Best answer by Ryan S
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SONOS ALEXA Integration?
Userlevel 3
Been waiting to hear news about when this will happen and am starting to think it never will. I have Sonos and Alexa in every room. I did this with the assurance that Sonos and Alexa are going to work together. There has been next to no news regarding integration for the past 6 months.... When can we expect to hear about Sonos and Alexa integration? Is it still happening? Please any update would be appreciated.
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So I have been waiting 1/2 year. I have six Echoes, and approximately 20 SONOS speakers ( big house). I bought my first Sonos roughly 15 years ago ( early adopter ). I also like Apple products. If Apple delivers a voice-controlled high-quality speaker before SONOS, I'm a buyer. Simple. Too bad for SONOS. It's taking too long. I'm a little bit sad.
Userlevel 7
+22
I would be most certain we will see some Alexa integration prior to the release of the Homepod.
Sonos need to get this feature out there sooner rather than later in light of Apples Homepod which will compete in the same market space.
I am sure I am biased, but I just can't be that impressed with HomePod. What I've read just doesn't give me a good feeling about it all. Sure, there will be diehard apple fans, but I'm not sure it's going to cause many people to drop Echo or Google in favor of Apple.
I've searched a little about Airplay 2, but I don't see anything elaborating on what they consider to be multi-room. I'm sure you can play the same source in multiple rooms, but I see nothing about different sources. And yes, you could play music from Apple or whatever is on your phone, which sounds nice, but is really rather limited in practicality, especially when you consider what Sonos offers.
I think you also have to consider the entry price People are going to be much more comfortable with $50-$200 dollar range, particularly when gift giving, then they are with $350.
It will be a rather interesting Christmas retail season.
I've searched a little about Airplay 2, but I don't see anything elaborating on what they consider to be multi-room. I'm sure you can play the same source in multiple rooms, but I see nothing about different sources. And yes, you could play music from Apple or whatever is on your phone, which sounds nice, but is really rather limited in practicality, especially when you consider what Sonos offers.
I think you also have to consider the entry price People are going to be much more comfortable with $50-$200 dollar range, particularly when gift giving, then they are with $350.
It will be a rather interesting Christmas retail season.
...and they rush out a broken implementation, and then everyone gives them grief for not testing before release.
Which is not to let Sonos off the hook, as they 100% were resting on their laurels a little bit.
Userlevel 3
+5
I've searched a little about Airplay 2, but I don't see anything elaborating on what they consider to be multi-room. I'm sure you can play the same source in multiple rooms, but I see nothing about different sources. And yes, you could play music from Apple or whatever is on your phone, which sounds nice, but is really rather limited in practicality, especially when you consider what Sonos offers.
It will be a rather interesting Christmas retail season.
Apple is making a gamble. They are trying to target Sonos customers. By what I see on this forum, they are forever expecting more and better. But customers who experience the effortless setup with Sonos and migrate to Homepod will likely face the same issues but will Apple support the network issues they face? I can't get them to fix the issues I am facing at home in an Apple Store. Then they have to setup a support infra for the home network and third part products like routers et al. I use all the Apple products and know they are good but this is home!! Integration is key. Involvement is also key.
Userlevel 3
+1
Userlevel 3
+1
Can I ask a daft question as I am a little confused? If you can add Voice Control with a software upgrade are there Microphones in all your speakers ? a software solution sound truly fabulous.
The only Sonos speaker with a microphone is the Play:5 2nd Gen, and it is not the far field microphone array needed for voice control. So the coming Sonos implementation will achieve voice control via an Amazon Alexa device (Echo, Dot, Tap, Fire TV or Fire Tablet). You will speak to the Alexa device, and it will relay the commands to Sonos.
There is also talk of interfacing with Apple/Google voice assistant devices in the future, as well as putting a far field microphone array in future Sonos models.
Userlevel 3
+1
so will that mean we need to buy, find space and a power socket for a dot in every room we have Sonos? not a free or neat "software" upgrade.
Well, it's either that or not do voice control at all. Right now, Alexa is the defacto standard for voice control. Sonos could either partner with them, or wait the 2-4 years it takes to design, create, test, tool, manufacture, and release the hardware/software to do it themselves. The choice is pretty simple if they wanted to get in on the market now, with a mature voice control product.
Also, many people already have a home full of Dots for lights, thermostats, television, security, etc. Matter of fact, the response to the Alexa announcement saw hundreds of posters here volunteering for the private beta, something which never happened before. It seems not many are put off by the hardship of buying a Dot and finding an outlet as one may think.
Also, many people already have a home full of Dots for lights, thermostats, television, security, etc. Matter of fact, the response to the Alexa announcement saw hundreds of posters here volunteering for the private beta, something which never happened before. It seems not many are put off by the hardship of buying a Dot and finding an outlet as one may think.
Userlevel 3
+1
Just not how I read the Sonos Staff statement. hence why I asked. Maybe Apple is the answer. it usually is
The Sonos staement was referencing the press release from last year, seen at this link:
http://press-us.sonos.com/134980-sonos-with-partners-and-industry-leaders-ushers-in-new-era-of-connected-home-listening
Well, meanwhile the Alexa-Squeezebox integration continues apace. ....
For all 23 people still using Squeezebox? 😃
More than the 22 moaning about Sonos-Alexa integration?
Actually, having used it for the Squeezebox, it's a bit of an anti-climax ... nice to have but not really as useful as you might imagine!
If you have a multi-device setup, the most useful feature is to get the status of all devices - which are connected, which are playing/stopped and what they are playing. Beyond that, it just becomes a bit laborious compared with remote or web-control ....
To tell the truth, I have a soft spot for people who cling to failed products like Squeezebox. It's quite quaint, really. Like the folks who drive Yugos or still use HD-DVD.
Whatever ... I have a spectrum of sound devices ... including Sonos, Libratone Zipp. Pure Speakers, squeezebox devices (both original or soft) all of which work as players with the squeexebox system including full access to BBC iplayer (including Listen Again). Tunein, Spotify, Deezer, Google Music, local music collection,live radio streams, etc.
Pretty comprehensive access. Control available via web, remote, smartphone, alexa, Sadly the only missing feature is Amazon Music - but then I can switch easiiy to my Echo or Dot for Amazon
Pretty comprehensive access. Control available via web, remote, smartphone, alexa, Sadly the only missing feature is Amazon Music - but then I can switch easiiy to my Echo or Dot for Amazon
Sonos is Sonos - good in itself, but you are essentially stuck with whatever Sonos gives you. So, you wait in prolonged suspense for whatever Alexa integration you get ... be prepared for a WOW-SHITE! moment (as my brother-in-law described most technological 'advances'). You have an internet connected speaker - how you use it is up to you - Sonos driven or ' open source'. Or both?
Too bad for SONOS. It's taking too long. I'm a little bit sad.
With that Sonos presence, why did/do you not pick up a Dot, assuming that at least one of those 20 speakers has a line in? Run a wire from Dot to the line in and that is job done in one zone at least. Or in as many as are played as one group.
A more general question: as I understand it, running a wire from a Dot to the line in of any Sonos speaker allows the said speaker to do all that either Echo or Dot will do, with better sound quality. Will the Sonos/Alexa integration do anything more with Sonos speakers other than removing the need for this little wire?
+3
Too bad for SONOS. It's taking too long. I'm a little bit sad.
With that Sonos presence, why did/do you not pick up a Dot, assuming that at least one of those 20 speakers has a line in? Run a wire from Dot to the line in and that is job done in one zone at least. Or in as many as are played as one group.
A more general question: as I understand it, running a wire from a Dot to the line in of any Sonos speaker allows the said speaker to do all that either Echo or Dot will do, with better sound quality. Will the Sonos/Alexa integration do anything more with Sonos speakers other than removing the need for this little wire?
That wouldn't let you control your music sources available on SONOS... just play Amazon music through Alexa on crappy analogue connection. No different than connecting a speaker to your Echo Dot.
Interesting ....
http://www.aftvnews.com/sonos-integration-with-amazons-alexa-inches-closer-to-release/
http://www.aftvnews.com/sonos-integration-with-amazons-alexa-inches-closer-to-release/
I've got a few Sonos zones and an Echo Dot, and I'm intrigued to see how the integration will work.
Not least because a month or so ago I bought a Harmony hub, which I hooked to the Echo, to control my home AV system. The functionality was too limited and the Harmony Hub went back. But the combination suffered a fundamental problem: it was pretty much impossible to get Alexa to recognise a voice command with the TV sound on (the Echo Dot and AV system are in the same room).
So everything would power up fine, but switching sources, changing the volume, doing much of anything really was a no go until I had first muted the sound using an old fashioned RC.
Hence my intrigue: how is Alexa going to be able to recognise my voice waking it up alongside some playing music?
Not least because a month or so ago I bought a Harmony hub, which I hooked to the Echo, to control my home AV system. The functionality was too limited and the Harmony Hub went back. But the combination suffered a fundamental problem: it was pretty much impossible to get Alexa to recognise a voice command with the TV sound on (the Echo Dot and AV system are in the same room).
So everything would power up fine, but switching sources, changing the volume, doing much of anything really was a no go until I had first muted the sound using an old fashioned RC.
Hence my intrigue: how is Alexa going to be able to recognise my voice waking it up alongside some playing music?
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