在拥挤的市场中，新的无线路由器(wireless router)的外观和行为与之前推出的无线路由器非常相似，因此很难脱颖而出。华硕(ASUS)最近推出了一款雄心勃勃的设备。它被命名为Lyra Voice ，它是一款内置亚马逊 Alexa(Amazon Alexa)和立体声扬声器的三合一网状WiFi 路由器。(WiFi router)它会让你想起变形金刚(Transformers)电影中的角色吗？您可以使用Lyra Voice代替您的无线路由器(wireless router)、Amazon Echo和蓝牙扬声器(Bluetooth speaker)。听起来不错？阅读这篇评论，看看华硕 Lyra Voice(ASUS Lyra Voice)提供什么：
ASUS Lyra Voice : 对谁有好处？
ASUS Lyra Voice是以下类型用户的绝佳选择：
- 投资亚马逊(Amazon)Alexa 生态系统(Alexa ecosystem)的人
- (Smarthome)想要使用路由器远程控制智能设备的智能家居用户
- 希望为其智能家居设备提供最佳安全性的用户
- 想要一个可以远程控制网络的高级移动应用程序的人
- 想要扩展网络的华硕无线(ASUS wireless)路由器的所有者
- 需要提供完全控制的高级固件的知识渊博的用户
优点和缺点
以下是我们喜欢ASUS Lyra Voice的优点：
- 在任何客厅看起来都很棒
- 在 5 GHz 无线(GHz wireless)频段上表现出色
- 它与亚马逊(Amazon)的Alexa 智能(Alexa smart)助手很好地集成在一起
- 使用Alexa Skills，您可以通过语音命令控制所有智能家居设备
- (Dual-stereo Bluetooth speaker)带无源辐射器和低音反射(bass reflex)声的双立体声蓝牙扬声器
- 出色的安全功能
- 兼容华硕(ASUS)的AiMesh平台(AiMesh platform)
还有一些缺点：
- 不要使用初始固件。升级固件，因为它提供了新的Alexa功能、修复了错误并改进了您获得的用户体验(user experience)
- 2.4 GHz 无线(GHz wireless)频段的性能并不令人印象深刻
- 它没有USB端口
判决
ASUS Lyra Voice是一款雄心勃勃的设备，它试图将众多世界中的精华结合起来：无线路由器、网状WiFi系统、虚拟助手和蓝牙(Bluetooth)扬声器。虽然它不是这些角色中的佼佼者，但它是市场上极少数能够出色地完成所有这些角色的设备之一。它是一款有趣的设备，有很多好处，但价格(price point)并不适合所有人。如果你能负担得起，它会带来你在其他地方很少能找到的令人兴奋的体验。
拆箱ASUS Lyra Voice 无线(ASUS Lyra Voice wireless)路由器
ASUS Lyra采用白色包装盒，正面有设备的大图。您会看到它与华硕(ASUS)的AiMesh WiFi 平台(AiMesh WiFi platform)兼容。这意味着您可以使用它来创建使用其他华硕无线(ASUS wireless)路由器的无线网状系统。(wireless mesh system)另一个被宣传的巧妙功能是亚马逊(Amazon)的Alexa内置在ASUS Lyra Voice中。您可以在盒子的侧面找到有关其功能的更多信息。
当你打开它时，你会立即看到天琴座的声音(Lyra Voice)。它看起来很漂亮，像智能家居设备(home device)，而不是典型的路由器。许多用户会欣赏它的设计。
在包装盒内，您可以找到以下物品：Lyra Voice、电源适配器(power adapter)、一根CAT5e 以太网线(CAT5e Ethernet cable)、用户指南(user guide)和保修。
ASUS Lyra Voice 的包装优雅而直接。拆箱是一种愉快的体验，在包装盒内，您可以找到入门所需的东西。(The packaging used for the ASUS Lyra Voice is elegant and straightforward. The unboxing is a pleasant experience and, inside the box, you find what you need to get started.)
硬件规格和设计
ASUS Lyra Voice看起来像一个水平的Amazon Echo，只是更薄更长。它的尺寸为 10.6 x 2.95 x 2.95 英寸或 270 x 75 x 75 毫米宽x 深(x depth) x 高(x height)，重约 34.39 盎司或 975 克。它也被像亚马逊 Echo一样的(Amazon Echo)木炭织物(Charcoal Fabric)覆盖。
Lyra Voice是一项激动人心的工程实验(engineering experiment)，因为它是首批可以发挥以下所有作用的智能家居设备之一：
- 保护您的整个网络免受外部威胁的无线路由器(wireless router)
- 使用其他华硕(ASUS)设备构建的网状WiFi 系统(WiFi system)中的节点
- 亚马逊 Alexa(Amazon Alexa)智能扬声器，可用作虚拟助手和控制智能家居的中枢
ASUS Lyra Voice是一款三频AC2200 无线(AC2200 wireless)路由器，总最大带宽分配(bandwidth split)如下：2.4 GHz 频段为 400 (GHz band)Mbps ，两个 5 (Mbps)GHz 频段(GHz band)各为867 Mbps。为了广播无线信号，Lyra Voice有六根内置天线和一根蓝牙 4.2(Bluetooth 4.2)天线，用于连接智能手机等其他设备。要与Alexa交互，您在(Alexa)Lyra Voice的顶部有几个按钮，就像在Amazon Echo上一样。
为了向用户提供包括Alexa 智能(Alexa smart)助手在内的众多功能，ASUS Lyra Voice采用了717 MHz的四核(MHz)Qualcomm IPQ4019 处理器(Qualcomm IPQ4019 processor)。它还具有 512 MB 的RAM和 256 MB 的固件存储空间。Lyra Voice能够使用 Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac Wave 2) 标准提供 2x2 MU-MIMO无线传输(Wave 2)。在Lyra Voice的背面，只有两个 1 Gbps 以太网(Gbps Ethernet)端口，其中一个用于将其连接到互联网。还有电源插孔(power jack)，以及用于打开和关闭Lyra Voice的按钮。
Lyra Voice也是一款双立体声蓝牙扬声器(Bluetooth speaker)。它具有无源辐射器和低音反射(bass reflex)端口，可扩展低频声音的(low-frequency sound)共振。它还具有DTS 环绕(DTS surround) 声技术(sound technology)，可增强声音的空间感。
ASUS Lyra Voice最好的部分是它与Amazon Alexa的集成。它可用于通过语音命令控制大约 20000 台与Alexa Skills集成的智能家居设备。您可以使用它来控制恒温器、灯泡、智能插头、智能电视(Smart TV)等设备。
ASUS Lyra Voice 的硬件规格和功能集令人印象深刻。(The hardware specifications and the feature set of the ASUS Lyra Voice are quite impressive.)
设置和使用ASUS Lyra Voice 无线(ASUS Lyra Voice wireless)路由器
ASUS Lyra Voice的初始设置可以使用计算机上的网络浏览器(web browser)或智能手机和平板电脑的ASUS 路由器应用程序来完成。(ASUS router app)我们走的是网络浏览器路由(web browser route)，过程和其他华硕无线(ASUS wireless)路由器一样。
初始设置向导(setup wizard)是关于将Lyra Voice设置为无线路由器(wireless router)、网状WiFi 系统(WiFi system)中的节点或现有网络中的中继器。要配置设备的Alexa 部分(Alexa part)，请使用您的智能手机和ASUS 路由器(ASUS router)移动应用程序，以及Amazon Alexa应用程序。要记住的一件重要事情是，您的Amazon 帐户(Amazon account)必须与您的ASUS Lyra Voice设置在同一地区。如果他们设置为使用不同的国家，Alexa 智能(Alexa smart)助手将无法工作。
初始设置完成后，您可以像使用Amazon Echo一样使用(Amazon Echo)Lyra Voice。但是，它提供的功能与亚马逊(Amazon)的设备并不完全相同。华硕已经发布了几个固件更新，为(ASUS)Alexa虚拟助手添加了越来越多的功能，同时修复了错误。我们强烈建议您将Lyra Voice固件保持最新，以便您可以从华硕(ASUS)提供的最新改进中受益。
Lyra Voice的管理界面(administration interface)与其他华硕无线(ASUS wireless)路由器相同。所有设置都分为逻辑部分，找到自己的方式很容易。
您可以详细配置所有重要的内容，高级用户将欣赏这一事实。该固件提供 25 种语言版本，用户文档易于访问且构建良好。
一个巧妙的技巧(neat trick)是将鼠标光标移动(mouse cursor)到您不理解的设置上，并显示一个问号(question mark)。单击(Click)问号(question mark)，您会看到解释该设置的信息。
如前所述，如果你想使用Lyra Voice的所有功能，包括Alexa 智能(Alexa smart)助手，你必须使用华硕路由器(ASUS router)应用程序。它提供了一些高级自定义选项，包括检查孩子设备的能力，以及设置家长控制规则。但是，您还应该将其与Amazon Alexa应用程序集成。有了它，您可以访问该助手的所有智能技能，并充分利用它的潜力。完成该部分后，Alexa在Lyra Voice上运行良好，即使在远处，您也可以与之互动。
Lyra Voice上的双立体声蓝牙扬声器(Bluetooth speaker)功能强大且不会太大声。我们喜欢的一个功能是它不会像某些蓝牙扬声器(Bluetooth speaker)那样重低音。它提供了令人愉悦的音乐体验，尽管它不是您能得到的最好的，至少与高级蓝牙扬声器(Bluetooth speaker)相比不是。如果您想听听Lyra Voice的实际效果，请收听下面的这首曲目。
我们不喜欢的一件事是 Lyra Voice 的启动过程(Lyra Voice)需要(boot process)几分钟。尽管硬件功能强大，但过多的功能需要相当长的时间才能加载。
Lyra Voice背面的开关似乎是用来打开和关闭DTS 环绕(DTS surround)声的。然而，那是Lyra Voice(Lyra Voice)本身的电源开关。(power switch)除非您阅读用户手册，否则这并不明显，您可能会像我们一样意外停止Lyra Voice 。🙂
我们将十几台设备连接到由华硕 Lyra Voice(ASUS Lyra Voice)管理的网络，包括台式电脑、笔记本电脑、一台平板电脑、几部智能手机、一台无线打印机(wireless printer)、两个智能插头、一个智能灯泡(smart bulb)、智能机器人(robot vacuum)吸尘器和Xbox一个(Xbox One)控制台。
We noticed that, from time to time, some mobile network clients get randomly disconnected from the internet, for brief periods, even though they report being connected to the WiFi. This is a bug that should be fixed in future firmware updates.
The speed of the WiFi network managed by ASUS Lyra Voice is excellen,t on the 5 GHz band. Also, the variability of wireless transfers on this band is within normal parameters. For a better perspective, look at the diagram below, showing how data was downloaded from one computer to another, through WiFi, in a room separated from the router by one wall, with no direct line of sight to it.
不过，在 2.4 GHz 频段上， (GHz band)WiFi 的性能(WiFi performance)并不令人印象深刻，正如您将在本评论的下一页中看到的那样。
如果您想查看有关ASUS Lyra Voice无线性能的详细信息，以及它必须提供的所有功能，请转到本评论的下一页。
ASUS Lyra Voice review: Transformers meets WiFi routers!
In a сrowded market where new wіreless routers look and behave much like those launched before them, it is difficult to stand out. ASUS has recently launched a device that's аmbitiouѕ in its approаch. It is named Lyra Voice, and it is a three-іn-one mesh WiFi router with built-in Amazon Alexa and stereo speakers. Does it make yoυ think of the characters from the Transformers movies? You can use the Lyra Voice to replacе yоur wirеless router, Amazon Echo, and Bluetooth speаker. Sounds interesting? Read this review and see what ASUS Lyra Voice has to offer:
ASUS Lyra Voice: Who is it good for?
ASUS Lyra Voice is an excellent choice for the following types of users:
- People who are invested in Amazon's Alexa ecosystem
- Smarthome owners who want to remote control their smart devices using their router
- Users who wish for the best security for their smart home devices
- People who desire an advanced mobile app from which they can remote control their network
- Owners of ASUS wireless routers who want to extend their network
- Knowledgeable users who want advanced firmware that offers complete control
Pros and cons
Here are the things we like about ASUS Lyra Voice:
- It looks great in any living room
- Great performance on the 5 GHz wireless band
- It is well integrated with Amazon's Alexa smart assistant
- Using Alexa Skills, and you can control all your smart home devices with voice commands
- Dual-stereo Bluetooth speaker with passive radiators and bass reflex sounds
- Excellent security features
- It is compatible with ASUS's AiMesh platform
There are also some downsides:
- Do not use the initial firmware. Upgrade the firmware, as it offers new Alexa features, fixed bugs, and improvements to the user experience you get
- The performance on the 2.4 GHz wireless band is not impressive
- It has no USB port
Verdict
ASUS Lyra Voice is an ambitious device that tries to combine the best of many worlds: wireless routers, mesh WiFi systems, virtual assistants, and Bluetooth speakers. While it is not the best at any of these roles, it is one of the very few devices on the market that manages to do all of them surprisingly well. It makes for an interesting device, with many benefits, at a price point that is not for everyone. If you can afford it, it makes for an exciting experience that you rarely find elsewhere.
Unboxing the ASUS Lyra Voice wireless router
ASUS Lyra comes in a white box, with a big picture of the device on the front. You see that it is compatible with ASUS's AiMesh WiFi platform. This means that you can use it to create a wireless mesh system using other ASUS wireless routers. Another neat feature being advertised is the fact that Amazon's Alexa is built into the ASUS Lyra Voice. You find more information about its features on the sides of the box.
When you open it, you immediately see the Lyra Voice. It looks beautiful, like a smart home device, not a typical router. Many users are going to appreciate its design.
Inside the box, you find the following items: the Lyra Voice, the power adapter, one CAT5e Ethernet cable, the user guide, and the warranty.
The packaging used for the ASUS Lyra Voice is elegant and straightforward. The unboxing is a pleasant experience and, inside the box, you find what you need to get started.
Hardware specifications and design
ASUS Lyra Voice looks like a horizontal Amazon Echo, only thinner and longer. It has a size of 10.6 x 2.95 x 2.95 inches or 270 x 75 x 75 mm in width x depth x height, and weighs about 34.39 ounces or 975 grams. It is also covered in a Charcoal Fabric like the Amazon Echo.
The Lyra Voice is an exciting engineering experiment because it is one of the first devices for smart homes that can play all of the following roles:
- A wireless router that secures your entire network from outside threats
- A node in a mesh WiFi system that is built using other ASUS devices
- An Amazon Alexa smart speaker that can be used as a virtual assistant and as a hub for controlling your smart home
ASUS Lyra Voice is a tri-band AC2200 wireless router with a total maximum bandwidth split as follows: 400 Mbps for the 2.4 GHz band, and 867 Mbps for each of the two 5 GHz bands. To broadcast the wireless signal, the Lyra Voice has six internal antennas, and one Bluetooth 4.2 antenna for connecting to other devices like your smartphone. To interact with Alexa, you have several buttons on the top side of the Lyra Voice, just like on the Amazon Echo.
To provide users with so many features, including the Alexa smart assistant, ASUS Lyra Voice is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm IPQ4019 processor, running at 717 MHz. It also has 512 MB of RAM and 256 MB of storage for the firmware. The Lyra Voice is capable of offering 2x2 MU-MIMO wireless transfers, using the Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac Wave 2) standard. On the back of the Lyra Voice, there are only two 1 Gbps Ethernet ports, and one of them is used to connect it to the internet. There's also the power jack, and a button for turning on and off the Lyra Voice.
The Lyra Voice is also a dual-stereo Bluetooth speaker. It features passive radiators and bass reflex ports to extend resonance of low-frequency sound. It also has the DTS surround sound technology that enhances the spaciousness of the sound.
The best part of ASUS Lyra Voice is its integration of Amazon Alexa. It can be used to control through voice commands about 20000 smart home devices that are integrated with Alexa Skills. You can use it to control devices like your thermostat, light bulbs, smart plugs, Smart TV, and more.
The hardware specifications and the feature set of the ASUS Lyra Voice are quite impressive.
Setting up and using the ASUS Lyra Voice wireless router
The initial setup of the ASUS Lyra Voice can be done using a web browser on your computer or the ASUS router app for smartphones and tablets. We went on the web browser route, and the process was the same as on other ASUS wireless routers.
The initial setup wizard is about setting the Lyra Voice to work as a wireless router, as a node in a mesh WiFi system or as a repeater in an existing network. To configure the Alexa part of the device, use your smartphone and the ASUS router mobile app, as well as the Amazon Alexa app. One crucial thing to keep in mind is that your Amazon account must be set in the same region as your ASUS Lyra Voice. If they are set to use different countries, the Alexa smart assistant won't work.
After the initial setup is done, you can use the Lyra Voice just like an Amazon Echo. However, the features that it offers are not yet identical to Amazon's devicesl. ASUS has released several firmware updates that add more and more features to the Alexa virtual assistant, alongside fixing bugs. We highly recommend that you keep your Lyra Voice firmware up-to-date so that you can benefit from the latest improvements delivered by ASUS.
The administration interface on the Lyra Voice is the same as on other ASUS wireless routers. All the settings are split into logical sections, and finding your way is easy.
You can configure everything that matters in detail, and advanced users are going to appreciate this fact. The firmware is available in 25 languages, and the user documentation is accessible and well built.
One neat trick is to move the mouse cursor over a setting that you do not understand, and a question mark is shown. Click on the question mark, and you see information explaining that setting.
As mentioned earlier, if you want to use all the features of Lyra Voice, including the Alexa smart assistant, you have to use the ASUS router app. It offers some advanced customization options, including the ability to check on your children's devices, and set up rules for parental controls. However, you should also integrate it with the Amazon Alexa app. With that, you can access all the smart skills of this assistant, and utilize it to its full potential. Once that part is done, Alexa works well on the Lyra Voice, and you can interact with it, even at a distance.
The dual-stereo Bluetooth speaker on the Lyra Voice is powerful without being too loud. One feature that we liked is that it isn't too bass-heavy, as some Bluetooth speakers tend to be. It offers an enjoyable musical experience, even though it is not the best you can get, at least not when compared to premium Bluetooth speakers. If you are curious to hear the Lyra Voice in action, listen to this track below.
One thing that we did not like is that the boot process on the Lyra Voice takes a few minutes. Even though the hardware is powerful, the plethora of features takes quite a bit of time to load.
The switch on the back of the Lyra Voice seems like it is for turning the DTS surround sound on and off. However, that is the power switch for the Lyra Voice itself. Unless you read the user manual, this isn't obvious, and you may accidentally stop the Lyra Voice as we did. 🙂
We connected more than a dozen devices to the network managed by ASUS Lyra Voice, including a desktop PC, laptops, one tablet, several smartphones, one wireless printer, two smart plugs, one smart bulb, an intelligent robot vacuum cleaner, and an Xbox One console.
We noticed that, from time to time, some mobile network clients get randomly disconnected from the internet, for brief periods, even though they report being connected to the WiFi. This is a bug that should be fixed in future firmware updates.
The speed of the WiFi network managed by ASUS Lyra Voice is excellen,t on the 5 GHz band. Also, the variability of wireless transfers on this band is within normal parameters. For a better perspective, look at the diagram below, showing how data was downloaded from one computer to another, through WiFi, in a room separated from the router by one wall, with no direct line of sight to it.
On the 2.4 GHz band though, the WiFi performance is underwhelming, as you are going to see on the next page of this review.
If you want to see the details about the wireless performance of ASUS Lyra Voice, and all the features that it has to offer, go to the next page of this review.
