Prior to jumping in the review of GGMM E5 and GGMM E3 wireless smart speakers, I feel that bringing them into perspective is needed. Regardless of how you see it, nearly all of the devices traditionally used to make the office work easier slowly moved towards the area of entertainment and general comfort. Computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets, all shifted from being our little business helpers to be our best friends in terms of relaxing or entertaining ourselves at home. The same goes for owning a pair of wireless smart speakers – it is not an absolute necessity to have them in your everyday life, however, it would be more than great to have a pair (or few) in your home or at the office.

Most of them are stylishly designed to fit any home, easily portable and surprisingly loud compared to their size. They are easily operated by tapping through personal smart devices, connected via wifi, Bluetooth or aux, and some even offer the option of playing various songs in different rooms. Needless to say, it’s pretty cool to be able to play your tunes wherever you are around the house by simply tapping through your music library or an online music source.

 

In the review to follow, I will give you a detailed comparison between the GGMM E5 and the GGMM E3 wireless smart speakers, as a rounded up experience. We’ll start by describing the features and the design of both, progressing towards the fun part – the actual everyday use with pros and cons included. Enjoy!

Pros and Cons

GGMM E3

So, we have concluded some pretty cool things about this little device. I can feel free to say that you may read them as pros when considering the GGMM E3 unit:

• Great and elegant design to fit any room in the home
• Amazing sound and loudness with very little distortion for the proposed price range
• ‘GGMM-E series’ app adjusted for simple use and no confusion
• Play the same or a different song in multiple rooms
• Doubles as an alarm clock for your nightstand and a smart USB port

However, to completely be fair, we have also seen some issues reported by some of the users of the GGMM E3 smart speaker. In this part, you may read them as cons, even though I think that a con, in this case, may be too strict:

• Unstable wi-fi connectivity in times of higher traffic
• ‘GGMM-E series’ app is not really compatible with Pandora via wi-fi connection, so a cable must be used
• Web-radio sometimes turning on after a power shortage
• No option to use a specific song as an alarm in the morning, only the one that’s already built-in

GGMM E5

Same as with the GGMM E3 unit, in this part, we will summarize all of the positive aspects offered by the GGMM E5 smart speaker:

• Thin and elegant design with a stylish leather strap, making it easily portable around and out of the house
• Amazing level of loudness and easily adjustable sound clarity via the treble and bass knobs
• A smart USB port for fast charging and a built-in battery (offering up to 15 hours of play time)
• Voice command via Amazon Alexa and hands-free calling option to facilitate any situation
• Play the same or a different song in multiple rooms

And to be completely transparent, here are the minor reported “flaws”, at least so far:

• Initial set up difficulty and wifi connectivity problem
• Complaints that the unit is not compatible with Windows operated desktops

Features and Design

When looking at the GGMM E3, we can easily describe it as a mid-sized home wireless speaker, connectable via wifi, Bluetooth, and aux. You can easily connect it to your home wifi network and listen to any Internet radio out there, browse and pick songs from your music library or from any favorite online streaming music services (such as Spotify, Pandora or iHeartradio). You can also connect via Bluetooth or aux. It’s pretty simple to switch between different audio sources and add up to 16 devices without the need to be disconnecting the unit. In the case of the GGMM E3 wireless speaker, the wifi works at over 160 feet. The same can be said for the GGMM E5. This smart speaker offers the same range of connectivity, same as the GGMM E3.

With the GGMM E3, you can easily add a layer of customization. Simply use the speaker to set all of your preferred channels with the six various presets – all available through one button. You can also use it as a digital alarm clock, supporting both 12 and 24 hr time formats. The GGMM E5, on the other hand, does not support the option for displaying time or being set as an alarm clock.

Designed to fit anywhere

The design of most of the smart devices today is not something that should be disregarded in favor of the better functionality. Having this in mind, the company did a fine job in regard to the design of the GGMM E3 smart speaker. I feel comfortable to say that it looks stylishly designed to fit any kind of bedside table or a nightstand, living room and even an office desk. It comes in ice blue, dark grey and pearl white. Depending on your interior, you can make a great pick. On top of it, this smart speaker has a smart USB charging port, providing a fast charge of up to 2.1A.

And for the GGMM E5, this smart speaker has a fairly sleek and ultra-thin design of just 1.5 inches, making it easily portable around the house. It also comes with a removable and elegant leather strap, so you can take it with you when you move around the rooms or out of the house. It comes in 2 basic colors, black and white, making it easy to blend in any interior. The GGMM E5 smart speaker has a built-in battery lasting up to 15 hours of play time and has a smart USB charging port allows you to charge any smart device fast.

Multi-room experience

Less than a decade ago it was pretty difficult to imagine that one day we would be able to move from room to room only with our smartphone in our hands, changing the music on the go. But now, the GGMM E3 and the GGMM E5 smart speakers offer the unique multi-room music system experience, available directly via wifi. Both in the cases of GGMM E3 and the GGMM E5, every single wifi smart speaker is part of a broader family of wireless speakers and systems, meaning that if you decide to buy a few speakers more, you can simply connect them to your home wifi network and start playing different songs in every room or enjoy the same song throughout the house. In both cases, you can connect up to 10 GGMM E3 or GGMM E5 smart speakers respectively. Both types of smart speakers come with the option to stream L/R channels, thus creating a true surround sound. It’s also pretty easy to navigate through your music experience too – simply download the ‘GGMM-E series’ app on your smart device and you are set. The app is compatible both with iOS and Android-operated devices and you don’t need to be a tech-savvy to find your way around it.

Unpacking the speakers

When unpacking the GGMM E3, in the box you should find one well wrapped GGMM Wireless Digital Wi-Fi / Bluetooth Speaker in color by your choice, one AC adapter, a 3.5mm audio cable, adequate user manual in several languages and a 3-year warranty with free lifetime technical support. The same applies when unpacking the GGMM E5 smart speaker.

There’s one extra perk with the GGMM E5 though – this smart speaker is compatible with Amazon Alexa voice system and offers Hands-Free Calling. By using the Amazon Alexa voice service you can have full control over the environment, at least in terms of sound. All you need to do is to press one button and instruct Alexa to order the Chinese takeaway, call you an Uber, set a timer or play a song, all by simply using your voice. For even more comfort, you can connect your smartphone to the speaker via Bluetooth and engage in hands-free calls. The speaker has a built-in microphone, so all you need to do is talk towards the unit’s direction, without the need to take out your phone out of the pocket. This may come in pretty handy when you are carrying your groceries in one hand and holding your toddler in the other while entering the house.

How to enjoy them both

In this part, I will try to elaborate on my personal experience with both GGMM E3 and GGMM E5 smart speakers. They are two different products of the same brand, offering a different experience for everyone. So, here we go.

Using the E3 speaker

While engaging with the GGMM E3 it is hard not to be amazed. When you look at the product it is difficult to imagine the superior sound and amazing loudness coming out of the little thing. It’s equipped with dual speakers and passive radiator, intended to bring you the unique surging sound field. So you can pretty much play AC/DC or Lady Gaga with the same sound quality! The sound quality is pretty amazing, providing a neat room-filling sound, high volume, some really decent bass, and minimum distortion. I was using it during the weekend when I had my friends over for a barbecue that turned out to be a fun night in the backyard with beer and songs singing.

A single GGMM E3 unit is sufficient to sound fill the average room size, however, you can also get a second unit and use one on the left and one as the right speaker for an even better experience. The GGMM E3 is in the category of smart speakers of under $100 and it offers a great deal of enjoyment for a device in this price range. Once you take it out of the box, you would need to set it up. To be fair, the elegant design may trick you into trying to find and figure out the buttons at first, but with the help of the instructions manual, you’ll get this figured right away. Later, you will be happy that the buttons are not designed to “stick out” of the surface.

There was this little wifi connectivity issue that emerged when I was setting it up, however, I just called the company’s customer support service and they patiently guided me through set up. I must be generous and add that they have a pretty decent customer support service. Once set, just download the ‘GGMM-E series’ app and off you go. You can start browsing through the settings and play your favorite tunes around the house. Just imagine the ways you can use it – in the garage while doing some repairs, in the bathroom while taking a shower (maybe do sing along too?) or even in your small business. If for example, you own a café or a private practice, this will be the perfect way to create a great atmosphere throughout the day. Before heading home, just turn the speaker off, it’s as easy as that.

Ease of use

I actually got one of these as a present for my uncle a few months ago. He wanted a “multifunctional thing” that he could use around the house for music, but it had to be a device that would be easy to use. He does have a smartphone and knows his way around it, but he is not totally tech-savvy. So, I decided to give it a shot and bought him one. To begin with, he was first and most thrilled that the GGMM E3 unit came with an alarm clock. He had a bit of discomfort at first contact with figuring out the buttons (same as me), but even for him, it was pretty easy soon. He read the instructions on his own, found and downloaded the app and started using the speaker. I helped him a bit with filling up his library and did a bit of explaining on how he can play web-radios, but other than that he managed to set up and use the speaker pretty great. He’s also very happy with how loud the speaker is and how easily portable it seems to be. He’s retired, so he spends a lot of time in the garage “fixing” things all day while listening to his music. My aunt is also happy (and very grateful) that he is away from the TV in the middle of the day, so she can watch her shows.

Aside from the great experiences, there are few uncommon things that happened to some of the users though. There were several complaints in terms of wifi connectivity. Sometimes the GGMM E3 speaker might go off for few seconds for no reason. The main reason to look at here may be the stability of the wifi connection or the scope of the traffic at the moment or in general. But, if using a wi-fi connection with this device is a problem, you can always switch to Bluetooth or aux and cut through the problems. Others reported that the ‘GGMM-E series’ app does not fully partner up with Pandora, so if you wish to use this source, you would need to connect your smart device to the speakers via aux (and this is for one speaker at a time). One reviewer reported that if the power goes out and is restored in a bit, the web-radio sometimes turns on. If this happens in the middle of the night, for example, it may be a bit scary and unsettling. And while on the topic of alarms going off, so far there’s no option to import personal music to be the alarm, but only the tune that is already built-in for this use.

GGMM E5 experience

In terms of considering the GGMM E5 smart speaker, I must admit that I had a pretty unique experience. The price for this unit is slightly over $100 (at least on Amazon), but the investment is totally worth it. The design of the speaker is pretty elegant – the device is thin and easy to place in any room. However, the same as with any other speaker, the most important feature is the sound produced. For such a small and light unit, the sound is nearly flawless and incredibly loud. You can use the treble and bass knobs to adjust the sound levels and add as much clarity or bass as you would like. On top of that, the surround sound feeling is well and naturally created. The GGMM E5 unit also comes with a fine leather strap, making it even easier to take it with you. Compared to other wireless speakers I had the chance of using, the transportation of this speaker from my home to the office somehow did not feel weird.

As an added benefit, in this case, is the Amazon Alexa Voice control system compatibility and the hands-free calling option accompanying the GGMM E5 smart speaker. So, if you are looking to add an extra layer of comfort in the everyday routine, this little unit may be the best way to go. You can easily order food or play your favorite song simply by commanding the speaker with your voice. You can also take a hands-free call without taking the phone out of the bag, simply by having the device connected via Bluetooth and talking towards the speaker. I was once in an interesting position of kneading dough for a type of pie I was dying to make while listening to my music. Suddenly, my phone went off ringing in the other room. Clearly, my hands were in a mess and in normal conditions it would have taken a while for me to pick up. But, by having my device connected to the GGMM E5 unit at all times, I just took the call without moving my hands from the dough and chatted with my friend while in the kitchen. In normal conditions, I was supposed to clean my hands, find my phone, pick up and talk for a while (and my friend is kind of chatty), and leave my pie to go ruined. If you like pastries as much as I do, you’ll get the tragedy here. Luckily, I did not need my hands thanks to the hands-free option.

The GGMM E5 unit is a pretty decent and elegant piece of hardware available within a pretty amazing price range. I had the opportunity to experiment with a lot of smart wireless speakers so far from different brands and various categories, however, the GGMM E5 can definitely compete with some of the more expensive brands, all while confidently offering most of the features and benefits.

Now, there are only a few reported issues by a handful of users, in terms of initial setup and wifi connectivity. At times, the unit was not able to connect or stay connected to the home wifi network. To be fair, these are cases where the customer support helped as much as they could, but the issue was located as a product unit flaw. There were few cases risen mainly by users wishing the GGMM E5 unit to work with their Windows desktop (even though it is clearly stated that the device works solely with iOS and Android devices). Otherwise, that’s it. The GGMM E5 unit is an excellent choice when shopping for a wireless smart speaker, especially while keeping the price in mind.

General conclusion

Let me be clear, we pick no winners here since both GGMM E3 and GGMM E5 smart speakers are different category products from the same brand. The main distinction is pretty much subjective, depending on how much you are willing to spend and what kind of benefits you are looking to get. If you are not really into voice control and hands-free operation and are looking to get a bit simpler unit, the GGMM E3 may be the better choice. It can be a fun addition next to your bed, offering you the functionality of an alarm clock with a built-in smart USB charging port. It looks nice, it is easy to connect and operate while sounding very powerful, all for a very reasonable price.

If you are perhaps more on the added comfort and higher technology side, you may want to consider the GGMM E5 smart speaker. While it offers nearly the same functionalities, it also comes with more adjustable sound options, provided via the bass and treble knobs. As an added layer of functionality is the option for voice control supported by Amazon Alexa, as well as the hands-free calling option. So basically, once you do the initial setups, you can use solely your voice to command the speaker. It is pretty easy and really fun.

Regardless of your choice, I salute your decision to add more fun into your daily routines. Just make sure to do enough research prior to committing and buying a product.

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