[OtinG]

Well I succumbed to temptation and got an Echo Plus 2nd gen delivered yesterday. Over the years I've had the Amazon Tap, Dot 2nd gen, Dot 3rd gen, Echo 1st gen, and the Echo 2nd gen. The Echo 2nd gen turned out to be a big disappointment as I bought it right when it was first released. Amazon quickly released a FW update that was supposed to improve/correct the audio, but it still didn't really make it any better than the 1st gen. So I returned it after a week. Amazon later released some more updates for it that many said really greatly improved its audio, but I had already given up on it. The Dots are not meant to compete against the Echo and Echo Plus in audio, so they are good for what they do. I must say the Dot 3rd gen is a big improvement over the 2nd gen though.

Mini Review of Echo Plus 2nd Generation

Audio Quality Greatly Improved

The Echo Plus 2nd gen is also a big improvement over the Echo 1st gen and 2nd gen audio. (I don't have an Echo Plus 1st gen to compare it too.) I think they finally got it right for a device that is small and doesn't have true stereo capability because it only has one set of speakers rather than two. But they did a good job of providing richer, deeper sound without the tinny sound of the earlier models. The Echo Plus 2nd gen also outperforms the Amazon Tap, now officially discontinued, which did have true stereo with two sets of speakers. But a small device with true stereo still doesn't have the audio quality of a larger device due to lack of separation between the speakers as well as the small speakers they have to use. Over all I'm very pleased with the Echo Plus 2nd gen audio capability considering it is still a small device with relatively small speakers. I think it is more than adequate to rock a room for one person or two, but don't expect it to rock your whole house for a party.

Has Built-in Hub, but I haven't Tested It

It of course comes with a built-in hub but the few smart home devices I will control with it already have their own built-in hubs, so I won't be using this feature much if any. I still need the other Echos to be able to control all of my smart home devices, so I will continue to only add those which have their own hubs.

Built-in Temperature Sensor Works, but Seems a bit Inaccurate

Another cool feature the Echo Plus 2nd gen comes with is a built in temperature sensor. In theory you can set up a group, include the temperature sensor in that group, then ask, "Alexa, what is the temperature of [YOUR GROUP]." Yes it works, but it was non-intuitive to set up due to incorrect and/or confusing instructions posted at Amazon support. I got it set up, but you have to figure out how on your own. BTW, the latest Alexa app is the craziest and most difficult POS to navigate, and that makes set up even more annoying. I said it works, but I don't think it is very accurate. It seems to register temps about 4° to 5° F below what two other thermometers I have show. Is this an issue? For me no, but in theory this temp sensor could be used with Alexa controlled thermostats to auto adjust your HVAC, and I think that 4° to 5° F of inaccuracy is an issue in that case. I suspect this issue can be resolved in FW updates, so hopefully they will get it to register more accurately. BTW, I placed the Echo Plus 2nd gen away from windows, HVAC vents, and fans, and I made sure no cats were curled up around it!

Alexa Seems Less Prone to Start Talking during TV Commercials

I've only tested the Echo Plus 2nd gen over the course of one evening while watching TV. There were a few Amazon Alexa commercials where "Alexa" is spoken, and the Echo Plus 2nd gen did perk up and turn on the blue ring, but not once did she go into her yapping mode nor try to complete the task asked of her within the TV commercial. Surprisingly, she remained silent and apparently ignored the commercials. So that is a nice improvement. Perhaps they have figured out how to better identify and filter out TV voices from human-in-the-room voices.

Opinion

The Echo Plus 2nd gen is a keeper! I only paid $109.99 USD for it with the Black Friday/Monday sale. I think the $149.99 regular price might be too steep though unless you use the smart home hub feature, but at the discounted price it was a good deal for me.