Updated 01/22/19
Smart Speakers are wonderful because you will probably have better access to the audio you want, but not always. Since my life seems under control, I am completely uninterested in 99.9% of the abilities or “skills” of all smart speakers including Alexa’s except for one . . . radio.
I have both the Alexa and Google Home but I have been using the Alexa so far. With the frequent changes to their phone app interface it now looks impossible to search for your favorite station so you will initially have to request your station by voice. It can be very frustrating to get your favorite radio station on Alexa because it won’t understand you. Using the call letters of the station along with the frequency seems to work best (Alexa get KFI 640 AM). There is an app that you can download to your phone, so you don’t need to talk to Alexa (as much) to get your favorite station. There are little lines in the upper left-hand corner of the app that are supposed to suggest a “menu”. Press that and then go to “Activities” which will show your recent stations. Tap the station you want and up it comes. This process is easy once you fail in numerous ways. Once you become familiar you will have your phone as the remote control you always wanted for a radio. Alexa will often pump you to find out more about Alexa instead of letting you use it the way you want. I think they want my data? A husband and wife can both download the Alexa app but this will allow Amazon to combine your data as partners. My wife prefers talking to it, so we keep Amazon guessing. It is interesting to see who they think we are by the odd ads they come up with things to buy. I do try and help them by occasionally searching for random weird items.
I initially tried plugging Alexa into my CCRadio 2E because the audio is perfect for my “news and information” preference. Unfortunately, Alexa’s switching power adapter destroyed the AM reception on my CC Radio. I prefer over the air radio because internet radio advertising is repetitive and degrading when you realize it is based on what you Googled that day. Plugging Alexa into another circuit about 25’ away solved the noise problem and puts Alexa out of listening range. Using an FM transmitter from Alexa to my CC Radio solved the transmission problem and gave me the “CC” audio clarity I enjoy. I also have an expanded radio dial that has infinite possibilities available to every radio in my house. There are a two potential obstacles to be aware of before you try an FM Transmitter.
- Some locations have a full dial of strong FM stations. You can check https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/vacant for a vacant station slot or tune and search the dial for dead air.
- The FM Transmitter-2 is low power so it only goes a maximum distance of about 45 feet line of sight with no obstructions. In my location I was getting less. You can search “FM transmitter 2 mod”for user solutions if you’re not getting the range you need. I can listen to Alexa using any radio in the house or separate wood shop with the FM Transmitter.
Bluetooth is a good way to go too because smart speakers have the capability built-in. You might want to wait until we come out with our new Bluetooth CC Radio about September of 2019. The new radio will be good match to any smart speaker because of the superior audio and long distant reception of regular radio. You can also receive weather with the emergency alert plus the 2-meter ham band for monitoring local communications. My next article will be about what to do when/if the web goes down. Stay tuned! Bob
I would probably not even thought about switching power supply noise from the Alexa, so I am glad that I read this. I don’t yet have one of the wi-fi based assistants like Alexa, or Google Home, but I am looking at them to decide which I want and what do I want to pay for it. My inclination is that they are all pretty much alike although I am sure that there are differences in their capabilities. That little FM transmitter looks to me like it would solve a few problems with noise in the radios, and since I have a Skywave radio and it is susceptible to noise when trying to listen to those signals, like SSB, it sounds as though the FM transmitter may be a way to avoid that noise that interferes with the listening to that sort of audio. Interesting indeed!
I use Squeezebox to stream radio, audio books, podcasts. Squeezebox is no longer being manufactured, I am looking for alternatives, Not sure which Alexa or Google Home.
I have two CCrane wireless radios –one for the office — there’s a great channel that’s 24/7 piano music (search in Europe/Greece/Chroma piano – they have other channels too) then at home we listen to stations from all over & I’ve plugged the radio into the large home stereo unit — sounds terrific! We like stations from Sacramento, Albuquerque and LA — and a great religious station from Baton Rouge — all come in great!
I do not own a “smart speaker” but I might be inclined to get one if I could justify it as being useful (and better than my CC Skywave that I tote around with me constantly).
Please enter me into your contest
My wife is a smart speaker. Every time she speaks, it smarts.
Mostly listen to Public Radio. WYSU ,WKSU,etc. reception can be a problem in the basement where most of my hobby time is spent. I do not at this time have a smart speaker. I am doing some initial research for a possible future purchase.
I don’t own a smart speaker. I much prefer my trusty C Crane 2E and Skywave. Something’s not the same when you can just plug in a speaker and get any station you want. Takes the fun out AM radio listening, especially at night!
I am new to the smart speaker world and depend on my son to advise me on what I need. Right now I have 3 radios across the house I keep on the same station so I can hear it as I move around but would love to find a better solution.
I don’t have a smart speaker but as a broadcast engineer for NPR/public radio in Salt Lake City I better be learning about them. Good work figuring out the switching power supply noise. Those little switchers can be evil. I had to replace power supplies for my home modem and wireless router with linear supplies to cure the noise in my home ham radio setup. I like the idea of spreading audio around a home with an FM transmitter but you gotta be careful to not stomp on licensed broadcasters. I do some work for a LPFM who has same channel interference from something like this for about a city block radius.
I’m looking to get rid of the internet completely.5G and I.O.T is ready to roll out and the constant beams of radiation or a slow cook microwave for the water in the cells of human bodys. Industry won’t talk about it.We need safeguards tumors are on the rise like never before other than that Love to listen to my radio.Good day to all.
I have Alexa and us it to answer questions and play music. I like it a lot. Would love to have a transmitter 2.
I do not use Alexa, but I use the CC Crane Sentra speaker. I record an overnight radio program (Coast to Coast AM) on an SD card. I can take the light weight Sentra anywhere and listen to my program in the car, in the yard or studio. I can listen directly to the Sentra, car speakers or earbuds or headphones.
I have two Bluetooth speakers. I use them to gain better clarity when I stream programs. I also have several play lists that I would like to stream into other rooms. I also have satellite radio and the FM Transmitter 2 would be a God send during baseball season!
Thanks for your article, good info to know. I’m exploring the options for a smart speaker to meet my wants.
Intriguing and interesting very informative. GGD
I don’t own one yet and was not even that familiar with one until yesterday. I was doing some work for a customer that had an Alexa. I was talking to the dog, you read that right, and low and behold Alexa started talking back. So after some thought I asked it to play my favorite talk radio and spent a couple hours working and listening to some interesting dialog. From what I know now it will be an Alexa if I decide to buy one.
My grandson, Cody, has an Alecksa. It’s a magic machine. He asks it to play his favorite singers or bands. He uses it to find out the outdoor temperature and weather before going outside to play. He asks for the joke of the day. He says it’s really magic!
I own a CC wi-fi radio, which is on the nightstand. I listen to talk radio at night and Don Imus in the morning from New York, but the Ads are so repetitive and always the same thing, on his show.
A FM transmitter hooked up to my GE “ Super Radio” would fit the bill.
I’ve been shopping for one of these. Looks like a well made unit. I want it to send my Tv’s sound to a better sound system
I do not own a smart speaker but I own several CCrane products. To get rid of electronic interference I replaced my fluorescent lights with LED Bulbs. I will keep track of these comments to get ideas for a smart speaker I may want in the future.
We have an Echo Dot to go with the Bose radio with Bluetooth. We tell Alexa to connect to the Bose and she plays music thru it sounds wonderful and it is so easy to just talk to her.
I have one of these and I love it. I use it to hear Pandora from my phone.
I have Amazon’s Alexa, just learning to use it, and LOVE it ! It spells the end of things like CD’s, tapes, records. ITs a pleasure ! I keep it in the kitchen when I’m working there. But it needs to get “smarter”, whic I’m told can come with continued use.
I have an Alexa. I use it to stream radio and podcasts and read kindle books aloud. The voice is a bit odd for reading but I really like it because I can fold laundry or cook or clean but still make progress on my book.
I don’t have a smart speaker. I would probably use it for AM or
FM radio if I had one.
Ipodhome; no tricks yet
I own and use a Senta Ally speaker, purchased from CCrane. I primarily use the speaker coupled with my Kindle Fire (via Bluetooth) when I am out enjoying a solitary picnic. I can have my music without carrying a boombox and disturbing other people. I also use the two to listen to audio books while lounging in my dark living room on my LAZBoy recliner. Ahhhh. Life can be good.
Awesome I always loved c crane products radios are top of the line great durable and powerfull reception highly recommend to people
I do not have a smart speaker. But if I did I’m sure I’d be looking for good tricks and hacks for it. Good read.
I use the CC WiFi Radio with my FM Transmitter to broadcast a signal around my home. Although I wish the CC WiFi Radio had a better interface.
I don’t have a smart seaker. I’ve merely used a mini-plug cable to route audio out from my smart phone streaming Pandora to one of several table radios I own. I would definitely utilize The FM Transmitter-2 for various occasions, indling audio out from TV to another room or outside.
I DO have a smart speaker, an Echo Dot, but would like a refurbished Gen 1 Echo – I hear the sound is much better than either mine, or the next generation of them. I hate static – thanks for the info
I have an echo tap . I usually listen to tunin radio , it has some of my local radio and podcasts
I’m a big fan of Alexa for music streaming and trivia games like Jeopardy. It’s been a great tool for my wife who is blind and has a hard time with smartphone touch screens. Has anyone thought of an Alexa skill you could use to control a real remote radio (like an SDR) that streams on the web? That way, if there was a DXable station that doesn’t stream normally, but can be picked up at your location, the speaker would stream that over your wifi connection?
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I have a three Echoes and I use them mainly to listen to FM stations that do not come in well on my CC Radio plus and news channels on Sirus XM. I have no tricks but would welcome some.
I don’t have one and don’t see the value. But maybe I’ll be converted at some point.
Today I use the Amazon Echo Dot to control a Video Codec (api commands), Read my email to me, Tell me whats on my calendar, control my thermostat and of course it has access to my Pandora account and she plays my music for me while transmitting via Bluetooth to a remote speaker.
Interesting article. Considering possible use with my ham radios to monitor activity on the radio from other areas of my home which is 3 levels.
Cool!
I have a Eufy which has Alexa in it. The hardware was superior to the Echo Dot at the time, except I couldn’t use it with a Amazon Account. That is fine as I don’t use any of Amazons media services, they just can’t compare to Netflix or Hulu.
I use mine for a Daily Flash of Events I picked from a list. Has everything I need BBC Radio, Sports News just for my teams, Tech News as I am a I.T. Specialist, Word of the Day and few more. Anytime of the day when Im ready, AWESOME.
I have Bluetooth speaker and use my phone to play songs I don’t know how to clear a path or anything all I know is I need internet and cannot afford it
I did not know what a smart speaker was until 2 min ago
I don’t own a smart speaker but I’m sure I could appreciate owning one.
I have a couple of 808 Audio NRG speakers – I use one w/ my smartphone and Macbook.
I don’t have a personal assistant – waiting to see what the Apple product does.
I have one that i use on WIFI the only real trick i have is that i hide it in my bag or pocket. It freaks people out when i turn it on as they don’t know where the sound comes from. it is funny to watch faces on people while they hear music or a radio station. The make of mine is Bacardi it works fairly good but could be better. I have asked George Noory to contact you about getting a FREE radio as mine is so old i am very lucky if i can find Coast to Coast at all. If by some slight chance you are able to provide me with a radio that works proper George Noory has all my shipping info. Thank you. Just maybe i will win the Transmitter and get a radio that works i know he works with your company to help people in need and i am really in need. Thank you
i don’t have a smart speaker but i will learn from all the comments.
I love CCCRANE PRODUCTS
I am very happy with the quality products and prompt service I have received from Ya ALL I have always seen many scenario where I could put a FM Transmitter 2.to use. At the end of 2017 in the process of moving, The Penski moving truck we rented was taken and most of our possessions were lost, due to Theft, I guess they needed our possessions more than my wife and I. Thank God for Insurance.