I suppose if you really want to try out a 4th gen Dot, $23 for a Used Very Good condition example, this might be the cheapest way to get one.
But we have one and the odd dust-collecting fabric covered globe 4th gen Dot doesn’t sound appreciably better than the already best all around Echo device, the 3rd gen Dot (can often still be found for a similar or lower price, new). Also oddly, the 4th gen Dot puts the LED status bar underneath where it is difficult to see if you are above the Dot.
I got a 3rd gen dot for $10 with a trial to audible or similar. It isn’t bad at all. Is that the best sounding of the bunch? I was thinking about littering them about an apartment.
The 3rd gen Dot is clearly the best generation of Dots. Exhibit 1: the 4th gen Dot was released way back back in 2020…. and yet Amazon still sells new 3rd gen Dots! I don’t recall that happening with the 2nd gen Dot.
Even listening to the 3rd and 4th gen Dots next to each other, the sound quality is about the same. Listening apart from each other? No difference whatsoever. But make no mistake, no Dot is anywhere as musical as the full size Echos, nor the Echo Show 8 or 10. The observation about the 3rd gen Dot being the best all around Echo device is from both a functionality/performance and price/value perspective.
If your apartment/home is open floor plan, every space doesn’t need one, we only added Echo devices to spaces when we either couldn’t clearly hear Alexa feedback or wanted improved sound quality for streaming music or a screen to see.
These are just going in a small place. I passed up a nice sound bar that would have been great and overkill.
Streaming audio isn’t high fidelity. I have nice audio gear, but this isn’t for that.
Prime week is upon us, I don’t think I’ll lose any sleep over waiting on this purchase.
I don’t use Alexa functions and don’t intend to. I haven’t priced any of the other options.
The show has the screen, is this more like a kitchen tablet recipe book thing with good audio? Are the specs the same except size? Mostly meaning sound quality.
Do the show even come close to full size Echo? Am I better suited with just a sound bar?
If the Show is what I think it is, I can’t see spending extra money on the screen.
Thanks in advance.
If you have no intention of using smart assistant functionality (Alexa/Google Home/Apple), why even look at smart assistant speakers? Focus on whatever your use case is.
Piggybacking music. Multiple sources playing the same music.