Amazon Echo Club

[ApK]

Got the Dot set up in the kitchen. At maximum volume, the built in speaker is just loud enough to be useful amidst normal kitchen noise. I tried playing an audible book, and at full volume it was starting to distort a bit.
Would be fine by a bed side or in a quieter room, I think.
Also, I'm a bit disappointed that I can't seem to pair the Dot to my 30-pin ipod dock-to-bluetooth adapter which I had hoped to use as the external speaker. Sad face.

ApK

[ApK]

One more observation: Some Prime Music (Tom Petty) sounded MUCH louder than the Alexa voice or the Audible book. So loud that while it played, Alexa could not hear me call her name unless my mouth was two inches from her!
I couldn't tell her to lower the volume or stop the music!
(Unless I pressed the action button, of course).
My wife is considering adding a speaker but in want to try it without for a bit.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by ApK

That's surprising. The Echo got some criticism for being an OK but not great speaker for the money.

I'd have thought the Tap, marketed specifically as a speaker, would be better than the Echo for music.

ApK

Echo was actually a better speaker than my other $100 speakers. It lacks bass, which some people cannot tolerate because they are what they are. I am happy with the music ability, but if I wanted much better music, I'd just get a Bose and be done with it.

[mlewis78]

I still do not understand just how the Dot connects to stereo speakers. It says:

Echo Dot can also directly connect to speakers with the included 3.5 mm audio cable or using Bluetooth to add voice-control to your home stereo system in the living room or den.

My stereo speakers are connected to the stereo receiver with speaker wire. Does the Dot connect to the stereo receiver? I see no way for the dot to connect to my speakers with 3.5 mm audio cable. Are they talking about standard stereo speakers or bluetooth/wi-fi speakers?

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by mlewis78

I still do not understand just how the Dot connects to stereo speakers. It says:

Echo Dot can also directly connect to speakers with the included 3.5 mm audio cable or using Bluetooth to add voice-control to your home stereo system in the living room or den.

My stereo speakers are connected to the stereo receiver with speaker wire. Does the Dot connect to the stereo receiver? I see no way for the dot to connect to my speakers with 3.5 mm audio cable. Are they talking about standard stereo speakers or bluetooth/wi-fi speakers?

You'll need an adapter for speakers that don't use a 3.5 mm audio cable; and they're talking about both - 3.5mm speakers and bluetooth speakers.

[mpeg2]

Originally Posted by mlewis78 View Post
I still do not understand just how the Dot connects to stereo speakers. It says:

It depends upon how you define "speakers". The output of the DOT is most likely a line level signal, not suitable for driving speakers directly. Some kind of amplifier will need to be between the Dot and the speakers.

For bluetooth, the problem is taken care of automatically - if it is a bluetooth "speaker", then there will be an internal amplifier. If a bluetooth receiver, then that would normally be connected to and amplifier before the speaker.

Rich

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by mpeg2

Originally Posted by mlewis78 View Post
I still do not understand just how the Dot connects to stereo speakers. It says:

It depends upon how you define "speakers". The output of the DOT is most likely a line level signal, not suitable for driving speakers directly. Some kind of amplifier will need to be between the Dot and the speakers.

For bluetooth, the problem is taken care of automatically - if it is a bluetooth "speaker", then there will be an internal amplifier. If a bluetooth receiver, then that would normally be connected to and amplifier before the speaker.

Rich

I would think regular speakers would work. Now the ones used with a sub-woofer might not.
You would just need an adapter.
You are talking speakers that are just open wires, you wrap around a screw.
And thanks you just gave me an idea.

[mpeg2]

"I would think regular speakers would work."

Speakers require a fair amount of power to make sound - so you need an amplifier to drive them. You can't simply connect a signal source, like a tuner or the Dot.

The description of the "speaker" connection is rather vague, but from what I can see the output of the Dot is a low level audio connection, I think the supplied audio cable terminates in RCA connectors, which would be plugged into the input of an amplifier.

If you have speakers with internal amplifiers, then a direct connection would be fine. Otherwise, an amplifier of some sort is needed in between.

Most non-powered speakers will have either screw terminals or binding posts for input (although some do have RCA jacks, which really confuses things).

Rich

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by mpeg2

"I would think regular speakers would work."

Speakers require a fair amount of power to make sound - so you need an amplifier to drive them. You can't simply connect a signal source, like a tuner or the Dot.

The description of the "speaker" connection is rather vague, but from what I can see the output of the Dot is a low level audio connection, I think the supplied audio cable terminates in RCA connectors, which would be plugged into the input of an amplifier.

If you have speakers with internal amplifiers, then a direct connection would be fine. Otherwise, an amplifier of some sort is needed in between.

Most non-powered speakers will have either screw terminals or binding posts for input (although some do have RCA jacks, which really confuses things).

Rich

I have noticed over the years that low end speakers usually have RCA jacks where the higher end have screw terminals. (Thanks could not think of that term.)
Now do I have the adapters I need to test a theory?

[mlewis78]

I would think that for a regular stereo system that the Echo Dot would need to be connected to the stereo receiver, but I am not sure where. Mine does not have a 3.5mm input (which I think is a miniplug port). Someone correct me!

Another thing is that I don't understand how telling the Dot to play something on the stereo would make it play a CD on the CD player. That is too complex for the Dot, I think.

[mpeg2]

I think the audio cable that comes with the Dot is 3.5mm stereo at one end and a pair of RCA plugs at the other, so it'll connect up to an open input on your receiver.

The Dot is only going to be able to control what it plays (via streaming of some sort) - not controlling any other device (such as a CD player).

RIch

[ApK]

Originally Posted by mpeg2

I think the audio cable that comes with the Dot is 3.5mm stereo at one end and a pair of RCA plugs at the other, so it'll connect up to an open input on your receiver.

No, Dot comes with a 3.5 to 3.5 cable.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by mlewis78

I would think that for a regular stereo system that the Echo Dot would need to be connected to the stereo receiver, but I am not sure where. Mine does not have a 3.5mm input (which I think is a miniplug port). Someone correct me!

Another thing is that I don't understand how telling the Dot to play something on the stereo would make it play a CD on the CD player. That is too complex for the Dot, I think.

To use a home stereo system's speakers for the Dot, you'll need to connect the Dot to the receiver via the receiver's audio in (RCA jacks). For that, you'll need an adapter - 3.5mm to RCA.

Once hooked up, the Dot will function like a component (DVD, CD, tape, whatever) and it can't control anything on the receiver. You'll need to use either the receiver's remote control or manually switch the receiver to the Dot whenever you wish to use it. If you're listening to CD's, for example, the Dot is out of commission; since the Dot's internal speaker is switched off whenever an audio cable is connected to its audio out.

[mlewis78]

I am not sure what the advantage is to connecting the Dot to a stereo component system, then. Why not just use the stereo's remote?

Considering that the Dot now shipping in July for new orders, I may get the Tap instead (for the other room the Echo is not in and as a portable take-out).

[mpeg2]

IMO, the purpose of the Dot would not be to control the stereo (as you say, the remote does that) - but to act as a source (to play streaming music for example) and all the other Alexa things.