I had both and returned the second Gen because it sounded so tinny and was barely even usable for alarms. The new Dot isn't quite as good as a full Echo, but it's much closer. The previous ones were nowhere close. (It's also a bit larger and no logger powered via USB, probably due to increased demands.)
You think so? I have a number of gen2 and gen3 dots, and they seem about the same to me - horrible for music, fine for voice use. I agree that the gen3 isn't worse, but for me it didn't seem much better either.
But maybe my ears are getting old. Actually, not maybe... My ears ARE getting old. I can tell when I practice guitar. Too much loud music as a youth I guess.
My wife and I looked at getting Gen3s and even though we don't use Echos for music, the tinny sound even for voice made me go for full Gen1 Echos. On eBay, you can find the Gen1s for close to the same price as Gen3 Dots.
You say that like it's a bad thing! I can't hear the kids on my lawn anymore. Lol Saves me from having to yell at them.
There's a good thread about using the Google Home Mini for 'home automation sounds' and I think it applies to this conversation as well when compared to the Dots.
I have 3 Echo's. Dot gen2, Dot gen 3 and an Echo 2nd gen. I had them working as TTS etc but the cookie problem always got in the way and just as I was about to start building the automated version of fetching the cookies I got a 'free' Google Home Mini
Plugged in, slide the mic off and it's good to go via the Chromecast integration. Really couldn't be simpler and Google isn't listening, although Amazon is. That's a whole different thread
Google Home Mini is what I’m using for exactly those things WITH THE MIC TURNED OFF.
Sound quality is surprising, what isn’t is the dodgy Aussie accent.
Part of my job is audio tech, and nothing will ever beat a great speaker, but when you’re in the kitchen with a fan on and you just want music to play, nothing beats being able to use the Echo hands-free. The sound definitely isn’t bad, though. Just not perfect. Streaming compression has always been my biggest issue, regardless, not speaker quality