Amazon has introduced a new line-up of Echo devices for listening at home or on the go.
The most eye-catching of the new smart speakers is the Echo Studio, priced £189.99. Described as Amazon’s “best-sounding Echo ever”, it has five directional speakers for immersive sound, room adaptation technology and a built-in smart home hub.
The Echo Studio is designed to provide full functionality for the Amazon Music HD streaming service, which launched last week. It has a 24-bit DAC and a power amplifier with 100 kHz of bandwidth for high-res, lossless music playback.
Echo Studio is the first smart speaker to deliver a 3D audio experience using Dolby Atmos and Sony’s 360 Reality Audio. 3D music will also be available on Tidal HiFi next year.
Other new smart speakers unveiled include an all-new Echo, the budget Echo Flex and Echo Buds - wireless earbuds with Bose Active Noise Reduction Technology and hands-free access to Alexa.
The launch comes as an IFPI report reveals that the UK outperforms the global average on smart speaker use.
“We love hearing feedback from customers about how they use Alexa throughout their day—whether that’s listening to music, dropping in on a loved one, trying out a new recipe, or playing a game with the family,” said Tom Taylor, SVP, Amazon Alexa. “We hope these new Echo devices will give customers even more ways to access Alexa, whether that’s through the best-sounding Echo device yet—Echo Studio, a reimagined Echo and Echo Dot, new designs like Echo Show 8 and Echo Flex, or new experiences for Alexa on-the-go with earbuds, glasses, and a ring.”
The devices are available for pre-order and will ship later this year.
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