Ok I know that there are other threads already talking about this issue however I thought I would share my experience and testing.
What I want to happen:
I want to connect my Echo Dot to my Sonos CONNECT:AMP in the kitchen and be able to instruct and hear Alexa over the speakers connected. I also want the ability to control my other Sonos products in other rooms using the Echo Dot in the kitchen.
What actually happens:
If the Echo Dot is connected via line-in to the CONNECT:AMP, whilst it will play music without an issue, when asking Alexa to do something else like tell you the weather forecast, Alexa is almost inaudible.
If I disconnect the line-in, I then have to stipulate that I want the music to be played in the kitchen or it will begin playing the music out of it's own speaker. Any other type of instruction such as weather forecast will then always be heard from the Echo Dot speaker and not the speakers connected to the CONNECT:AMP.
What I tested:
I connected the Echo Dot to another speaker that had a line-in port using a straight 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack cable. Whilst the Echo Dot was playing music to that speak, I asked Alexa what the weather was and the music volume was reduced as you'd expect (I think this is called "ducking") and Alexa told me the weather over the connected speaker at the same volume that the music was playing prior to ducking. In other words, worked exactly as it should.
Through research, I found this video on YouTube which showed a Dot connected to a CONNECT and again no evidence of Alexa being inaudible when asking it a non-music command:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icpFh5FCREU
It should be noted that this appears to be an Echo Dot 1st Gen and not 2nd but is connected to the CONNECT via a 3.5mm jack to RCA as would be the same cable used to connect to a CONNECT:AMP.
I then tested on my CONNECT in my lounge, which in turn is connected to an AV Receiver and on to KEF speakers. Yet unlike the user in the above video I experienced the same issue as when connected to my CONNECT:AMP.
Conclusions drawn:
It seems that the 2nd generation Echo Dot has an issue sending its audio downstream when using a 3.5mm jack to RCA but doesn't have a problem when its 3.5mm to 3.5mm. I wonder if it is something to do with the split caused by the RCA...
I'd be interested to hear others thoughts on this and if they would view this as an Amazon or Sonos or both provider issue?
Sadly the options provided by the other community members of disabling Sonos Skills in Alexa app or not connecting via the line-in are not what I would like to achieve (see my "what I want to happen"). The first options means that you lose the ability to control the other Sonos products in other rooms and still have the ducking issue. The second means that the non-music instructions come out of the Alexa speaker rather than the decent speakers connected to the CONNECT and you have to stipulate the room you wish music to be played in, which is an unnecessary command unless you want to play in a different room to where the DOT and CONNECT is situated.
Echo Dot and CONNECT:AMP over line-in
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HairyHippy,
The issue you are encountering here, is most certainly due to the current way the Sonos 'ducking' process works when you issue an Alexa instruction to the DOT. I think Sonos/Amazon have 'hinted' a while back, that they may look into this issue (I’m not sure where I read that?). I am quite sure however that no actual 'specifics' were given, or timescales.
The easiest way to perhaps solve this issue, is to either cable a non-Sonos speaker to the DOT instead (that type of speaker will then not 'duck' it’s audio), or ditch the DOT for an echo device with its own built-in speaker.
Then simply continue to connect to your Sonos connect:amp and speakers via the Alexa smart-home route, using the Sonos Skill installed in the Alexa App.
I think you will find things will work much better that way until the ducking and line-out issues are fixed, that’s if the powers that be, do decide to fix these things.
The issue you are encountering here, is most certainly due to the current way the Sonos 'ducking' process works when you issue an Alexa instruction to the DOT. I think Sonos/Amazon have 'hinted' a while back, that they may look into this issue (I’m not sure where I read that?). I am quite sure however that no actual 'specifics' were given, or timescales.
The easiest way to perhaps solve this issue, is to either cable a non-Sonos speaker to the DOT instead (that type of speaker will then not 'duck' it’s audio), or ditch the DOT for an echo device with its own built-in speaker.
Then simply continue to connect to your Sonos connect:amp and speakers via the Alexa smart-home route, using the Sonos Skill installed in the Alexa App.
I think you will find things will work much better that way until the ducking and line-out issues are fixed, that’s if the powers that be, do decide to fix these things.
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