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Contributor I
Oct 30, 2017 9:36 AM UTC
Question

Alexa overly sensitive on the Sonos One

Hi all,

I have seen a few topics where people are commenting that they are having trouble giving commands to their Sonos One player via Alexa but I'm finding the microphone is too sensitive and it is chiming constantly when we are talking nearby without even using the wake word. Is there any way to adjust sensitivity (I don't think there is but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask).

Also, is there any way to change the wake work like on the Echo? My other half is called Alex and it would be better to have a different wake work (we use Echo on the Amazon Echo Dot we have).

Thanks.
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35 replies

mnrlee85Author
Contributor I
Nov 30, 2017 7:31 AM UTC
Same here. Just got my first Sonos ever and they beep beep beep. Ridiculous. Can we connect the Amazon Dot to the Sonos One and just turn off the Sonos mic and use the Amazon Dot?

You can do. You would just need to install the Sonos skill on the Alexa app.

The alternative is to return the Sonos One and get a Sonos Play:1 which is now £50 cheaper as it doesn't have Alexa built in.
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Lyricist I
Dec 15, 2017 5:11 AM UTC
Thanks . I have the return slips but now i hear they are going to add AirPlay2 and i imagine they will only work with the Sonos Ones. Hard choice. But this chirping during TV and conversations is such a bummer.
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mnrlee85Author
Contributor I
Dec 15, 2017 10:57 AM UTC
Thanks . I have the return slips but now i hear they are going to add AirPlay2 and i imagine they will only work with the Sonos Ones. Hard choice. But this chirping during TV and conversations is such a bummer.

It really is. It seems to be any word with an X in it and occasionally just random phrases. I've decided to stick with it in the hope a software update fixes it but the chirping is increasingly annoying.
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Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
Dec 15, 2017 5:52 PM UTC
Hi everyone, I just wanted to share that we have seen your concerns around the voice recognition sensitivity with Sonos One, and we’re in the process of developing software updates to make improvements. You can count on the microphone detection both when waking up when it shouldn't or not detecting your voice when you ask to improve. There isn't a specific release date on this but it will continue to get better. We appreciate the feedback, and we’ll continue to make additional updates to make the experience better over time.
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Lyricist III
Dec 23, 2017 2:27 AM UTC
I am having the overly sensitive issue too. I haven't had it long enough to experience the random wakings, but it hears me using the echos in adjacent rooms and responds. My Echos never did this, so it is pretty aggravating to ask for the news in the Kitchen and have it start playing in the Family room.
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Contributor I
Dec 26, 2017 10:31 PM UTC
Same problem. Have had the Ones set up for about a month. Happened occasionally. With family and friends in the house for Christmas dinner, with multiple people talking at once, something was triggering the wake chime about once every few seconds. Was playing background music. Had to disconnect Alexa service from Sonos to get through the evening. Definitely need to be able to customize/change the wake word and improve this oversensitivity with an update. (I noticed the most recent update in the app says it makes Alexa MORE sensitive...so I won't be updating.)
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Ryan S
Retired Sonos Staff
Dec 26, 2017 11:07 PM UTC
(I noticed the most recent update in the app says it makes Alexa MORE sensitive...so I won't be updating.)

The update to 8.2.3 makes it better at detecting when you say Alexa, it's not that it makes it more or less sensitive. So for people who found it hard to get the Sonos One to detect Alexa, it becomes better at picking that up (which you could say makes it more sensitive), but for people who find it picks up words that aren't "Alexa", it also is better at not registering and responding to those.

I think you might be pleasantly surprised with the new update.
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jgatie
Dec 26, 2017 11:34 PM UTC
I would call it more accurate, not more sensitive.
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Lyricist I
Dec 27, 2017 4:34 AM UTC
Ive noticed my Sonos One is overly sensitive too. My sonos one is in the bathroom down the hall from my bedroom and yet saying Alexa in a normal tone in my bedroom i can hear the sonos one chime as if i spoke to it.

I havent had any issues with the One randomly chiming, just being overly sensitive to the Alexa wake word. Id like to be able to change its wake word.
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Contributor I
Dec 27, 2017 1:06 PM UTC
The update to 8.2.3 makes it better at detecting when you say Alexa, it's not that it makes it more or less sensitive. So for people who found it hard to get the Sonos One to detect Alexa, it becomes better at picking that up (which you could say makes it more sensitive), but for people who find it picks up words that aren't "Alexa", it also is better at not registering and responding to those.

I think you might be pleasantly surprised with the new update.


All right then...I'll give it a try. Thanks for the clarifying.
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