Alexa Multi-room Music / Audio Groups

  • 25 November 2017
  • 64 replies
  • 53464 views

I have a new Sonos One that I am adding to home with 2 Echo devices. In the Alexa app I am trying to setup an Audio Group for multi-room music. However, the Sonos One does not show up as an available Echo device to add to the group. What is the trick for getting this to work? Thanks.

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64 replies

Userlevel 1
Please please please support this ........
Userlevel 1
You can not group Sonos One with Echo devices as far as multiroom audio. Sonos One will only group with other Sonos units.

If that's true, unfortunately that's a deal breaker for me. I was almost purchasing a Sonos One earlier today, to put in the kitchen and living room, and to connect an Echo Dot with a set of Logitech speakers in the bedroom. I knew I wouldn't be able to group the Sonos and the Echo in the Sonos app, but I thought I'd be able to do it in the Alexa app. Shame, really.
Userlevel 1
Sonos please support this. I have multiple echo devices and just purchased the sonos with alexa solely to add some higher quality audio to that multi-room system in specific rooms. I had intended to extend with additional Sonos products but not being able to link in a group with the Echos as others have said is a deal breaker and will send me back to amazon. Its pretty much redudant already.
You can not group Sonos One with Echo devices as far as multiroom audio. Sonos One will only group with other Sonos units.

Well that's a big bummer. None of the reviews mentioned it. Likely a dealbreaker for me as well.
I just finished chatting with Amazon regarding mult-room music group. Unfortunately they don't support Sonos and their devices. Only their products have the capability to group. This is a bummer for most of us wanting to play music simultaneously throughout our home using multiple devices. Let's hope Amazon fixes this SOON.........
Userlevel 1
Well that's a deal breaker for me. Will be returning my Sonos One and sticking with my JBL Playlists and a Chromecast Audio for my Home Theater System. Very disappointed.
Userlevel 1
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Sonos told me that this is their decision and limitation. They did not want a different multi-room experience between their implementation and Amazon's.

Sorry, I don't believe any Sonos employee in the know would ever tell you that. They simply don't give out information like that.

Besides, it isn't possible with any 3rd party speakers at this time until Amazon releases their new SDK. So there is no decision for Sonos to make until then.
I’m not sure the logic behind sonos and Alexa when Alexa is built in to sonos 1 but won’t support multi room music like the echo’s do. It’s the same..... “Alexa”. This is very frustrating after I spent the money for this I may be returning my sonos and just get the Amazon Alexa plus and a couple more echos and eliminate sonos from the equation. So sad. Could have been a highly recommended product but without that capability it’s useless and I will not recommend the product. :@:@
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.
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.
Grouping of 3rd party speakers is not supported by Alexa at this time. To play to a group of Sonos speakers, group using the Sonos app, then tell Alexa to play to any one of the rooms in the group.
I wish this was supported too.

I have loved our Sonos 3 for many years - however due to being a little expensive I have never got round to going multi-room.

Then along comes Alexa/Echo- affordable and has spread though the house like wildfire.

Because of this - sadly our Sonos is now relegated to non use - and will likely be ebayed and replaced with another shiny new echo.
I just got a Sonos1 to add to my in-ceiling Sonos speakers and outdoor speakers. I went through setup in Alexa app to group speakers (I.e. multi-room music) via Smart Home > Add Group) and created two groups. So, SONOS in-ceiling “X” and new SONOS1 “Y” we’re grouped as “Z” (yes, I’m generalizing the name because posts like this last forever, and who’s to say 5 years from now hacking won’t be to the point where people are querying your IOT devices in your home by their name to hack into your house!). I thought I would be able to say to Alexa “Play Spotify/Amazon Music/Etc on Z,” but this doesn’t work. Alexa says “I can’t play music on the group yet.”

However, I can go into Sonos app, select the group “Z”, which did magically appear in Sonos app after creating in the Alexa App. At that point (interaction within the Sonos App), then if I say “Alexa, Play Spotify on X”, then Spotify is played on all speakers just selected within the Sonos app.

I know this probably doesn’t help those of you who are mixing Echo’s and Dots with Sonos, but maybe it will help looking into or setting up Sonos and the Play1 Alexa-enabled speaker (whose sound is FANTASTIC btw).
You can not group Sonos One with Echo devices as far as multiroom audio. Sonos One will only group with other Sonos units. I'm not even entirely sure about this. I have a home full of SONOS speakers, and if I can't figure out how to control them from my SONOS One's, I plan to upgrade to Apple Homepods as soon as they (1) offer bigger speakers or (2) allow me to control my SONOS speakers from one or more Homepods. Don't get me wrong -- I LOVE the sound quality of my SONOS system. I am just INCREDIBLY disappointed by the lack of clear support on basic setup issues like these. In the rare event that I have a problem with an Apple product, at least I can reach a human on the weekend. Let's go SONOS -- get it together. *sigh*
I just got a Sonos1 to add to my in-ceiling Sonos speakers and outdoor speakers. I went through setup in Alexa app to group speakers (I.e. multi-room music) via Smart Home > Add Group) and created two groups. So, SONOS in-ceiling “X” and new SONOS1 “Y” we’re grouped as “Z” (yes, I’m generalizing the name because posts like this last forever, and who’s to say 5 years from now hacking won’t be to the point where people are querying your IOT devices in your home by their name to hack into your house!). I thought I would be able to say to Alexa “Play Spotify/Amazon Music/Etc on Z,” but this doesn’t work. Alexa says “I can’t play music on the group yet.”

However, I can go into Sonos app, select the group “Z”, which did magically appear in Sonos app after creating in the Alexa App. At that point (interaction within the Sonos App), then if I say “Alexa, Play Spotify on X”, then Spotify is played on all speakers just selected within the Sonos app.

I know this probably doesn’t help those of you who are mixing Echo’s and Dots with Sonos, but maybe it will help looking into or setting up Sonos and the Play1 Alexa-enabled speaker (whose sound is FANTASTIC btw).


This was more helpful in addressing my problem -- inability to control other SONOS speakers with SONOS ONE -- than anything else SONOS or Amazon has published on the issue. The trick, apparently, was to go into Smart Home to setup the group. That said, it still doesn't work. *sigh* Here's how it plays out after the group (which consists of only SONOS speakers) is created:

Me: Alexa, play [INSERT SONG] on [INSERT NEW GROUP].
Alexa: I can't play music on the group yet. To play on your speaker, use the device name or setup multi-room music in the Alexa app.

So, basically, she's telling me she can't do what I'm asking unless I do what she's already asked me to do.

If SONOS doesn't fix this soon, I'm going to start replacing my SONOS speakers with Homepods. Here's to hoping Apple launches some bigger speakers soon.
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I would love to see Sonos add preset groups under "Rooms"... Hopefully, that would allow Alexa to play "xxxx" in "yyyy" where yyyy is a preset group in the Sonos app. Doesn't help those intgrating Echo etc, but if it works it would allow choosing a group of Sonos speakers by name.

It would also reduce the grouping process in the Sonos app if you have a frequent grouping you like to use. Just set up the group and then you can pick that named group under Rooms and it automatically groups the speakers chosen.
This is a major flaw. Sonos & Amazon need to get together and fix this. Extremely disappointing to not be able to play music throughout the house where i already have echo spot's and shows and also play the same thing in my living room. I assumed this would work when i bought this weekend given the advertising of alexa + sonos and how well they work together, this seems like a big caveat that should have been pointed 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 can't wait for this feature to come out
Userlevel 7
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Hi

I've tried to explain in greater detail in this post: https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/an-overview-and-explanation-of-the-new-support-for-alexa-grouping-6817788
I’m having the same issue.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
You can not group Sonos One with Echo devices as far as multiroom audio. Sonos One will only group with other Sonos units.
I've just bought an echo dot and I'm struggling with Sonos hook-up as well. I've found that I can get Alexa to play on any one of my 3 Sonos devices ( 2 Play 1s and a soundbar) individually but I haven't yet found a way to group them in the Alexa app. But if I group them in the Sonos app and then ask Alexa to play any one of them - all 3 will play. She won't crank the volume though - I have to do that via the Sonos app. Still working on it.......................
Userlevel 1
Sonos told me that this is their decision and limitation. They did not want a different multi-room experience between their implementation and Amazon's.