Question

Adding Sonos One to a room with an existing Amazon Echo + Connect:Amp system

  • 30 April 2019
  • 6 replies
  • 1490 views

I'm trying to add a Sonos One to a room with an Existing Amazon Echo, for the purpose of improving accuracy of Alexa commands. Also, I've already set up Sonos since I have a Connect:Amp in this room. Before I added the Sonos One, I have been able to successfully play music through the Connect:Amp using the Amazon Echo for commands.

When I go to add the Sonos One, I see no way to just add it to my existing Alexa system with all my connected devices. There appears to be a way to add Amazon devices to an existing setup, but not Sonos devices with Alexa built in. Is there any way to do this?

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6 replies

Once the Sonos One is part of your Sonos system, can't you just ask Alexa to 'discover devices'?

You will then need to decide how best to set up Alexa groups to achieve the setup you want.

Out of curiosity, how do you expect this to improve the accuracy of Alexa commands?
Yes I did this and it came back that it had discovered 37 devices (light bulbs, switches, Harmony remote, etc). So it sounds like it would be a complete reconfiguration, and after this is done, what happens with the echo? How would i get the echo and the Sonos One to work together in a common listening space?

To your second question, the Sonos One is actually mounted on the wall near the front door, in a hallway. If we give commands to the Echo from this front door area, she doesn't always hear the command. So the idea was to fill in that area with sound, as well as voice control.

Seems like not the most uncommon use case?
Yes I did this and it came back that it had discovered 37 devices (light bulbs, switches, Harmony remote, etc). So it sounds like it would be a complete reconfiguration, and after this is done, what happens with the echo? How would i get the echo and the Sonos One to work together in a common listening space?


To clarify a few things, you have setup the Sonos skill already correct? Your echo controls the Connect:amp wirelessy (there isn't an audio out of the echo to the back of the ConnectLAmp)? If this is not the case, then setup the Sonos skill.

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3517?language=en_US

It's odd that your devices got rediscovered. Assuming you were using them with echo already, they should have already been there, and therfore, not marked as new. That's not really related to Sonos at all, other than adding a Sonos One to your setup, if Sonos skill was setup, should bring the Sonos One as a device in your system.

I'm not sure what you mean by 'work together'. The echo and the Sonos One won't play music in sync, but the mics should be fine. Are they both responding to your commands? You may also want to setup Alexa group so that commands to play music from either device will play on preferred speakers automatically.


To your second question, the Sonos One is actually mounted on the wall near the front door, in a hallway. If we give commands to the Echo from this front door area, she doesn't always hear the command. So the idea was to fill in that area with sound, as well as voice control.

Seems like not the most uncommon use case?


Not sure about that, but it doesn't sound like an unrealistic use case. You could also add additional echos (echo dots) to a room to get better voice recognition. Just use Alexa groups to get them playing music on Sonos correctly.
If I bring the Sonos One into my system (without going through the configuration process after discovery, for each of 37 devices) then when I say a command, the Echo responds as it always has, but the Sonos One is unfamiliar with the command. So for example, if I say "Alexa, turn on the lights" Echo does so and responds OK, but Sonos One responds that there is no device named "lights".

I had the idea of buying a second Echo Dot instead of the built in mic in the Sonos One (in which case the Echo can be added as a second voice source easily), but that sort of defeats the purpose of buying a Sonos One.
Grondaag,

Further to Danny’s great advice....

My thoughts are you perhaps need to create an “Alexa Enabled Group” in your Amazon Alexa App... lets say that group is called “Lounge” ... just as an example.

In the first part of the Lounge Group, you need to 'enable' (control) the group with two devices... your Amazon echo device and your Sonos One device.

In the next section of the Group, add the Sonos Room that relates to your Sonos Connect... my guess is you will not (currently) be able to add the Sonos One Room to this section, so just stick with the Connect room.

In the third section of the group, you will need to set the “preferred” speakers .. I would add both your Sonos One Room and your Sonos Connect Room here... setting them both as the “preferred” default speakers for MUSIC playback.

Having saved your Lounge Group Settings, when you speak to either the Amazon Echo Device, or your Sonos One Speaker and say (as an example) ... “Alexa, play some music” .. your Sonos One Speaker will automatically Group together with the Sonos Connect within the Sonos App and both will output the music audio through both devices, in perfect sync.

If you first STOP any playing music, you can also choose to play (target) your music to either your Sonos One or your Connect room individually, simply by including their “room name” at the end of the Alexa voice instruction... for example: “Alexa Play Music in the Hallway” ... here the speakers will auto-ungroup themselves and just play on the Hallway Speaker (only).

To ensure this works as described, its perhaps best that your Alexa Enabled Group Name (eg. Lounge) is a different name to each of your current Sonos Room Names in order to play the audio on each of the individual rooms, aswell as the entire group.

Hope that assists.?
Userlevel 7
Hi Grondaag

In my home I have the following Alexa enable devices. Spots x 2, Dot x 1, Show x 1 and Sonos One x 2 (functioning with Alex on) and a Beam. Now...I can't change the wake word on the Sonos devices but I have on the Amazon devices to Computer (Spot), Echo (Spot), Amazon (Show), and Alexa remains on the Dot. I've done so to prevent several devices responding at the same time. If you have Sonos One's in stereo pair or in relative close proximity to each other or near an Amazon device you should turn the mic off on one of them or both (if the wake word is Alexa).

You must enable the Sonos skill in Alexa and enable Alexa for the Sonos One's in the app. Once done unless you are factory resetting the Sonos One's they should remember all devices after the first discovery. So if you unplug or move a Sonos One around it will remember the previously discovered devices.

The only logical explanation I can think of as to why a Sonos One would rediscover 37 devices (barring a factory reset) is that it is connecting to another network most likely an access point (AP). If you have AP's in your home (or even a Mesh network) you must disable the DHCP in all but the main router or Node. They also must be using the same SSID.

If none of what I have written applies....then I strongly suggest you follow the advice of John B, melvimbe and Ken. Good luck.

Cheers!