Just ordered two Dot's

[Jean D]

I ordered one. Just to be able to connect it to my whole house audio system with its aux output.

Anyone else wonder if the Dot or Tap will output in stereo?

Also, The Dot only has a speaker for (Audio:   Built-in speaker for voice feedback when not connected to external speakers), so it likely will not output music unless bluetooth or 3.5mm is connected to something.

The Tap is Dolby stereo.

[mike27oct]

Agree about name, although hope this isn't the case. 
Maybe someone knows how to make an IF recipe to do this.

[mike27oct]

Jean, I mentioned in my post here I intend to use audio out from Dot to plug into my stereo.  I am pretty sure the output is stereo from the description of Dot. Amazon says this on Dot's description page, and uses the word Dot and stereo in same sentence:

"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."

[leehop71]

I ordered one, because it can also be linked to the Bose Mini!!  The very thing I posted about here.  Being able to play the Amazon Prime music, on demand, through the Bose will be sweeeeeet!!!!

[leehop71]

..........But, there is also the new Tap; there must be a good reason for us to give more money to Amazon for their new BATTERY powered, Bluetooth enabled mini boombox made to put Bose mini, mini Jambox, and the rest of the mini BT boxes out to pasture.  ................. 

Mike, do you think the Tap will give the Bose Mini a run for its money as far as sound 'quality' goes??

[mike27oct]

>>>  Mike, do you think the Tap will give the Bose Mini a run for its money as far as sound 'quality' goes??

Amazon thinks so; they have a comparison chart in the online blurb for the Tap comparing Tap to a bunch of the mini BT boom boxes.  As far as I am concerned it just needs to be "close", because Tap has all the Alexa trappings as well. No other mini BT speaker can have this feature. Ordered our Tap an hour ago.  Daughter's will wait until I check with her.

[leehop71]

>>>  Mike, do you think the Tap will give the Bose Mini a run for its money as far as sound 'quality' goes??

Amazon thinks so; they have a comparison chart in the online blurb for the Tap comparing Tap to a bunch of the mini BT boom boxes.  As far as I am concerned it just needs to be "close", because Tap has all the Alexa trappings as well. No other mini BT speaker can have this feature. Ordered our Tap an hour ago.  Daughter's will wait until I check with her.

Mike, I saw the chart I think you are referring to, it didn't have the Bose Minilink, but the Bose Sound Color.  Those comparisons didn't really give any 'sound' specs, per say, outside of Dolby. 

I'm sure eventually they will have sound comparisons on YouTube, plus, one could go ahead and order the Tap, and if it does come close, sell the Bose Mini.

[mike27oct]

Lee,

I ordered a Tap to have a portable Echo that will sound pretty decent even outside, and not to have a better-sounding mini Jambox.  I believe I can be sure of one thing, (unless Amazon really "doesn't get it"; which I doubt) and that is, the Tap will sound better than the Echo does. That's all I hope for.

If I want worse sound than the Echo, I buy a Dot, which I did, but got it for it's feature of audio out into home stereo or BT.  I presume (hope) that if the stereo amp is on and the source switch is set to accept the Dot's audio output, not only will I get stereo music from Dot, but also Alexa's lovely voice into the stereo. If amp is off, and Dot detects no output possible, all sound will come through Dot's little speaker. We will all know the answer around March 31.

The comparison chart included the expensive UE Boom.  I heard a friend's, and it sounded real good.  So, if Amazon boldly compares the Tap to that, then I am feeling confident the Tap will sound real good, too.

Yea, and am keeping the Jambox; no matter what.

[leehop71]

Makes perfect sense Mike. I was being over analytical again, like I was with the Echo. The one thing that I was hoping the Echo would do is link TO the Bose and play the on command music THROUGH the Bose, which is exactly why I bought the Dot.
The point you brought up with the Tap is the portability of it. Having the Echo 'on the road'. The Plus side is one also gets a decent BT speaker for on command music as well. If I keep the Bose, which I probably will, I can use that at home, with the Dot, and use the Tap on the road!  Sweet!

[renegade600]

I am not sure about the tap.  Since you manually have to press the wake button, might as well use the assistant on the smartphone.  IMO, I believe the speaker on the tap will not be much better than what you have on the echo.   If it were much better, I believe the price would be higher. 

 

[leehop71]

I am not sure about the tap.  Since you manually have to press the wake button, might as well use the assistant on the smartphone.  IMO, I believe the speaker on the tap will not be much better than what you have on the echo.   If it did, I believe the price would be higher.

That's one reason I got the Dot and will hold off on the Tap to see the reviews and video sound comparisons.

[mike27oct]

I am not sure about the tap.  Since you manually have to press the wake button, might as well use the assistant on the smartphone.  IMO, I believe the speaker on the tap will not be much better than what you have on the echo.   If it were much better, I believe the price would be higher.

IMO. Amazon would be kind of stupid to compare the sound of a Tap to a quality BT speaker such as the UE Boom if it can't match up pretty good against UE Boom.  I think the Tap will sound better than original Echo, firstly, because it won't take much effort to sound better, and it is stereo instead of mono, and it has passive radiators to enhance bass.

Obviously, the Tap doesn't have always-on mic since it is battery operated. I am also hoping the wake/mic button on Tap is one of the "easy touch" buttons so user doesn't push the Tap into the bowl of guacamole on the picnic table!

[renegade600]

Obviously, the Tap doesn't have always-on mic since it is battery operated. I am also hoping the wake/mic button on Tap is one of the "easy touch" buttons so user doesn't push the Tap into the bowl of guacamole on the picnic table!

It would be nice if the button could always on if the user wanted when it is charging/plugged in.   I was also wondering if it would have a touch button similar to the wemo switches.

[jwlv]

By the looks of it from the Amazon Tap promo video, the tap's button is on the side of the unit. And everyone in the video is lifting it up and holding it like a microphone while pressing the button. Just from that, i assume that the button is rather rigid and must be pressed firmly. It certainly doesn't look like you can leave it sitting on a table and push the button with one finger. Its operation looks like the Fire TV Voice Remote where you press and hold the button as you speak.

[mike27oct]

Suppose it is what it is, and if I have to pick it up to talk, I will be sure to wipe the guacamole off my hands onto my shirt before picking it up.

PS, the Dot kind of looks like a coaster, so I want to name mine "Coaster" soon as it is an official wake word!