Cheapest way to connect speakers?

[newage_lightbulb]

Hello, I have a few Echo Dots and I use them as Bluetooth receivers (or just streaming my Amazon Prime music). I would like to connect speakers to them, and being cheap I would like to re-use some old speakers I have. But the old speakers just have the exposed wire connections that you generally plug into the back of an amplifier (where they generally clip in), whereas the Dots obviously have the 3.5mm connection.

Can anyone give some advice as to the cheapest piece of middle equipment I could use that would accept a 3.5mm plug as input and output to 2-4 speakers with the old standard clip connectors? Not looking for anything fancy like Bluetooth receivers as the Dot already handles that ... just need something that will drive the speakers and possibly be able to boost the volume.

Thanks!

[renegade600]

you could always try splicing the two different wires together and plug into the echo.  if it don't work, you are only out of the audio cable. 

[AlanH]

If you're talking about non-powered, hi-fi speakers then you're going to need a pre-amp/amp to power them. I doubt if the output from a Dot would be sufficient to drive them. Can you plug your Dot into your hi-fi amp, assuming you still have one?

[newage_lightbulb]

If you're talking about non-powered, hi-fi speakers then you're going to need a pre-amp/amp to power them. I doubt if the output from a Dot would be sufficient to drive them. Can you plug your Dot into your hi-fi amp, assuming you still have one?

Yeah that's the type: non-powered speakers. Generally they would plug/clip into the back of a powered hi-fi amp.

I'm sure I could run the 3.5mm plug of the Dot into such an amp, if I owned one, but I haven't had one in years ... I'm hoping to find the cheapest one possible so I can use the Dot and these speakers in my home gym. No features, etc., just a powered amp to act as a middleman.

[jwlv]

By the time you get an amp and speakers all hooked up, you'd be better off getting a full sized Echo 2 that has a decent speaker built in. Echo 2 is $69.99 right now on Amazon. I don't think you'll do much better than that with buying a separate amp and definitely won't look as nice with cables and plugs between them.

[Dermbrian]

Consider the Dayton Audio DTA-1 amp.   I’m listening to an Echo Dot right now with its predecessor, a Sonic Impact “T Amp” and a couple Radio Shack Optimus Pro LX4 speakers. 

I have had bad experiences with Bluetooth on multiple Echo 2’s (search ‘glitchy’ here) with Bluetooth from my fairly recent iPhone....which works flawlessly with every other Bluetooth speaker and my car.   The first Echos and Echo Dot’s work great, but I am convinced there is a problem with the second version Echos.