Sonos for god sake listen to your customers !!!!

  • 13 November 2017
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Alexa echo dot 2 and Sonos One hate each other

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Spent a fortune to buy these speakers with inbuilt Alexa yes the Sonos One 2017 version. Guess what it can’t even pair with the big daddy Amazon Echo dot2 neither in groups or by any app. Basically Sonos wants to play alone even the tech is borrowed from Amazon. It’s so stupid they don’t talk to each other both ways sync together to play music. It’s a rip off in the name of automation. To put a cherry on top the Alexa app installed on the Sonos One is way way inferior compared to amazon echo yes that’s the truth. The microphone is horrible as you’ve to speak several times to make your point or command correct and half of the time it will not even respond. After detail research it’s confirmed to be running a lower grade version of Alexa not the improved on other amazon echo version. That’s so lame and I’m very angry at Sonos for delivering something doesn’t deliver. Advertise something and deliver something else with no dots joining.
Spent a fortune to buy these speakers with inbuilt Alexa yes the Sonos One 2017 version. Guess what it can’t even pair with the big daddy Amazon Echo dot2 neither in groups or by any app.

That was never an advertised feature. Echos only sync audio with other echos. You won't find an Alexa enabled device that groups/syncs as you describe. Even other Amazon products, like the fire tv and tablets, won't group/sync. Likewise, the Sonos One will only group/sync/pair with other Sonos devices.


Basically Sonos wants to play alone even the tech is borrowed from Amazon.


That statement is a contradiction. If Sonos wants to play alone, why did they integrate with Amazon?


It’s so stupid they don’t talk to each other both ways sync together to play music. It’s a rip off in the name of automation.


It only seems stupid if you don't put in any thought as to why two competing products wouldn't do an an integration that could negatively impact thier sales....not to mention that they don't want to share tech secrets.


To put a cherry on top the Alexa app installed on the Sonos One is way way inferior compared to amazon echo yes that’s the truth. The microphone is horrible as you’ve to speak several times to make your point or command correct and half of the time it will not even respond.


That's a common complaint. Sonos has stated that the mic can be adjusted through software, so there is hope for improvement. I don't have the Sonos One, but do have echos throughout the house and it is rather frustrating giving voice commands at times. This is probably the biggest reason why I personally haven't gone out and bought a Sonos One just yet. Will wait and see how this is handled.


After detail research it’s confirmed to be running a lower grade version of Alexa not the improved on other amazon echo version.


I had heard that one before. If you're willing to research the product, why didn't your research before buying the product instead of after?


That’s so lame and I’m very angry at Sonos for delivering something doesn’t deliver. Advertise something and deliver something else with no dots joining.


You're not alone in assuming that the Sonos One would join (or whatever) with other Echos as your suggesting. However, neither Sonos or Amazon ever advertised that feature. I'm sure I haven't read every review of the Sonos One, but I don't think I've read one that claimed that feature either. So it's Sonos fault that you somehow came to believe this feature existed even though they never said it did. Instead of advertising what Sonos does, they should have advertised what it doesn't in case make assumptions? Do you expect that from other companies?

These days, with so much tech out there, so many possible features, so many different brands and such, and the availablity to get good info on the internet, I don't buy anything without doing research first. You really just can't assume anything.
All comments of syncing and joining aside, the One does sound notably better than the Play 1, which is saying something. 🙂
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All comments of syncing and joining aside, the One does sound notably better than the Play 1, which is saying something. :-)

Placebo there, man. They're practically the same.
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i'm with monsterkeeper....i have both the Sonos ones and play1's. to my ears, the Sonos ones sound better than play1's.
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i'm with monsterkeeper....i have both the Sonos ones and play1's. to my ears, the Sonos ones sound better than play1's.

But they're not meant to. You have the expectation of a newer, revised product to sound better so you sub-consciously think it is. I bet the difference is subjectively negligible. Put a cloth in front of them both and ask a friend to do a blind test - I bet you can't tell them apart.

Also, make sure they're in the same location... because you might have your Sonos One in a more acoustically optimized area.
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JackWright your assumptions are incorrect. and though i believe you meant no harm they're also a bit insultingly dismissive.

we bought both the play1 and the one for testing. we sat them both behind us on the same table in the same room. i asked my husband to control the app and the placement of the speakers so that i wouldn't know which was playing. i performed the the same test for him. in the BLIND test we BOTH thought the ones sounded better.

i could be wrong but other than the form factor just about everything else is different on the ones. hardware wise THE speakers have different components. i've read reviews of others who have felt the same monsterkeeper and me.

i've read reviews where people think that play1's sounded better than play5's. for my listening experience nothing could be farther from the truth. however, i don't denounce these listeners choices nor do or make inaccurate assumptions.

as i note with every post here,others can advise but people need to listen to speakers and make decisions for themselves. we've chosen what works for us and what suits the experience we want.
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Others have said the Sonos One does sound different. I haven't done an A/B - I expect them to sound a little different but so close you would really have to do a back and forth A/B.
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JackWright your assumptions are incorrect. and though i believe you meant no harm they're also a bit insultingly dismissive.

we bought both the play1 and the one for testing. we sat them both behind us on the same table in the same room. i asked my husband to control the app and...


Functionally they're so similar that most people can't tell the difference. As I said - subjectively negligible. The fact you prefer the sound so much more and it appears to make a noticeable difference is mind boggling and untrue when the facts state otherwise. Because the only true possibility is that the Sonos One sounds better but only by a near, almost unnoticeable amount...

Ok, apologies for assuming you can't tell the difference but you have to tell the truth when it comes to the auditory difference there is between them both. Unless you had a defective Play 1 unit...

Anyway, enjoy your Sonos I don't mean bad intent. 😕
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No problem here jack

Back to the original post - it’s really amazon that controls he features when it comes to how Sonos interacts with Alexa. Amazon would have to enable grouping which to they have kept to their echo devices only.
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Im pretty sure Amazon isn't going to allow a subset of their features to permeate to third party developers. After all, they are selling speakers. They aren't going to allow calling, intercom, etc., features on the PlayOne unless they pay for it. The branding of Alexa on Sonos is deceiving because its not the same feature set as on Amazon devices. Alexa has more functionality on Amazon devices. Like, "lights ons..." only turns on the lights associated with the Echo. But the same goes for the Ecobee switches and thermostats, they have Alexa but its the subset, which for me is pretty useless. More third party developers should complain to Amazon and get a full feature Alexa, since they are essentially marketing for Amazon for free on their boxes.
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I have no issues with Sonos One home automation features. Not sure your lighting issue.
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How come it seems the people that say they I have no issues don't understand the problem? You are familiar with grouping devices to an echo right? So if I say lights out in the bed room, it only shuts off those lights. If I go to the living room and say lights out, it just turns those off. If you say that to Sonos One, it CANT do that. Thats what I mean by feature set. Yes I understand I can say to Sonos One, Alexa turn off living room lights. Thats not a solution to simplicity, thats just having to utter more syllables. Again, the feature set like, call John, you can't do that on Sonos One. You can't say to Sonos One, drop in on Frank, theres actually quite a few features you cant do with Sonos One even though its Alexa enabled.

In all seriousness, you can pretty much get rid off all these problem and complaints if they just added bluetooth to their NEW speakers. Then you can just pair the echo to the bluetooth and voila, Alexa plays and does everything the way it should would thru some decent speakers.
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Can you not add Sonos One to smart groups so knows rooms? I haven’t tried mine as I don’t have any specifically in that room.

I do know yes my dots are in smartgroups so I don’t have to say turn off light in ... room name.
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Oh no I wouldn’t want bluetooth.
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Again, you are commenting without really knowing the issues. If you dont want bluetooth, you don't have to use it. That's pretty much a common statement with the Sonos cheerleaders, if you dont want it ducking then disable the skill.

If they actually shipped with bluetooth, then they wouldn't have a problem interfacing google home or alexa. It would just work with all smart home assistants, but hey...that would be too easy and who wants that?

Sonos should do what they are good at, building good wireless speakers, not turning itself into a software company.
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Nice post.

If most people who buy Sonos wanted Bluetooth they would buy a Bluetooth speaker.

How about doing it the right way and have skills that do it properly. Ducking will be resolved. And I assume your saying the Sonos One can’t be added to a smart group. So are you being helpful or not in confirming it can or can not be added smartgroup?

I know what your saying but you just want to now be rude. I wouldn’t want Alexa voice coming through my Sonos speakers in house so would never want them to operate as a Bluetooth extension of Alexa. Defeats completely what I would want from my smarthome integration.

Sonos - no matter what smart guy thinks I do not want you to focus on anything bluetooth in your speakers. Which they don’t have or care to have so mute point.

If you can’t add Sonos One to smartgroup as I guess his guy has tested -then yes please Sonos add this in next update with ducking fix.

Thanks
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And last I saw you didn’t originate this thread and it doesnt belong to you as your personal pet thread so I will comment all I care to comment. Last I noticed it was on open forum.
'Without turning itself into a software company'? Its multiroom firmware / software is what makes Sonos what it is and always has done. In its earliest years it didn't even make speakers.

Please God it will continue its deliberate rejection of Bluetooth
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Wow, First I never said it was my pet thread. Second, I never said this was a closed forum. Third, whats the problem with bluetooth? I didn't say get rid of wifi mesh networking and the way it currently works. I'm saying add bluetooth, then guests can come with their music, bluetooth it to a speaker, then it can be multi-roomed, like it does with its line input on the play 5s. If you don't want a home assistant on your speakers then don't pair it. Personally, I would rather have one speaker than a multiples. Right now I have an Echo Dot next to a Google Home next to my Sonos Play 5. The assistant speakers sound like crap compared to Play5. Its unbelievable how suggestions are immediately rejected by people that don't understand the technology. And, yes I do this also because I bought an adapter....
There is a case for what you are asking for, and I am not suggesting you don't understand the tech.... but Sonos is fundamentally a multiroom networked hifi system, and there are loads of individual Bluetooth speakers around. Bluetooth would add to the cost of speakers and increase the risk of interference. Sonos has never trusted the Bluetooth technology and probably suspects it would add to the support overhead. It's horses for courses really.

So I think you are mistaken in suggesting that Sonos should add Bluetooth, but you are entitled to state your case. I still think the 'not turning itself into a software company' comment was a strange take on the company's history and the nature of the product.

FWIW, Sonos felt the same about Airplay, but will be adding Airplay 2. Clearly Sonos feels the balance of advantage lies in adding it, although I personally won't use it and would rather Sonos devoted resource to something else. But that's another debate.
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My frustration with Bluetooth is timing between multiple devices, that gives me fits here to the point I make sure only one Bluetooth device is active in a room to avoid echos and delays.
@SmartHomeUser, I'm not sure why you are assuming John doesn't know what he's talking about. Did you not notice that he has a rather high post count? Do you think he could post that much and really not understand the positive and negatives of Bluetooth, particularly in connection to VAs? Did you consider the possibility that some folks have had this very conversation so many times they don't care to explain their views yet again? BTW, I'm not suggesting you don't know what you're talking about either.

Anyway, I don't like Bluetooth for use in connect VAs to Sonos for a couple reasons. Primarily because you have to effectively disable all other audio sources on your Sonos. VAs need to be always on...always listening AND always ready to speak. You cannot be listened to Apple music, for example, and then make a request to Alexa and hear the response. Yes, you could turn on auto-line in, but it will be delayed and you cannot jump right back to where you were on Apple music. The same issue occurs when grouping.

Secondly, because I don't find it as useful as using the Sonos skill. I don't care to hear Alexa through my Sonos speakers. The dot is good enough for voice. I only care about the music, and that is easily played, in any zone I want, simply by adding 'on Zone A' to my commands. Yes, it's not there for Google or others, and Amazon needs some work, but I'm willing to be patient rather then settle for an unsatisfactory solution.

Sonos has their own reasons, these are just mine.