Amazon Echo Club

[tubemonkey]

This is why I held off on buying the Echo during Prime Day. Slashing the price in half was a signal that a new Echo was just around the corner.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

This is why I held off on buying the Echo during Prime Day. Slashing the price in half was a signal that a new Echo was just around the corner.

I agree. I too wondered about the huge price slash on the Echo as well as the fairly big $50 price slash on the Tap. I like the Echo concept, but Amazon really needs to improve the sound quality and also get the FW working correctly. I would like to see a greatly improved Echo released, and I might even buy one if it looks promising. The Dots are great, but no one expects great sound out of them. The current Echo and Tap just don't make the grade as far as sound quality. Maybe Gen 2 will.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by jswinden

I agree. I too wondered about the huge price slash on the Echo as well as the fairly big $50 price slash on the Tap. I like the Echo concept, but Amazon really needs to improve the sound quality and also get the FW working correctly. I would like to see a greatly improved Echo released, and I might even buy one if it looks promising. The Dots are great, but no one expects great sound out of them. The current Echo and Tap just don't make the grade as far as sound quality. Maybe Gen 2 will.

Notice how this article was posted a day after Prime Day

Anyway, I was quite pleased with the sound of the Echo and I don't even bother with a speaker for my living room Dot. It sits right next to my comfy chair

There's a good chance I'll pick up an Echo 2 this Black Friday.

[DreamWriter]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Anyway, I was quite pleased with the sound of the Echo and I don't even bother with a speaker for my living room Dot. It sits right next to my comfy chair

There's a good chance I'll pick up an Echo 2 this Black Friday.

I'm very happy with Echo's sound. And the Tap is great, too. I have a Bluetooth speaker for one Dot that mainly plays music. My other Dot is primarily used for alarms/reminders and queries so I don't need a speaker for that one.

It'll be interesting to see what additional features are added to Echo 2. I don't think I'll buy one, though. I have enough Alexa devices now!

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DreamWriter

It'll be interesting to see what additional features are added to Echo 2. I don't think I'll buy one, though. I have enough Alexa devices now!

I gave away my Echo to one of my sons, so all I have left are Dots. I like the all-in-one convenience of the Echo and I really miss the volume ring. Volume buttons are too slow.

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Notice how this article was posted a day after Prime Day

Anyway, I was quite pleased with the sound of the Echo and I don't even bother with a speaker for my living room Dot. It sits right next to my comfy chair

There's a good chance I'll pick up an Echo 2 this Black Friday.

Everyone has different tastes and/or expectations. I should be happy with the sound from the Echo considering I grew up in the 1960s listening to an old bakelite, vacuum tube, one speaker, mono AM radio. None of our local Austin stations even broadcast in stereo in those days. But the times they did change... From the first time I heard what was possible with a real stereo system onwards, I've gotten kind of picky on the sound quality. I don't expect my Echo to outperform my home stereo system, or even come close to sounding like it, but I do expect it to out perform the sound quality of my iPad Pro 9.7. The iPad Pro wins by a long shot, even though its sound quality is what I would call mediocre. Since the Echo was released, we have seen a lot of competition being released. If Amazon wants to compete, then they need to drastically improve the sound quality on the Echo Gen 2. But they might not give a poop. After all, look at the lackluster Fire tablets they are churning out and quite a few people are happy with them--probably because they have never had a top of the line tablet. I suspect Amazon could simply paint a large number "2" on the side of original Echos and sell them as Gen 2, and a lot of people would by them, but then the Echo would literally be a number 2 compared to the competition.

[Catlady]

I doubt that I would buy the Echo 2, but I'm glad I talked myself out of a second Dot, just in case this new model is really terrific and not too pricey.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

I gave away my Echo to one of my sons, so all I have left are Dots. I like the all-in-one convenience of the Echo and I really miss the volume ring. Volume buttons are too slow.

You actually use the physical volume controls on either device? Why?

[ApK]

My daughter had her 11th birthday party at our house recently. My wife observed that the decibel increase from a 10-years-old girl's party to an 11-year-old girl's party is extraordinary.
I had to wire the Dot to our main living room sound system for it be audible, and the only problem was she could not hear voice commands over the music. We had to us the action button. Or walk up to her and yell repeatedly, which the girls seemed to prefer.
I also could not get my original Echo's voice remote to work properly with the my gen 1 Dot. Weird.

BTW, the new Dot I got on Prime Day I've given to mom. She needs someone to talk to who won't get annoyed at her. :-)
We might actually use the calling feature with her, since she can just say "Alexa, call Andy" and it immediately rings my cell phone. I was kind of surprised it was that simple.

One other Prime Day gadget question for the group:
I was surprised to find that the Alexa calling features don't work on my wife's new Fire HD8. I do recall seeing that mentioned with appropriate incredulity somewhere back in this thread, but does any know if there are firm plans to correct that ridiculous state of affairs?

[ApK]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

You actually use the physical volume controls on either device? Why?

I won't speak for TM, but for myself, my gen 1 Dot often has a hard time hearing commands when loud music playing.
I suspect it's because the mics are closer to the speaker than on the Echo, which has not given me the same problem.
With the stereo blasting at a party, that's to be expected, but even with just it's internal speaker at max, we can't get her to listen from the next room, so if I have to walk closer anyway, might just as well spin the ring. I prefer the ring to buttons as well. It's just cooler.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

You actually use the physical volume controls on either device? Why?

Because my Dot sits right next to me within arms distance. With the Dot, I have to really yell at it to adjust the volume because the mics are much closer to the speaker than they are for the Echo.

When I had the Echo, the volume ring was more convenient. My bedroom Dot is hooked up to a set of computer speakers, so I usually use the volume knob on the speakers.

[Catlady]

Originally Posted by booklover6

Received the speaker, it's very nice. I had the Dot reading a Kindle book through the speaker, while the speaker was plugged in. Flawless. I have to try music soon.

Is there real leather used in that speaker, or an imitation leather? I was looking at it the other day, but I do not buy anything with leather.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by ApK

BTW, the new Dot I got on Prime Day I've given to mom. She needs someone to talk to who won't get annoyed at her. :-)

One other Prime Day gadget question for the group:
I was surprised to find that the Alexa calling features don't work on my wife's new Fire HD8. I do recall seeing that mentioned with appropriate incredulity somewhere back in this thread, but does any know if there are firm plans to correct that ridiculous state of affairs?

I haven't seen anything recently and I have no idea if/when Amazon will bring it to Fire Tabs.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by tubemonkey

Because my Dot sits right next to me within arms distance. With the Dot, I have to really yell at it to adjust the volume because the mics are much closer to the speaker than they are for the Echo.

Wouldn't you need to really yell at it in general, then?

I get it, though. That's just another reason why I like the Dot next to me, and having it linked to a bluetooth speaker across the room. That way I can communicate with it in a fairly "normal" speaking voice regardless of yon speaker's (or TV's or stereo's) current volume.

[tubemonkey]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Wouldn't you need to really yell at it in general, then?

I get it, though. That's just another reason why I like the Dot next to me, and having it linked to a bluetooth speaker across the room. That way I can communicate with it in a fairly "normal" speaking voice regardless of yon speaker's (or TV's or stereo's) current volume.

Yep, I would.