Elevate Your Space: Review of the New Amazon Echo in Twilight Blue

I replaced my old alarm clock with this smart assistant, and I’m thrilled with the decision. She hears me perfectly even from the hallway! It’s like having a personal assistant, which has been incredibly helpful while I recover from a concussion. I can control music, adjust the volume, and set verbal reminders and alarms effortlessly. By adding a smart plug, I can also turn my A/C on and off using my voice or the app. She responds quickly to my questions and has never confused my commands. I honestly don’t know how I managed without her for the past month. I’m thinking my mom would love one for Christmas—it’s a game changer that you don’t realize you need until you try it!

The Echo 4 has truly exceeded my expectations. It has a solid weight to it, and the build quality and finish are impressive. The device features a standard screw thread tripod socket on the bottom, and the power cable is approximately 2 meters long. I own two Echo 4s, which I effortlessly paired using the Alexa app on my iPhone to create a stereo setup with left and right channels. I also have the option to choose from various streaming services, including Amazon Music (the default) and Apple Music, as well as TuneIn, Spotify, and Deezer. The bass output is quite remarkable and a bit overpowering initially, but you can adjust the bass, treble, and midrange through the app or simply by asking Alexa. The communication ring light on the base of each unit is easily visible and has a very distinctive look, especially in a dimly lit room. I noticed some influencer reviews mentioned concerns about the ring’s placement on the bottom, but I find it works perfectly well there. Alexa picks up my voice even over relatively loud music about 90% of the time, and she hears me without fail when the music is playing at lower volumes.

I recently purchased four Echo Dots (a couple of 4th gen and a couple of 5th gen) and I’ve been really pleased with them. However, I’ve always wanted the larger Echo model for so long! Even during big sales like Prime Day, I couldn’t quite manage to make the purchase. I often found myself wondering, “How much better could the full-sized Echo really be?”—probably just trying to justify not being able to afford it, haha.

Finally, I decided to treat myself and bought the big Echo as a Christmas gift. And WOW, let me tell you, the sound quality is MILES better! While I expected some difference due to its size, I was utterly blown away. I had to wait until the kids were asleep to set it up (didn’t want anyone trying to “borrow” it!), but when I finally got to try it out, I played “Given Up” by Linkin Park. The sound superiority over the Dots was immediately clear, but when the song hit its peak, it was mind-blowing! Even at a normal volume, the bass, clarity, and fullness of the sound put the biggest smile on my face.

With the Dots, you can listen to music, but with this full-sized Echo, you are fully immersed in the experience! Of course, Alexa has countless features and capabilities, but for me, I mainly wanted this for music. The out-of-the-box sound quality is amazing, and I can’t wait to explore the EQ settings to personalize the sound even further.

If you’re on the fence about whether it’s worth it or how much difference there is between the Echo and the Echo Dot, let me assure you—it’s a day and night difference! The Echo is roughly 2½ times larger than the Dots, very heavy, and clearly high quality. Plus, setup was a breeze! With the Dots, connecting them was always a bit of a hassle, but with this Echo, I simply plugged it in, opened the Alexa app, and with a few clicks, I was done in less than a minute!

Given its size and weight, I wanted to protect my investment, so I ordered a wall-mounted stand for it right away.

I know this review is a bit lengthy, but I’m just thrilled with this purchase and can’t recommend it enough! The only change I would make is the color; I wish the Echo came in the pretty deep sea blue like the 5th Gen Dots instead of this lighter blue. But honestly, that’s a minor issue.

So for anyone considering this Echo, whether for yourself or as a gift, I wholeheartedly recommend it! 🤗 I’ll try to add photos of the size comparison with the Echo Dot later!

This is a straightforward review comparing the new 4th Generation Echo (not the Dot) with the 2nd Generation Echo Plus, which was the last version released alongside the 3rd Generation Echo. I bought two 4th Gen Echoes to set up a Home Theater Group with the latest Fire TV Stick 4K, and I’ll share some insights on that as well.

Sound Quality
As a music lover who enjoys experimenting with equalizer settings for optimal sound, I was drawn to the new Echoes. Streaming music through Amazon Music HD has been a delightful experience—the sound is smooth and clear. I adjusted the equalizer settings in the Alexa app, boosting the mids, followed by treble, with moderate bass. My Echoes are positioned about 12 feet from my main seating area, flanking the TV approximately 8 feet apart and at a height of 4 feet on bookshelves. This setup works brilliantly in my 15×18 living room with high ceilings, as the speakers fill the space effectively. I’m particularly impressed by how the sound reflects off the walls, creating an immersive experience.

This immersive quality is even more pronounced when watching movies with Dolby Atmos enabled. The sound channels are distinct, making me feel like I have my own private theater. There have been moments when a specific sound effect was so clear that I muted the TV, thinking it was noise from outside my apartment.

These devices can get quite loud without any distortion. While I haven’t tested them with bass-heavy music, they handle action and sci-fi movies—filled with sound effects and booming explosions—exceptionally well. The 4th Gen Echoes perform admirably in this regard.

In contrast, my affection for the Echo Plus 2nd Gen has diminished. The downward-firing speaker and omni-directional sound don’t deliver the same quality. While it sounds good in theory, it often feels muffled in practice, especially since most people don’t place devices in the center of rooms to utilize omni-directional sound. Instead, they usually sit on end tables or bookshelves, limiting the speaker’s effectiveness.

The directional sound of the 4th Gen Echo is far more suited to typical home arrangements. Sound clarity diminishes when you’re behind or beside it, but it delivers powerful, clear audio from any angle in front. The Dolby Atmos playback is a significant upgrade, making the 4th Gen my clear choice over the 2nd Gen Plus. I almost regret passing the Plus onto my parents—I’ll upgrade them this Christmas!

While the omni-directional speaker could work well in a central outdoor setting, most outlets aren’t conveniently located in the middle of patios. Thus, the supposed advantage of omni-directional sound is not as beneficial as it seems.

Voice Recognition
Initially, I thought the Plus had superior voice recognition. However, recent software updates seem to have improved the 4th Gen’s microphones, allowing it to pick up commands from across the room more effectively. It now easily distinguishes my voice over the Echo Dot on the far side of my open floor plan. The Echo Dot 3rd Gen still has the best mics, though. If only my Echo Show 5 had similar performance—it’s the weakest with only two mediocre mics.

Alexa’s response time has also improved on the 4th Gen, thanks in part to my fast internet speed, but also due to its upgraded processor and software.

Regarding Zigbee compatibility, I don’t believe it’s a top priority for most buyers. I’ve chosen well-reviewed smart devices without considering Zigbee since most recent smart gadgets don’t require a hub. My devices work perfectly by enabling the skill in the Alexa app and linking to the manufacturer’s app. My main challenge is remembering the names of my lamps and groups. First world problems, I know.

The major smart home apps I use are Kasa, Govee, and Smart Life, all of which integrate smoothly with Alexa—except for my ceiling fan speed control, which remains a bit perplexing.

Setting up the Devices and Grouping
Setting up both the Echo Plus and 4th Gen is straightforward. The Alexa app, while not the most user-friendly, guides you through the process quickly. However, understanding the differences between a stereo pair, home theater, and speaker group can be confusing.

A stereo pair requires two identical models (you can add an Echo Sub), and it’s solely for music streaming—only one Echo responds during voice interactions.

In a Home Theater setup, you can combine one or more Echo devices of the same model with a Fire TV device, like the Stick 4K, and add a subwoofer. Unfortunately, you can’t include existing sound bars—only Amazon devices. Fortunately, the sound quality from the two 4th Gens flanking my TV is excellent, so I don’t miss the sound bar too much, though it feels wasteful sitting unused.

If you have a smart TV like a Vizio, you can configure the sound bar to work with the Amazon Home Theater simultaneously. Simply connect the sound bar via optical cable and set the audio on the TV to PCM instead of automatic. Then, while using your Fire TV Stick, select the Home Theater as your audio source. This way, the TV sends sound to the sound bar while the Stick uses the Home Theater. I’ve managed to get all three speakers working together, but only when using the Fire TV device—not with the TV’s built-in streaming apps.

For those with Fire Edition Insignia and Toshiba TVs, be aware that they likely lack the capability to set up the Home Theater function through the Alexa app.

Finally, a speaker group allows you to sync different models for music playback, but there’s a catch: you must specify the group every time you make a request. Unlike stereo pairs and home theaters, where your audio will automatically play through the chosen speakers, speaker groups require you to name the group when asking Alexa to play music.

You can create an all-Echo group to include multiple devices, naming it something fun like “Echo Symphonic Orchestra” or “All Decks of the Enterprise.” However, remember that you’ll need to use the group name every time you want to play music through it.

I hope this provides some clarity. It’s been a learning curve for me, and sometimes a bit frustrating, especially when relocating devices or creating custom routines.

Bottom Line
If you’re considering an upgrade, try the new Echo 4th Gen—especially in a pair for Home Theater—within the 30-day trial period. Explore the Alexa app and routines, and consider replacing at least one bulb in each room with a color-changing LED smart bulb to enjoy the full experience. You’ll likely find that what some consider a drawback of the directional speaker is actually a benefit for many users, including you.

It’s worth noting that there’s no perfect smart speaker out there, so determine what features are essential, what you’d like to have, and what you can do without before making your choice.

In the end, enjoy this glimpse into the future. With their spherical design reminiscent of sci-fi, these devices are sure to please fans of both futuristic aesthetics and functional design. Enjoy your new Echo; it’s truly out of this world!

-Picard, out. Hailing frequencies closed.