REVIEW – I already had a 2nd generation Amazon Echo Dot sitting on a shelf sounding about as good as a $50 speaker should, which is to say not great, so when Ninety7 offered to send over the Vaux I said yes without much hesitation. The Vaux is a battery-powered cradle speaker built specifically to hold a 2nd generation Echo Dot and make it sound like a real speaker instead of an intercom. It only fits that one generation of Dot, so if yours is the newer puck-shaped version, this particular product has already moved on without you.
Note: This Vaux Speaker was provided free of charge by Ninety7 for review. Ninety7 did not have a final say on the review and did not preview it before publication.
The Basics
The Vaux, made by Ninety7 and pronounced “vox,” is a cup-shaped battery speaker that a 2nd generation Echo Dot drops directly into. Once seated and wired into the two internal connectors, the Dot’s audio routes through the Vaux’s much bigger drivers instead of its own tiny built-in speaker, and the whole unit runs untethered on its own rechargeable battery.
What You Get
- Vaux speaker cradle
- Quick start guide
Worth flagging up front: the Vaux does not come with an Echo Dot. You need to already own one, or buy one separately, for any of this to work.
By the Numbers
- Weight: 1.7 pounds
- Dimensions: 4.2 x 4.2 x 6.4 inches
- Battery: 5000 mAh internal rechargeable lithium ion
- Playback time: about 6 hours per charge
- Charge time: 5 to 6 hours from dead, 8 to 12 hours if used while charging
- Speakers: two active 52mm drivers, one passive 90mm x 50mm radiator
- Ports: 3.5mm aux input, micro-USB charging
- Colors: Carbon (black) and Ash (white)
Design and Setup
Setting the Dot into the Vaux takes about a minute the first time and seconds after that. Unplug the Dot, flip the Vaux over, and peel back the silicone flap on top to expose a micro-USB connector and a 3.5mm jack. Drop the Dot into the cradle, line up those connectors, plug them in, and close the flap. Run the Dot’s own power cable into the back of the Vaux and the whole assembly powers as one unit from then on.
Power, Battery, and That First-Boot Pop
The power button and status LED live on the back of the Vaux. Press it once to turn the whole thing on, and the very first time you do, it lets out a surprisingly loud pop. That startled me the first time, but Ninety7 confirms it is a normal part of the startup routine and not a sign anything is wrong. The LED tells you what state the battery is in: amber for off and charging, green for off and fully charged, solid blue for powered on, and a flashing blue and amber combination when the battery is running low.
A full charge from dead takes 5 to 6 hours, and using it while it charges stretches that closer to 8 to 12 hours before it is topped off. On battery alone, Ninety7 rates it for about 6 hours of playback, and my own testing at medium to loud volume landed right around that mark. Push the volume closer to max and the sound gets noticeably muddier, though even then it still beats the Dot’s own tiny speaker without much competition.
Sound and Everyday Use
The two 52mm drivers plus the passive radiator give the Vaux a fuller, rounder sound than anything that small speaker grille suggests it should have, and it is genuinely pleasant for background music or answering Alexa questions across a room instead of hunching over a Dot sitting on a nightstand. There is also a 3.5mm aux jack on the back for using the Vaux as a standalone speaker with a phone or another source, though plugging into it overrides the Dot entirely until you pull the cable back out.
Since the whole thing runs on its own battery, I can pick up the Vaux and Dot together and carry Alexa into another room without owning a second Echo device, which has become the single biggest reason I actually reach for it. It is not waterproof or weather-sealed, so this stays strictly an indoor speaker, and it sits comfortably on a shelf without looking out of place next to the rest of my gear.
What Could Be Better
There is no cheap way into this setup if you do not already own a compatible 2nd generation Echo Dot, and buying both new is only about $30 less than just buying an Amazon Tap, which gets you better sound, longer battery life, and Bluetooth for that difference. There is also no charging dock or cradle for the combined unit, so you are back to a regular cable when the battery runs low, though I suspect skipping that accessory is part of how Ninety7 kept the price reasonable in the first place.
Final Thoughts
The Vaux set out to fix the one real complaint anyone has about the 2nd generation Echo Dot, that it sounds like a shrunken conference-call speaker, and it does exactly that. It is not a reason to go buy a Dot you do not already own, but if you already have one gathering dust because the sound never impressed you, the Vaux turns it into something worth actually listening to, and worth carrying room to room without another Amazon device to plug in.
Price: Check current pricing at Ninety7 or Amazon
Where to buy: Ninety7 or Amazon
What I like: Genuinely improves Echo Dot sound, portable and battery powered, simple setup, aux input for use as a standalone speaker
What I don’t: Requires an Echo Dot you already own, no charging dock for the combined unit, loud volume causes noticeable sound degradation
