I tried that briefly but it didn't pick up my voice very easily. It did, however, answer something it heard on the TV with 'Gareth Southgate'!
My house is quite linear so it isn't easy to find a good place. Part of the answer is the little remote that allows me to operate it over greater distance and ambient noise, although it was a short while before I realised you have to hold the microphone button down while you speak because it's not an on/off switch.