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dynAdZ
Contributor I
October 1, 2020
Answered

Alexa volume issue since 12.1

  • October 1, 2020
  • 131 replies
  • 10277 views

Hi folks,

I’m experiencing issues related to the volume of Alexa since the Sonos update to 12.1. I’m using a surround setup with one Sonos Beam and two Sonos Play:1 in my living room. Since a few years, the Alexa response volume was just static and not related to the music volume set by Sonos. This was a good thing because you could listen to music in very low volume while you could talk to Alexa and get a normal, relatively loud response.

Since 12.1, the Alexa volume seems to be related to the overall speaker volume. Now when the volume is set maybe between 1-20%, it is just impossible for me to communicate with Alexa because her responses are extremely quiet. I can only start to understand her again when the volume slider is maybe at 25-30% or higher, but then of course the music is also proportional louder, which is not good.

Is there any way to set the Alexa volume independent of the music volume?

Thank you very much in advance.

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    Best answer by nabheet

    Well I have an interesting update. I am not sure but the I may have accidentally fixed my Sonos Beam Alexa volume issue. 
     

    I am not sure what exactly fixed the issue but I had made quite a few changes. I started with enabling Trueplay in the Sonos app. Then set the treble/base/midrange volume to maximum values in the Alexa App → devices → [sonos speaker], then changed it back. I also enabled the loudness radio button in the EQ setting in Sonos App. Then I had also changed the speaker in the Alexa App for the Sonos speaker from Built-in to itself, basically the name that Alexa thinks it has. And then changed it back. 
     

    I don’t know how to validate my changes as I think my Sonos Beam is working fine currently. Both my TV volume and Alexa volume seem to be in the same range. 
     

    also, forgot to mention that my TV is really old so I have used the included Fiber Optic output sound to HDMI adapter. 

     

    Hoping this will help someone else or invalidated. 

    131 replies

    Show previous replies
    abmaster
    Lyricist III
    December 4, 2022

    I am waiting too for a alexa voice volume control.

    And/or support for adaptive alexa voice volume (like on echo devices).

    Thanks!

    TheChads207
    Lyricist I
    December 10, 2022

    I have resorted to keeping my Echos and set them for Sonos as speaker output (instead of itself) and then disable Alexa on the Sonos speakers.  The only real fix until they decide to may attention to this serious flaw that renders Alexa integration useless.  I use several Echo 4th gen - glad I didn’t throw them out when I upgraded to Sonos.  

      abmaster
      Lyricist III
      December 10, 2022

      Thanks for the suggestion. I still have two DOTs unused. I have also contacted support and asked to log and forward my enhancement request to the appropiate engineering department. I agree it is a missed capability.

      Maddyindc
      Trending Lyricist III
      December 27, 2022

      That is just one of the many problems I have with Alexa on SONOS. The big one (which may me Amazon and not SONOS) is that it doesn’t have the same capabilities and the microphone is not very sensitive (alexa in the next room will frequently response rather than sonos). I can tell an Alexa device what to play and it will play correctly on my SONOS devices. It will give you usual responses. It will also control lights.  Alexa on SONOS is much more limited. I can start / stop, play a playlist and some basic questions. It will only control lights occasionally. 
       

      I gave up with Alexa on sonos and put an Alexa device in the room. I may try Google or the sonos control but have never been happy doing much music control by voice anyway. 

      abmaster
      Lyricist III
      December 27, 2022

      @Maddyindc I actually experienced Alexa on Sonos to be much much more sensitive than Google. Even a whisper can sometimes be enough. Google more frequently miss executed commands. While I can have Alexa enabled on both Sonos Ones, with Google I can only have it on one of the stereo pair. I have Alexa on Sonos One control soup to nuts at home without any problems (Lights/HUE, AV/Logitech Hub, Nest, etc.). So I am happy with the performance except that I can’t hear Alexa well with the volume being low.

      silverdude
      Lyricist III
      January 7, 2023

      Two years on and this is still an issue with a new Arc ?!  Are sonos listening to customers ?

      Mayhew132
      Mayhew132
      Trending Lyricist II
      June 3, 2023

      Any news on this one?

      Ken_Griffiths
      Ken_Griffiths
      June 3, 2023

      Any news on this one?

      It seems to be working fine here and is clearly dependent on the TV volume level - all seems okay with my LG C9 TV - volume level is around 35-40% in the Sonos App and Alexa sounds about the correct volume for that TV output level.

      Mayhew132
      Mayhew132
      Trending Lyricist II
      June 3, 2023

      So it’s still completely locked to the volume of the audio output - for Apple Music it’s really jarring as the audio tends to be louder so I use a lower volume by default

      Ken_Griffiths
      Ken_Griffiths
      June 3, 2023

      So it’s still completely locked to the volume of the audio output - for Apple Music it’s really jarring as the audio tends to be louder so I use a lower volume by default

      Maybe use an echo dot by your seated position instead - that’s what I’ve seen others here choose to do … then you can set its volume independently.

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