Alexa voice volume linked to Sonos volume? Need independent control

  • 24 October 2017
  • 61 replies
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It seems the volume of the Alexa voice is linked directly to the volume of the Sonos One unit. That means if I'm playing quiet music in the background, and I activate Alexa, I can't really hear her voice at all.

That also means if I am playing loud music, after the "ducking" to mute the music the voice is really loud.

The volume should be independent or perhaps some proportional volume of the music.

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61 replies

I know this might not be the solution most want, but if you buy an Echo Dot (3rd gen is often on sale for only $30), add it to a group with your Sonos speaker(s), and set the Sonos speaker(s) as the default speakers for music for that group, it solves this issue and pretty much all of the other Alexa integration issues people have with the Sonos One. It partially defeats the purpose of getting Sonos One over Play:1, but it works well and you still benefit from having AirPlay 2 over the Play:1.
You won't get an answer, so might as well return it. Good luck with Bose. Hope they don't abandon their current line of multi-room speakers after 5 years like they did the last one.
It's been a year since the first reports of this. I just got a Play One from Amazon. Can't be expected to search for every issue. Linked it to music, turned it up so I could hear it, then asked Alexa for the weather and I had to pull the plug on the freaking thing so as not to wake the neighbors.

This is unacceptable, both from a product design standpoint (any of you bozos try this before releasing it?) AND from a customer support perspective. IT'S BEEN A YEAR. So I'll fix it for you, Sonos. I'm giving you 7 days to answer: Tell us you will be fixing it; or, tell us you won't/can't but are working with Amazon to resolve it; or, tell us it will never be fixed. BUT TELL US SOMETHING. You have 7 days. If you slackers don't answer by then, screw you, it goes back to Amazon and I look at Bose.
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Try my Skill: it only effects the Sonos volume. (In fact I have no idea how to change the Alexa volume!). eg "Alexa, tell my speaker to set the volume to 15 in the kitchen".
Just got my ONE last week and I must agree with everyone else on this topic, it needs an independent volume setting for Alexa. I find it too low as it is in the kitchen and with the kettle, extractor fan and other devices on you can hardly hear her response.
Please, please, please send an update to rectify this.
Please implement this Sonos, it's my biggest gripe. When I'm playing music loud and use Alexa, she yells her response. Very irritating!
I tried to email them this week and they had no idea what I was talking about. :(

May be send them the link to this topic?

I personally hate Alexa. So just hope google assistant integration does not have this issue
I tried to email them this week and they had no idea what I was talking about. 😞
Sonos, please fix this!
Any updates Sonos?!! Would love independent volume control for Alexa. Please!!!!!!!!
Agreed, independent control please! It's another step at the end of the day which I don't need - resetting Alexa's volume because we've turned up the tv to hear it through the beam, and Alexa's volume has also come up along with it. I realize this was a design decision, but I think it was the wrong one.
Amazon Echos work the same way.
Agreed, independent control please! It's another step at the end of the day which I don't need - resetting Alexa's volume because we've turned up the tv to hear it through the beam, and Alexa's volume has also come up along with it. I realize this was a design decision, but I think it was the wrong one.
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I have 6 sonos devices and finally started buying a couple more newer sonos ones to add voice control and expand the system... please add this feature! Otherwise I may have just as well stuck with the echo dot controlling the speakers.
"Thanks for the suggestion! I'll pass it up to the team for you," Sonos said a year ago.
Thanks for the suggestion! I'll pass it up to the team for you. would love an update on this. The One is an amazing addition to my home system but the inability to set independant volumes is frustrating! 🙂
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Funny, people seem to found Alexa too loud when in fact I found it too low. ?

But overall we are all requesting the same thing, an independent volume like on Google Mini.
11 months since the last response from Sonos. Would be nice to know if this feature is being considered or worked on.
I've just invested in two Sonos Ones. I am happy with my purchase overall.

However, when enjoying some quiet music last night, I asked Alexa something and was shocked at the sheer loud volume of her voice!!! I have a 1 year old asleep in the next room, and I don't want to risk waking him with Alexa's bellowing volume. I googled how to turn her voice down, (assuming that this possibility was a given) - independently from the music - and was utterly astonished that this is NOT possible!!

My partner has now asked that I don't use Alexa once the baby is in bed, rendering her a pointless purchase once the baby is asleep.

As I understand it, all marketing today is lifestyle driven, and Sonos One's lack of functionality is affecting my being able to use it to full capacity. Sonos, please, please sort this out, and make a satisfied user, much much happier.
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Sonos development, please respond. Thanks.

+1 I can’t hear Alexa at all when playing background music downstairs. People are asking for independent volume adjustment at the start of the Alexa implementation in Sonos and still no solution from development.
1 month ago Jim Ox asked if there had been any progress on the effort for separating Alexa voice volume in Sonos One from music volume. He never received a response. I just purchased the Sonos One. If there is no progress, I may end up returning it. Sonos development, please respond. Thanks.
Any update on this from Sonos? It's brutally bad!
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As a new One owner, I came here looking for the answer to this myself. Absolutely agree with the many other requests: an independent Alexa volume control is needed.

Specifically for myself, a nighttime mode of some kind would be especially helpful (and was also previously requested in this thread).

Any expectation or ETA on this update actually happening?
Same here. Volume is down and we can’t hear her !!! Can’t have music blaring all the time. Sonos sort it out !!!
Yes, so annoying.

Seems there is no perfect Alexa solution. Bought an Echo Dot to use with my existing Bose speaker, but it doesn't work. Then bought a cheap speaker from Amazon to combine with the Dot, but the sound was terrible. Finally I bought a Sonos One. But the Alexa sound is ridiculously loud. Not sure I will keep it.
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Using Ones as surround speakers with a playbase. Alexa integration is great, but she is often way too loud.