Setting up an Echo Dot with a multi channel amplifier

[swinster]

Ok, I have taken the first small step and bought an Echo Dot. It has its internal speaker, a wired 3.5mm output and Bluetooth. Reading these forums, it seems as though if you attach the 3.5mm wired connection then ALL audio will be sent via this cable, including all Alexa voice prompts - is this correct?

I have a Yamaha multi-channel amplifier, although this does not have Bluetooth capabilities. I could easily add a Bluetooth receiver to the amplifier, but couldn't find out as yet if the Echo Dot can use this audio output independently. Is this possible?

I’m not sure of the best approach here, but what I am thinking is that I would like the Alexa audio to just come out of the Dot, but other audio (such as music) to be directed out of the amplifier.

This is going to take some thinking about, but I have also purchased a Logitech Harmony Elite that has Alexa control capabilities. I expect that this will require switching the amp on/off (depending on what state it was in) and switching inputs. It would be interesting to see if I can get clever control, such as switching back to other inputs when music of finish, but that's all in the future.

So, I think the question I need answering first of is it, can I direct different audio out of the Dot, via Bluetooth or cable, with the internal speaker?

[Drwoodr]

You can connect a bluetooth adapter to your amp and pair it to the dot. However, when you connect the dot to a bluetooth adapter or speaker, all audio will be directed to the bluetooth device. The wired connection also shuts off the internal speaker.

I have a similar setup with the harmony elite. I am connecting a dot, using a wired connection, to my old receiver, which powers speakers in 3 rooms. I will have a new echo in the adjacent kitchen (arriving Wednesday), so that will do all the normal echo functions. The dot will just be for the harmony hub functions, and I know I will not get any audio responses from it if my receiver is off, but I can turn it on with voice commands. This will allow me to play music through throughout the first floor. "Alexa, turn on echo" will have the harmony hub power on my receiver and set the input for the dot.  "Alexa, play XYZ artist", or, if in kitchen, "Alexa, play XYZ artist in Living Room"* will start music. If my TV was also connected to the receiver, when I would tell Alexa to turn on the TV, it would switch off the dot input and switch on the TV input. In my case, I have a separate soundbar for my TV which will then be switched on, and I could keep the dot audio to my other speakers on if I so desire.

Should work in theory, I'll soon see how this works in real life.

*note: the playing of music to another echo does not currently support Spotify or SiriusXM, but is supposed to in the future.

[swinster]

Awesome feedback @Drwoodr, thanks.

I guess a number of people will have the same kind of idea, and indeed this is similar to what was was thinking about (albeit, this amp only controls several devices in one room). I like the idea of saying "Alexa, Echo on", and I think this will help me.

Please post back with any update of real life interop with the second Echo. Are the in earshot of each other? I was thinking also of a second dot in our kitchen, although the kitchen/living room are open plan in my case.

[Drwoodr]

I will update later this week when the second echo arrives.  My living room and kitchen are adjacent and within ear shot, but there is a partial wall between them. I can control the tv from the living room with the echo in the kitchen, but I think the distance sometimes causes understanding issues, and speaking louder than I’d like. BTW, I was setting things up in the Alexa app last night, and “echo” came up as a not recommended word, so I may just use “turn on stereo” (I know, I’m old school), or in your case “turn on amp”. I have Yonomi routines to turn it off and on.

[Jeff29]

Yes, as others have already stated you can wire or use Bluetooth to connect audio to your Echo device.  Here are a few things I wish had been clearly outlined before or when I made my purchase:

First, I chose the Amazon-branded Bluetooth audio option figuring Amazon would support Amazon devices:  https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-Bluetooth-4-0-Audio-Receiver/dp/B00I59VBH4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1508880078&sr=8-2&keywords=amazon+bluetooth+receiver

There are a number of important items you will want to know when attaching a supposedly sophisticated device, like an Echo Dot, to a potentially expensive audio solution.  I'm not putting these items in any specific order as I view a number of them as equally high in priority:

• Once you connect your Echo Dot to a Bluetooth solution the disconnect command does not work.  You can tell Alexa to disconnect and hear the announcement over the internal speaker Alexa has disconnected but then it automatically re-connects.  This is a significant bug given a computer selects audio channels independently of any given channel protocol.
• While your Echo device is very sophisticated it's audio technology is 30 years old.  There are two channels for volume control (master and alarm).  That means there's no discrete access to audio channels.
• The audio controls made available are likely to require people with more-discerning ears to run to the device more often than use verbal commands.
• When (not if) your Bluetooth speaker loses power and connection, thanks to a somewhat recent update to Alexa, your device will remain silent and force the lost Bluetooth audio channel to remain primary and silent.

The above issues are documented in detail at the following reference http://www.echotalk.org/index.php/topic,2855.msg15620.html#msg15620

Normalization is not included with Amazon Music Unlimited even though it's a pay-service.  This is a typically a hot topic for anyone thinking about connecting an audio-out option to an amplifier.  Blow an amp or speaker lately?  OK that's an exaggeration even if it is a possibility.  The painful truth is this shortens the lifecycle of your equipment as all audiophiles know.  Details and reference: http://www.echotalk.org/index.php/topic,2430.0.html

Finally, an item about which you didn't inquire:  Everyone talks about "intercom" which IMHO isn't offered.  Most people think of an intercom as a quick one-to-many action allowing a remote party to respond by starting two-way communication.  Amazon currently doesn't allow this.  The more correct reference (with intercom being incorrect) would be 2-way calling.  Echo devices can call other individual devices.  If you have more than one [echo device] your current option is to either know in advance where your remote party is and by which device by device-name or randomly call devices.  So in a house with Echo everyone still screams 1st to find out which device the party they want to reach is near.  Laugh here.

[Drwoodr]

I will update later this week when the second echo arrives.  My living room and kitchen are adjacent and within ear shot, but there is a partial wall between them. I can control the tv from the living room with the echo in the kitchen, but I think the distance sometimes causes understanding issues, and speaking louder than I’d like. BTW, I was setting things up in the Alexa app last night, and “echo” came up as a not recommended word, so I may just use “turn on stereo” (I know, I’m old school), or in your case “turn on amp”. I have Yonomi routines to turn it off and on.

Echo 2 finally arrived today (which actually sounds very nice), so I now have that in the kitchen and the dot in the adjacent living room hooked up to my stereo system. Spent a few minutes trying this out.  Dot controls tv through harmony fine, but I did notice after I turned up the volume one time the dot wouldn’t hear me. I may have to experiment with location of the dot, it is close to the tv, but I have limited options since It’s hardwired to my receiver.

From kitchen echo, I can say “Alexa, play no shoes radio on Sirius xm on living room.” And it plays on the living room dot, playing music in the 3 rooms with speakers hooked up to my receiver. Worked with pandora too, but not Spotify.

While the living room dot is playing music, if I ask the kitchen echo to set a timer or ask it the weather, it will mute the dot, finish its activity, then continue the music.

If my receiver is off and I’m watching tv, I don’t get the “ok” response from Alexa, but I actually like that. The dot lights up to indicate it heard me, no need to hear it say “ok” every time I give a command.

I think this will work fine.

[Jeff29]

If my receiver is off and I’m watching tv, I don’t get the “ok” response from Alexa, but I actually like that. The dot lights up to indicate it heard me, no need to hear it say “ok” every time I give a command.

This is so broken and bugged it's ridiculous.  I specifically wrote about this.  What's happening is your speaker is off and Alexa hasn't reverted back to a viable (working) audio channel meaning Alexa is sending audio out a defunct channel.  This should happen automatically.

Separately, it would be a handy feature to allow users to set Alexa to provide certain responses solely with visual cues.

[Drwoodr]

This is so broken and bugged it's ridiculous.  I specifically wrote about this.  What's happening is your speaker is off and Alexa hasn't reverted back to a viable (working) audio channel meaning Alexa is sending audio out a defunct channel.  This should happen automatically.

I wouldn’t call this broken and bugged, it’s just a function of the 3.5mm stereo plug, which has been around for decades. It’s no different than what happens when plugging earphones into a phone, headphones into a receiver, etc. Bluetooth provides the functionality you are looking for. I’m content with not getting an audio response when changing channels, etc.

[swinster]

This is a good discussion. I spent yesterday afternoon setup up the Dot with the Harmony (although I have neither wired or blue tooth connected as yet), but meet with many frustrations.

When you initially ask Alexa to say, turn on the TV, this seem to work like a charm. However, Alexa them seems to randomly lose control of the Harmony, and it is difficult to regain that control without starting again (effectively asking Alexa to turn on the TV again, which at the moment will return the TV station to my starting channel). This is a bit of a side discussion to this thread and I feel more of a harmony control issue, so I post this on the Logitech forums (see https://community.logitech.com/s/question/0D55A00007CgVLhSAN/frustrations-with-elite-harmony-and-alexa?t=1512338618392). There is also an issue asking Alexa to Pause whilst the Harmony is being controlled.

Hopefully, I can get a Bluetooth Audio received and set this up soon.

[SixFootSteve]

If it helps, i found changing the activation word for each device helped.
 
I have one original Echo in the dining room/kitchen and one Dot in the Lounge, and its all  open plan so both pick up our voice, so to play music the dot wired into into the Amp responds to the 'Echo' key word, but the Echo responds to 'Alexa' keyword as this is the general use one for checking trains/calendars/settings timers,

The Kids Dots respond to 'Computer" so they don't accidentally interrupt what I am doing.

[Drwoodr]

If it helps, i found changing the activation word for each device helped.
 
I have one original Echo in the dining room/kitchen and one Dot in the Lounge, and its all  open plan so both pick up our voice, so to play music the dot wired into into the Amp responds to the 'Echo' key word, but the Echo responds to 'Alexa' keyword as this is the general use one for checking trains/calendars/settings timers,

The Kids Dots respond to 'Computer" so they don't accidentally interrupt what I am doing.

Yes, this has been suggested, but not with my wife, I'm trying to keep everything as simple and consistent as possible. She actually said "Hey Siri" to one of our echos tonight.

So far I haven't had any issues with using the same wake word on all devices.

[Jeff29]

This is so broken and bugged it's ridiculous.  I specifically wrote about this.  What's happening is your speaker is off and Alexa hasn't reverted back to a viable (working) audio channel meaning Alexa is sending audio out a defunct channel.  This should happen automatically.

I wouldn’t call this broken and bugged, it’s just a function of the 3.5mm stereo plug, which has been around for decades. It’s no different than what happens when plugging earphones into a phone, headphones into a receiver, etc. Bluetooth provides the functionality you are looking for. I’m content with not getting an audio response when changing channels, etc.

Drwoodr,

You are correct!  I misread and thought you were speaking to a BT connection which [in this regard] is so broken it's ridiculous!