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Amazon Echo speakers adding stereo pairing, better multiroom audio support

Echo speakers are getting a few new tricks.

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Amazon Echo speakers are getting an audio upgrade. Stereo pairing is coming to some of the Echo speakers via a software update. That will allow you to pair two Echo speakers together as dedicated left and right channels, a feature that's already available on rival products such as the Sonos One and Apple HomePod

The feature upgrade was announced by Dave Limp, senior vice president of Amazon Devices, at a hardware event at Amazon's headquarters in Seattle on Thursday.

The company also announced that more pronounced multiroom support is coming to its Echo speakers and compatible Alexa products from third parties as well. "Alexa Multi-Room Music" will allow Alexa products from the likes of Bose , Sonos and others to be more tightly integrated into an Alexa-powered home audio system. 

Amazon Echo event: Pictures from Seattle

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The audio features were in addition to a bevy of audio-focused hardware news. Chief among them was the new Echo Sub (pictured above) which can be integrated into a stereo pair as the ".1" of a 2.1 system, for added bass. The Sub will cost $130. 

In addition to the Sub, other new Echo products unveiled today included a new Echo Dot, and new Echo Plus, the Echo Link, the Echo Link Amp and the Echo Input

Amazon's event was announced just hours before it started. Earlier this week, the likelihood of new products had been reported on CNBC, and Pocket-lint spotted two leaked products on Amazon's UK site.

Watch this: Amazon unveils a slew of Alexa gadgets for the smart home