Estimated studying time: 6 minutes
Alexa has firm on the most recent Sonos audio system… Spotify added to the combo now too.
Multi-room audio large Sonos introduced a brand new Voice Management assistant for all Sonos audio system with a microphone a few years in the past.
Initially a US-only providing, Sonos’ various to Alexa and the Google Assistant is out there within the UK and different areas now as properly.
Not like Alexa or Google Assistant, there’s no asking in regards to the climate, visitors, information or controlling your smart home; Sonos Voice Management is solely about accessing and taking part in your music, in your Sonos system.
It really works with Amazon Music, Apple Music, Pandora, Deezer and Sonos Radio media controls. Streaming favourite Spotify was late to the occasion however was added to the combo in March 2024.
You should use each Sonos Voice Management and Alexa on the similar time, on the identical speaker – however not Sonos and Google Assistant… which is odd however much less of a difficulty on condition that Google’s digital voice butler hasn’t been included on any of the most recent Sonos speaker launches such because the Period 300 or the Transfer 2.
What you’ll want
- A suitable Sonos speaker
- The Sonos S2 app
The brief model
- Open the Sonos S2 app and hit the settings cog within the backside bar.
- Faucet Companies & Voice.
- Faucet Add a Voice Assistant or press Sonos Voice Management should you see it as an possibility.
- Select a speaker you need to add it to and observe the steps within the app.
You possibly can repeat the steps above for every other audio system you need included, it doesn’t set up on all of them without delay.
In relation to step 3, after tapping Sonos Voice Management you’ll see all the Sonos audio system the place you’ve enabled Voice, and also you’ll see the choice so as to add extra audio system.
You may as well use that display screen to decide on and alter your default music supplier for Sonos Voice.
Easy methods to use Sonos Voice Management
The wake phrase is “Hey Sonos” and you may daisy-chain requests collectively with out having to say it each time.
The excellent news is that Sonos Voice is definitely extra superior than Alexa and Google Assistant in relation to your Sonos system.
Not solely are you able to ask it to play songs, skip tracks, change the amount and so forth, you too can use it to group Sonos audio system and transfer your music round your own home.
You possibly can say issues like…
“Hey Sonos, play music I like”
“Hey Sonos, play Oasis”
“Hey Sonos, skip this music”
“Hey Sonos, flip the amount up”
“Hey Sonos, group the kitchen and front room”
“Hey Sonos, transfer the music to the workplace”
“Hey Sonos, play on this room as an alternative”
“Hey Sonos, what’s this music?”
“Hey Sonos, how a lot battery have I acquired left?” (For Sonos Roam or Transfer audio system)
You get the thought.
There are additionally TV particular directions should you’ve acquired a Sonos soundbar such because the Arc:
“Hey Sonos, flip the TV on”
“Hey Sonos, activate Night time Sound”
“Hey Sonos, flip Speech Enhancement off”
And, though it’s not designed to switch Alexa or GA, you are able to do some primary non-music stuff akin to setting timers and sleep timers. Attempt instructions akin to:
“Hey Sonos, set a 12 minute timer”
“Hey Sonos, add 5 minutes to my timer”
“Hey Sonos, flip the music off in an hour”
Sonos Voice data
Sonos limits its responses and chimes so you may get to your music sooner – a welcome change from providers that repeat all of your requests again to you, slowly, earlier than really providing you with what you’ve requested for.
It’s designed with on a regular basis language recognition too. And also you would possibly acknowledge the voice responding to you, as actor Giancarlo Esposito (Gus Fring in Breaking Dangerous and Higher Name Saul, and Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian) is the voice of the service.
That’s for the English language model, a minimum of. Sonos Voice can be obtainable in French.
There’s excellent news for the safety aware too, as all requests are processed regionally slightly than in within the cloud to supply full privateness, and hopefully attain clients who’ve beforehand held out resulting from these considerations.
You’ll, nonetheless, must be utilizing Sonos over Wi-Fi to get essentially the most from the expertise. On Bluetooth solely mode, you’ll be restricted to primary observe controls.
What audio system work with Sonos Voice Management?
As talked about, so long as your Sonos speaker has a microphone then you definately’re within the sport. In order that’s… deep breath…
- Sonos One (all-generations)
- Sonos Period 100
- Sonos Period 300
- Sonos Roam
- Sonos Transfer (all-generations)
- Sonos Arc
- Sonos Beam 2nd-gen
FAQs
Actor Giancarlo Esposito, who performed Gus Fring in Breaking Dangerous and Higher Name Saul, and Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian.
Sonos Period 100, Period 300, Roam, Transfer (1st and 2nd-gen), Arc, Beam (1st and 2nd-gen).
No, it’s music solely controls for Sonos Voice plus some primary duties like timers and alarms.