Question 1

How is this better than plugging dot directly to amplifier?

Accepted Answer

Much better sound quality of you add it to a quality sound system.  Ideally you'll connect to your receiver by toslink but the DAC is excellent and sounds better than CD.  Thus this is the simplest way fully experience older audio gear, which wasn't designed for 24/192 in the first place.

There's far less difference between this and a FireTV cube, which is cheaper and has much more function (this isn't an Alexa and doesn't do video at all) for most people.  The signal over the cube's HDMI output is the same as the optical on this.  The cube is "only"compatible with modern audio receiver/controllers that have HDMI inputs. The only actual better(?) feature this has is its rca audio inputs so (I think) you can play records for instance on Alexa speakers.  Tbh thats nuts.

Question 2

Does this work to play audio from my receiver optical out to the link optical in and play Link everywhere on echo devices?

Accepted Answer

You can play from the audio RCA inputs to an echo device or echo music group (I'm not sure about he optical inputs).  After I received my Echo Link I couldn't figure out how at first.  The answers to this question made me think it was not possible.  The amazon support (https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GD7BG7CYVY8NWGD3) also made me doubt it was possible:
 "Unsupported Connections:
TV/video connections
Casting to Multi-Room Music from a line-in or Bluetooth input"

However, I am now able to successfully play records from my record player to echo devices and echo music groups using the Line-In inputs after being provided the following advice from amazon support:

You can connect your record player to the Echo Link and distribute the music to the Echos on your account using the steps below:

To set up the Echo Link with line in:

1. Create a multi-room music group with your Echo Link
Go to Devices> Select the + sign in the top right corner> Setup Multi-Room Music group> select the Echo Link and ALL Echos you wish to connect with.
**Link must be included in the group with the other Echos**
2. Plug the RCA cable into the Line in ports on the back of the Echo Link.
3. Plug the other end of the cable into the record player.
4. In the Alexa app Go to Devices> Echo & Alexa> Echo Link> select Line in distribution
5. Select the new group you've created and select done.

Once completed the music playing from the device plugged into the Echo Link with play through your Multi-Room Music Group.

Question 3

I have a dot connected via rca to an 80s era receiver that disappoints with dac quality and line level. is a link using analogue out so much better?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  The analog outputs on the Link sound better than the dot.  The Link also allows you to connect by optical digital connection if you have an external DAC for even better sound.  Check out my review below for more details.

Question 4

I have a home audio system with wall speakers.  would this device allow me to give a command such as, alexa play country music in the kitchen?

Accepted Answer

This would be considered a source/input into the system. You can use it but You would still have to use the wall panels to select the zone. Some home systems do connect to the Alexa app where you can do this but you would need to get an installer out to program it.

Echo Link - Stream hi-fi music to your stereo system

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