Alexa Cuts Off Start of Song

  • 17 January 2018
  • 25 replies
  • 2244 views

Userlevel 1
If I request Alexa to play a song, Alexa will talk over the first few seconds of the song. Not a huge deal, obviously, but annoying all the same. I want to hear the song in its entirety, not with Alexa's voice talking over the beginning.

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25 replies

Userlevel 7
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Hi

Can you let us know your set-up?
I was also wondering about this. Is there any way to make songs start right after Alexa is finished with her line... it's annoying.
I don't know if it is worth posting on a six month old thread, but this problem is still relevant.

I am not sure if it is alexas fault or if sonos has anything to do with it, but it should be possible to wait with the music until alexa stopped speaking or even add the option to disable voice feedback all together.
I don't know if it is worth posting on a six month old thread, but this problem is still relevant.

I am not sure if it is alexas fault or if sonos has anything to do with it, but it should be possible to wait with the music until alexa stopped speaking or even add the option to disable voice feedback all together.


I think it's worth reminding again. After 6 months of use, I still find it annoying 😞
Userlevel 7
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Still waiting for set-up...are you using Line In?
Hi UKMedia

I don't think this depends on the setup.
When I ask alexa (on a single sonos one, logged in to spotify) to play "title by artist", she does so by starting the song and *then* repeating "title by artist from spotify" over the beginning of the music.
Userlevel 7
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The reason for asking is because I experience this issue but only in a specific scenario. e.g.

1. Sonos One (Lounge Sonos)
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist', works with no issue.
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist on Kitchen Sonos', music starts playing on Kitchen Sonos simultaneously as the Lounge Sonos repeats the command. Not really an issue as the devices are in different rooms.
2. Echo Dot (Kitchen Echo Dot)
- same result with reciprocal commands.
3. Line in from Echo Device to Play:5
- issue appears on all commands.

So my experience appears to be different depending on the device and command I use but I can't reproduce your issue with a Sonos One. Have you tried Disabling then Enabling the Sonos skill in the Alexa app?
The reason for asking is because I experience this issue but only in a specific scenario. e.g.

1. Sonos One (Lounge Sonos)
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist', works with no issue.
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist on Kitchen Sonos', music starts playing on Kitchen Sonos simultaneously as the Lounge Sonos repeats the command. Not really an issue as the devices are in different rooms.
2. Echo Dot (Kitchen Echo Dot)
- same result with reciprocal commands.
3. Line in from Echo Device to Play:5
- issue appears on all commands.

So my experience appears to be different depending on the device and command I use but I can't reproduce your issue with a Sonos One. Have you tried Disabling then Enabling the Sonos skill in the Alexa app?


I’m not using line in and I only have one Sonos One speaker. I’ve just tried disabling and enabling the Sonos skill as well as unlinking and relinking Spotify, but it still interferes music with her introduction thing at the begginning of music. I was particularly talking about asking for a specific song or album with a voice command as I don’t use playlists, but anyway, I’ve just tried playing playlists with a voice command but I can still reproduce the issue.
Userlevel 7
Badge +20
The reason for asking is because I experience this issue but only in a specific scenario. e.g.

1. Sonos One (Lounge Sonos)
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist', works with no issue.
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist on Kitchen Sonos', music starts playing on Kitchen Sonos simultaneously as the Lounge Sonos repeats the command. Not really an issue as the devices are in different rooms.
2. Echo Dot (Kitchen Echo Dot)
- same result with reciprocal commands.
3. Line in from Echo Device to Play:5
- issue appears on all commands.

So my experience appears to be different depending on the device and command I use but I can't reproduce your issue with a Sonos One. Have you tried Disabling then Enabling the Sonos skill in the Alexa app?


I’m not using line in and I only have one Sonos One speaker. I’ve just tried disabling and enabling the Sonos skill as well as unlinking and relinking Spotify, but it still interferes music with her introduction thing at the begginning of music. I was particularly talking about asking for a specific song or album with a voice command as I don’t use playlists, but anyway, I’ve just tried playing playlists with a voice command but I can still reproduce the issue.


Hi

Can you submit a diagnostic just after this happens and post the number in this thread and the Sonos tech teams can investigate.
The reason for asking is because I experience this issue but only in a specific scenario. e.g.

1. Sonos One (Lounge Sonos)
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist', works with no issue.
- Command: 'Alexa, play Piano Chill Playlist on Kitchen Sonos', music starts playing on Kitchen Sonos simultaneously as the Lounge Sonos repeats the command. Not really an issue as the devices are in different rooms.
2. Echo Dot (Kitchen Echo Dot)
- same result with reciprocal commands.
3. Line in from Echo Device to Play:5
- issue appears on all commands.

So my experience appears to be different depending on the device and command I use but I can't reproduce your issue with a Sonos One. Have you tried Disabling then Enabling the Sonos skill in the Alexa app?


I’m not using line in and I only have one Sonos One speaker. I’ve just tried disabling and enabling the Sonos skill as well as unlinking and relinking Spotify, but it still interferes music with her introduction thing at the begginning of music. I was particularly talking about asking for a specific song or album with a voice command as I don’t use playlists, but anyway, I’ve just tried playing playlists with a voice command but I can still reproduce the issue.


Hi

Can you submit a diagnostic just after this happens and post the number in this thread and the Sonos tech teams can investigate.


Still happening every time I play any playlist/specific songs or albums using voice commands.
Diagnostic number: 1664537792
Did this ever get resolved? I have this issue at home and like everyone above, find it really annoying. Have only one device, sonos one, using amazon music.
I have the same issue as well.. Just added another Sonos one and it happens on both.
Userlevel 7
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Hi christ0pher and Romonmm8,

Thanks for reaching out. Please reproduce the issue, then submit a diagnostic report from your Sonos app. Reply here with the confirmation number and I'll take a look for you.
will do! when I get back later this evening
Apologies, I missed your message, but I will try and submit a diagnostic when I get a chance over the next few days. Appreciate you trying to assist.

I am curious as to why it's needed though, as loads of people here reporting the same issue on multiple setups, someone else previously submitted a diagnostic number 9 months ago and we have no update or resolution to that.
I have this issue as well and I'm positive everyone has this issue using Sonos.
It really is annoying & seemingly obvious.
My Wi-Fi is fast with a solid router.

Seems a firmware update with a simple delay function would be easy to do.

Instead of asking for diagnostics, I'm assuming that at least one support person has a Sonos
product using Alexa.
Listen for yourself.
If I request Alexa to play a song, Alexa will talk over the first few seconds of the song. Not a huge deal, obviously, but annoying all the same. I want to hear the song in its entirety, not with Alexa's voice talking over the beginning.

I wholeheartedly agree with this, and I notice that it's on the minds of other users alike. If SONOS can figure out how to incorporate a music service into its hardware, why not take it a step further and make sure that the beginning of the song isn't blotted out by Alexa's voice. For an audiophile, that's BIG-TIME nails on a chalkboard, and it isn't sitting well with the rest of the bunch, either. It truly spoils the enjoyment of the song and the thrill of being able to hear what one wants to hear at will, simply by asking Alexa to find and play a song...without interrupting the beginning!!

I’m also annoyed by this.  Either Alexa should play the song/track after announcing what it is, or have an option to turn the announcement off and just play it.

I’m now finding myself telling Alexa to restart the song from the beginning (where thankfully she doesn’t re announce it).

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Another Sonos user here who gets annoyed when Alexa talks over the first few seconds of a song.

Happy to submit a diagnostic to get this solved. 

Via Sonos:

”Alexa, play ain’t gonna cry no more” and “she” announces what’s playing whilst the song starts in the background.

 

Via Amazon Echo Dot:

”Alexa, play ain’t gonna cry no more” and “she” announces the song before it subsequently plays. No interference.

Help please.

Thanks

 

Nick.

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Hi christ0pher and Romonmm8,

Thanks for reaching out. Please reproduce the issue, then submit a diagnostic report from your Sonos app. Reply here with the confirmation number and I'll take a look for you.

If it helps diagnostic number 1994797386

Userlevel 7
Badge +20

Hi christ0pher and Romonmm8,

Thanks for reaching out. Please reproduce the issue, then submit a diagnostic report from your Sonos app. Reply here with the confirmation number and I'll take a look for you.

If it helps diagnostic number 1994797386

Thanks for sending in the report. I don’t see any errors in your report which would explain what’s going on. Due to the nature of this issue I think it would be best to work with our phone team on this one. Please give us a call, our number is here.

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Update:

After talking to Sonos via Facebook Messenger including uploading videos of Sonos & Echo Dot responding to the same songs (Sonos talking over the intro, Echo announcing song & then starting the song), I have been told that the Sonos is performing as expected. As a third party implementation of Alexa, Sonos cannot expect to have all the functionality of an Amazon device. I have put in a “feature request” for future updates, but for now your Sonos speaker (Alexa) will talk over the intro to your songs when activated by voice.

Hi,

 

Just got my Sonos One and the Sound Quality beats my Echo, but that Alexa is talking over the music is not acceptable at all. Why? And the “please send us diagnostics”  or “performs as expected” is BS. Why would a speaker designed for music lovers ruin the music experience on purpose?

It should be pretty simple to program the Sonos to start playing the Music after Alexa stopped talking. Every Echo I own does this and so does the Roav for my car.

Get this fixed!

I have seen this issue with other “Alexa Enabled” devices besides Sonos including Amazon’s own Link. I am curious if anybody has used an “Alexa Enabled” device that does not do this as this would be an indicator of whether the problem is something that can be solved by Sonos or if it will require a solution from Amazon.

AGREE!

 

Sonos, seriously, sort it out? I would also like to stop Alexa announcing every single track. Period. I know what track I asked for and I do not care which service plays it, but I do want to hear the beginning of it - obviously. For me the command ‘Alexa turn off Song ID’ does not stop the announcements as it should. Alexa says it is off and then continues to talk over every song.

Super annoying!!!!!!!