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Cannot group Sonos system with Google Home devices

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218 replies

D

Guys, buy a chrome cast and let it play throughout the tv… disable the night mode and the dialogue mode and be happy. I was frustrated in the past as well. I have a play bar, a nest hub and a google home. And I can play music on all speaks with a good sync thanks to google chrome cast. 
 

T

I just created a post for the work around. Plug one of the devices into your wireless router or get a boost. 

N

Strongly agree with Roman_3

 

Whatis the point of adding Google assistant to Sonos if you can’t even use Sonos speakers with Google Speakers together in a group? 

 

I just wasted $1k on Sonos speaker that can’t integrate with google speaker groups.   frustrated!

K

Ended up here just like most of you folks. 
 

I assumed that now that Sonos has Google Assistant integration I d be able to add a high-end speaker to my house and connect it with the existing google Home speakers in my other rooms, but it turned out to be a disappointment out of the box. 
 

just bought my first Sonos last night and this is a deal breaker for me. There’s no point having connected speakers in every room and then having this brand Siloed into its own little system. 
 

I will be returning my Sonos to the retailer next weekend. It’s too bad because the speakers sound great but Sonos’ current integration (or lack thereof) makes this an expensive isolated TV sound bar at best, which I don’t need.  
 
Goodbye Sonos!

Same… I purchased a Sonos 5.1 surrond setup prior to Google Assistant integration and waited until my return period was almost up before returning it due to lack of GA support. In the meantime, I purchased several JBL Link devices and used my existing surround system with a Google Chromecast audio device.  Although not the most elegant system, it works just fine.  Then with nice deals and GA integration, I thought I would give Sonos another shot and bought another 5.1 surround setup.  When I started setting it up and was unable to group them with my other Google home speakers, I was shocked that this was not supported.  So, these new Sonos speakers will be going back as well.  If Sonos supported full GA integration, I think they would sell more 5.1 surround systems, because that appears to be lacking in the other implementations.

R

Ended up here just like most of you folks. 
 

I assumed that now that Sonos has Google Assistant integration I d be able to add a high-end speaker to my house and connect it with the existing google Home speakers in my other rooms, but it turned out to be a disappointment out of the box. 
 

just bought my first Sonos last night and this is a deal breaker for me. There’s no point having connected speakers in every room and then having this brand Siloed into its own little system. 
 

I will be returning my Sonos to the retailer next weekend. It’s too bad because the speakers sound great but Sonos’ current integration (or lack thereof) makes this an expensive isolated TV sound bar at best, which I don’t need.  
 
Goodbye Sonos!

E
Userlevel 2
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I don’t think that people are complaining that two different systems are not working together completely, more that when one claims, as Sonos did, that Sonos and Google Home could now ‘work together’, people would obviously expect that speakers of different types could be grouped together. I don’t think that is an unreasonable expectation. But yes you are right; each to their own. The market will sort out what customers want. But my personal opinion is that it’s a dangerous game that Sonos are playing. I think a LOT of people want whole-house audio which options - to be grouped and controlled by touch, voice, possibly with a display in some cases. That means Google/Echo over Sonos.

J

I think it would be good if some of those complaining on this thread could get one thing straight in their heads: Sonos do not make speakers.  They make whole home wireless audio systems.  It’s an all or nothing sort of thing.  You either buy into it or not.  If you don’t, then that’s OK.  But please don’t complain that your misguided attempts to combine two different ecosystems have not been successful.

B

So I have a a mix match of brands for speakers in the house (5.1 bose with chromecast audio in the office, chromecast ultra with the tv in the living room hooked up to vizio 5.1 system, and google minis in bedroom areas) and saw the Sonos has Google Assistant capabillity and went out and bought 2 Sonos Play:1s yesterday. I hooked them up in the kitchen/dining room area and they blanket the space very well with their stereo pairing. I then went to enable them to be grouped with the other Google speakers which are grouped and then was majorly disappointed. I wish I found this post before I went through the trouble to purchase Sonos and set them up! Oh well, back to the store they go and now I’ve got my eye on JBL Link 20s and Harmon Kardon Citation Ones. 

 

Btw, I called Sonos yesterday and talked with a representative about if they might have a Chromecast project in flight to enable Sonos speakers. He put me on hold for about 10 minutes after speaking with an engineer and didn’t make me feel confident there is an actual project in flight. He said the google system and assistant is “complex” from an engineering standpoint. I got the sense they are looking into it but not sure if they really are. If Sony, JBL, Harmon Kardon, Bang & Olfusen all have chromecast enabled, it seems more of a business decision on behalf of Sonos not to offer, or at least drag their feet on while they wait to make a decision. In any event, the Sonos Play:1s I bought are being returned.

Good luck to everyone with their audiophile needs!

 

J

@loriedwards2 . Sonos is designed as a multiroom ecosystem in its own right. When you have 20 speakers and are committed to a different ecosystem is not the time to be buying your first Sonos speaker.  For you, getting out of Sonos is a better decision than buying it in the first place. That isn't true of many people.

L

Sonos,

After all this waiting. And after multiple articles. And after multiple phone calls to your service reps (including today), I’m now being told that you cannot group your Sonos system devices with your Google Home devices (after being told for months and more than a year that the aid be able to group them). Even the rep I spoke with today tried to help me and didn’t find out it wasn’t possible until he spoke to a system engineer. You can do it with Amazon devices, but STILL not with Google devices

In all honesty, what is the point of adding Google assistant to Sonos if you can’t even use Sonos speakers with Google Speakers together in a group? It’s pretty useless for me to be in living room, have to get up and walk to my kitchen to say “hey google, play x in my Living Room” and then walk back.

I've owned my Sonos Move for one day and it's being returned. My entire house is connected with 20 different speakers through a Google speaker group so that the same music can be played throughout the entire house at the same time. Funny that my $400 Move is the only one incompatible. Very frustrating.

Imagine my shock to read on a blog one of your own programmers comment how inferior the concept is to group a speaker with other cheaper speakers. The arrogance in his words should prompt him to be disciplined within the company. Time to move on.

S

Ho men I wish I read this thread before I bought my set... What a disappointment.... I wish I could group it with all my Audio Chromecast device's…

 

I'll send back my Play:1 then

E
Userlevel 2
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Does anyone from Sonos read these forums ? Can someone confirm that this feature is still a possibility and that Google have not blocked it ?

I strongly suspect that Google will never allow this feature, as it means that people with an existing Sonos setup will by the cheapest Google product (mini) and group their Sonos speakers to it. What Google want is as many people as possible to buy THEIR higher-end speakers (Nest Hub Max etc).

I think it’s disingenuous at best for Sonos to a) publicise the current situation as ‘integrated’ and b) let people think that grouping Sonos and Google speakers will be possible one-day, if Google have said the opposite.

J

See, for example, this thread.

https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/sonos-one-still-doesn-t-work-with-alexa-multi-room-music-must-be-either-sonos-or-echo-group-6831768

J

You have misunderstood. Alexa Groups can be used to control which speakers duck the volume, and which Sonos speakers play by default when a command is given. It has nothing to do with playing Echo and Sonos speakers together in sync.

D

@davidtea you are mistaken. It cannot be done with Alexa either.  You cannot group Sonos speakers and Echo devices to play in sync.

I might have read incorrectly but I thought the below thread stated that it could be added to groups. 
 

https://en.community.sonos.com/announcements-228985/sonos-now-playing-with-alexa-groups-6817588

J

@davidtea you are mistaken. It cannot be done with Alexa either.  You cannot group Sonos speakers and Echo devices to play in sync.

D

Like others I am extremely disappointed that Sonos and/or Google hasn’t resolved this issue with grouping speakers (Sonos One’s and Beam’s with Google/Nest speakers). This clearly is a feature that everyone has expected and want with the Google assistant integration.

It has been some months now, since the original post was created and we as the customers still have no insight to whether this feature is being worked on or not, it would be great if Sonos could at least comment on whether it was in development and/or something that is never going to happen. From there it will give us the ability to decide if we should invest in a fully integrated OR part integration with Sonos and Google Assistant environment.

It can be done with Alexa so I don’t see why this can’t be done with Google Assistant.

S
Userlevel 1

only feature keeping me from splurging on a full home sonos sytem. The moment this feature goes live, I go shopping.

Partially the same for me, but instead I may be buying other competitors due to their inability to add this feature. I have 2 Sonos Beam 5.0 systems (Sonos Ones and Play 1s as surrounds) and use a Chromecast attached to TV as a workaround for speaker grouping. Unfortunately I have several other places with no TVs, so can't do the workaround.  Therefore I'm probably getting the Google Home Max's during black black friday instead for those rooms. 

S
Userlevel 1

only feature keeping me from splurging on a full home sonos sytem. The moment this feature goes live, I go shopping.

J

Hi Roman, sorry to hear it took you so long to find your answers. You're correct, the current integration brings Google Assistant to Sonos devices with built in microphones, and it allows you to control what's playing using Google Home devices. However, Sonos devices and Google devices are unable to be grouped together to play the same thing in sync. Also, there isn't currently the ability to set a Sonos device as a preferred speaker within the Google Home app.

This is just the beginning of our integration with Google Assistant and we're looking forward to making improvements as we go, but I don't have any specifics I can share on what's next, or if either of those things are on the list. We'll be sure to tell everyone when changes are made, so you can always watch out for announcements on our board here, or elsewhere.

This needs to happen. This is barely a smart speaker without this feature.

M

Couldn’t have put it better myself - seems like they have omitted a basic feature and it is very frustrating for people with Sonos speakers and very much into the Google ecosystem. Question is do you slowly switch to the Apple ecosystem or slowly switch the Sonos speakers for alternative high-end speakers (which are more Google Cast friendly)?

 

Apple ecosystem?  In this context, do you mean airplay?

Yes. Airplay 2 is fully supported.

melvimbe

Couldn’t have put it better myself - seems like they have omitted a basic feature and it is very frustrating for people with Sonos speakers and very much into the Google ecosystem. Question is do you slowly switch to the Apple ecosystem or slowly switch the Sonos speakers for alternative high-end speakers (which are more Google Cast friendly)?

 

Apple ecosystem?  In this context, do you mean airplay?

Danny
bockersjv
Userlevel 7
Badge +21

I can’t see this ever happening, at least if you want the music on grouped speakers to be in sync.

B
Userlevel 2

I, as well, have been checking these posts over the past few months. I'm holding off buying the sonos ones, subwoofer, and playbar until I see a note of integration expectations. 

M

Same frustration. Home is networked through google. Waited months for the integration. Every other third party speaker I own can be grouped using Google (unlike Amazon/Alexa groups), and their spokespeople have been telling press this would be part of the functionality. Hugely frustrated to have my highest quality speaker disconnected from my home and rarely used as a result. I would like Sonos to be definitive - one way or the other - on whether this basic feature is on the roadmap.

 


I follow the press about Sonos pretty closely, and I never saw this type of feature touted as part of the functionality. Furthermore, I wouldn't expect it to be, because you cannot do it with Alexa devices either. I'm curious if you can provide links to these press statements?

 

Couldn’t have put it better myself - seems like they have omitted a basic feature and it is very frustrating for people with Sonos speakers and very much into the Google ecosystem. Question is do you slowly switch to the Apple ecosystem or slowly switch the Sonos speakers for alternative high-end speakers (which are more Google Cast friendly)?

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