Alexa becomes audiophile: why could Amazon finally be serious about audio?

Sorry, Alexa: Amazon Echo speakers are at the bottom of my list to listen to music. Yes, I know that the company already has a bajillion of speakers, but so far the focus has been on the voice and not on the audio quality.

Maybe that will change. CNBC says the company plans at least eight new devices, including "a microwave oven, amplifier, receiver, subwoofer and embedded gadget" powered by Alexa and expected by the end of the year. ;year. Only "some of the devices" will also integrate Alexa, said CNBC.

Aside from the automotive gadget and the microwave oven, sound quality seems to be at the center of this new line. Amazon is not the only one to have such performance, because – with the exception of Google Home Max – Google speakers have not been very effective at listening to music.

It was not until the intelligent speaker from Sonos One to buy a speaker with Alexa (and possibly Google Assistant) that was really nice to listen to. Since then, Sonos has embarked on a global strategy, including the type of devices that Amazon is supposed to work on. But now, it seems that Amazon may want the same piece of high-end audio pie.

Predictions on the Amazon amp, receiver and sub

While Amazon already has an unofficial Alexa soundbar in the Polk command bar, there are no "pure" audio products yet. Despite this, we had a bunch of Amazon devices from the end of Echo Buttons the Echo Show, So, how will these new devices stand out?

For example, will any of these things have a microphone on board? In my opinion, the amp and the receiver make the most sense because the subwoofer seems a little redundant.

As we approach the subwoofer shortly, two products come to mind when we think of what would be an amp and receiver Amazon. These are:

• Sonos Amp: Amplifier connected with HDMI in and multiroom, BYO speakers, $ 599
• Denon HEOS AVR: HDMI switching receiver with audio decoding and multiroom, $ 599

The biggest problem with the above products and the biggest opportunity of Amazon is the price. Echo products typically sell for a fifth of those prices, so you can expect Amazon products to be much more affordable.

What could the receiver offer? My colleague David Katzmaier really enjoyed the Fire TV Cube, a universal combo of remote control and streaming. If you added more HDMI inputs, a 5.1 channel amplifier and a price of $ 299 – boom! – you have the "Amazon Echo receiver". Just add your own set of 5.1 speakers and a TV and you get a good home theater system, assuming that Amazon has done its homework.

Receiving companies such as Denon, Yamaha and Sony have developed their reputation over the decades, but Amazon would try to compete a few short years. Yes, Echo is great about its usefulness, but it sounds like a clock radio. Amazon has a lot to prove to audio fans.

The amp is a little harder to pin down. I guess a $ 150 to $ 200 amplifier is sold as an echo that uses your own speakers! I guess there would also be Bluetooth and an optical input plus a 50 watt x 2 amplifier. The "Amp Echo"?

While the other two products appear to be autonomous entities, the subwoofer gives the impression that it would be an optional supplement for the Show or the newer Echos to add extra bass. I imagine the mini submarine you get with an inexpensive sound bar, rather than the imposing monster that's the Sonos Sub. "Echo Sub", then, and if it's called something else, I'll buy a coffee.

How will they sell?

Amazon has the money and resources to adapt a dispersal approach to its products and see what happens. For example, I can not imagine that the demand for an Alexa receiver is high, especially since most AV receivers are already interfacing with Alexa. (Plug an echo into the room and you can ask your receiver to raise and lower the volume, etc.). Of these three audio devices, the subwoofer probably has the most "legs".

There is another potential hurdle for Amazon, attracting a more audiophile market, and it's one of the company's products. When I think "Amazon brand" I think "AmazonBasics"Good cables, but not reliable cables for hundreds of dollars. (There is already a Soundbar Basics, but it looks like a Bluetooth speaker.)

Could it be Amazon will launch some kind of hi-fi brand, perhaps using its name Amazon Music? Or will he continue to use the name Echo for his speakers and all that that entails? We will know it soon.

Does Amazon have any new Alexa hardware on the way?: September historically means new Alexa devices; Here is what we think may come.

All you need to know about Amazon Echo: Here is a useful reminder.