In a wireless world, the Amazon Dot is stuck to nightstands, desks, countertops, and tables because it has to be plugged into a wall to work. Until now. I’ve been using the all-new Vaux, by Ninety7Life with my Dot to free it from cables and bring the power of Alexa with me no matter where I go (the Dot requires WiFi). Of all the smart speakers – the Echo, Tap, Dot, and Google Home – I prefer the Dot because it is the only one that isn’t limited to playing audio through the speakers it was manufactured with. The Echo and Home are nice for an office or bedroom setting, and the Tap is a decent portable option, but when it comes to sound quality they all lack richness and balance. The Dot is also the cheapest at $50, where all of the others are north of $100. Connecting a Dot to a wireless speaker or home entertainment system is my preference over all other smart speaker options.
The Vaux is a portable speaker made with a cavity to hold and connect to the smart Amazon Dot by Ninety7Life. It has an internal battery with a micro USB cable and 3.5mm audio plug for connecting to the Dot inside of the cavity which gives it a flush and unibody look. It is 6.4″ tall and is 4.2″ in diameter and weighs about two pounds.
A bit of my California roots came out of my mouth when I connected the Vaux speaker made just for the Amazon Dot, “Bro, that is sweet!” I think Ninety7Life made the Vaux just for me.
Priced at $49, it keeps the Dot and Vaux Combo under $100 which is still cheaper than the Amazon Tap and Google Home which are priced at $130. Once you drop the Dot into the slot on the top of the speaker, you connect the 90-degree angle 3.5mm audio cable and micro USB power cord and close the silicone cover to give it a flush look.
In the image below, you can see just how perfect the fit is when the back is sealed.
When it comes to performance, the Vaux sounds as good as it looks. It gets loud and has balanced mids and highs with quick and punchy lows. It can fill a large living room or kitchen with sound at only 60% of max volume. If you have the Vaux next to you on a desk or nightstand, you can comfortably listen to music at 20-30% of max volume. If you’ve heard the UE Boom 2, it sounds similar with a little more power for the low-end range. It also gets about 20% louder.
If you ever decide to stop using your Amazon Dot, you can still use the Vaux with audio players by connecting it through the 3.5mm audio jack in the back. It doesn’t have Bluetooth or WiFi built-in, but it shouldn’t considering that’s what the Dot is for. The Vaux is a simple speaker and battery that was made to set the Dot free, and it does it in style. The canister style speaker is wrapped in Ash or Carbon cloth, with dark accents on the outer edges to give it a modern look. I really like the way it looks on my desk and I plan to keep it here for a long time. It’s certainly the best accessory on the market for the Dot, and at $49 with free shipping, there’s really no complaints to file against the Vaux.
Battery life will vary depending on how loud you play your speaker. I tend to get 5-5.5 hours on a single charge which is long enough for a dinner party or a nice night out on the patio.
If you have an Amazon Dot and want better sound and versatility, you can’t go wrong with the Vaux. If you’ve been waiting to get a smart speaker, the Dot and Vaux combo is a better choice than the Echo and Tap which are priced higher and have lesser sound quality.
I highly recommend you check out the Vaux at Ninety7Life.
The Vaux can also be purchased at Amazon.com.
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