Which Alexa Or Google Assistant Smart Speakers Offer the Better Sound Experience: Bluetooth or Wired?

Shirley Green
4 min readDec 21, 2020

When we talk about wireless speakers it doesn’t mean speakers with no wires at all. Most wireless smart Bluetooth speakers with Alexa or Google will have a wire joining the speaker to a power outlet while many portable versions need wires to charge them. What it means when something is referred to as a wireless speaker is that it has the ability to connect to your devices wirelessly.

However, this leads to a debate between which type of smart speaker offers the better sound experience: wired or wireless? Many people may believe that wired connections regarding speakers deliver better results and create more enjoyable soundscapes than their wireless counterparts.

However, for wireless smart Bluetooth speakers with Alexa or Google assistant that play music, new compression schemes make it difficult to even notice the quality difference these days. Industry innovations such as AptX, AptX adaptive and LDAC all help fix these previous compression issues making Bluetooth technology great for long-distance, great sounding connections. This also means you no longer need to worry about getting tangled in wires or tether your phone to the speaker if you want to stream something directly offering you a greater level of listening freedom.

In some cases, wireless Bluetooth speakers can connect to a device from up to 30 feet away, so users are free to place their smart speaker anywhere they please for any occasion they see fit. Whether it’s a wireless smart Bluetooth speaker with Alexa or a smart wearable neck speaker with Google Assistant, it’s important to understand the capabilities of the device you are looking to use, as well as ensure it fits all your audio needs.

How Does Bluetooth Work?

Essentially, Bluetooth works due to near-field communication technology. This allows you to connect, or ‘pair’, two devices together over a short distance, in most cases this can reach around 10 meters apart, although for other devices it can be significantly more. Once Bluetooth pairing mode for your device has been activated it should connect relatively easily. This is often very easy to set up as many modern devices already support Bluetooth pairing so you don’t need an internet connection or wi-fi signal for it to work. This technology is increasing rapidly in ability every year meaning any perceived gaps to wi-fi and wired connections will only be reduced over time.

Fill The Space

One example of a great smart Bluetooth speaker with Alexa that also supports WiFi, is the Space from Cleer Audio. The Space uses its Bluetooth technology to elevate the idea of what room filling sound can be by creating full 360-degree coverage in any room it is placed. This Bluetooth technology is paired with a unique, innovative 7-channel 360-degree speaker which has been performance tuned for optimal audio qualities. These 7 full-range drivers with passive bass radiator and powerful digital amplification make the Space a smart Bluetooth speaker with Alexa that can repeatedly create a delicate, articulate, and subtle sound, able to manage everything from sharp high notes, deep low basses and all the nuances of mid-range sounds without distortion.

As it is a smart Bluetooth speaker with Alexa, it makes sense that the Space features intelligent, always-on voice control with four, built-in far-field microphones that can detect and interpret your voice seamlessly and easily while the 360 configuration means you have complete flexibility regarding where you choose to place it.

Smart Wearable Neck Speaker with Google Assistant

Being fully wireless means that your speakers immediately become easy to transport, and in some cases wearable. This is apparent in one of the most recent innovations in the audio speaker industry , the Halo, a smart wearable neck speaker with Google assistant. With a new, revolutionary design, this is a smart wearable neck speaker with Google Assistant to allow for perpetual hands-free use. The Halo is a smart speaker you can take with you wherever you’re going, whatever you’re doing, and it’s just a matter of time before we see a lot more versions of this type of product on the market. These smart wearable speakers can give you up to 12 hours of audio playback while the personal Beamforming means taking calls on the go are simplified and supports greater clarity. Entirely optimized acoustics, an ergonomic fit, and a battery life that outlasts a lot of current smart speakers, the Halo is something that is going to change the game for good.

Final Thoughts

Technology is advancing at an ever-increasing rate to try and improve the way we live our lives and smart speakers embody that. No longer are they a system put hidden away in the corner, now they are something we can wear on our body without worrying about a drop in sound quality. The best wireless smart speakers improve our everyday life, rather than inhibit or limit them. With so many smart Bluetooth speakers with Alexa or Google Assistant out there, finding one that supports how you like to live your life has never been easier.

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Shirley Green

Shirley is a contributing writer and specializes in reviewing smart audio products, and is fond of headphones, speakers, and recording gears.