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

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
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 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 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.
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.
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
(I noticed the most recent update in the app says it makes Alexa MORE sensitive...so I won't be updating.)

The update to 8.2.3 makes it better at detecting when you say Alexa, it's not that it makes it more or less sensitive. So for people who found it hard to get the Sonos One to detect Alexa, it becomes better at picking that up (which you could say makes it more sensitive), but for people who find it picks up words that aren't "Alexa", it also is better at not registering and responding to those.

I think you might be pleasantly surprised with the new update.
Userlevel 6
Badge +9
I Solved the problem by telling the Alexa software to NOT listen for a response without the trigger word. Prior to changing that setting the Sonos was constantly beeping

I believe what you're saying is that you disabled Follow-Up mode on the Sonos One. Follow-up was mode was only introduced by Amazon last week, and there is a known issue with it that is causing the Sonos to repeatedly play the wake notification. Sonos has recommended disabling Follow-Up mode temporarily while they investigate this (see link below). It is, however, unrelated to the sensitivity issue some have reported in this thread.

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/follow-up-mode-makes-confirmation-sound-repeat-6804525
We are still having problems with the over sensitive false wake-up. Currently running Version: 8.5.
It even goes on to wake up when music is playing, then trying to listen to the lyrics for the song trying to search it for an answer. And that is also without even Alexa being mentioned in the songs.
You should have negative filter knowing your own output, it shouldn't be listining to that output at least.
Same issue here - hope a future update fixes the issue and allows for changing the wake word.
Badge
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.
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 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?
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.