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afmuir
Contributor I
February 11, 2017
Question

What to do with Play1 now I have Alexa?

  • February 11, 2017
  • 25 replies
  • 7249 views
So about a year ago I bought into sonos with a play1 in the kitchen. Great speaker, play Spotify and all good. Then came Alexa dot into the kitchen, excellent device and the way ahead, can play Spotify, radio etc all with a simple command. Sound is pretty crap though. Can't connect dot to sonos as latter has no connectivity options. So I have an excellent music interface (Alexa dot) and an excellent speaker (play1) but they don't connect. Alexa voice is the way I'm going for ease of use. I could buy an echo for bit better sound quality, or wait for next round of products. But what do I do with what's becoming a redundant play 1? It's like having a smartphone with no touch screen.
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    25 replies

    Krislu
    Prominent Collaborator I
    February 11, 2017
    I would stay with the play1. It will sound better than the dot or echo and right now Sonos and Amazon are working on integrating Alexa which should happen this year. - Kris 🙂
      afmuirAuthor
      Contributor I
      February 11, 2017
      Thanks - but whatever happens in this integration, I can't see how it will make my existing play1 work with the dot? Perhaps new Sonos kit will, but will it help my year old play1?
        jgatie
        jgatie
        February 11, 2017
        Thanks - but whatever happens in this integration, I can't see how it will make my existing play1 work with the dot? Perhaps new Sonos kit will, but will it help my year old play1?

        Sonos stated in no uncertain terms that the Alexa/Sonos integration will work with all current and previously sold devices. You will be able to control any Sonos ever made from any Alexa equipped Amazon device; i.e. Echo, Dot, Tap, Fire tablet or Fire TV.

        http://press-us.sonos.com/134980-sonos-with-partners-and-industry-leaders-ushers-in-new-era-of-connected-home-listening
          afmuirAuthor
          Contributor I
          February 11, 2017
          hmm, I wonder how it would do that. The press release says "..These new voice capabilities will be delivered in a software update that will work with new and previously purchased Sonos and Alexa-enabled devices such as Amazon Echo, Echo Dot,.." - doesn't say all Sonos devices! If its a software update to add Alexa to play 1, how would that work if play1 has no mic?
          Great if this would work, I'm just not sure how it would do it technically.
            jgatie
            jgatie
            February 11, 2017
            Oh for . . . :?

            If it works with all previously purchased Sonos and Alexa-enabled devices, THEN IT WILL WORK WITH ALL PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED SONOS DEVICES!!

            Not too hard to understand. The Echo/Dot/Tap/Fire "Alexa-enabled" device will be the input for the voice control, passing the commands on to the Sonos device, which will play the asked for tracks. This has been confirmed by Sonos numerous times. Trust me, you will be able to voice control your Sonos speakers, ANY Sonos speakers, using your Dot as the voice control mic.
              afmuirAuthor
              Contributor I
              February 11, 2017
              Wow, tetchy kinda person, that's the trouble with forums. Anyway, still not clear how it will work technically so I'll just look elsewhere.
                Krislu
                Prominent Collaborator I
                February 11, 2017
                At this point in time I am not sure anyone could answer your question until the integration is complete. Sonos is very tight lipped. I am sure right now their software engineers are busy writing code that will include all current and previously sold products to receive Alexa commands. - Kris 🙂
                  Krislu
                  Prominent Collaborator I
                  February 11, 2017
                  Wow, tetchy kinda person, that's the trouble with forums.

                  And jgatie is not "tetchy". He is very knowledgeable and spends a lot time on this forum trying to help and offer advice to everyone with their problems / concerns. - Kris 🙂
                    afmuirAuthor
                    Contributor I
                    February 11, 2017
                    Fair enough. Apologies for asking. All the best.
                      SHARKB8T
                      SHARKB8T
                      Prodigy I
                      February 11, 2017
                      I suspect that the implementation will not turn the Sonos products into free Amazon dots/voice controllers, etc... which I think may people do consider since the 5 does indeed have a mic in it... but I could easily be wrong It might.

                      I suspect it is more likely that the dot and other Amazon controllers will be enabled to control Sonos products... so the two companies working together doesn't replace one of their products for the other, but encourages consumers to have both because of how well they work together (those with Sonos get a dot.. those with Dot invest in Sonos gear.) Truth will all be revealed at some point...
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