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I purchased a new Sonos One 2nd gen last month, and I immediately noticed that the microphone was nowhere as sensitive as the gen 1 version. For Alexa to respond, I have to be quite near the Sonos One, and I've had to raise the volume of my voice to be heard.





I relocated from Europe earlier this year and was waiting for all my Sonos gear to arrive with my furnitures. Those have now arrived and I set it all up over the past few days.





So I have Sonos One devices in all bedrooms, all but one are 1st gen, the 2nd gen being in my bedroom.





When I say "Alexa, turn on the light", it's typically Alexa in another room that will respond. "Alexa set a timer for 5 minutes" and you can hear it being setup in another bedroom.





Now I don't know if it's an issue with this particular gen2 that is faulty, or that somehow the gen2 has a less sensitive microphone. But it's pretty much unusable as an Alexa device. If I say "Alexa!" with a rather low voice, I can hear the "ding" noise on all the other Sonos One but the gen2 that is closer to me.





Any ideas if that sensitivity can be adjusted?

@Rowena B.Seriously is this a wind up? @sonos stop embarrassing yourself and admit that these mic’s are  rubbish and not fit for purpose? They’ve even got a bot now to automate their replies as they are just showing what a joke of a company they are. Your mics don’t work, are sub-standard and YOU KNOW IT! What a terrible, terrible company you are.


Hi @duke6, thanks for reaching out to the Sonos community and for letting us know about your concern. What you feel is understandable. Let me share some information with you. Most of the time, the problem is caused by network-related issues, and we can determine this by looking at the diagnostic report. If the device itself is having the issue, we need to isolate it by performing some troubleshooting steps. Have you tried the steps we recommended in this thread?  I would also recommend contacting our phone support to further assist you with your concern and to provide the best option for you. Please let us know if you have any further questions or concerns, we'll be glad to assist you.


Still no fix for this then, just blame network interference like everything else. The mic is beyond poor and 80% of the time I have to repeat ‘Alexa’. Network interference my ***, funny how echo dot and google nest works fine, as does Sonos One Gen 1 by all accounts.

 

Sonos support is very, very poor and that is the reason I will never buy any of their products again. You fix nothing and blame everybody else for your shortcomings. The mic’s on these speakers simply aren’t good enough, and you know it.

 

*Moderator Note: Modified in accordance with the community guidelines.*


Hi @Paul_uk74,

Thank you for reaching out to the Sonos community and for submitting the diagnostic. Let me share some information to help you out.

Upon checking the report, there's an interference in your wireless network that may be caused by wireless congestion or low wireless range and your Sonos speakers are in different wireless channels. This might be the reason why you’re having issues with your voice assistant.

Have you tried the steps we recommended in this thread?  If so, let me suggest the next troubleshooting steps you can perform.

  1. Sequential reboot to refresh your network and all your Sonos devices connection.
    • Unplug your network devices (modem, router, any wireless access points on the network) from the power and wait for 60 full seconds before you plug it back in.
    • Once the router is back online, unplug all your Sonos devices from the power. Please wait 15 seconds before you plug back them back in.
    • Force close the Sonos app from your iOS or Android device.
    • When the status light on your Sonos speakers are solid white, get back on the Sonos app and check if you're connected.
  2. Hardwire one of your speakers to your router.
    • Test playback by asking your voice assistant
  3. If you have access to your router settings, below are the settings that need to be verified. You can contact your Interner Service Provider or router manufacturer for assistance.
    • The auto channel must be set to Off
    • Choose the best non-overlapping channel (1,6,11)
    • Set channel bandwidth to 20MHz
    • Both 2.4GHz and 5GHz should be enabled
    • UPnP should be enabled
    • 802.11 bands should be set to b/g/n
    • Airtime Fairness should be disabled (if applicable)

If it's still doesn't work, you may need to contact our phone support team to look into this. Our phone support has the tools to check what's going on in your system and to remotely access your device to address the issue. 

Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns, I'll be glad to assist you. 


Hi. 

I am also noticing the same issue with the gen2 mic. 

I have both the gen 1 and the gen 2 Sonos one and find I have to shout at the gen 2. 

I've submitted a diagnostic report. 

1479634328. 

Can you help please as this is ridiculous and needs sorting. 

Regards Paul


Hi @Shephmat, thank you for your response and for performing the steps provided. I'm sorry to hear that you're still experiencing the same.

I really appreciate the time and effort you've spent doing all the troubleshooting steps, and it would be best for you to continue working with us over the phone to expedite the process. 

To further assist you with this, I recommend contacting our Sonos Customer Care support with your full network setup including the make and model for each device to check what's going on and to provide the best option for you.

We're here to answer any further questions you have.


Hi @Shephmat, thank you for your response. 

Please keep us posted. We're here to answer any further questions you have.

The Sonos Community is always here to help.

Hi Rowena,

It appears the issue isn’t fixed. Just tonight cooking dinner, about 2 metres away from the Sonos one with Alexa, I asked Alexa to set a timer and the Alexa Echo 2 rooms over about 15 metres away responded and set the timer. 
please help,

Thanks

Matt


Hi @Shephmat, thank you for your response. 

Please keep us posted. We're here to answer any further questions you have.

The Sonos Community is always here to help.


Hi @Shephmat, thank you for your response and for submitting the diagnostic. I appreciate for detailing your concern in your post and for letting us know about it. 

Let me help you with your concern by following the steps below.

  1. Open the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
  2. Open the menu in the top left and tap on Skills & Games > Your Skills > Sonos > Disable Skill.
  3. Deregister your Sonos speaker from Alexa by following the instructions on Amazon's website: Deregistering a device.
  4. Disable Voice Control in the Sonos app. From the Settings tab, tap Services, and select Amazon Alexa under Voice. Select the voice-enabled speaker from the list of Sonos Products, and tap Remove Alexa.
  5. Log out of all Amazon Apps on the mobile device, including the Amazon app, Alexa app, and Amazon.com in your mobile browser.
    • To sign out of the Amazon mobile app:
      • On Android devices, open the app and tap Menu > Your Account > Sign Out.
      • On iOS devices, open the app and tap the menu icon in the top-left corner, and then choose Settings > "Not &name]?"
  6. Using the Sonos app, complete Alexa setup again. Follow the steps to log into the appropriate Amazon account when prompted to do so.
  7. Once completed, try giving Alexa another command.

We would like to have you submit a diagnostic of your system and reply back with the confirmation number. This will allow us to see how your system is functioning, and help provide the best option for you.

Let us know how you get on with the advice above.

Thanks.

I have just followed the above. I will let you know how it goes.

Cheers

Matt


Hi @Shephmat, thank you for your response and for submitting the diagnostic. I appreciate for detailing your concern in your post and for letting us know about it. 

Let me help you with your concern by following the steps below.

  1. Open the Alexa app on your iOS or Android device.
  2. Open the menu in the top left and tap on Skills & Games > Your Skills > Sonos > Disable Skill.
  3. Deregister your Sonos speaker from Alexa by following the instructions on Amazon's website: Deregistering a device.
  4. Disable Voice Control in the Sonos app. From the Settings tab, tap Services, and select Amazon Alexa under Voice. Select the voice-enabled speaker from the list of Sonos Products, and tap Remove Alexa.
  5. Log out of all Amazon Apps on the mobile device, including the Amazon app, Alexa app, and Amazon.com in your mobile browser.
    • To sign out of the Amazon mobile app:
      • On Android devices, open the app and tap Menu > Your Account > Sign Out.
      • On iOS devices, open the app and tap the menu icon in the top-left corner, and then choose Settings > "Not gname]?"
  6. Using the Sonos app, complete Alexa setup again. Follow the steps to log into the appropriate Amazon account when prompted to do so.
  7. Once completed, try giving Alexa another command.

We would like to have you submit a diagnostic of your system and reply back with the confirmation number. This will allow us to see how your system is functioning, and help provide the best option for you.

Let us know how you get on with the advice above.


Hi @Shephmat. Welcome to the Sonos Community and thank you for letting us know about your concern on your Sonos One. I understand that the voice service doesn't pick up the voice command. I'd like to ask some questions with regard to what you're experiencing and to completely understand the situation.

  1. What voice service are you using to your Sonos One?
  2. Was it working before?
  3. Are you experiencing the problem while playing music or even there’s no music playing?

To further assist you on this, kindly submit a diagnostic to check on your system.

Please feel free to reach back to us.

Hi Rowena,

 

I am using Alexa

Its a new Sonos One living room device . Replacing an old Alexa echo. It hasn’t worked correctly since I brought it. 

I have submitted a diagnostics, No. 990312567

The problem happens even when not listening to music and the room is quite. Just tonight I asked it to turn on the TV, Alexa two rooms over turned on, the living room Sonos did nothing. Strangely enough it works maybe 25% of the time.

I have signed out of Alexa and back in but that doesn’t help.
I’m wondering if this is a software issue or a hardware issue and I need to return it?

Thanks

Matt


Hi @shaneh85. Thank you for reaching out to us and welcome to the Sonos Community.

I appreciate all your effort in checking the troubleshooting in this thread. If you need help with further troubleshooting with your Sonos Ones, you can reach out to our Support Customer Care to check what's happening.

About returns, we have a 100-day return policy from the date of purchase. If you need to know more about the returns policy, you may contact our Sales team.

If you need help with any other information, please be sure to let us know.

 


I have purchased 2 gen 2 Sonos 1s.  They sound great, but are unusable as their intended purpose, the  Alexa function.  They’re in the kitchen unplugged and my £40 original Alexa is set up.

 

I’ve tried everything in this thread.  The Mics are not sensitive enough at all and I find myself screaming Alexa!  Additionally, the BBC news function doesn’t work as it should and just loops…

 

I have sent diagnostics….nothing.
 

what are my options for return.  I understand faulty electrical purchases can be returned if within the year?!


Hi @rodilardius

Thank you for your response and for letting us know what's happening.

Can you please submit a diagnostic report from your Sonos system for me to check what’s going on?

The Sonos Community is always here to help.


Hello

For your first question, I do not think so. I am always connected to my account. I may have had to disconnect and reconnect once when I set up the Sonos device but that's it. 

As for your second question I'm not sure what do you mean. I'm using a sonos move on my WiFi network and my phone is a pixel 4 xl on android 11.

Last example today in my kitchen, 1m from the speaker. 

Me: Hey Google, timer 3 minutes

Speaker: ... 

Me: HEY GOOGLE TIMER 3 MINUTES 

Speaker: OK let's go... 

(timer beeps) 

Me: Stop. 

Speaker: Beep. 

Me: STOP. 

Speaker: beep. 

Me, screaming: STAHHHHHHPPP! 

(Timer ends)

 

I don't know, maybe I'm doing something wrong? Like there is a conflict between my phone and the speaker (the command never starts on my phone so I don't think so) 


Hi @rodilardius

Thank you for reaching out. I understand that the issue is with Google Assistance on Sonos Move. I have got a few questions and will give some suggestions on some troubleshooting steps that you can follow.

  1. Have you tried to sign out from your Google accounts from your browser on your device controller?
  2. Kindly provide the make and model of the controller device you're using Google Assistant on the Sonos App.

Please refer to this article Help and tips for Google Assistant on Sonos to follow some troubleshooting steps to help you get the best results when using the Google Assistant on Sonos.

Also, I’d appreciate it if you can submit a diagnostic to check your system to help you identify what is causing the issue.

 

 


Hi Rowena, thanks

I’m using Google Assistant, not Alexa, but I have the same exact problem mentioned here in this thread.

I’m also using GA on my phone with no problem: if I put phone and Move side by side and I say Hey Google, the phone turns on, the Move not always, especially if I’m farther away.

I don’t use Alexa however.


Hi @rodilardius. Welcome to the Sonos Community and thank you for reaching us about your concern on Google Assistant on your Sonos Move not responding from your voice command. Thank you for sharing your experience and I appreciate you providing us the details.
I'd like to ask some questions to understand what's going on.

  1. Did the issue happen when you first added Google Assistant on the Sonos Move?
  2. Do you experience the same situation when you tried other voice services like Alexa?

Please submit a diagnostic to get a snapshot of your system so we can help identify what is causing your issue.

Please feel free to reach back to us.


Hi @Shephmat. Welcome to the Sonos Community and thank you for letting us know about your concern on your Sonos One. I understand that the voice service doesn't pick up the voice command. I'd like to ask some questions with regard to what you're experiencing and to completely understand the situation.

  1. What voice service are you using to your Sonos One?
  2. Was it working before?
  3. Are you experiencing the problem while playing music or even there’s no music playing?

To further assist you on this, kindly submit a diagnostic to check on your system.

Please feel free to reach back to us.


Hello

I have bought a Sonos Move recently and I am struggling to be herad by the device.

This morning, I was alone in my room, the speaker was at 3 meters distance, no background noise or music, and I had to scream Hey Google 3 times for the speaker to wake up.

It is kind of infuriating, as reviews say the speaker can hear you even when there is ambiant noise, but not for me obviously. I always have to get very close to the speaker (typicall less than a meter) to be heard. Can’t we just have an option to set the microphones sensitivity? It’s very tedious to speak so loudly (and like an idiot) to a...machine.

 

Thanks


Hi, did anyone find a resolution for this issue. I’m havine the same issue with a recently purchased Sonos one. Not sure if I need to return it and if a replacement will fix the issue?

Thanks

Matt


Agree totally with this my first Sonos ( one gen2). The Alexa functionality is poor and the mic is bordering on useless. It does not hear quite often the Alexa dot the other end of the house responds when I’m next to the Sonos. Other time it mid- hears. 
 

the system needs something to tweak the effectiveness 


Hmm I have noticed the same. The One Gen 1 in the other room sometimes responds while I stand next to the Gen 2


The mic on this just isn’t sensitive enough, most of the time I have to shout to get myself heard, and how does milk sound like mute? Alexa mute then it asks me if I wanrt to add milk to my shopping list. Infuriating and just not good enough. Things that cost 40% of the price work much, much better. I think the pair of Sonos One’s will have to go back as the support just isn’t good enough, as I have other issues which you haven’t even attempted to fix and are generally giving the customers the run around.


Just bought 2 Sonos one speakers replacing 2 original echo dots I got for $30 each.  The echo dots are leaps and bounds better in microphone quality.  Honestly I’m pretty pissed about this, I have a 15 speaker Sonos system in another house and it works beautifully.  I expected much better from Sonos equipment.  Literally 80% of the time the Sonos misunderstands or does not hear my commands.  Terrible microphone quality.  The echo dots I could whisper from another room and they’d understand me.  On the Sonos I can be raising my voice at either of them from 5 feet away with no music and little ambient noise and I’ll ask it to do something and it doesn’t understand me.  Laying on my bed 4 feet from the one on my nightstand right now.  I asked it “Alexa when is Mother’s Day” in a raised voice, it responds “I didn’t catch that, please say that again.”  Infuriating.  I’ll probably be returning them.