Alexa Multi-room Music / Audio Groups

Hi everyone, I tried the steps above without success. I created a group in Alexa called downstairs. Added my Sonos speakers along with my Echo device. I can only add my Sonos speakers or the Echo as the preferred speaker, not both. So the music only plays on the preferred speaker.

You still cannot play music over Echos and Sonos grouped together. It's either all Sonos or all Echos.

Yes was including the group name. But I was trying going from playing “everywhere” to playing “upstairs” so makes sense about the grouping not being broken. So still makes it a bit clunky. But as someone else said it seems to be very much a work in progress.

Yes, and I'm not sure how much of the development is with Amazon and how much with Sonos - obviously there must be development on both sides but I suspect that Amazon control the Architecture.

I tried again. It worked. Then I stopped the music and asked it to play on another group. It just played on one speaker outside of the group. So it’s obviously still very intermittent and buggy.

In fact further playing around with it seems to be that it just wants to play off the last speaker no matter the grouping. Frustrating seems to only work correctly occasionally

Are you including the Group Name in the command as per scenario 2?

There is a further piece of information over and above the Post I referenced: If any of the Preferred Speakers in a Group are already Grouped within the Sonos App, this grouping is NOT broken and the new command will create a Group of the old Rooms and the new rooms.

I tried again. It worked. Then I stopped the music and asked it to play on another group. It just played on one speaker outside of the group. So it’s obviously still very intermittent and buggy.

In fact further playing around with it seems to be that it just wants to play off the last speaker no matter the grouping. Frustrating seems to only work correctly occasionally

Strange I tried an upstairs group, a downstairs group and an everywhere group. I can only get the groups to work if I have one of my echo dots associated with each group (I have play 1s). If I try to set up a group with just sonos speakers and no echo, it just doesn’t work and only plays on one of the “preferred devices” in the group

Thanks UK Media. It does seem a rather clunky way of making it work, but thanks for your guide above. Finally got there. Basically it seems you have to have a separate Alexa device per group that you want. So if you want an upstairs, downstairs & everywhere group, you’ll need three Alexa devices as far as I can see.

Now all we need is the “turn audio off” option in a routine to turn Sonos music off.

I tried this and it does not work. I set up a group in alexa with my living room echo and patio sonos one and called the group downstairs. When i tell alexa to play "todays hits on pandora downstairs" she replies that she can't do that yet and to set up multi-room music.

This used to work great and I did this all the time (made a group in Sonos and told Alexa to play music on any speaker in the group and the whole group played). Suddenly this stopped working. Now Alexa ungroups the Sonos groups when you direct music to one speaker. Ugh!!!!!!

I really cant believe that Sonos isn't supported in Alexa App as a MultiRoom device.
Effectively Sonos isn't Alexa Compatible.
Amazon have released SDKs for.
The Sonos kit I have bought is going back.
Sonos if you don't get your act together, when the Amazon HiFi system / speakers comes out you will massively loose out.

Some of you missing the point!

I can understand that I will never be able to group Sonos 1, 5 bar etc with echos and that Sonos apps features won't work with echos. However, I would expect a Sonos with Alexa built in to be able to be an Alexa and to join an echo group of other echos or be a Sonos and controlled via the sonos app with sonos features. If I'm buying a speaker with Alexa built in, I expect to be an Alexa not feature limited version just so Sonos can add audio control to their speaker.

I was set to buy 6 Sonos Ones to replace Echo devices. However, I also have several other echos that will not get replaced for a while. If the Sonos One is not a full-blown Alexa with all the features, plus a Sonos, there is no reason for me to start replacing echos with Sonos.

My understanding is that only stand alone speakers can be included within an Alexa group and that no multi-room speakers are included.

I can't wait for this feature to come out

Please add this feature, Sonos! I think if your products are using Amazon's Alexa they should have the same features as a normal Amazon Alexa Device. Just bought the Sonos One yesterday and now I'm bummed that I can't do multi-room music with my echo plus and dot...

I would say that I am far from a tech genius, but having worked in the tech industry for too long, and had somewhat of a hobby for this stuff, I've learned not to assume anything when it comes to functionality of products. However, for those that aren't that versed in it (nor do they need to be), it kinda makes sense for them to assume some features are present that aren't explicitly stated, because there are things that work the way the user is assuming.

For example, an android phone has no issues making calls and texts to apple phone. A Bluetooth phone can communicate with a Bluetooth speaker. Computers on a wifi network can talk with each other. So, without any other outside knowledge, why wouldn't a person assume an Echo speaker with Alexa and Sonos speaker with Alexa be able to work together, when the both claim to be multiroom speakers? To someone who hasn't looked at it too closely, both 'speak the same language' so there is no reason they shouldn't work together, right?

Again, not at all trying to say people aren't smart or anything, just that assumptions are often on the level of knowledge about a subject. And those that know often can anticipate what assumptions are going to be by those that aren't as familiar on the subject matter. So describing/advertising a product to prevent inaccurate assumptions isn't always as easy as it appears.