Alexa + Sonos: How it Works

I just tried that. My Echo Dot replied saying that I was about to get a salsa channel in the kitchen. In the real world the music I’d had streaming from Tidal just carried on playing. Unimpressive.

I just tried that. My Echo Dot replied saying that I was about to get a salsa channel in the kitchen. In the real world the music I’d had streaming from Tidal just carried on playing. Unimpressive.

Did you read the rest of the post? If you had, you would realize there are some prerequisites to the command like:

"You can use Alexa to start playing from Amazon Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, Pandora, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, TuneIn Radio, and we’re working to bring Spotify controls in the future too. " *(Note: Spotify is now working)

So one, you need one of the above services configured on both Sonos and Alexa.

"Also, any Alexa device on your account can use basic controls, such as play, pause, volume, and skip, on your Sonos players. This works for all services and music on Sonos, started through the Sonos app. "

Now two, you can use basic voice controls on non-Alexa supported services, like Tidal. So try saying "Alexa, skip in kitchen" and it may surprise you. Now try "Alexa, what's playing in the kitchen" and you just may think it is magic.

"Alexa will use your default music app, but you can change which one that is in the Alexa app. You can tell Alexa to play using a different music service on Sonos just by asking. There are steps here to set or change your default music service in Alexa."

Ahhhh, a third revelation. You need to set a default music service in the Alexa app before it knows where to find a generic term like "salsa music", otherwise you need to specify the service. .

Would someone mind explaining the pros/cons of adding Sonos One vs an Echo product to an existing home Sonos setup in order to add voice control functionality?

Currently my setup is as follows:
- “Living Room”: Playbar, Sub, 2x Play:1 surrounds, Amazon Echo Dot
- “Bathroom”: Play:5, Amazon Echo Dot

I have voice control and Spotify integration working (mostly) without issues. However I am unclear on what advantages/differences the Sonos One would provide, if implemented into my existing setup to potentially replace one of the Echo dots.

So far from my readings it seems like the Sonos One would provide the following changes:
1) No need to specify to Alexa which room to play music to? (Does it play from the Sonos One, or from the room the One is grouped with?) But it seems like Alexa/Sonos are currently working to add this functionality via grouping an Echo to a specific room grouping of Sonos speakers?
2) Alexa responses would be played via the Sonos One rather than an Echo
3) Sonos One would also allow use of other services like Google Assistant

So as it stands, it seems like adding a Sonos One to my setup wouldn’t change much functionality-wise, particularly if the default room grouping feature is added to Alexa.

Any idea when we will be able to do multi room audio with other Echo devices?

I feel like this should have been explicitly stated as a limitation. I was thinking I could play music everywhere with my other Echo devices but have the best quality speaker (Sonos) in the living room. I'm considering returning the One in lieu of the less expensive Echo to have the convenience of everything working together seamlessly.

I set up a Sonos One and now i have an EchoPlus to act as th bridge for Philips Hue. Sonos One works and Philips Hue work from EchoPlus, but Sonos One doesn’t recognize any devices except my Sonos speakers. The Alexa app has al devices listed.

Whole purpose of Sonos One was to have a single device in the kitchen. How do I make it work with Philips Hue through EchoPlus?

Got a Sonos One to add to my Play:1 and love it so far.

Wish list:
- Google Play Music Alexa Integration
- Google Keep List Integration

can I add ALL of my Sonos speakers through the Sonos One and/or Alexa app? If so - how? I want that beautiful sound throughout my house on all additional FOUR speakers!!!! Thanks!

can I add ALL of my Sonos speakers through the Sonos One and/or Alexa app? If so - how? I want that beautiful sound throughout my house on all additional FOUR speakers!!!! Thanks!

There isn't an Alexa voice command to group speakers together, but if you use the Sonos app, you can group rooms together and then use Alexa to play to any of those rooms. The Alexa command will play to all rooms grouped with the speaker that you target.

Whole purpose of Sonos One was to have a single device in the kitchen. How do I make it work with Philips Hue through EchoPlus?
The Sonos One should be able to find your Philips devices the same way any Echo device does, though you do need a Smart Hub device, which I believe that EchoPlus does. The same commands given to the Echo Plus should work for the Sonos One to target those lights. Make sure you don't use the same names for your smart home devices. A lightbulb named Kitchen will clash with a speaker named Kitchen and the commands might get confused. Kitchen Lights would be fine though.

Hi Ryan - that’s what I expected as well. Unfortunately, Sonos One only says “I don’t have a device named Cabinet” when it does exist in the Alexa app and I can turn off the under cabinet lights from the EchoPlus in the other room.

I tried removing Alexa from Sonos One and adding back. Didn’t help.

Any other ideas on how I can get Sonos One to control my Alexa devices?

If you go into your Alexa app, do you see "Cabinet" under Smart Home? In that same section, you should see the Sonos One listed by room name.

Are you able to control your Sonos One via voice, to have it play music and the like? If you ask other Alexa options, do those work too?