Spotify Connect with HEOS and Alexa...device offline

[Eisbein]

Dear All,

I know this has been discussed a few times, but it would appear that this bug is literally being held quiet.

I love Spotify (so Amazon is not yet an option), and I love my HEOS (so Yamaha is not yet an option either). But this is changing.

With my home connected through an Echo it is obvious that I want to use Alexa with my HEOS devices to play Spotify Connect. However, although Alexa is trying to play Spotify she tells me that the HEOS device is offline on all HEOS devices. As all other functions like radio or local files work this way this seems to be a Spotify bug. The HEOS, the Spotify (and the Connect Control....I'll come to this later) skills are activated and set up properly. HEOS, Alexa and Spotify do list the devices and can access them separately without any problem.

For me it would appears that whenever Alexa activates Spotify, Spotify thinks it's connected and blocks all other devices. Also grouping devices doesn't work. It is understood and accepted that even with a premium Spotify account you can access only one device at a time.

In many communities you can read that this is intentional because Denon prefers Amazon, some say this is because of Spotify restrictions. You can even read from Denon that this problem can't be solved, but it can/could.

The Skill "Connect Control" from Lawrence Thorpe has shown that it is possible and has basically embarrassed all others who say this would be too difficult. Great work from Lawrence, by the way. Thanks! This skill basically manages to play Spotify Connect on HEOS devices using Alexa. Not less, but also not more. It lacks on functionality like choosing title, playlist...etc. and can only continue Spotify on other devices.

Now my question: Has this issue been addressed? Is Spotify working on a working connection to HEOS devices through Alexa? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? And if, how far down the road is it?

Thanks for your help/information.

Best Regards

Eisbein

Plan

Premium

Country

DE

Device

Denon, Heos, Echo

Operating System

na

My Question or Issue

Spotify Connect on HEOS speakers with Alexa

[DiamondDog]

Yep, I have been using Amazon Music for the last 2 years now and has been totally fine.

AM also has High Def (FLAC), ATMOS, 360 Reality Audio all included as standard - which Spotify doesn't - something Spotify have also been promising for years!    

[BenF84]

@Spotify will you ever five a reply to this open topic. I juste bought a Marantz NR1510 ans expected tonbe able to play Spotify music using Alexa ans I'm reallly disapponted. Can WE AT least know wbat is the blocking point ?

Thanks you

[alturner]

I seem to have a kind of work around for this.

Firstly when I set my Heos speaker (Denon AVR2800H) I chose the name 'DEN' from the drop-down.  I'll get on to why that seems somewhat useful in a minute.

Anyway 1st go around when I set my new AV receiver up I had all the problems everyone else is complaining about.  I eventually found an Alexa skill called 'Spotify Remote' which I started on the echo device in the room that controls the speaker.  Strangely to open it by voice you have to say "Alexa open Playback Control".  Now I don't know if this is actually doing anything or if this workaround would work without the skill, but I'm not prepared to uninstall it and risk losing what functionality I have.

So, this is how it now works.  If I say "Alexa, open Spotify" or "Alexa, play songs by the Lumineers" the echo device will start playing from its speaker.  I then just have to say "Alexa, play on Den" and it will kick over to the receiver, I then get all the normal controls of track changes, volume up/down etc. instructions for next song seems to work just by asking, changing the volume seems to want me to specify the device, but sometimes it works if I don't.  If I ask Alexa to play a different band or playlist etc 'she' will pull it back to the echo device, but "Alexa, play on Den" sorts that out.

Now, the reason I think the name is somewhat important is twofold.  1) even though I have renamed the speaker in the Heos app, and Spotify recognises the new name, Alexa still tags it as DEN, and all functionality only works when I call it that.  2) I noticed some of the other options always seem to try and play a song with the name in, where she seems to understand DEN without any trouble.

Hopefully some other people can get the same workaround working if you don't have a better solution.

[jsmorgan1it]

It's Dennon because when I give Alexa a command to play music on my Kindle via Spotify it plays perfectly. It's only through my Dennon speakers that Alexa responds by saying the speakers are offline, so there you go. As many have realized Alexa will respond to voice commands to play music through Dennon speakers if its another music source. 

[badaz]

It is now the end of 2024 and I found this thread because I'm experiencing the same problem with Alexa not being able to play Spotify on my brand new HEOS device the Marantz Cinema 70s. After searchingfor a solution on the internetfor hours I finally resorted to using Amazon Music which works quite well. However I am confused as to why this has never been addressed yet? The support website of Marantz now says that spotify through Alexa it is not compatible (and not coming soon). Anyway, I find it very annoying to have to change streaming platform because the devs won't fix this problem... Wiim managed to do it, why not HEOS? https://support-fr.marantz.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/6860/~/contr%C3%B4le-vocal-alexa%3A-commandes...