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Integrate existing Echo speaker with Sonos

  • 23 February 2021
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I have a Sonos Playbar, two Sonos Subs, and two Sonos One SL’s. Sounds absolutely amazing. BUT, I want to integrate my Amazon Echo Speaker community to it. I have made previous significant investments around the house and want to be able to utilize the multi room music feature through Alexa and integrate the Sonos and Other speakers.

 

I have previously purchased a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver with a fiber optic output in attempt to trick the Sonos system into recognizing it as TV fiber input. Yes, it did work, but the timing was off, and even with the ability to adjust the milliseconds, I could never get it right. 
 

So, does the Sonos Connect, Sonos Port, or Sonos Amp allow for this to happen? If not, has anyone ever been successful in making this happen? 

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Best answer by John B 24 February 2021, 20:16

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I doubt you’ll get this to work as the buffering technology is different across the two platforms.  The result, as you’ve found, is the synchronisation across devices.

I was worried that may be the case. It’s a bummer considered I have invested almost $3K  into Sonos ecosystem so far. I plan to invest more, but I have some already great speakers that don’t need replacing, and being forced to replace to get whole house connection is rather annoying. 

I was worried that may be the case. It’s a bummer considered I have invested almost $3K  into Sonos ecosystem so far. I plan to invest more, but I have some already great speakers that don’t need replacing, and being forced to replace to get whole house connection is rather annoying. 

 

To make sure every things clear,  the ‘great speakers’ you’re referring to are Amazon echos?  While I get the desire to use what you already have, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to use a Port to bring speakers that are less $100 or so each into the Sonos system.  It is cheaper to replace a pair of echos  with a pair of Sonos Ones ($400) then to try and use a Port ($450) with your echos.  If you prefer the voice control of your echos, you can use Alexa groups to have an echo control Sonos speakers.   And again, a Port isn’t really going to help much in that situation.

if your great speakers were something else, like an existing amp/receive and quality passive speakers, then a Port may very well be a good way to go.

Perhaps this will work: get a Sonos 5 for its line in jack that can take a wired in echo. Because in case of the 5, you also get a complete music making unit.

Perhaps this will work: get a Sonos 5 for its line in jack that can take a wired in echo. Because in case of the 5, you also get a complete music making unit.

 

I don’t see how that allows you to integrate Sonos with other speakers.  The Sonos 5, and any other Sonos speakers you’re grouping with, with be delayed and, not in sync with his other speakers.   I know you’re using this setup because you can’t use the Sonos/Alexa integration in your region, which is not the issue in this case.

As I said before, if we are talking about echos only, then whatever cost to integrate will be greater than just replacing them.  For more expensive audio systems, a port may be the way to go.

It depends on how you want to use the combined system. For instance an Echo wired to a Sonos unit, with other Sonos units in a group, will deliver music in perfect sync across the group; and in the case of Echo Show, will also show album art. The same Echo can also be given a voice command to start playing from another Echo some distance away from it so one does not have to shout across the room.

Or, the Echo will allow voice command play to start from a local NAS, with the music then piped to Sonos speakers in the Sonos group. Sonos on its own cannot do this even now. Again, with album art in the case of Echo Show devices.

Or, if two Echos are wired to two Sonos units in different areas, Echo grouping can replace Sonos grouping - again with perfect enough sync.

One needs to be aware of how both systems work and if that can be made to work for the use case in question - hence I started with “Perhaps”.

All use cases will not be served, obviously.

It depends on how you want to use the combined system.

 

Yes it does, and the OP stated what he wished to accomplished from a combined system.  He wanted Echos, possibly other speakers, and Sonos speakers to play in sync. 

Besides that, your idea doesn’t offer much of anything that the supported Sonos Alexa integration doesn’t already offer, but does have some drawbacks.  All things that we’ve gone over before.

 

 

Lol. Perhaps we should let the OP decide if my suggestion holds any water for him.

I was worried that may be the case. It’s a bummer considered I have invested almost $3K  into Sonos ecosystem so far. I plan to invest more, but I have some already great speakers that don’t need replacing, and being forced to replace to get whole house connection is rather annoying. 

 

To make sure every things clear,  the ‘great speakers’ you’re referring to are Amazon echos?  While I get the desire to use what you already have, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to use a Port to bring speakers that are less $100 or so each into the Sonos system.  It is cheaper to replace a pair of echos  with a pair of Sonos Ones ($400) then to try and use a Port ($450) with your echos.  If you prefer the voice control of your echos, you can use Alexa groups to have an echo control Sonos speakers.   And again, a Port isn’t really going to help much in that situation.

if your great speakers were something else, like an existing amp/receive and quality passive speakers, then a Port may very well be a good way to go.

I have a variety of Bluetooth speakers that I have paired to the Amazon echo’s all over the house. So far less about the quality of the speakers and a lot more around the wall preventing the integration. I have some Harmon Kardon speakers, a couple of JBL Bluetooth speakers, etc… positioned throughout the house. Probably around $2,000 in mid quality speakers.  At the end of the day, it seems like the only real option is buy more Sonos. 

I have a variety of Bluetooth speakers that I have paired to the Amazon echo’s all over the house. So far less about the quality of the speakers and a lot more around the wall preventing the integration. I have some Harmon Kardon speakers, a couple of JBL Bluetooth speakers, etc… positioned throughout the house. Probably around $2,000 in mid quality speakers.  At the end of the day, it seems like the only real option is buy more Sonos. 

The thing is, all those other speakers are….speakers.  Sonos is a whole-home audio system, designed to be complete and integrated. 

I have a variety of Bluetooth speakers that I have paired to the Amazon echo’s all over the house. So far less about the quality of the speakers and a lot more around the wall preventing the integration. I have some Harmon Kardon speakers, a couple of JBL Bluetooth speakers, etc… positioned throughout the house. Probably around $2,000 in mid quality speakers.  At the end of the day, it seems like the only real option is buy more Sonos. 

The thing is, all those other speakers are….speakers.  Sonos is a whole-home audio system, designed to be complete and integrated. 

Ummmm…. I guess. At the end of the day, Sonos, are in all practicality, also “just speakers.” And don’t get me wrong, they are fantastic quality, and I’m a huge fan…. just wish there was a simple way to use them in the capacity that I would like to use them, vs spending another $3-4K on replacing the other “just speakers”….. 

Yes I can understand that, it's entirely natural .

But Sonos devices are really more like computers than speakers. It's the whole package you buy into (or not).

Yes I can understand that, it's entirely natural .

But Sonos devices are really more like computers than speakers. It's the whole package you buy into (or not).

To that point, is there a limit to the amount of Sonos speakers I can have connected? I would be replacing an additional 5 speakers at a min…. 

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Ha! That’s awesome. My house isn’t that big. LOL…. Should be good to go. Thank you 

Yes, that seems to be adequate for most people's needs. :)

With a system the size yours will be you ought to operate in SonosNet mode, which requires one Sonos device to be wired to your router. If your router is located in a place where no speaker is needed,  you can use a Boost.

I have previously purchased a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver with a fiber optic output in attempt to trick the Sonos system into recognizing it as TV fiber input. Yes, it did work, but the timing was off, and even with the ability to adjust the milliseconds, I could never get it right. 
 

 

After better understanding what you were going for, I thought about running an echo’s audio through the TV and saw that you already tried this.  You might be able to help it some by direct wiring instead of BT, but you still would be off.   The reality is that the two systems won’t be in sync when they don’t know that the other system exists.  Also, if it were possible, Amazon would allow you to group a fireTV with echos, which they do not last time I checked.

 

 

Yes, that seems to be adequate for most people's needs. :)

With a system the size yours will be you ought to operate in SonosNet mode, which requires one Sonos device to be wired to your router. If your router is located in a place where no speaker is needed,  you can use a Boost.

Im not familiar with net mode. What’s the advantage? 

SonosNet mode is now officially known as Wired mode. This link will explain, but it essentially puts all the Sonos data traffic onto a dedicated mesh on which every speaker can act as a signal repeater.

https://support.sonos.com/s/article/3235?language=en_US

I told you they were more than just speakers :)