So you’ve decided that you want a smart speaker. You’ve ruled out the Apple HomePod and its sometimes-sketchy Siri voice companion, and have decided Google already knows enough about you before inviting a Google Home Hub into your castle. That pretty much leaves you with Amazon’s Alexa range or Echo speakers. You want something with a bit more audio oomph than the small Amazon Echo Spot, Echo Dot or forthcoming Amazon Echo Show 5, and find the screen-sporting full-size Echo Show a bit domineering.What’s left? The Amazon Echo, or the Amazon Echo Plus. They’re the most closely-related of the smart speakers coming out of Amazon’s stable, and understanding the differences between them can make choosing which is for you a surprisingly involved task. Which sounds better? Which is more expensive? What exactly makes the Plus…plusier?We’re here to help: these are the key differences and benefits of the two core Amazon Echo models.[Update: The Amazon 2019 hardware launch event was filled with new Alexa-powered gadgets – 14 of them to be precise – and we got hands-on time with several of them. Check out all the new Amazon Echo speakers, along with release dates, prices, and specs.]What is an Amazon Echo? And what…