Question

Alexa Can’t find Group?

  • 12 November 2017
  • 15 replies
  • 4626 views

I have a new SONOS One. Added Skill to Alexa. Added Bathroom Play 1, Bedroom Play 1 stereo pair & Living Room Playbar+Sub as devices. Created group of all in Alexa named Everywhere but Alexa "Can't find Everywhere". What am I missing? Thanks, Kyle

This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

15 replies

Alexa groups do not support 3rd party speakers at this time.
Thanks. I guess I can hope that Amazon and SONOS work to figure this out. :-)
Kyle
One clarification, So Alexa only recognizes groups of Echo devices?
Thanks
Currently Alexa cannot group 3rd party speakers of any kind. You must group Sonos using the Sonos app, then ask Alexa to play to any one of the grouped speakers.
Hi, I feel bad asking this because it seems like it may be redundant but I've been reading conflicting answers everywhere online about this so if you can clarify I would really appreciate it. Basically what you are saying is that there is NO way currently to play Amazon speakers in a group with Sonos speakers, correct? If so, why is it an option to create a group in the Alexa app that includes my Sonos 3 and my Amazon TAP? I guess this is why I can't understand. If there is no way to play music with this group I have created in the Alexa app which consists of 1 sonos and 1 amazon tap, why is the option to create this group even available? I am planning to buy a couple of Sonos 1 speakers because I can not stand listening to music from only one speaker, but was hoping to be able to delay my purchase by using the TAP with the Sonos temporarily. I am missing the old days when I had my upstairs wired with about 20 old fashioned speakers and was able to effortlessly listen to complete surround sound music. 😕
I figured that out, but once grouped via SONOS it’s all or none. If they are grouped I can’t say “Play in bedroom” and have only the bedroom speakers play.
You would have to ask Amazon why they allow speakers to be grouped via the Alexa app when it is not supported. Sonos has no control over the Alexa app.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Hi, I feel bad asking this because it seems like it may be redundant but I've been reading conflicting answers everywhere online about this so if you can clarify I would really appreciate it. Basically what you are saying is that there is NO way currently to play Amazon speakers in a group with Sonos speakers, correct? If so, why is it an option to create a group in the Alexa app that includes my Sonos 3 and my Amazon TAP? I guess this is why I can't understand. If there is no way to play music with this group I have created in the Alexa app which consists of 1 sonos and 1 amazon tap, why is the option to create this group even available? I am planning to buy a couple of Sonos 1 speakers because I can not stand listening to music from only one speaker, but was hoping to be able to delay my purchase by using the TAP with the Sonos temporarily. I am missing the old days when I had my upstairs wired with about 20 old fashioned speakers and was able to effortlessly listen to complete surround sound music. :-/

No you CANNOT group Alexa speakers and Sonos speakers. I can just about see why people who already have the Echo might want to do this but why would Sonos intentionally reduce their market by making it's speakers able to group to another parties (and vica-versa). I may be wrong of course but I don't ever see that changing.
So is there some sort of workaround here? I cannot ask alexa to play multiple speakers or a group of speakers? This seems very counter-intuitive. I have 4 of my rooms grouped in Sonos app, but they don't have a group name, it just shows Foyer+New Room+Den+Pool. Is there another way to group them in Sonos? If I do...then do they ALL have to play at the same time ALL the time?
So is there some sort of workaround here? I cannot ask alexa to play multiple speakers or a group of speakers? This seems very counter-intuitive. I have 4 of my rooms grouped in Sonos app, but they don't have a group name, it just shows Foyer+New Room+Den+Pool. Is there another way to group them in Sonos? If I do...then do they ALL have to play at the same time ALL the time?

Grouping in the Sonos app is not permanent, you can group or ungroup at will. Right now, there is no support for any grouping of 3rd party speakers via Alexa. Until that support comes and Sonos is able to use it, the method to group is to create your group via the Sonos app, then tell Alexa to play to any one of the rooms in that group.

For instance, if you wish to shuffle No Doubt songs in the Foyer and Den, and Blake Shelton in the New Room and Pool, do the following:

Use Sonos app to group Foyer and Den.
Use Sonos app to group New Room and Pool.
Say "Alexa, shuffle No Doubt in Foyer".
Say "Alexa, shuffle Blake Shelton in New Room."


For info on grouping via the Sonos app, see this link:

https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4002
This is so stupid.
I don't want to group my sonos via sonos app as I can't then alexa play independently. If I wanted to use the app to group/ungroup I wouldn't have alexa.

The option is there in the app. Alexa recognises the word "Everywhere" or whatever one calls the group. Amazon & Sonos need to sort this out. Alexa will do it, they're not letting her.
This is so stupid.
I don't want to group my sonos via sonos app as I can't then alexa play independently. If I wanted to use the app to group/ungroup I wouldn't have alexa.

The option is there in the app. Alexa recognises the word "Everywhere" or whatever one calls the group. Amazon & Sonos need to sort this out. Alexa will do it, they're not letting her.


It is 100% on Amazon at this time, as they have not yet released their AVS Multi-Room Music SDK which addresses grouping of third party speakers. That does not mean Sonos can or will use this SDK when it is released, but it is definitely not possible until it is released.
This is so stupid.
I don't want to group my sonos via sonos app as I can't then alexa play independently. If I wanted to use the app to group/ungroup I wouldn't have alexa.

The option is there in the app. Alexa recognises the word "Everywhere" or whatever one calls the group. Amazon & Sonos need to sort this out. Alexa will do it, they're not letting her.


It is 100% on Amazon at this time, as they have not yet released their AVS Multi-Room Music SDK which addresses grouping of third party speakers. That does not mean Sonos can or will use this SDK when it is released, but it is definitely not possible until it is released.


Yup. Keeping it for their own devices at the moment. Sigh.


Yup. Keeping it for their own devices at the moment. Sigh.


Well they have promised it by early next year. Then we will see if Sonos allows itself to be grouped with Echo devices, or if it is even possible. That will be the telling moment.
Userlevel 7
Badge +8


Yup. Keeping it for their own devices at the moment. Sigh.


Well they have promised it by early next year. Then we will see if Sonos allows itself to be grouped with Echo devices, or if it is even possible. That will be the telling moment.

I can't see an echo managing the bit perfect sync with Sonos devices. No-one else even manages it with their own devices let alone getting it synced across two devices. So it may work for two independent rooms where you can't hear both from transition. But I can't see Sonos wanting to allow a poor syncing experience mar their listening experience.