Sonos CONNECT Line-In Over Echo speaker?

No on the first. You cannot group an Echo to play in sync with Sonos devices. Yes on the second. You can use Echo to control the volume of the Sonos speakers, regardless of the source.

You could hook a Dot to the Line In on the connect to hear Alexa. However that is already native now to Sonos so you really don't need to do that.

Dot has no input so you have no way to send Sonos sound to the Dot. And really I don't think you would want any music playing through the little dot speaker anyhow.

Lets say the Play:1 is called Kitchen.

You can say "Alexa turn it up in Kitchen" and the kitchen Play:1 will increase in volume.

You can say "Alexa play bruno mars in kitchen" and the Dot will send bruno mars to the Kitchen Play:1 speaker using whatever default amazon music service you have set in the alexa app (not same diversity of choices as with Sonos controller).

I am considering purchasing an Echo Dot. I currently own a Sonos CONNECT and PLAY:1. I mostly listen to my turntable connected to the line-in on my CONNECT.

The quoted source is where home audio was 50 years ago, while voice control via wireless speakers is where it has reached today.
If you just want the sound from the former to reach more rooms, consider play 1 instead. And if you want the features of the latter, add an echo Dot in the same room/s as the 1 unit/s for doing a lot more than just changing volume levels on the turntable. With a Dot in the room with the turntable as well if, having done the labour getting the vinyl to play and repeating that every twenty minutes, you don't want to use the Connect buttons or the Sonos app to change volume levels from time to time.

I hooked up my echo dot to my SONOS Connect via a 3.5 mm aux to RCA cable and am pretty satisfied with the audio quality playing the DOT audio over my stereo system speakers vs the dinky DOT speaker; however, I do have a few issues of which I'd like to know if anyone in the SONOS community might have answers.

1. Is there a verbal command I can give to my SONOS Play1 with Alexa unit to switch audio to the line input to which I have my Echo DOT connected on my SONOS Connect and command the Connect to play that source to various locations in my SONOSphere.

2. And I know this is more of an Amazon question, but it pertains to what specific command I should use to command the Alexa controller either on the PLAY1 or the Echo DOT to launch specific songs from my iTunes music libraries, whether from my phone or connected MacBook Pro laptop that is also using the SONOS 8.4 app for Mac. Any ideas? I can't seem to get Alexa to do so with with a verbal command and have to resort to using the SONOS app on my phone or laptop.

One other issue I nearly forgot: I also have issues with the audio dipping on the replies from the Echo DOT connected to my SONOS Connect vs that of the other SONOS speaker to which I have it grouped. To further explain, I can hear the replies of the Echo DOT at full preset volume on a distant grouped speaker, while the volume of the reply from the Echo DOT physically connected to the SONOS Connect dips below the preset volume to almost inaudible making it difficult to communicate with the Echo DOT. Is there a fix for this?

Further development regarding the audio output of my Echo DOT through the SONOS Connect. Audio passes, but it appears the Alexa voice reply is no longer audible anywhere. The light ring on the Echo DOT is lighting up and I'm pretty sure Alexa is "speaking" but trying to reply on the DOT itself which is being canceled out with the aux jack being plugged in. No biggie most of the time, since I have the Alexa voice reply on the SONOS One speaker in another room, but sometimes a pain when I would like an immediate reply from the unit in the room with me. I've also have had to start SHOUTING at Echo even when music is set low or is not even playing in the room to wake her. Not a SONOS issue... Just venting.

1. Is there a verbal command I can give to my SONOS Play1 with Alexa unit to switch audio to the line input to which I have my Echo DOT connected on my SONOS Connect and command the Connect to play that source to various locations in my SONOSphere.

I'm not sure I understand the question. By "SONOS Play1 with Alexa unit", do you mean the Sonos One? Either way though, the answer is basically no. The Sonos skill doesn't really deal with changing inputs/music source in Sonos zone. Look at this way, the Sonos skill only allows you to do what an echo itself could do in terms of music...saying 'on Zone A' just makes it happen in the zone instead of on your echo.

All that said though, there are 3rd party smarthubs and skills out there that can do this sort of thing.


2. And I know this is more of an Amazon question, but it pertains to what specific command I should use to command the Alexa controller either on the PLAY1 or the Echo DOT to launch specific songs from my iTunes music libraries, whether from my phone or connected MacBook Pro laptop that is also using the SONOS 8.4 app for Mac. Any ideas? I can't seem to get Alexa to do so with with a verbal command and have to resort to using the SONOS app on my phone or laptop.

Nope. Amazon doesn't want you playing Apple music through the Alexa skill. Again though, this can sort of be worked around by using a 3rd party smarthub or skill.

One other issue I nearly forgot: I also have issues with the audio dipping on the replies from the Echo DOT connected to my SONOS Connect vs that of the other SONOS speaker to which I have it grouped. To further explain, I can hear the replies of the Echo DOT at full preset volume on a distant grouped speaker, while the volume of the reply from the Echo DOT physically connected to the SONOS Connect dips below the preset volume to almost inaudible making it difficult to communicate with the Echo DOT. Is there a fix for this?

The technical term for that is 'ducking'. I would look into the line in volume settings and play with those. I would guess the CONNECT line-in settings need to be at fixed volume, but perhaps it should be fixed, and a set a higher volume. Not sure.

Personally, I would stop using the Connect line-in and just use the Sonos skill. Although ducking is still an issue, it works better under that scenario in my opinion.

I am aware of what ducking is and typically that is what I'd expect from the content being played on the speaker when Alexa makes a reply, but this was Alexa ducking under as well then coming back up, but only on remote speakers and not being audible at all on the audio being generated from the SONOS Connect to which the Echo DOT is connected... and since posting that original issue the matter has evolved with the Alexa dialogue from the Echo DOT not being audible on any of the devices even though the blue ring light is sparking up indicating a response and the audio content I am requesting is playing ok. I guess I will try the skill. Oh the skills...

Ok. So I'm a dunce. My issues with Echo DOT executing commands to play content which I could then hear on all of my devices sans the Alexa replies was my issue alone and not that of the Echo DOT. I totally forgot I needed to switch the source on the SONOS system to the line input on the Connect to hear Alexa replies. Didn't want anyone viewing this thread to be mislead by my stupidity thinking there was a problem with the Echo DOT and how it performs in its various capacities with SONOS products. SONOS people save yourselves the confusing hassle of the Amazon Alexa device + SONOS device relationship and just buy the SONOS One with built in Alexa. I tried to go cheap and bought the much less expensive Echo DOT thinking it would be an affordable way to integrate another smart speaker device into my SONOSphere via 3.5mm aux jack and some old high-end computer speakers. It sounds great but it just isn't the same as having all the system units work seamlessly with each other as the SONOS devices do. My bad