Contributor I

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Problems with echo dot and sonos, also spotify?

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
February 9, 2018
17 replies
1617 views

Hi! I'm having some strange connectivity issues between my Echo Dot and my 3 sonos speakers, possibly involving spotify. Only some things play on some speakers at some times, and I can't figure out why.
Here's what's happening:
Echo Dot will accept commands to play named songs, bands, albums, or playlists from Amazon music OR Spotify music on my Sonos Connect.
Echo Dot will accept commands to play "music" on my Play3 and Play:1 but will NOT accept commands to play named songs, bands, albums or playlists on either one of them. This is true whether I have Spotify set as default music service or Amazon music set as default music service.
Example: If I say, "Alexa, play [bandname] on [Play:1], it will act as if I said "Alexa, play [bandname]" and just play on the dot. (yuck). But if I say, "Alexa, play music on [Play:1]", it will play an amazon music playlist that it picked for me on the sonos speaker.

Why can Spotify play on Sonos Connect but not elsewhere? Why will Alexa play random music on the Play1 and 3 but not specific music?
Music plays fine on all 3 speakers through the Sonos app and through the Spotify app.
I have tried other basic troubleshooting but definitely feel as if i've managed to get my wires crossed somehow.

Thanks for any advice!

Echo Dot

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Best answer by UKMedia

There is some evidence that unusual room names have caused issues for some people when using voice control. If you change the room names in Sonos and then select 'Alexa App>Smart Home>Devices>Discover' can you retest.

UKMedia

This sounds like an Alexa linking issue. Can you try the steps I've listed in the Answer to this post and let us know how you get on:

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/alexa-says-she-is-playing-on-kitchen-but-no-sound-comes-out-6800126/index1.html#post16201009

Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)

B

blackcatmaxAuthor

Contributor I

Thanks for your answer. This wasn't successful. I followed all the level 3 steps in your Answer and the same problem is still occurring. The Sonos Connect will accept commands to play anything (songs, albums, or playlists) from Echo Dot. The Sonos Play:1 and Play:3 will only accept commands to play "music" (as in, "Alexa, play music on [Play:1) and then it insists on playing "clean easy pop"). They won't play any specific artists.
Argh!!!!

UKMedia

If you open the Alexa App>Settings>History can you confirm that Alexa heard you correctly? Personally, I've never tried the command 'Alexa, Play music' but will now! 🙂 As a test, can you try 'Alexa, Play piano chill Playlist' and see if that works.

Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)

B

blackcatmaxAuthor

Contributor I

Hi! Yes, the app confirms she is hearing me ask for the sonos speaker. I can't get her to play named playlists either. Only when she picks the music!!!

UKMedia

Have you set Spotify as your default music source before the Playlist test?

Also can you logout of any other Spotify and Amazon apps and retest?

Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)

AjTrek1

Sounds like you may be trying to stream the same service to multiple individually named devices simultaneous that are not grouped_for example bedroom, living room or kitchen etc.) If so, you must end the session (via the Sonos App) on the initial device then you will be able to stream the service to another device. You must repeat the procedure each time you want to stream to a different device. However, you could stream Spotify to Bedroom and Amazon to Living room.

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

B

blackcatmaxAuthor

Contributor I

I ended all sessions, logged out of Spotify and logged back in and am still having the same results. The app shows she is hearing that I am asking for the sonos speaker in every request, but she will only play on it if I don't ask for specific music.

B

blackcatmaxAuthor

Contributor I

I also checked Spotify is default, and tried it with amazon as default, same result.

UKMedia

Did you check AjTrek1's suggestion? Also when you say you logged out of Spotify is that within the Sonos or Spotify
App?

Remember: Sometimes Red Wine helps :)

AjTrek1

OK.. The only other issue I might imagine is "naming" otherwise I suggest you submit a diagnostic to Sonos and post the reference ID in this forum. You say you have three (3) Sonos speakers. You also wrote that your commands are "Alexa, play [bandname] on [Play:1] and I must assume the same for the Play 3. Here are my final suggestions maybe they'll help:

1. You should name your speakers by Room (i.e. bedroom, kitchen etc.)
2. The naming convention has to match in both the Sonos App and the Alexa App.
3. What is the 3rd speaker or are you calling the Connect a speaker? Even so the Connect should be named as a room.
4. I can't verify this next comment as I've never had this situation but; I suspect that If you have two Play:1's for example and they are not named as individual rooms Sonos/Alexa most likely will not send the command to the specific speaker you want. Just my speculation...
5. Playlists should be saved as a favorite in the Sonos App in order for them to play on command
6. Asking for play by band name or album can be difficult as the command must be specific and sometimes it may be confusing. For example asking Alexa to play Black Sabbath may give mixed results as it's not only the band name; but also the name of one of their albums as well as a track on the same album. Get it :? LOL

I hope you get your issues resolved by the help you have received from the forum members. If not...submit the diagnostic 🙂.

Cheers!

Together Everyone Achieves More = T.E.A.M.

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