Garage bluetooth receiver for Alexa/Echo Dot

[pgray007]

As part of my build, I have in-ceiling speakers pre-wired that terminate in a "media room" above the garage. I have this wacky notion that what I should do is get an Amazon Echo Dot in the garage, and connect it via Bluetooth to an amp attached to the speakers, so I could shout "Hey Alexa, play 'another brick in the wall'" while doing masonry work with my hands full, or similar silly tricks.

The walls are already in, so I can't reroute my speakers without great difficulty, so connecting to an Echo via Bluetooth makes a lot of sense since the Echo would be in the garage and the amp in the room above where the speakers terminate (yes, I know I'll lose some audio quality, but this is a garage). Ideally, I'd want a receiver that's:

1) Bluetooth capable. No other inputs needed
2) 50-100W with "reasonable" garage-grade sound (I'll probably run a couple 8" monoprice speakers)
3) Ideally equipped with an RF remote since I'll be one floor away, although I could just skip the remote and control volume via the device if we had
4) An "eco" or auto-off feature that would power down the unit when BT is disconnected, and power up when reconnected without mashing buttons

I've looked at Chinese options that abound but am concerned about mixed reviews, and the ability of a device that has a 5W input to really generate 100W of power, and also looked at "budget" amps like the Yamaha-201 series, but am not sure which way to go. I'd probably be willing to spend up to $400 (the price of a Sonos) on amp + echo + other nonsense.

My other options are:

1) Connect the speakers to Zone 2 of the theater amp that will eventually go in that room. The problem with this approach is that I'll likely either have to leave the amp running all the time, or do a bunch of convoluted input switching and loose the ability to just shout at Alexa to play/stop music
2) Skip Alexa and just connect a Sonos Connect:Amp and be done, although this is a somewhat pricey ($499) and less "cool" option than shouting at a robot.

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Brian_WK]

As part of my build, I have in-ceiling speakers pre-wired that terminate in a "media room" above the garage. I have this wacky notion that what I should do is get an Amazon Echo Dot in the garage, and connect it via Bluetooth to an amp attached to the speakers, so I could shout "Hey Alexa, play 'another brick in the wall'" while doing masonry work with my hands full, or similar silly tricks.

The walls are already in, so I can't reroute my speakers without great difficulty, so connecting to an Echo via Bluetooth makes a lot of sense since the Echo would be in the garage and the amp in the room above where the speakers terminate (yes, I know I'll lose some audio quality, but this is a garage). Ideally, I'd want a receiver that's:

1) Bluetooth capable. No other inputs needed
2) 50-100W with "reasonable" garage-grade sound (I'll probably run a couple 8" monoprice speakers)
3) Ideally equipped with an RF remote since I'll be one floor away, although I could just skip the remote and control volume via the device if we had
4) An "eco" or auto-off feature that would power down the unit when BT is disconnected, and power up when reconnected without mashing buttons

I've looked at Chinese options that abound but am concerned about mixed reviews, and the ability of a device that has a 5W input to really generate 100W of power, and also looked at "budget" amps like the Yamaha-201 series, but am not sure which way to go. I'd probably be willing to spend up to $400 (the price of a Sonos) on amp + echo + other nonsense.

My other options are:

1) Connect the speakers to Zone 2 of the theater amp that will eventually go in that room. The problem with this approach is that I'll likely either have to leave the amp running all the time, or do a bunch of convoluted input switching and loose the ability to just shout at Alexa to play/stop music
2) Skip Alexa and just connect a Sonos Connect:Amp and be done, although this is a somewhat pricey ($499) and less "cool" option than shouting at a robot.

Thanks for any ideas!

1. Get a blue tooth recurve that can plug into a head phone jack and have constant power.
2. Lots of options make sure they comply with 4 and has a head phone input.
3. Control the volume with your voice and the echo. Just leave the register volume turned up.
4. I don't think you'll find. At east IV never heard of it. You could find a outlet that is controlled by the Eco and have the stereo tuned on and off with voice. Then any old receiver should do as long as it keeps its settings when powered off.

Brian

 

[CJ7VFR]

I bought this powered Bluetooth receiver for a similar set up to what you are talking about. This Bluetooth receiver easily has 2 to 3 times the range of anything else I have tried. It has no problems connecting phones, ipads, tablets or whatever to it from as far away as 75 feet. And that is thru multiple walls.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Amped-Wireless-Long-Range-Bluetooth-Speaker-Adapter/30414322

It uses a high gain antenna that really works well. It comes with two outputs, one set of white and red RCA jacks and one 3.5mm headphone jack. It even comes with a cord that has the male versions of each of those on it so you can hook it up to just about any amplifier you want.

I have mine hooked up to a simple 60watt (30 watts/channel) little amplifier, and the amp is hooked up to a speaker selector. The speaker selector then runs wires out to my patio speakers and also my basement shop speakers. Here is the speaker selector:

http://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=9995

For simplicity sake I wired up some receptacles to a switch near the outside basement door. The Bluetooth receiver and amp are plugged into the receptacle and are turned on and off via the switch. The speaker selector does not require a separate power supply.

This makes it easy to turn the entire system on or off with the flick of a switch. Which is great for my wife. And with the system on, anyone can play any of their music just by connecting their device to the Bluetooth receiver.

I don't know much about the Alexa system, but if it can connect to any Bluetooth receiver, then this might work in your garage as easily as it works for me on the patio and basement.

Jim

 

[ForceFed70]

Another option is to your phone as the media source. Modern smart phones have all of the voice activated goodies and it's generally already in your pocket.

Mine for example automatically switches from the Bluetooth receiver in the garage, to he one in the house. When I need to come back to the house for my daily 2pm deuce, my tunes come with without the touch of a button.

 

[mark11]

Go for the gusto. Hook up the Echo to the line in on a Sonos Connect and you can order the robot to play what you want as well as have all the goodness Sonos has to offer.
I love Sonos and have a two Connect's (one of them is connected to an outboard amp and serves the master bath, one is hooked to my main system. One Connect amp to serve the deck. A Play One in the second bath, a play three in the home office, and a Play 5 in the kitchen that also has an Echo Dot hooked to it. The Sonos app is excellent and offers several subscription services, Amazon Prime, Sat radio, Spotify, etc., all your local files, and every radio station on the planet.

 

[Spelunca Sanctorum]

One other consideration for an Echo garage setup: you may not want to invest in any smart locks that you can unlock by shouting at. Alexa can't differentiate between people's voices, so if you keep the door to your garage/house locked and someone is aware that you have an Alexa controlled smart lock, all they'd need to do is holler at your Echo to unlock your house door from within the garage.

Depending on your setup, this may not be a risk, but it's something to keep in mind. Other than that, sounds like a great use for an Echo .

 

[CJ7VFR]

Nice information. I have bought a eco dot for my home recently. But the build in sound is very ppor. So now i am looking a speaker for my eco dot. You have already bought a speaker for your eco dot. So would you please suggest me a good one eco dot speaker under $200.

How many speakers do you want to play your music on? With powered Bluetooth speakers, you can only control one speaker with the Echo or Alexa or any smart phone or tablet. However, if you want to control multiple speakers, then you will have to either get some WIFI speakers, or connect your Echo to an amplifier that is powering regular speakers.

In my case, I have a simple Bluetooth receiver connected to an amplifier that powers my speakers on the patio as well as in the basement. I don't have an Echo Dot or an Alexa. With my setup people just use their smart phone or tablet to connect to the Bluetooth receiver so they can play their music.

Jim

 

[cybrdyke]

Nice information. I have bought a eco dot for my home recently. But the build in sound is very ppor. So now i am looking a speaker for my eco dot. You have already bought a speaker for your eco dot. So would you please suggest me a good one eco dot speaker under $200.

Sengled Pulse is offers a starter kit for under $200. Two screw in light bulb/speakers that will play directly from your phone via bluetooth, or through their app. No amp necessary. You can add several of them to make a surround system. They use JBL speakers by Harmon Kardon in them. There's even a TV kit.

 

[pgray007]

I saw this thread pop up recently so thought I'd run through what I ended up doing... I got a Heos amp unit with a promo they were running. It's essentially Denon's version of Sonos. The app *****, but it works right from Spotify on the phone, and Alexa can also control it.

I put a couple of Monoprice in-ceiling speakers in my shop, and have the Heos in the room upstairs. I have an Echo Dot in the workshop, and I can shout "Hey Alex, play that funky music on workshop" and I get my bumpin' tunes. Not the cheapest option, but the Monoprice speakers really rock, and I can get ear-splittingly loud tunes all controlled by voice or phone without turning anything on, hitting switches, or anything like that. If you want to see pics hunt down my build thread.

For those of us who remember mix tapes it still blows my mind to have access to nearly all the worlds' music only a "Hey alexa" away..

 

[PhysicsDude]

I have an Echo Dot in my workshop (connected via standard headphone jack to a shelf-type stereo system), and its fantastic. Perhaps the best single upgrade I've done to the shop. Voice command, and not reliant on my phone is great. So I suggest that you stick to getting an Echo Dot working in your setup.

Would it be feasible to connect a headphone jack type cable from where your echo dot will be to your "A/V closet"? That would be the most surfire way to do it, and plenty of cheap options once you've ran the cable.

 

[pgray007]

Would it be feasible to connect a headphone jack type cable from where your echo dot will be to your "A/V closet"? That would be the most surfire way to do it, and plenty of cheap options once you've ran the cable.

My Dot ultimately “talks” to Heos through whatever voodoo Amazon has built, so by virtue of adding “on workshop” to whatever I ask her to play she fires up the Heos and plays on the big speakers. I’ve described it a bit above but it’s totally awesome.



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