Can Alexa Play On Two Speakers At Once?
If you have Bluetooth and WiFi speakers, you may want to play music in multiple speakers in different rooms in your home. If you have Amazon Echo speakers, you can use Alexa to send commands to them and enjoy your music. But can Alexa play music on two or more speakers at the same time?
Can Alexa Play On Two Speakers At Once?
Yes, Alexa can play music in two or more speakers simultaneously. However, you will need to have the Alexa app that allows you to place the speakers in the same audio group. Again, you cannot play non–music content on multiple speakers at once.
The only challenge with this feature is that it is not available in some countries, on some speakers, and some services. If you are using Amazon Echo speakers, and you are in the U.S., you will not face any challenges connecting the speakers and playing audio from all of them at the same time. (source)
How Does the Alexa Multiroom Features Work?
Multiroom music is important for people with Bluetooth or WiFi speakers. The feature, which is not in all speakers, allows you to play audio in multiple rooms in your house. In some speakers, you can either play different music in different speakers, or play the same music in all the speakers.
Amazon allows you to create groups of different Echo speakers all connected to play audio at the same. You can create a group and then name it “Kitchen.” You can then give command to Alexa, such as “Alexa, play Bruno Mars in the Kitchen.”
Alexa will play music from Amazon Music, but can also stream music from Spotify and Pandora among other streaming services. There are versions of the Echo speakers that accommodate stereo pairing. This is only possible with the latest version of the Echo Dots. Fortunately, you can pair the second generation with the third generation Echo Plus.
How Do You Create Speaker Groups using Alexa?
It is possible for you to register two or more Echo speakers or other Alexa–enabled speakers on your Amazon account. After you register them, you need to put them on the same WiFi network and then set them up to play music in different rooms.
You will need to download the Alexa app, which allows you to create audio groups for the speakers. First, open the Amazon Alexa app on your phone and follow the steps below to set it up:
• Select the devices you have registered from at the bottom of the screen
• Once selected, click the Plus (+) button at the top right corner
• Click “Set Up Multiroom Music” and then confirm with the continue button
• Set a name for the group of speakers you want to add and then click “Next”
• In the next window, add the devices you want to add to the group named above and then save – if a device is not available, the window will gray it out
• From there, the devices in the group will be connected
• If the speakers are already connected, you can play them by giving the command “Alexa, play Ed Sheeran/Specific Song, on Echo devices ‘group name’.”
Most of the Echo devices support this feature. You can play music in multiple rooms through the first, second, and third generation of the Echo devices. You can also play on the three generations of Echo Dot, Echo Dot with Clock, the first and second generation of Echo Show, Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8, Echo Spot, the first and second generation of Echo Plus, Echo Input, and Fire TV Stick.
The Amazon Alexa multiroom feature launched in 2017 and was only available for a few devices. Today, Amazon has expanded and improved the feature such that it is available for several devices. Except the Amazon Tap, all other Amazon devices can play through the Alexa multiroom feature.
You can also create an Amazon Echo Stereo setup where you have one Echo speaker as the right output and the other speaker as the left output. If this is what you want to do, you need to add the speakers from the bottom of the app and then click the + button at the top. From there, choose “Add Stereo Pair/ Subwoofer.”
When you choose subwoofer, your speaker will give you that bass you need for hip hop music. It is one of the beauty of Amazon Echo.
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Can I Play Music From Music Streaming Services?
Yes, you can play music from several music streaming services besides Amazon Music. However, you cannot play non-music content. After a few improvements, the app allows you to play Audible books in multiple rooms. You can use the feature when you need to read bedtime stories to children in different bedrooms.
The multiroom feature accommodates music from streaming services such as Amazon Music, Amazon Prime Music, Pandora, Spotify, Apple Music, TuneIn, Sirius XM, and iHeartRadio. However, the feature doesn’t accommodate Bluetooth connections – your speakers need to connect to the same WiFi network.
Your Bluetooth speakers will have to stay off this unless you have a wired connection from the Echo Dot. Once the feature is active, you will not be able to rewind or fast-forward music.
Related Article For More Help: Spotify won’t connect to Alexa
What Commands Should You Give Alexa to Play in Different Rooms?
You can give different commands to Alexa, depending on what you want the speakers to do. Some of the commands that you can give include:
• Alexa, play [song] on [name of the group]
• Alexa, play hip hop from Spotify upstairs
• Alexa, stop playing music on [name of the group]
These commands are easy and anyone can give them. However, it is not all times that Alexa will understand what you want to play. In some instances, Alexa will interpret the name of the group as a song name or as music streaming services, and you end up with a confused system.
If you want to avoid confusion, you can play from the Alexa app where you have more control on what plays and where. From the app, you can play the music streaming service, the song, the artiste, and the group you want to play on.
If you are playing music from Spotify, your Alexa groups will roll on Spotify Connect. This way, you can play music directly from Spotify and then select the group you need the songs to play on.
What Issues Will I Face When Connection Echo Speakers in Different Rooms?
You may face some issues connecting your speakers through Alexa multi-room audio setup. Sometimes the process is not as seamless. If you have other speakers and not Amazon Echo, you will have challenges even if they are Alexa compatible.
One of the main issues is that the speakers need to be on the same exact network. You may have the speakers on the same WiFi network, but if the speakers are in different band of WiFi (same 2.4GHz or 5GHz) and the speakers also need the same BSSID.
If your WiFi has several access points, especially if you have a signal booster or a repeater, the access points might have different BSSIDs. You might need to avoid repeaters and signal boosters.
The problem is that your devices might jump from one of the networks to the next if they believe that the signal is better. When you are setting up the speakers, you need them to be on the same band and BSSID. If you do not know what that means, you need to ask whoever set your WiFi to set it up.
You can correct the issue by restarting your router, turning off 5GHz, and disabling the guest modes. If you cannot solve the issue, call Amazon, and they might help you out.
What Else Can You Do With Connected Speakers?
You can set reminders on the connected devices so that everyone in your home can hear the reminders. You will find it easy to make announcements, especially if you have a large house.
You can set up reminders and make announcements by opening the Alexa app and clicking the Communicate button at the bottom of the screen. You can then type the message that you need the speakers to communicate.
You can also give a command, such as “Make an announcement.” You can also click “Reminders and Alarms” from the menu and then tap “Reminder” and pick “Add Reminder.” You can then set a reminder or announcement to be broadcast.
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Closing Thoughts
If you have Amazon Echo speakers, you can connect them and play the same music at the same time. You can also make announcements and reminders from the speakers. If your WiFi network is the same for all speakers and the speakers are compatible, then you should have no problem connecting the speakers.
If you have any issues, you should check your WiFi connection and ensure that the speakers are compatible. You will enjoy your music more if you play from different speakers. You can enjoy the good bass that the Echo speakers give and the convenience that comes with the Alexa App.