Echo & Alexa Forums
General Category => Amazon Echo Discussion => Topic started by: k9kids on April 25, 2017, 05:23:48 pm
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Yes I bought one.
Wanted to use an existing Dot to get portability with better sound qualities.
I have a Tap already and wasn't going to buy another.
Please keep the smart-ass comments to yourself. ;D
The unit is well built and the sound is fairly decent. A bit light on the bass, but overall much better than the Dot. The Tap is still the king for portable sound. :)
Have gotten eight hours of play time from it. Decided to get the white version and it fits in well.
Compared to the other battery pack I bought for the Dot, this one gives portability plus really decent sound over the Dot.
No regrets on my purchase.
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-k3zcfRj/0/8d0e4b25/L/i-k3zcfRj-L.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-98GvPRQ/0/49386979/L/i-98GvPRQ-L.jpg)
(https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-CrGqq7c/0/7a8053f5/L/i-CrGqq7c-L.jpg)
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Thanks for the eval. Keep us informed.
Is that a My Cloud seen on the bottom shelf?
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Mike,
Good eye. It is a 2TB WD My Cloud.
Use it primarily to access/backup laptops at home.
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Yep, I have one, too. It is a DL2100 w/ two 4TB drives set up as RAID 1. It is my media server for music, videos and some photo files I can access on home network and remotely (but alas, Alexa cannot play from it!) Amazon needs to finally make this possible.
I am a member of the WD forum for quite a few years. There has been a lot of commotion there in the past month or two regarding security "holes" in the MC devices. So much so, that WD made updates to all their My Cloud models' FW. If you haven't been there lately check the WD Community forum for news and get the latest FW for your device.
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What's your current revision level for the WD MC f/w.
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While I admit the Vaux is good looking and would improve the functionality of my Echo Dots, it costs more than I paid for my Dots.
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How does it sound compared to, say, a Bose Mini Soundlink 2?
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How does it sound compared to, say, a Bose Mini Soundlink 2?
No idea. I would hope that the Bose unit was far superior. Remember... this is a $49.00 device. Not $200.00.
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How does it sound compared to, say, a Bose Mini Soundlink 2?
No idea. I would hope that the Bose unit was far superior. Remember... this is a $49.00 device. Not $200.00.
I went ahead and ordered one. I'll compare it to the Soundlink Mini 2 when it arrives. I love the sound of the Bose, but I can't leave it hardwired to my Dot as the stupid thing switches off the input port after 30 min of silence, requiring a button push to switch back to the port. It's a huge bug that Bose has refused to fix with a software update despite many emails and complaints. The Bluetooth connection leaves a lot to be desired, so hopefully this will be a good compromise.
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This is where to buy it BTW:
https://ninety7life.com/
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I just ordered one also. Hope the sound quality doesn't disappoint me.
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I still can't figure out why tone control (s), bass & treble (or more) disappeared from sound systems. They have been standard since the 1920s then suddenly they went away. Powered speakers with a tone knob are rarer than hens teeth. My point being that a stupid tone knob, consisting of a potentiometer and a capacitor, and costing fifty cents, could let plenty of cheap speakers sound great at lower volumes.
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I still can't figure out why tone control (s), bass & treble (or more) disappeared from sound systems. They have been standard since the 1920s then suddenly they went away. Powered speakers with a tone knob are rarer than hens teeth. My point being that a stupid tone knob, consisting of a potentiometer and a capacitor, and costing fifty cents, could let plenty of cheap speakers sound great at lower volumes.
I understand where you're coming from for sure... everyone has different tastes and hearing needs and those controls were there to adjust to your personal sound tastes.
A decent crossover on a high end audio system can be pretty involved, more than just a couple of components anyway... but with miniaturization and technological gains we should have some tone control for sure. What ever happened to component stereo systems? They're being edged out by sound bars and portable bluetooth speakers and the like...
Now... if I could get a tone control for my neighborhood... I'd sure like to turn the bass down a little around here... (Frickin' thump cars...)
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Quick review:
Looks awesome (I got the white one).
As loud as the Tap.
About as much bass as the Tap, but with what sounds like a lower quality amp, so definitely slightly harsh sounding at all volumes, as though there's always a bit of distortion, mostly even harmonic distortion (even harmonics sound harsh). Cutting back on the midrange and treble might help but there's no tone controls so that's moot.
Big issue: it is WAY TOO LOUD at the lowest volume setting. Not good for a bedside Alexa device!!!
It makes a little whine noise when Alexa is speaking. It doesn't make the whine noise otherwise.
Does not fit the original model Dot unless you want to try to force it in, and then would have trouble turning the volume knob anyway.
Will I keep it? Yes. I think it's the best solution out there so far for an extra Dot (new model) lying about otherwise unused. I'm just going to leave it in the guest room for guests to play with.
Compared to the Bose Soundlink Mini II? Lol no contest. The Bose sounds an order of magnitude nicer in clarity, lack of distortion, and bass response. The Bose is$200 though and doesn't have a reliable wired connection - only Bluetooth works barely reliably.
I still haven't found a perfect speaker solution for the Tap that isn't crazy expensive or crazy huge.
And there's certainly nothing on the market that integrates the Dot into itself like this does. It's super clean and looks fantastic.
I just wish they'd spent a few more dollars on the amp and EQ settings to make it sound as good as the Tap, or even the Echo.
They also really need to change the volume ramp up curve so that the lowest volume setting is about 20dB lower than it is now.
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I still can't figure out why tone control (s), bass & treble (or more) disappeared from sound systems. They have been standard since the 1920s then suddenly they went away. Powered speakers with a tone knob are rarer than hens teeth. My point being that a stupid tone knob, consisting of a potentiometer and a capacitor, and costing fifty cents, could let plenty of cheap speakers sound great at lower volumes.
I understand where you're coming from for sure... everyone has different tastes and hearing needs and those controls were there to adjust to your personal sound tastes.
A decent crossover on a high end audio system can be pretty involved, more than just a couple of components anyway... but with miniaturization and technological gains we should have some tone control for sure. What ever happened to component stereo systems? They're being edged out by sound bars and portable bluetooth speakers and the like...
Now... if I could get a tone control for my neighborhood... I'd sure like to turn the bass down a little around here... (Frickin' thump cars...)
Still though, I just don't get it. A simple tone knob would only add fifty cents to cost of manufacture of ANY powered speaker. Why did EQ go away? It was SO important to have some kind of EQ until about the mid 2000s. Then it was just not a thing suddenly.
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I still can't figure out why tone control (s), bass & treble (or more) disappeared from sound systems. They have been standard since the 1920s then suddenly they went away. Powered speakers with a tone knob are rarer than hens teeth. My point being that a stupid tone knob, consisting of a potentiometer and a capacitor, and costing fifty cents, could let plenty of cheap speakers sound great at lower volumes.
I understand where you're coming from for sure... everyone has different tastes and hearing needs and those controls were there to adjust to your personal sound tastes.
A decent crossover on a high end audio system can be pretty involved, more than just a couple of components anyway... but with miniaturization and technological gains we should have some tone control for sure. What ever happened to component stereo systems? They're being edged out by sound bars and portable bluetooth speakers and the like...
Now... if I could get a tone control for my neighborhood... I'd sure like to turn the bass down a little around here... (Frickin' thump cars...)
Still though, I just don't get it. A simple tone knob would only add fifty cents to cost of manufacture of ANY powered speaker. Why did EQ go away? It was SO important to have some kind of EQ until about the mid 2000s. Then it was just not a thing suddenly.
Likely gone the wayside due to so many that just didn't understand how to use them to enhance things beyond a smiley face setting on the average EQ... Most people know how to do that really well... Super duty Highs, and Super duty Sub Bass... however, quality items added to give a tone control (without destroying decent audio output) are not really going to come out at 50 cents a unit, I don't think. I consider myself a Wannabe Audiophile... I know lots but there's no way for me to afford audio equipment that will fill my "needs" so I settle a lot... and I mean a LOT... What I do now though, is to not buy anything that doesn't have just "decent" sound. If the volume is all they designed into their audio system... then I won't buy. I currently have a really basic Sound Bar set up and got rid of all the ancient dirty sounding components of years gone by, as the sound bar, with a well balanced wireless Subwoofer is really just a Theater set up... I don't sit and listen to music anymore, as no one can stand the stuff I play, and/or have no musical appreciation or education... some are even flat tone deaf... so I just gave up. once in a great while I go find a place with great audio and just sit for a few minutes and reminisce and enjoy.
As far as QUALITY of sound from the Full sized echo... It's similar in quality to the sound bar... Not much quality, but plays music {I can hear most of the activity and detail in] without mauling it too much.
Great audio equipment has become a thing only kings can afford anymore... You know... Sultans and Kings from oil rich countries and stuff...
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It really is fifty cents:
http://www.guitartechcraig.com/techwire/tone.htm
I used to design and build my own circuits. I'm too busy in a completely different life path to bother with that stuff now. I'm not so much an audiophile, more a musician and composer (violinist).
I hear things most people can't hear. All of us bowed string players do.
Crap audio makes me nuts, but all I can do at this point is whine.
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It really is fifty cents:
http://www.guitartechcraig.com/techwire/tone.htm
I used to design and build my own circuits. I'm too busy in a completely different life path to bother with that stuff now. I'm not so much an audiophile, more a musician and composer (violinist).
I hear things most people can't hear. All of us bowed string players do.
Crap audio makes me nuts, but all I can do at this point is whine.
I have a similar taste in quality due to many years in Choral settings and my family for many generations have been musically talented and inclined... Somehow I think this is a genetic thing... LOL I hear things others do not as well... the devil is in the details.
It's been very disappointing how audio systems have evolved over the last 2 decades or more...
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I ordered one of these units for our kitchen Dot in white. It's got a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so hopefully the audio will be at least acceptable. I doubt we will ever turn it up to the max.
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I ordered one of these units for our kitchen Dot in white. It's got a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, so hopefully the audio will be at least acceptable. I doubt we will ever turn it up to the max.
It's certainly better than Dot by itself. I'm surprised people use Dots as standalones.
I thought the whole point of the Dot was to plug into a preexisting audio system that people already owned.
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Well, it's a point alright, but not the "whole point". Not all of us want to listen to music from a Dot; with or without a Vaux enhancement. I have one Dot dedicated to the home stereo and always plugged into the stereo's audio in. The other Dots around the house are used for things like asking weather, time, control smart plugs, setting timers, connecting to BT speakers, etc. Hardly ever listen to music from a Dot, Yecht! We also have an Echo or two Taps if we want music directly from an Alexa gadget. I would rather take the money spent on a Vaux and buy another Dot or direct it toward the cost of a Tap. To each his own.