Ask and you shall get! That's basically how the Amazon Echo works, you ask for it to do something, and it acts. Like for instance "Alexa, play Nickelback on Spotify" and within seconds your speakers spring into life with the sound of music.
Extra handy for kitchens where you might be busy cooking, voice control opens up a whole new world of entertainment at home.
The Lithe Audio bluetooth speaker + Amazon Echo Dot makes for one of the coolest home technology gadgets of 2016!
What You Need
1 x Lithe Audio Bluetooth Ceiling Speaker (Available Here)
1 x Amazon Echo Dot
1 x 2 x RCA to 3.5mm Audio cable in an appropriate length to go from your ceiling speaker to the Amazon Echo
We're not going to go into too much detail about the specifics of the speaker installation on this guide.
How To Set It All Up
Step 1.
You need a Lithe Audio bluetooth ceiling speaker, you can choose from the single or the pair depending on the size of your room.
Mark out the speaker positions, cut the holes and insert the speakers. Powered from the local lighting circuit they are pretty easy to install and will allow you to stream music from your phone via bluetooth.
Step 2.
Find a suitable location for your Amazon Echo Dot, ideal places would be kitchen worktop, side table etc. You'll need to power it via USB cable (using included adapter) and you'll need to be able to get a cable from the speaker to the Echo.
Step 3.
Set up your Amazon Echo.
First download the Alexa app, go to "Settings" and "Set Up A New Device"
Make sure your Amazon Echo is plugged in and turned on.
Choose the device type, here we are using an Echo Dot and select your language.
Click the "Connect To Wi-FI" Button and wait for the Echo's LED ring to glow orange, then click continue.
Go to your phones Wi-Fi Settings and join the Amazon-XXX wi-fi network, when it says you are connected, return to the Alexa app screen.
If successful you'll be given the option to continue, and you're ready to go!
Step 4.
Using a 2 x RCA to 3.5mm audio jack cable of suitable size, connect the Amazon Echo Dot to your Lithe Audio ceiling speakers RCA input mounted on the side.
Step 5.
Turn on the Echo Dot, straight away you'll hear the start up sound via the bluetooth speaker.
Step 6.
Ask and you shall get! Try it out for yourself, say "Alexa, play radio one on tune in radio" and within seconds you should be listening to the radio!
Here's a video of ours in action, playing a few songs from Spotify and some internet radio.
Notes & FAQ'S
Do I have to use the Lithe Audio speaker?
No, you can use any amplified speaker that has an audio input. However remember that for most amplifiers you will need to turn it on before it'll play music, so you can't simply ask for the radio to play without having to get physically involved by turning something on. We recommend it for just with the Lithe Audio speaker because it's always on ready for your commands. No buttons or inputs to set, just ask Alexa and you'll get your music - even if your hands are covered in dough when you're baking a cake, or in a bowl of soapy water doing the washing up.
I'm not getting any sound, why?
If you're not getting any sound output then firstly check the RCA cables are fully pushed in. But most commonly it'll be because a bluetooth device is connected. The bluetooth takes priority so if a device is connected via bluetooth the RCA output won't play. So make sure all bluetooth devices are disconnected when using the Echo.
Can I still use the Lithe Audio speaker with bluetooth?
Yes of course, that's why we recommend hard wiring the Dot to the speaker, this leaves the bluetooth free for your phone to connect. But remember that if your phone is connected then the Echo won't be able to play, so you'll use them separately. Not simultaneously.
How do I control my music?
If you initiate audio playback for instance on Spotify via the Amazon Echo you can speak commands like "Alexa, Skip track", "Alexa, Turn the volume down" and my favourite "Alexa, Shut Up" you can also switch over to your phone and take full control from your phone as per normal!
What else can the Amazon Echo Dot do for me?
The Echo dot has a whole host of features, all are listen on Amazon here. But in short in can initiate music playback from Spotify, TuneIN radio etc. You can ask it questions like "What's the weather today?" or "How do I boil an egg?" and it'll tell you!
Can't I just connect the Amazon Echo Dot via Bluetooth?
The Amazon Echo Dot supports bluetooth and it can connect directly to speakers for wireless playback. However it can only connect to speakers that do not have a bluetooth PIN code. The Lithe Audio, Systemline and KB Sound speakers all feature PIN codes so it cannot directly connect to these. Lithe Audio are going to release a compatible version very soon. However we recommend using a wired connection as per this guide, it then keeps the bluetooth available for streaming directly from your phone.
