Computer Shopper - UK (2019-08)

ALEXASPEAKERS

ISSUE 378|COMPUTERSHOPPER|AUGUST 2019

ALEXASPEAKERS

91

THEECHOINPUTis the odd one out of
Amazon’s smart speaker range,and that’s
because it’s not really asmart speaker at all.
Instead, it’s something loosely akin to the
Chromecast Audio: adisc-shaped connector
that turns older,‘dumb’speakers into
modern smart devices. This goes even
further than Google’s discontinued
dongle,however,adding not just music
streaming but full Alexa assistant
capabilities as well.
In this sense,it’s more like the Echo Dot
but without the speaker.That’s something
you’ll have to supply yourself,but as long as
the Echo Input can connect either via its
3.5mm cable or over Bluetooth, it’s likely to
work; Sonos speakers aren’t currently
supported, however.
After you’ve done this, the Input behaves
like every other Amazon Echo product,
allowing you to ask questions about the
weather,sports results and trivia, control
smart home devices, stream music and set
timers, all with the power of your voice.
Despitethe low price,there’s nothing the
full-fat Echo or Echo Plus does with Alexa
that the Echo Input can’t.

FOUR SCORE

As such, the Echo Input is the cheapest way
of getting in on the Alexa smart speaker
scene.At£35, it’s £15 cheaper than the
Echo Dot, the most affordable Echo speaker
that actually has aspeaker; the latter could
therefore be considered better value if you
don’t already have aspeaker to partner the
Echo Input, but if you do,this will get smart
functionality intoyour home forthe lowest
initial outlay.
The topofthe Echo Input also looks alot
like the Echo Dot; the layout is precisely the
same,with activation and microphone
buttons flanking acentral status LED.
The four microphones are arranged on the
topsurface in asquare,forming anoise-
cancelling, beamforming arraywhich is able
to pick out your voice from across aroom,
even above moderately loud music.
On the edge is a3.5mm audio output
jack and aMicro USB port forpower.
Unlike the Chromecast Audio,there’s no
optical output, which will likely disappoint
anyone hoping to use the Input as asource
foramore exotic, high-end system.
Setup is abreeze.Just as with an Echo Dot,
you plug it in, wait forthe central LED to turn
orange and then use the Alexa app on your
smartphone or tablet to add anew product,

AMAZON EchoInput

★★★★★

£Τɝ•From http://www.amazon.co.uk

VERDICT

It’snotaspeakeritself,buttheEchoInput
canquicklyandcheaplyturnmostold
speakersintosmartAlexadevices

following the instructions onscreen to

completethe installation.

Performance is pretty good, too. We

connected it directly to aset of active stereo

studio monitor speakers, placing the Input on

topofthe right speaker,and found the

microphone arrayimpressively sensitive.

Even against abackground of moderately

loud music being played out of the speakers,

it was able to pick up instructions and

questions without us having to raise our

voices tooloud or repeat ourselves.

Achieving stable Bluetooth connectivity to

an existing Bluetooth speaker works well, and

the Input will helpfully send you anotification

via the smartphone app whenever it becomes

disconnected from its partner device.

MIXED SIGNALS

Unsurprisingly,sound quality is nowhere

near premium dedicated DACssuch as the

iFi Nano and Chord Mojo.There’s such a

marked difference in depth, clarity and

instrument separation that using the Echo

Input with apair of big, expensive speakers

over the 3.5mm connection almost feels like

awasteofthe speakers.

It’s better via Bluetooth, where the

Echo Input’s own DAC and circuitry

won’t have such abig effect. And this

is where it’s best employed: reviving

ahigh-quality,but dumb,Bluetooth

speaker that maybegathering

dust somewhere at home.For £15

less than the Echo Dot, you

could potentially end up with

sound quality that doesn’t just

surpass the tiny Echo Dot but

can stand up to the Echo Plus

or Sonos One,coupling top

sound quality with all the

smarts of Amazon’s digital

voice assistant. The one

disappointment here is that there’s no

support forthe more advanced Bluetooth

codecs, such as aptX, aptX HD and LDAC.

In some ways, however,these concerns

don’t really matter.The Echo Input has been

designed as acheap wayofadding voice

control to an existing speaker,nothing more,

nothing less. Youcan’t expect it to act as a

source in an expensive audio setup,and

it’s only because the Chromecast Audio

had adigital optical output that it’s even

worth making comparisons.

DISCASSESSMENT

The fact remains that the Echo Input does its

core job very well indeed –asspecific and

even niche as that job is. It’s only £35 and

works about as perfectly as you could want

forsuch little money, allowing you to give old

Bluetooth and analogue speakers atimely

smart boost. If you have an old speaker sitting

around that you just can’t bear to part with,

the Echo Input is definitely worth considering.

Youcould potentially end up with sound qualitythatcan

stand up to the Echo Plus or Sonos One