Amazon Echo Club

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by 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?

I don't see an advantage. If the goal is to get better sound than an Echo, then pairing the Dot to a high end bluetooth speaker is the best bet. In this case, it'll cost more than an Echo.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by 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.

But if it's hooked up to a receiver, then the Dot is out of commission when the receiver is being used for other things. For music streaming from the Dot, it's no big deal since that'll be the receiver's primary function at that moment. But if you wish to ask Alexa questions while the receiver is being used for videos or CDs, then you'll need to stop playback from that source and switch the receiver to the Dot.

[mpeg2]

Yup - and this is why I haven't ordered one. I'm still trying to decide whether the limitations outweigh the advantages.

[tubemonkey]

For me, the Dot's primary function would be audio playback (audiobooks, OTR, FM radio, podcasts, news, weather, traffic, and some music). For that, the onboard speaker is more than adequate.

Advantage: smaller and cheaper than the Echo. Great for multi-room placement.

[WT Sharpe]

Well, somebody has to be the early adopter.

[tubemonkey]

I have absolutely no interest in the Tap.

If they lower the price of the Dot, I'll get a couple of 'em.

[WT Sharpe]

I got the Tap mainly because I'm tired of trying to fiddle with trying to find an unused FM station through which to listen to my iPod via FM Radio Transmitter in my car when I go out of town. Besides, it should fit in a cup holder. I will miss the always on, though, when using it in my bedroom.

I would have been more interested in a Dot were it not for that teensie-weensie speaker.

[tubemonkey]

Here's a very informative video on the Dot and Tap from AFTVnews. It contains quite a bit of info, including limitations and speaker configurations. Watch from ~7:30 to 30:20.

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Alexa's being played for a fool. When she wises up, she'll erase that entry.

What is the opposite of Karma??

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

What is the opposite of Karma??

...it's a shame we can't really do that.

[Sydney's Mom]

[wodin]

When I ordered my Dot I also ordered these speakers for $34.99 USD (they have gone up since then). The speakers arrived well before the dot, but when the Dot finally got here I was ready. I installed the Dot, and tried her without the speakers. She worked fine, and was loud enough to use in a quiet room. but not really good for music. Then I plugged in the speakers with the built in 25 watt amp set to about three quarters volume (full volume resulted is serious distortion), and to my non-audiophile ear was every bit as good as a stand alone Echo, with the added benefit of full stereo.

Not being an audiophile, to me the difference between $100 speakers and $1000 speakers is $900 wasted, for those more discriminating the extra money may be worth it.

If I had it to do over, or again, I'd use BlueTooth speakers because from reading another post it appears that with BlueTooth if you turn off the speakers, Alexa automatically switches to her internal speaker, but with wired speakers she does not. You have to physically unplug the speakers to get her to use her own. Maybe I can find a BlueTooth dongle that would work.

[Sydney's Mom]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

...it's a shame we can't really do that.

Alexa also plays Go Cubs Go on a continuous loop. Ain't life grand!!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by Sydney's Mom

Alexa also plays Go Cubs Go on a continuous loop. Ain't life grand!!

I'll leave that one alone. My mama told me to never beat a Cub's fan to death

[tubemonkey]

Went grocery shopping this morning and discovered that my grocery store also sells the Echo and has one on display. They already had Kindles and Fires.