IT'S ALIVE! IT TALKS!
I did not install the voice update yet.
I just plugged in my cheap chinese $0.99USD (free shipping) USB sound dongle, with heaphones already attached, and my kindle immediately started talking to me about "no voice files detected" and such. Basically, it verbally read the error popup window to me, so it knows how to talk without humongous voice files. I wonder why it needs those anyway -- perhaps only a prerecorded audio error message was included, because it is not doing TTS after that initial message telling me to install the voice files. Though as-is, I should be able to play music, I think. I need to install
twobob's music player KUAL extension...
It is quite loud in my headphones, so it will probably drive passive speakers
(available at the dollar store) just fine.