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Kilona
Contributor I
July 8, 2018
Answered

Asking Sonos One to play different music on Play:1

  • July 8, 2018
  • 13 replies
  • 1650 views
Hello everyone

I have a Sonos One and two Play:1s. Can I ask the Alexa on the Sonos One to play one kind of music on there and ask it to play different music on the Play:1, which is in another room?

So far, all I've managed to do is get the Sonos One to play the same music across all the speakers by making a 'Group' within the Sonos app. But how about playing different music?

If this is not possible, might a software update make this possible at some point?
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      Best answer by UKMedia
      Hello everyone

      I have a Sonos One and two Play:1s. Can I ask the Alexa on the Sonos One to play one kind of music on there and ask it to play different music on the Play:1, which is in another room?

      So far, all I've managed to do is get the Sonos One to play the same music across all the speakers by making a 'Group' within the Sonos app. But how about playing different music?

      If this is not possible, might a software update make this possible at some point?

      Hi

      This isn't a Sonos limitation, it depends upon what the source of the music is. i.e. Spotify will only allow a single steam of audio via voice control. If you try to initiate another different song on another Sonos device, the first stream will terminate.

      The only way to do what you want currently is to initiate the second song choice via the App and then control via voice control

      13 replies

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      UKMedia
      UKMedia
      July 10, 2018
      Do they? I suspect that a single Sonos System is treated as a single logical device from a Spotify perspective. Whereas, different Alexa devices are identified differently both at a physical and logical level.
      Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
      sjw
      Local Superstar
      July 10, 2018
      You can play a different Spotify stream to each of your Sonos speakers concurrently when you play/start/select them through the App. The limitation only comes in when you control it by voice.
      UKMedia
      UKMedia
      July 10, 2018
      You can play a different Spotify stream to each of your Sonos speakers concurrently when you play/start/select them through the App. The limitation only comes in when you control it by voice.

      Agreed but using the app there is a single connection between the Sonos system and Spotify, so Spotify can ensure that music is streamed to only a single Sonos system. As soon as you use Alexa devices that security limitation and a 1:1 connect between Sonos and Spotify is lost. e.g. You could ask Spotify to play on an Alexa device from your Sonos One and then Spotify lose the control of streaming to a single system.

      Also, if you think of the Amazon push into Hotels and other hospitality events, Spotify could end up streaming to 100 rooms in a hotel with a single instance of Spotify. Whereas using the App, you would need to give all 100 rooms access to play music in any room - not a good idea at 3am. 🙂 and so as this isn't really viable, it self polices to a great extent.
      Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)
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