesn't get very loud.
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 has outstanding voice assistant support. It's intended to be used as a part of a wider Alexa ecosystem, so it's equipped with Alexa+ compatibility, which allows for more complex, AI-assisted functionality. While we weren't able to install Alexa+, we found that the built-in mic did an outstanding job of recognizing voice commands, even in noisy environments, with regular Alexa.
Mic recognizes commands very easily.
Good directivity.
This is a home speaker that lacks a built-in battery. As a result, it's not really suited for outdoor use.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 comes in two color variants: 'Graphite' and 'Glacier White,' and we bought and tested the 'Graphite' variant; see a picture of our unit's label. If you encounter another variant of this speaker, please let us know in the comments.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is a refreshed version of the Amazon Echo Studio (1st generation). This newer iteration features a redesigned exterior, with the original generation's cylindrical shape swapped out in favor of a smooth, spherical design. The 2025 refresh also features a redesigned control panel that utilizes tap gestures. The new gen has a more balanced default sound but lacks the ability to play stereo content without downmixing. It can't get as loud either. If you're looking to spend a bit more and want a home speaker that's compatible with more voice assistants, you can take a look at the Bose Home Speaker 500, too. Its default sound isn't as balanced, but it can get louder and play back stereo content without downmixing. You can also consider the JBL Authentics 500 for a more balanced sound and better build quality, albeit at a higher price.
Check out our recommendations for the best home speakers, the best Bluetooth speakers, and the best-sounding Bluetooth speakers.
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is a great choice if you're already invested in the Alexa ecosystem, but the Sonos Era 100 is a versatile alternative. Both are wired home speakers, but the Amazon is compatible with the latest Alexa tech, like Alexa+ and Alexa Home Theater, and features a more balanced default sound. Both speakers have built-in mics that do an excellent job of picking up voice commands, even in busy places, but the Sonos features limited Siri compatibility in addition to Alexa. The Sonos can also get louder, can play back stereo content without downmixing, and is compatible with Apple AirPlay 2.
If you're looking to save some money and don't need all the bells and whistles, the Amazon Echo Gen 4 offers a scaled-back feature set at a fraction of the price of the Amazon Studio 2025. The Studio offers a much more balanced default sound, a room correction feature, a redesigned control interface, and compatibility with next-gen Alexa features, like Alexa Home Theater. Still, the Amazon Echo Gen 4 punches above its weight, with a comparable top volume, stereo playback, and lower latency with iOS and Android devices. The Echo's built-in mic won't recognize your voice commands as easily as the Studio's, though.
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 and the Bose Home Speaker 500 are both solid home speakers, and choosing between them will come down to your existing smart home setup and future needs. The Amazon has a more balanced default sound, with a punchier bass range and a bit more treble detail that can make listening to music a bit more engaging. That said, the Bose's performance in most other areas is superior. It can get louder with less compression, has better directivity, and is compatible with wireless streaming protocols like Chromecast and Apple AirPlay. If you already have an Alexa-ready setup, then Amazon's Alexa+ and Alexa Home Theater compatibility will be an asset, but otherwise, the Bose works with Google Assistant too, while offering a comparable voice recognition performance.
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is the next generation of the Amazon Echo Studio (1st generation). While the design has been re-worked, with the original's cylindrical shape swapped out for a smoother, orb-like design, there have been steps backwards when it comes to performance. The newer version doesn't get as loud, compresses more at max volume, and can't play back stereo content without downmixing to mono. That said, the newer version does feature some next-gen tech, like Alexa+ and Alexa Home Theater compatibility that can help futureproof your setup. It also has a more balanced default sound and does a better job of picking up voice commands in noisy situations.
Test Results
The Amazon Echo Studio 2025 is an orb-shaped speaker. It's on the smaller side for a home speaker but still has some heft to it. A plastic dimple on the front surface houses a control panel, setting it apart from the cloth mesh that covers the rest of the speaker. The control panel features an LED light ring around its perimeter, which flashes different colors when used with Alexa and other functions. The bottom of the speaker is flat and rubberized to ensure it grips whatever surface you place it on.
This speaker isn't very portable, though it's small enough that it can be carried around with one hand. It can't run on battery power, though, and has to be plugged in to function, which limits its portability quite a bit.
The build quality is passable and very similar to the previous generation Amazon Echo Studio (1st generation). It's mostly made of hard plastic, with a woven mesh material covering a lot of its surface area. The bottom surface is rubberized to provide some extra stability, and there's even a screw hole at the bottom in case you want to mount it to a stand. While there's no IP rating for protection against dust or water, the speaker feels solid and fairly well-made. A single AC port can be found at the back, which is the only way to power the speaker.
This speaker has very good controls. There's a flat panel on the front of the speaker that houses the controls, comprising a 'mic mute' button, as well as volume adjustment buttons. Other commands require you to use the 'tap gestures,' where you firmly tap the top of the speaker. That said, there are instances where the speaker won't register your tap, so it can be more reliable to use voice commands instead. You can reset the room correction calibration upon moving rooms, for example, with a simple voice command.
There's plenty of feedback for when functions are engaged, though. The 'mic mute' button is backlit, for example, to indicate that it's engaged, and the ring light serves as a multi-function indicator, lighting up when you pair via Bluetooth, activate Alexa, or adjust the volume. There's even a voice that tells you which device you're playing audio from, as well as audio feedback to tell you when you've adjusted the volume or connected/disconnected a device.
- Amazon Echo Studio 2025
- Power adaptor with cord (1.5 m/4.5 ft)
- Alexa+ booklet
- Safety information booklet
- Quick Start Guide
This speaker has good frequency response accuracy. It features an improved, more prominent bass response compared to the previous-generation Amazon Echo Studio (1st generation), with less treble roll-off, too. Kicks and basslines punch through crowded mixes but lack a bit of the heft that might be found in the low bass. There's also a bit of extra emphasis placed on the high bass and low-mids, which can help bring out the fundamental frequencies of snares and toms. The upper part of the frequency range is quite well-aligned with our target, though a dip in the low-treble can push voices back in the mix somewhat.
We tested this speaker using the built-in room correction feature. We found that this calibration would automatically re-run every 15 minutes to adjust the sound to the speaker's surroundings. We were able to capture how the frequency response evolves over this 15-minute period before being reset again.
This speaker has a middling soundstage performance, though the spherical design means it has good directivity, reproducing sound evenly across different listening angles. Unfortunately, it can't playback stereo content, unlike the previous generation, so stereo tracks will be downmixed to mono.
The dynamics performance is passable. This speaker can't get very loud, even compared to other speakers that are similar in size. There's also a fair amount of compression as you approach max volume that can cause pumping artefacts in the bass range.
This speaker lacks a battery and only works when plugged into an outlet.
The voice assistant support is outstanding. This speaker is compatible with Alexa+, though we weren't able to upgrade to it using the "Alexa, upgrade" voice command that has worked for some. Instead, we were placed on an early access list and will be informed when this feature is available.
That said, our current voice assistant testing methodology isn't sufficient to test out the AI voice assistant, which is capable of understanding and solving complex questions and tasks. However, it's worth noting that the built-in mic is significantly better than the previous generation at picking up voice commands, especially in crowded and noisy environments.
The Amazon Alexa app is fantastic, and we recorded a video to walk you through it. It gives you the ability to adjust the sound using bass/treble sliders, as well as numerous parameters for home-related functions, like temperature and alarm volume. You can also use it to initiate stereo pairing, pair with a subwoofer, or initiate Alexa Home Theater, which lets you pair up to five Echo Studios (along with a sub) to play back surround sound content via a Fire TV device.
This speaker doesn't feature any ports for a wired connection beyond where you connect the power cable.
The Bluetooth performance is okay. This speaker supports Bluetooth version 5.3, but there's no support for multi-device pairing. Latency is also on the higher side with both iOS and Android devices, though different apps will compensate for latency differently.