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Amazon Echo / Dot and Sonos Integration

  • 14 September 2016
  • 190 replies
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S
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So with Sonos integrating Amazon Echo within their eco system a couple of questions:

- If I install an Amazon Echo Dot in each room that I have Sonos speakers in will I be able to assign that particular dot to that rooms speakers? For example, I don't want to ask Alexa a question and then have all of the households Sonos speakers respond.

- I assume using the Dots that as well as having full control of Sonos Music system I will also have full use of the usual Amazon Echo services i.e. Alexa, what's the weather forecast, and it will use that particular rooms Sonos speakers to respond?

The potential is quite compelling if it's implemented well but good to get some clarification.
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Best answer by Ryan S 4 October 2017, 17:59

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190 replies

dave77
Userlevel 6
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My UK Echo Dot arrived on Thursday. Having used it over the weekend for controlling my Hue lights and Hive heating (well trying to!) I suspect the Sonos integration might be a novelty for a while, then we'll revert to the controller and never use it again :)

If your Echo is in the same room as a loudly playing Sonos, will the Echo won't even hear you. I'v moved my Echo away from the TV for that reason
Chris
Userlevel 7
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It will hear ok from experience with my dot hooked to play 5. It isn't a controller replacement but good for quick play be a song type situations. Or case yesterday I wanted to hear a post game show on radio and could just say "Alexa play wqam". Very handy in those situations. When wanting to hear multiple songs come controller is the way to go.
Respect the Queue (1)Move (2)Beam (1)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1)Connect:Amp (3)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings
dave77
Userlevel 6
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Personally, I think Sonos's time would be best spent making a cheap dedicated Android based controller
Chris
Userlevel 7
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? Huh. You mean Google assistant?
Respect the Queue (1)Move (2)Beam (1)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1)Connect:Amp (3)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings
dave77
Userlevel 6
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No 🙂 controller with screen, like the 2 Sonos controller's in the past
Chris
Userlevel 7
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I'm not sure I know what you mean as there is a current and ongoingly developed android controller.
Respect the Queue (1)Move (2)Beam (1)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1)Connect:Amp (3)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings
Chris
Userlevel 7
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And if you mean hardware that would make no sense when you can get android controllers for like $50 to dedicate to Sonos.
Respect the Queue (1)Move (2)Beam (1)ARC (1)SonosOne (1)Playbar (4)Play5 (4)Play1 (3)Play3 (1)Port (2)Connect (1)Connect:Amp (3)Sonos Amp (1)Sub + (9) Echo + Smartthings
jgatie
Personally, I think Sonos's time would be best spent making a cheap dedicated Android based controller

Or you could buy a $50 Amazon tablet and use app pinning to make it a "dedicated" Sonos tablet. Everything you want except the Sonos logo. I highly doubt Sonos can compete with $50 per unit (and Amazon charges less when you buy in 6-packs, one for every room!).

I for one look forward to voice control, maybe not for song selection, but definitely for grouping/ungrouping as I go about my day. Saying "Alexa, group Sonos Kitchen to Living Room" would be great instead of breaking out the phone.
jTemplar
Userlevel 2
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I've also received my Amazon Dots and connected one to old Play:5 in kitchen/conservatory and the other I've been moving between lounge Connect and bedroom new Play:5.

So far I'm happy and the Dots perform well in all positions with no problems hearing me when next to TV or bedroom Play:5.

I use Spotify and Alexa is pretty snappy finding generic playlists, my personal playlists and specific artists and songs. It would be great if I could ask her to connect to my home server for music and to an AV tuner I use for satellite radio but hopefully that will come with full Sonos integration. Can't wait! 😉
dave77
Userlevel 6
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If integration is like other systems it will be something like

Tell Sonos to play [station/song/etc] in the [player name]
jgatie
If integration is like other systems it will be something like

Tell Sonos to play [station/song/etc] in the [player name]

The "Alexa, tell/ask (so and so) to (such and such)" commands are Skills. Sonos has stated that the implementation will be more extensive than just Skills.
dave77
Userlevel 6
Badge +11
If integration is like other systems it will be something like

Tell Sonos to play [station/song/etc] in the [player name]

The "Alexa, tell/ask (so and so) to (such and such)" commands are Skills. Sonos has stated that the implementation will be more extensive than just Skills.

Ah, only just watched the video. Sounds good!
E
I noticed something troubling about the Sonos/Amazon Echo video. There is no indication, either way, that the people in the video are using the Sonos app to play music. The Echo can play music too, from a list of supported services, like Prime Music and Pandora. Everything that happened in the video could have been off Amazon's music services rather than Sonos'.

That raises the question, exactly what kind of integration will there be? Will all of the Sonos supported services be controlled via voice via the Echo, or will voice control be limited to Amazon's services? If the latter, then the Sonos integration means that Sonos simply provides a networked speaker system for the Echo. If you want to listen to non-Amazon Echo services, you'll still need to use the app. It won't truly be a voice control for Sonos.

I've been wondering how Sonos is going to work out the drm and get permission from companies like Apple, to play their content using Amazon's voice system. I hope they work it out, because if the integration simply means that the Echo uses Sonos as a networked speaker system, that would be a disappointment.
jTemplar
Userlevel 2
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I noticed something troubling about the Sonos/Amazon Echo video. There is no indication, either way, that the people in the video are using the Sonos app to play music.

I have my Echo set to use Spotify as the default music server so when I ask Alexa to play Red Hot Chilli Peppers she goes to Spotify, if I ask her to play some jazz she goes to Spotify but if I just ask her to play some music she defaults to my Amazon music.
E
I have my Echo set to use Spotify as the default music server so when I ask Alexa to play Red Hot Chilli Peppers she goes to Spotify, if I ask her to play some jazz she goes to Spotify but if I just ask her to play some music she defaults to my Amazon music.

There's two default settings: Default Library and Default Service. Amazon Music is initially the Default Library. If you just set up Spotify without changing the Default Library setting then "play music" is from Amazon Music. If you change the Default Library settings to Spotify, then "play music" is from Spotify.

Maybe Amazon will add Sonos as a Default Library option, so then "play music" will come from Sonos somehow. That would be a good workaround.
U


That raises the question, exactly what kind of integration will there be? Will all of the Sonos supported services be controlled via voice via the Echo, or will voice control be limited to Amazon's services? If the latter, then the Sonos integration means that Sonos simply provides a networked speaker system for the Echo. If you want to listen to non-Amazon Echo services, you'll still need to use the app. It won't truly be a voice control for Sonos.


I don't know what the integration will include but if I had to guess I would say:

1- Rooms should show up in the Echo so you can say "Alexa play abc in the xyz room. Not sure you will be able to create or change room groups though.

2- Favorites should show up in the Echo so you can say Alexa play favorite IJK in room XYZ and the Echo will do it. This lets Echo play Sonos specific content without needing to know anything about it... just trigger the favorite and let Sonos handle it from there.

3- Overlapping services like Amazon Prime and Spotify could get some additional integration goodies but I would not expect services available only through Sonos and not Echo to get much more than a basic startup via favorites. Likewise local libraries will either need to upload to Amazon or be limited to control via favorites. Not sure if Sonos Playlists will show up directly or if they will also need to be added to favorites to be seen.

If this is all it does then that will be fine with me but if folks are expecting something more elaborate than this there may be some disappointment with the product that actually gets delivered. Again, all just speculation.
Local music library with carefully constructed playlists - no shuffling!, Integration with Homeseer Automation, No touch screen devices, No streaming services, No Apple products ever
E


That raises the question, exactly what kind of integration will there be? Will all of the Sonos supported services be controlled via voice via the Echo, or will voice control be limited to Amazon's services? If the latter, then the Sonos integration means that Sonos simply provides a networked speaker system for the Echo. If you want to listen to non-Amazon Echo services, you'll still need to use the app. It won't truly be a voice control for Sonos.


I don't know what the integration will include but if I had to guess I would say:

1- Rooms should show up in the Echo so you can say "Alexa play abc in the xyz room. Not sure you will be able to create or change room groups though.

2- Favorites should show up in the Echo so you can say Alexa play favorite IJK in room XYZ and the Echo will do it. This lets Echo play Sonos specific content without needing to know anything about it... just trigger the favorite and let Sonos handle it from there.

3- Overlapping services like Amazon Prime and Spotify could get some additional integration goodies but I would not expect services available only through Sonos and not Echo to get much more than a basic startup via favorites. Likewise local libraries will either need to upload to Amazon or be limited to control via favorites. Not sure if Sonos Playlists will show up directly or if they will also need to be added to favorites to be seen.

If this is all it does then that will be fine with me but if folks are expecting something more elaborate than this there may be some disappointment with the product that actually gets delivered. Again, all just speculation.

Right, speculation. If the integration does nothing more than default to the Sonos app's services when I tell the Echo to play music or play a song or a playlist, music by an artist, etc. then I'd be happy.
jgatie
The only thing we know for certain is Sonos/Alexa is going to be a full integration and not just an Alexa skill, as stated here by a Sonos rep. Yes, the PR video lends one to think only Echo/Amazon supported music services will be available, but it is a joint PR release. As such, I would imagine prominently featuring those services would be a given, so I would take that with a grain of salt. Until the release, we can only guess at the rest.
E
The only thing we know for certain is Sonos/Alexa is going to be a full integration and not just an Alexa skill, as stated here by a Sonos rep. Yes, the PR video lends one to think only Echo/Amazon supported music services will be available, but it is a joint PR release. As such, I would imagine prominently featuring those services would be a given, so I would take that with a grain of salt. Until the release, we can only guess at the rest.

Thanks
E
You can get a sort of integration between Sonos and the Echo now. It's not the full experience, but until that arrives, this works. You need a Logitech Harmony Hub as well as an Echo and a Sonos speaker.

There's two ways of doing it, both involve having a Sonos speaker play a Favorite via voice command.

1. Create a Favorite in the Sonos app
2. Create an Activity in the Harmony app: 1) set the desired Sonos speaker as a Device and 2) Choose a Favorite to play when the Sonos speaker starts
3. Add the Harmony Skill to the Echo
4. Tell Echo: "Alexa turn on [Activity or nickname].

When you name the Activity, give it a name that the Echo won't confuse with its own music choices. So "Nat King Cole" is likely to confuse the Echo into thinking you want it to play Cole music from its own service, over its own speaker. But if you name the Activity "Tunes", the Echo will cause the Harmony Hub to play your desired Favorite on the Sonos. You'll need a separate Harmony Activity for each Favorite.

The second way to do it uses IFTTT:
1. Follow steps 1 to 3 above
2. At IFTTT.com create an applet where IF your trigger is [nickname] THEN it will play the Activity of your choice.
3. If your trigger is "Nat King Cole", then you tell the Echo "Alexa trigger Nat King Cole", and the Sonos speaker will begin playing your desired Favorite. You'll need to set up triggers for each Favorite.

If you want to get fancy you can create an Activity that pauses the Sonos speaker. You'd initiate the Activity using either one of the above.

The experience "should" be better when Sonos and Amazon finish their integration.

The Harmony Hub costs $100, but it comes as part of a combo with a remote control for about $150, called Harmony Companion. The Companion replaces the previous version, called Harmony Smart Control. Both versions have the same Hub, but slight differences in the remote control. Best Buy online has the Smart Control for $100. But in the physical store BB had it for $70. If you can find that deal you can get pseudo Sonos/Echo integration, plus a good universal remote, for just $70.
chicks
Can do pretty much the same with Anymote OR Yonomi app on an android device, for free. Limited, but maybe worth the effort while waiting for the Sonos/AVS integration.
jTemplar
Userlevel 2
Badge +3
You can get a sort of integration between Sonos and the Echo now. It's not the full experience, but until that arrives, this works. You need a Logitech Harmony Hub as well as an Echo and a Sonos speaker.Sadly no good for users outside the USA due to no Harmony integration.
M
Userlevel 2
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I'm hoping that when the integration comes, it won't restrict which streaming services can be used, as at the moment I stream from Apple Music to my Sonos, but my Echo will only allow Spotify and Amazon Prime Music
W
Do we have an indication when this integration will come about?
jgatie
Do we have an indication when this integration will come about?

As stated in the press release, a private beta is scheduled for late 2016, with a general release in 2017.
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