With Echo Input Turn any Speaker into an Alexa Smart Speaker

by Aida Martin Norton Setup

Amazon’s Alexa is a household name now with many people opting for it over other options. Amazon’s Echo dot is the highest rated and most widely preferred for using Alexa. It has its own speaker that acts as an output speaker device. The major criticism faced by Echo and Echo Dot is its unimpressive sound output. Now Amazon has an answer to that also called Echo Input. If you are eyeing on some fantastic new Bluetooth speakers or already have classy hi-fi speakers, then you can turn them into Alexa smart speakers without a hassle.

How does it work?

You can connect the Echo Input with your speaker which is Bluetooth enabled. Once they are successfully paired, you can enjoy using Alexa.

The other method is by physically connecting a 3.5mm minijack cable that comes with Echo Input, to the auxiliary input of your speaker or hi-fi system.

Echo Input

The slim, low-profile design of the device helps it fit anywhere without a hassle. It is a cloud-connected device, which looks like a coaster or more like an air hockey puck has similar far-field microphones and appearance like Amazon Echo Dot in appearance but lacks in-built speaker. It is like if you remove Amazon Echo Dot’s built-in speaker and lower the cost a little, and you get Echo input.

This device is available in two color variants black and white. It has only two buttons on its surface, one is the power button, which can activate Alexa without even having to say the word wake, and then the other is a mute button to turn off the mic. It works on a quartet of far-field microphones, so if you say Alexa from across the room, it can hear you. Echo products generally have of indicator lights in the shape of rings that glow whenever Alexa is active, i.e. speaking, listening or even thinking but in Echo Input, you get a single tiny point of light on the device.

Volume Control

The speakers that you wish to connect should have Bluetooth or 3.5mm auxiliary jack; if not then it will not work. To control the sound output, you need to control the external device yourself. E.g., if the volume of your speaker is all the way up, you cannot lower it by merely commanding Alexa. You will have to turn it down by using control devices of your speaker.

Verdict

The Echo input is an excellent addition to the Alexa family at an affordable price. You can enjoy Amazon music; listen to the news, set alarms, etc. using your personal assitant on the speaker of your choice.

Aida Martin is a Microsoft Office expert and has been working in the technical industry since 2002. As a technical expert, she has written technical blogs, manuals, white papers, and reviews for many websites such as office.com/setup.

Source:- https://oficesetup.com/with-echo-input-turn-any-speaker-into-an-alexa-smart-speaker/