Getting Ready for Sonos One

Right; as I also read on the Sonos One promotion materials.

But then I also read this by Sonos as to how it works:

"Your Amazon Alexa devices are listening for you to say the wake word, “Alexa”. When they hear that word, the microphones record what you say and send the audio to the Amazon Alexa cloud to be translated.

That voice line turns into a string of text. The Amazon protocols determine if it’s meant for Amazon Alexa or for a Sonos player. If it’s for Sonos, that text is then sent directly, and securely, over to the Sonos cloud to be turned into a command using our own codes.

Finally, the Sonos intended command goes down to the system."

So how does this square with say, ordering Uber on Sonos One? Does that mean that for such and all other such cases, the Amazon Alexa cloud communicates responses directly to the Sonos One as well?

Logic would say that non-Sonos specific command would be processed in the Amazon Alexa cloud and the responses sent back to the Sonos One, and the Sonos One would process them just like any other Alexa enabled device.

In that case, a follow up: When using a Dot + Play 1, are voiced responses from Amazon for non Sonos related matters heard on the play 1? Or from the speaker in the Dot?

In that case, a follow up: When using a Dot + Play 1, are voiced responses from Amazon for non Sonos related matters heard on the play 1? Or from the speaker in the Dot?

On the Dot.

Ryan, will other Alexa commands work on the Sonos One without the Sonos skill, i'm not interested in Sonos voice control.

To be clear, I currently have an Echo Dot in my living room, no Sonos. I was planning to get a Play:1 for the living room so was wondering whether the Sonos One could be used to replace the Dot.

Sonos One was designed with having the Alexa skill for Sonos enabled in mind. I've tested it out and the Sonos One does work fine with the skill disabled, you just can't use voice to control playback on your Sonos devices for things that aren't covered by standard Alexa functionality.

Because it's not an intended use, the functionality here isn't really tested, so the quality of how Sonos One performs with the Alexa skill for Sonos disabled might not be perfect. But from what I've found it seems fine so far.

There are a few things that the Sonos One can't do which are Echo only feature, like the drop in and messaging abilities. Those only work on Amazon Echo devices at the moment, not the Sonos One. I'm not sure if that helps make up your mind though. Also, ducking performs differently on the Sonos One compared with how the integration works with other Alexa devices.

@Kumar, to your question about using the Sonos One with other apps, it'll work just like any other Amazon device. The command is only sent to the Sonos cloud when it's determined that the command was meant for Sonos. So if you ask your One to order you a car, that doesn't go to our servers, it'll go right on through to how Amazon would normally handle that request. Then Alexa would respond through your Sonos One.

There are a few things that the Sonos One can't do which are Echo only feature, like the drop in and messaging abilities. Those only work on Amazon Echo devices at the moment, not the Sonos One. I'm not sure if that helps make up your mind though.

What about the Alexa calling feature?

Because it's not an intended use, the functionality here isn't really tested, so the quality of how Sonos One performs with the Alexa skill for Sonos disabled might not be perfect. But from what I've found it seems fine so far.

Also, ducking performs differently on the Sonos One compared with how the integration works with other Alexa devices.


Thanks. Does it only 'duck' the Sonos One rather than all units?

@Kumar, to your question about using the Sonos One with other apps, it'll work just like any other Amazon device. The command is only sent to the Sonos cloud when it's determined that the command was meant for Sonos. So if you ask your One to order you a car, that doesn't go to our servers, it'll go right on through to how Amazon would normally handle that request. Then Alexa would respond through your Sonos One.
Thanks for that. A follow up: Seeing how a configured Dot+Play unit is functionally similar to the Sonos One, why won't non Sonos responses be heard via the play unit? I believe these are heard through the barely adequate Dot speakers. Deliberate, or something to change in the future?

Does anyone know when the Sonos One will start shipping? I have ordered 4 and it said that they will be delivered by 24th...so surly shipping must start soon as assume they will be sent from a central European hub and not based in the UK which is where i am?

There are a few things that the Sonos One can't do which are Echo only feature, like the drop in and messaging abilities. Those only work on Amazon Echo devices at the moment, not the Sonos One. I'm not sure if that helps make up your mind though.

What about the Alexa calling feature?
Calling is part of the drop in and messaging that is Echo only right now.


Because it's not an intended use, the functionality here isn't really tested, so the quality of how Sonos One performs with the Alexa skill for Sonos disabled might not be perfect. But from what I've found it seems fine so far.

Also, ducking performs differently on the Sonos One compared with how the integration works with other Alexa devices.


Thanks. Does it only 'duck' the Sonos One rather than all units?
Current behaviour has only that room ducking.


@Kumar, to your question about using the Sonos One with other apps, it'll work just like any other Amazon device. The command is only sent to the Sonos cloud when it's determined that the command was meant for Sonos. So if you ask your One to order you a car, that doesn't go to our servers, it'll go right on through to how Amazon would normally handle that request. Then Alexa would respond through your Sonos One.
Thanks for that. A follow up: Seeing how a configured Dot+Play unit is functionally similar to the Sonos One, why won't non Sonos responses be heard via the play unit? I believe these are heard through the barely adequate Dot speakers. Deliberate, or something to change in the future?
There isn't really a Dot+PLAY:1 configuration. I know you haven't had a chance to play around with it yet, but basically you'd have a Dot in your home. Then you could tell that Dot to issue commands to any of your Sonos devices, at any time. There's no configuration where you tell the Dot that it is now paired or linked with a PLAY:1. There may come a day where something like this is possible, but it's not something I have any details on that can be shared, or rumored.

Does anyone know when the Sonos One will start shipping? I have ordered 4 and it said that they will be delivered by 24th...so surly shipping must start soon as assume they will be sent from a central European hub and not based in the UK which is where i am?
You'll probably have it in your hands on the 24th, maybe even sooner.

Because it's not an intended use, the functionality here isn't really tested, so the quality of how Sonos One performs with the Alexa skill for Sonos disabled might not be perfect. But from what I've found it seems fine so far.

Also, ducking performs differently on the Sonos One compared with how the integration works with other Alexa devices.


Thanks. Does it only 'duck' the Sonos One rather than all units?
Current behaviour has only that room ducking.


That's good, thanks!! That reply just stopped me from cancelling my order :D

There would still be the problem of my Echo Dot, in a room with no Sonos, ducking every Sonos in the house when someone want to know the time or turn the lights on 😛 Would it be possible to only allow the Sonos skill to be executed from the Sonos One, and not from Echo's?