Echo Link | Stream hi-fi music to your stereo system (requires compatible Echo device for Alexa voice control)

I bought the Echo Link to enable me to stream Amazon Music through my music system after trying for three frustrating months to do this through the Heos app. I have a Marantz system which combines an amp, cd player and streamer with Dali Oberon speakers. I have been able to stream Spotify easily and have an exceptionally good and stable bluetooth connection but have been totally unable to get Alexa to recognise the Marantz - a problem which many Heos users have shared. I tried streaming via RCA and aux cables from both a tablet and Echo dot but the sound was not what I knew my system could do and I wanted the sound to be as good as it could be without spending a lot more. I had doubts about this purchase after reading the reviews but as several people found the sound quality to be excellent I decided to try it.I noted several comments about set up problems but my own experience was brilliant. I used a Fire 10 tablet with the Alexa App and an Echo Dot plus RCA cables. It took less than five minutes. For any one struggling on the Alexa App, make sure your Echo Link is switched on and have your cables ready. On the Alexa App, click on "devices" at the bottom of the screen. A list of your devices will appear. If the Echo link is not shown click on the plus sign, top right corner. If Echo link still does not appear type it in the box. Alexa guides you through the rest, all I had to do was click continue a few times and connect the cables to RCA analogue out on the Echo Link and RCA in on my Marantz and turn on the system. Alexa automatically connects to the Wifi I usually use on the tablet or laptop you are using. I did not have to enter my password. I set the system source to Analogue In on my amp I then asked my Echo Dot to play and music started at once.The system works well for me with voice commands but can also be operated by the Amazon music app. Find your music library, choose what you want to listen to and look for the Amazon casting symbol - looks like a small screen with the Wifi symbol in the corner. Clicking on this will produce a list of your Amazon devices eg. Fire tablets, Echos etc. Your Echo link will appear there once Alexa has found it through the initial set up process. You can select any of your devices to play your music or if you have several devices, select play everywhere for multi room music. For those having volume problems look on the Alexa app, select devices, click on Echo Link and a volume control bar is there. I think the default setting is quite low. I tested mine and at a bit past the midway point it was incredibly loud and the windows shook! I can also use my amp remote for volume and of course the dial on the Echo link itself.You can of course use the Alexa App to control your playing as well but I find it doesn't show many choices and just opens Amazon Music for you. On the Amazon Music App you can see your whole library and if you have playlists set up they are shown clearly and it's easier to select your choice. I also find voice control works well with playlists - if you just ask for short tracks Alexa plays something similar after the chosen track ends but a playlist keeps her busy and focussed for a time!I like the sound so far. Having only had the device a day I have tested out several types of music including rock, opera, country, a little classical and a few things that are great to test out a system such as the Godzilla soundtrack, Ulladubulla War of the Worlds Remix and a few oldies. I have done a cd comparison and to me it seems as good as the cd and perhaps a bit better on some. I should say I am using the system in a small room with a lot of books and soft furnishings which does make a difference. If you are in a larger open space it will be different.I am delighted with my purchase - both with the sound and ease of operation. I hope this information may help anyone concerned about setting up and operating the device.

Like many people my relationship with music has changed dramatically over the last 15 years - I've been very loyal to my collection of 1,000+ CDs, accumulated over a 30 year period, but, very possibly, this unit has consigned them permanently to the loft.I have a 30 year old Hi-Fi system. Mordaunt Short speakers and a Kenwood Amp. I have no interest in changing this, it works as well as it ever did (modern manufacturers take note!), but I'd always found Spotify integration unsatisfactory when direct from my laptop or phone or via Bluetooth, primarily because the sound quality from the Headphone Jack is so poor - even to my unsophisticated ears. So when I saw this device, with Spotify Connect integration and RCA output, I took the plunge.Reviews of this unit are mixed, It seems people are using the Optical / Digital outputs, but I am using the system purely with RCA cables. I'm not really an audiophile, but the sound quality is a very noticeable step up from using a headphone jack. The sound is very bright and has a different profile to my CD player - it is not better or worse, just different. I have heard reports that the sound from the system "improves" over time, and I can't see why this would be the case, but I think it has (I've been running for around 20 hours) - it seems fuller now somehow. It's maybe just I am now more familiar with the sound profile, but it is fine and a very pleasant listen.I purchased the unit for £132, and, for the price, this is a really nice piece of kit for those in my situation - folk with an old hi-fi who want a simple solution to run Spotify connect through their system with RCA cables.Set up and Alexa / Spotify integration etc. is really easy and you can fully adjust volume from the Alexa App. One point to note is that the baseline volume level is relatively low compared to a CD player, not an issue for me as I do not listen to music at loud volumes and my amp / speaker set up is very powerful, but I thought I'd say it. The unit is also tiny - I mean very tiny. It looks cool though with a minimal design.I just wonder if it will last as long as its Kenwood and Mordaunt Short hi-fi partners! Let's see.

Having many Echos throughout my flat, I was drawn to the Echo Link. It basically allows me to stream hifi music through my previously purchased Adam Audio active speakers - they’re high quality but I didn’t have any way of streaming audio content, eg music, through them, until now.It’s voice controlled via another Echo device, or you can use the Alexa app on your phone/tablet. I use it to stream Apple Music, Amazon Music, Radio and Audible, and the sound quality is excellent. I’m not an audiophile but as a musician and voice artist I have high expectations of my audio devices. The Echo Link doesn’t disappoint.As an unexpected bonus, I’ve also been able to Bluetooth it to my Fire Stick and use it for better stereo sound when watching TV content via the Stick, saving me the need to buy a pair of Echos to do the same job. I only wish it was actually compatible with the Home Cinema settings on the Fire Stick, to me it seems odd that it isn’t given the fact it’s an Echo audio device.All in all, I consider the Echo Link to have been an excellent purchase, and well worth the price. Note that this Echo Link isn’t the one with a built in amplifier, you need active speakers, or an amp to use it with passive speakers. You can get the Echo Link Amp which has a built in amplifier if you need that.Two thumbs up for the Echo Link, a fine addition to my audio infrastructure and an excellent device to link to my Echo.