Question

Alexa overly sensitive on the Sonos One

  • 30 October 2017
  • 35 replies
  • 3796 views

Userlevel 2
Hi all,

I have seen a few topics where people are commenting that they are having trouble giving commands to their Sonos One player via Alexa but I'm finding the microphone is too sensitive and it is chiming constantly when we are talking nearby without even using the wake word. Is there any way to adjust sensitivity (I don't think there is but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask).

Also, is there any way to change the wake work like on the Echo? My other half is called Alex and it would be better to have a different wake work (we use Echo on the Amazon Echo Dot we have).

Thanks.

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35 replies

Since you're the only person to have this issue, I will provide you with a Sonos One with very low sensitivity in exchange for yours. And if you run across any others with this "issue", I can exchange as many as you want.
I'm also having this issue please advise!!!
I am having the same issue here too. Alexa constantly comes on with normal conversation or the TV. I have had to turn off the microphone just so I am not interrupted. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Mine keeps beeping awake with no noise in the room whatsoever. Super annoying!
Same problem
Same issue here - hope a future update fixes the issue and allows for changing the wake word.
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Having the same problem. Sonos One is “chirping” as if it hears the wake word when nothing is being said. Happens very frequently. The Sonos One has replaced an Amazon Echo in the exact same location and it did not have this problem.
I am having the exact same issue.
I constantly have false positives on the two Sonos ONE systems in my apartment. Often during conversation, sudden a Sonos ONE beeps like it heard the word Alexa. Replaying the Audio from Amazon shows nothing that even hints phonetically close to Alexa as far as I can tell.

Ironically, it doesn’t detect the word Alexa either anywhere near as well as my older Echo Dot. Funny thing is sometimes if we speak loudly to it, the Echo Dot down the hall in the bedroom will instead understand it and do the command.

LIttle disappointed in it’s Alexa trigger phrase functionality. It doesn’t match the older gen Echo Dot anyway.
Userlevel 3
Badge +1
My Sonos One is also way worse in recognizing the wake word than the Echo Dot. I wanted to replace a Play:1 and Dot with a One, but that is not possible for now, because the recognition does not work nearly as well.

Apart from that, the personal news function "is not supported yet", as the One tells me. That as well is a bummer.
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Same issue here too- constantly beeping at random noises and then when I actually try to say Alexa it doesn't hear me 😕
Same issue here. We’re getting interrupted in about 40% of the convos within 20 feet of a sonos one even though we’re never saying the wake word. Would love a software fix, sonos!
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Same story here. Sounds from TV and YouTube constantly make the One go bloing, with basically any word that contains "x" in it. Meanwhile, I have to use quite a sternly loud voice in order for it to recognise a legitimate wake word.

Clearly the detection here is using different software than the Echo Dot. Desperately looking for a fix, because I'm reporting my History for unexpected wakes almost on a daily basis.
Userlevel 1
As many people as possible need to email Sonos directly about this as they are not currently taking it seriously as an issue due to very few people bringing it to their attention.
Userlevel 3
Badge +4
As many people as possible need to email Sonos directly about this as they are not currently taking it seriously as an issue due to very few people bringing it to their attention.Emails to Sonos sounds like a good idea, but you'd think they'd be reading these forums, and perhaps looking at the return rate for Sonos Ones compared to their other speakers.
Userlevel 2
Same problem. Every time my wife talks Alexa chimes in. Even from 10 ft away it will chime 3-4 times during a short conversation. It is super annoying as the music cuts out constantly when Alexa picks up. My sister was over recently and it did the same when she talked. It happens more with female voices. If this doesn't improve soon I will be returning my set of Ones, with all its other short comings its just not worth it.
Userlevel 1
Same here Durning any conversation the one chimes every few minutes. Not while playing music though
Userlevel 2
I called Sonos about this issue as it persist. The technician went through a number of steps with me to see if it could be resolved but in the end, he said there was nothing they could do from their end and hopefully future updates would resolve it or moving the speaker to a different part of the room.

Not particularly helpful and he also mentioned that there were no plans to have additional wake words that he knew of.

Now considering sending the speaker back as I've had to turn Alexa off when we have people over and what's the point in having the One if you are forced to turn Alexa off?
Also having this issue. It activated several times a day, even when no one is talking.
Same here. Just got my first Sonos ever and they beep beep beep. Ridiculous. Can we connect the Amazon Dot to the Sonos One and just turn off the Sonos mic and use the Amazon Dot?
Userlevel 2
Same here. Just got my first Sonos ever and they beep beep beep. Ridiculous. Can we connect the Amazon Dot to the Sonos One and just turn off the Sonos mic and use the Amazon Dot?

You can do. You would just need to install the Sonos skill on the Alexa app.

The alternative is to return the Sonos One and get a Sonos Play:1 which is now £50 cheaper as it doesn't have Alexa built in.
Thanks . I have the return slips but now i hear they are going to add AirPlay2 and i imagine they will only work with the Sonos Ones. Hard choice. But this chirping during TV and conversations is such a bummer.
Userlevel 2
Thanks . I have the return slips but now i hear they are going to add AirPlay2 and i imagine they will only work with the Sonos Ones. Hard choice. But this chirping during TV and conversations is such a bummer.

It really is. It seems to be any word with an X in it and occasionally just random phrases. I've decided to stick with it in the hope a software update fixes it but the chirping is increasingly annoying.
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Hi everyone, I just wanted to share that we have seen your concerns around the voice recognition sensitivity with Sonos One, and we’re in the process of developing software updates to make improvements. You can count on the microphone detection both when waking up when it shouldn't or not detecting your voice when you ask to improve. There isn't a specific release date on this but it will continue to get better. We appreciate the feedback, and we’ll continue to make additional updates to make the experience better over time.
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I am having the overly sensitive issue too. I haven't had it long enough to experience the random wakings, but it hears me using the echos in adjacent rooms and responds. My Echos never did this, so it is pretty aggravating to ask for the news in the Kitchen and have it start playing in the Family room.