Speakers/Subwoofer that work with Alexa?

[rideit]

So, I found the Amazon option, which seems like really cheap crap, and the Sonos option, which seems really expensive for a kitchen type setup. I did a crapload of searching, and the ‘goldilocks’ option is eluding me. Anyone have a setup to recommend? (Two speakers R/L and sub that will work with an echo dot or has Alexa built in? )
Thanks in advance!

[nickwm21]

Hope your not married to Amazon because Google home mini + google chromecast audio + your favorite speaker setup is exactly what you are looking for....

I have a chromecast audio plugged into a mini amp and some nice Polk bookshelf’s....


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[phatty]

You can buy an Echo Input for $20 and it adds Alexa functionality to any speaker and allows for multi speaker groups.

[glademaster]

Just say no to bringing surveillance devices into your home.

What the fuck is wrong with you having shit like that in your home?

[Vt-Freeheel]

Fuck Alexa, in the poopenhousen.

[cravenmorhead]

The echo dot outputs to a 3.5mm cable. I use a 3.5mm to RCA to run the input into my stereo receiver to drive a full set of speakers and a sub.

[rideit]

Looking for a stand alone solution (no amp) that will have two wireless, self powered speakers (R\L), and one stand alone wireless, self powered subwoofer. Small footprint for the kitchen.
Hope that makes sense.

Tried the google, but didn’t like it as much.

[rideit]

The echo dot outputs to a 3.5mm cable. I use a 3.5mm to RCA to run the input into my stereo receiver to drive a full set of speakers and a sub.

I do that in my workshop where I have more room for the amp and wires/etc.

[nickwm21]

You are going to pay Sonos prices if you want all that. All the name brands now have similar wireless setups, they are all probably priced similar to Sonos.

Why you would want a subwoofer in a kitchen alludes me. For music, two nice bookshelf’s sound much better than two satellites and a woofer...


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[Cruiser]

For what little it's worth, I'm very happy with my Sonos system. It was not inexpensive. But it does what it claims to do by offering fairly seamless connectivity and very good sound. The, apparently now discontinued, size 3 speaker fills my kitchen with sound and does a good job with teh base.

[Dantheman]

Just say no to bringing surveillance devices into your home.

What the fuck is wrong with you having shit like that in your home?

Do you own a smartphone?

[MontuckyFried]

For what little it's worth, I'm very happy with my Sonos system. It was not inexpensive. But it does what it claims to do by offering fairly seamless connectivity and very good sound. The, apparently now discontinued, size 3 speaker fills my kitchen with sound and does a good job with teh base.

Yup. I'm a big fan of subs and all, but for kitchen duty, I've been pretty darn happy with my Sonos Play:5. At $500 it ain't cheap but the bass can be surprisingly good and it only takes up about the space of a large toaster. https://www.sonos.com/en-us/shop/play5.html
Will it ever match a proper living room setup with an amp, subs, books/towers, whatever? Nope. But for a kitchen it kicks ass. I've used plenty of alternative setups in other rooms, but in my kitchen I want it to be dead simple to operate and enjoy, mostly because the family uses it just as much as I do. Even my 3 year old knows how to work it like a champ. For my garage, I use an old ass receiver, some sats, and a Chromecast Audio. Totally does the trick on the cheap, but definitely more wonky to use.

[rideit]

I’m open to a dual speaker setup if it has enough bass. I am really looking for a bit more stereo separation than my infinity smart speaker.

[Gcooker]

Echo dot plus Kanto YU-4s + sub.

Bluetooth, optical, coax, even has USB charging. And they look (and sound) great.

[rideit]

The yu4 gets me about 1/2 way there, I would likely still want a subwoofer with 4” drivers. Anyone know how an echo dot can send left/right signal out to each speaker wirelessly? (Not with the 3.5mm jack).
Thanks

[MESH]

SVS prime wireless speaker system. Two wireless speakers sub out and compatible with amazon but it's up in the Sonos price range if not more.

[Gcooker]

The yu4 gets me about 1/2 way there, I would likely still want a subwoofer with 4” drivers. Anyone know how an echo dot can send left/right signal out to each speaker wirelessly? (Not with the 3.5mm jack).
Thanks

They’ve got a six inch driver sub on the website...

YU-4 are wired together, amp is in one speaker only. Left right volume is adjustable depending on location in the room as well.

[rideit]

so You need to run a wire from l-R?

[Gcooker]

so You need to run a wire from l-R?

Yeah 100%
Maybe I missed that you needed wireless speaker to speaker.

[rideit]

Yeah, looking for ultra-clean countertop kitchen setup.

[EWG]

Google Home Max. Sounds great for a kitchen counter unit. Highly recommend.

https://store.google.com/product/google_home_max

[MontuckyFried]

Google Home Max. Sounds great for a kitchen counter unit. Highly recommend.

https://store.google.com/product/google_home_max

That's not a bad suggestion. Plus, if I'm not mistaken, you can pair 2 of them up for a proper L/R stereo setup (you can do this with Sonos too, but that's more $$$). My only concern is long term support since Google has become irreputable for losing interest in their products over the years. Bummer, because I've really liked some of their stuff like my CCA. But the recently reduced price on that Home Max is tough to beat. Especially if you're buying 2 of them. I haven't used one yet, but I've heard good things overall.

[MESH]

so You need to run a wire from l-R?

Having wireless and power built into every speaker is what causes to the price to go up. You have to either deal with wiring to lower the cost or get a all-in-one system and possibly sacrifice sound quality. Another option is to find an amp that supports the amazon services you want then do in-ceiling or in-wall speakers.

[EWG]

That's not a bad suggestion. Plus, if I'm not mistaken, you can pair 2 of them up for a proper L/R stereo setup (you can do this with Sonos too, but that's more $$$). My only concern is long term support since Google has become irreputable for losing interest in their products over the years. Bummer, because I've really liked some of their stuff like my CCA. But the recently reduced price on that Home Max is tough to beat. Especially if you're buying 2 of them. I haven't used one yet, but I've heard good things overall.

Google Play has been increasing in subscribers so hopefully it will survive long term. They were trying to combine it with Youtube, but it seems liek that might be falling apart. Regardless, it support spotify, so worst case that's fall back.

We have a house full of google speakers and stereos with chromecast audios on them. The ability to listen to any music you want, anywhere, at any time, at both very high quality (through a stereo system), pretty good quality (google max, paired or unpaired) and good enough for the bedroom (just a google home) is awesome. The experience is fantastic in my book.

[MontuckyFried]

Google Play has been increasing in subscribers so hopefully it will survive long term. They were trying to combine it with Youtube, but it seems liek that might be falling apart. Regardless, it support spotify, so worst case that's fall back.

We have a house full of google speakers and stereos with chromecast audios on them. The ability to listen to any music you want, anywhere, at any time, at both very high quality (through a stereo system), pretty good quality (google max, paired or unpaired) and good enough for the bedroom (just a google home) is awesome. The experience is fantastic in my book.

I'm a Google Play subscriber and do love the service (especially since it scores you ad-free YouTube!). One thing I vastly prefer with Sonos though is the app. With Google Home, to cast to my CCA, I have to use whatever service's individual app to pick something then cast it from there. With Sonos, it's one app that kind of pulls from ALL your services at once. Really slick to be able to search and playblack from Amazon Prime Music, Google Play, Pandora, Spotify, EVERYTHING, all at once. Got an artist or album you want to look up? It'll show you all your services that have that. Sometimes Amazon has it. Sometimes Google has it. Sometimes Apple has it. This massively simplifies things for me.

I've used a gazillion different streaming devices and they all have their pros/cons, but overall I've come to prefer the Sonos app by a mile. I do like the functionality of my Yamaha WXC-50 streaming preamp more than just about anything else out there, but it's app still has a long way to go. The Google CCA's a stupid good value but sadly (as per usual with Google), they did this: https://www.engadget.com/2019/01/11/...-discontinued/
Jerks. I like that little thing.