Alexa muting Sonos audio system… here is the right way to cease it taking place

Are you pissed off that your Sonos audio system have their quantity lowered (virtually muted) whenever you ask Alexa a command by way of your Amazon Echo audio system?

Properly then now we have excellent news. Sonos lastly mounted the problem some time again… though there’s a little bit of faffing to get all of it working easily. However do not fret – we’re right here to inform you precisely what to do to cease your Sonos’ audio system going quiet whenever you’re speaking to Alexa.

The function – technical time period: ‘ducking’ (AKA ‘whole-home ducking’ or ‘international ducking’) – impacts non-Alexa Sonos audio system, such because the Play:1, Play:3 and Play:5, and it makes no distinction the place your Sonos audio system are positioned in your home.

Information: Familiarize yourself with Sonos S2

For instance, in case you ask Alexa what the climate forecast is within the kitchen, your Sonos audio system in the lounge, eating room, rest room, workplace, or wherever else, all have their volumes lowered – if they’re enjoying music – whereas Amazon’s digital assistant solutions the question.

However you may repair the Sonos muting subject – though you may have to leap into the Alexa app to take action…

You may affiliate Echo gadgets with Sonos audio system by way of the Alexa app – and create teams the place the Sonos audio system are the default music playback for a command heard by your Echo gadgets.

Now, you’d have thought that having your Echos and Sonos audio system grouped in the identical room – and in a devoted group – can be sufficient to have seen an finish to ducking in different rooms. However you’d have thought incorrect.

You want all of your Echo gadgets or Sonos audio system hooked up to a bunch. Confused? Us too, to be sincere – however here is what it’s essential to perceive.

As quickly as you group a Sonos speaker with an Echo machine – for instance the kitchen Play:1 with the kitchen Echo Dot – then Alexa on that Dot will know solely to duck the sound on that particular speaker. All different Sonos audio system will stay on the quantity they’re presently enjoying at.

Nevertheless, you may nonetheless get ducking on all audio system when a command is made to a non-grouped Echo machine. That is clearly an issue you probably have Echo gadgets in rooms the place there aren’t additionally Sonos audio system.

The straightforward repair right here is to create a bunch of all Echo gadgets that are not already grouped – name it ‘Different Echos’ or one thing alongside these strains. Alternatively, arrange a bunch for every room you will have a Sonos speaker with no Alexa machine current, or create a bunch for all of your Sonos audio system you do not essentially need related to an Echo.

Should you’re undecided the right way to create these teams, don’t fret, we have you coated… try our Sonos / Echo grouping information.

Exceptions to Alexa ducking

Ducking impacts non-Alexa audio system when the command is made to an Echo machine corresponding to a Dot, Spot or Present. Nevertheless, Alexa is baked into Sonos now and, in case you’re talking to a Sonos One, Transfer, Beam or Arc with the digital assistant on board, solely that particular speaker can be ducked.

Additionally, if you’re watching TV and your audio is coming by way of a Playbar, Arc, Playbase or Beam then you definately will not be affected by ducking.