patio speakers with a twist

[PJ73]

So I'm looking to add a couple deck speakers but I want to be able to control them with Alexa. These will be mounted preferably under the soffit and weather proof so I only need to take them down when it hits freezing up nort der hey. In other words, I want to sit on the deck and say "alexa, play..." and it'll start playing. I don't want to have to go into the house to make adjustments. I'm looking online and the only thing I can find is the Sonos system. Any other ideas?

 

[Josserman]

Sonos connect amp with outdoor speakers

 

[PJ73]

Sonos connect amp with outdoor speakers

I guess I don't follow. is it a bluetooth amp?

 

[Josserman]

Sorry new one is just called sonos amp. It’s an amp with sonos built in. Point is, I haven’t seen anything with nearly as good Alexa connectivity. I use sonos and Alexa extensively. In my old house I had two dedicar amps and sonos connect boxes with outdoor speakers.

Sonos Amp

Amplified streaming music system for passive home speakers

www.crutchfield.com

 

[PJ73]

Sorry new one is just called sonos amp. It’s an amp with sonos built in. Point is, I haven’t seen anything with nearly as good Alexa connectivity. I use sonos and Alexa extensively. In my old house I had two dedicar amps and sonos connect boxes with outdoor speakers.

Sonos Amp

Amplified streaming music system for passive home speakers

www.crutchfield.com

So let me get this straight. This is an Alexa based sonos amp that I can hardwire any speakers to and all I say is "alexa..." and it rocks out? So I can hang "dumb" speakers outside, run the wires just inside the back door, connect to the amp and if it can hear me, I'm golden.

 

[PJ73]

Go it.

 

[Josserman]

Shoot actually you’d need to put an Alexa echo puck outside too, but yea you’d be golden. Not to mention you can also do it all through your phone as well, but if you want Alexa voice driven music sonos is the way easy way to go.

 

[Josserman]

That was my old rack, actually had 6 sonos connects and 1 sonos amp. Only 2 or 3 actual sonos speakers. People confuse sonos with the speakers too often. For a lot less money you can get much better speakers.

 

[PJ73]

I could see about paring the puck with the amp. I see that they have the last years version for about $50 less... but really at $600 you might as well go with the new one.

 

[Josserman]

I’d look on eBay for a used sonos connect amp or if you have an old amp/receiver lying around just buy a sonos connect and pair it to that.

The puck doesn’t have anything to do with an amp, that’s just a shitty speaker and an Alexa client.

 

[Dixie Highway]

I can’t rave enough about Sonos, I have sound bars, speakers, all around the house love how simple to use and versatile it is. Sonos app connects to all my music apps. Awesome stuff I strongly recommend.

 

[captainhook]

Here’s a “cheap” way to accomplish something similar, especially if you already have an old receiver.

Alexa can also integrate with Logitech Harmony Hubs. I have an Echo Dot connected to the analog inputs of an old Denon A/V receiver which is driving two rock speakers by my pool. I created a “Routine” in Alexa with a couple of activation phrases (i.e. “Alexa, play pop music by the pool”). This instructs the Logitech Harmony Hub to turn on the Denon Receiver and select the analog input and the Echo Dot to start playing music.

We have a couple of Echo Dots which are all able to start the “Routine.” You can’t control the volume with Alexa (to my knowledge...) but we usually leave the volume pretty constant. If I do decide to adjust volume, I just open the Harmony Hub app on my phone and it’s already in the correct function so I can adjust volume that way. Alexa can skip songs with verbal commands or you can use the Alexa app on your phone to do so.