Alexa's Voice is Muted over Soundtouch

[Jtwitkow]

I have both the Bose Soundtouch 30 and 20, which are connected to my Amazon Echo Dot (the 20 is connected to it via Bluetooth). Whenever I say the name "Alexa" to activate the Echo Dot, the Soundtouch speakers display a speaker icon with a line through it, indicating that the speaker has been muted. I presume this is so that the Echo Dot can hear what I'm asking it. The problem is that I can't hear Alexa's responses. I used to be able to hear Alexa just fine through the bose speakers, but it seems like there was a device update, and now I can't hear Alexa talking through the Bose Soundtouch 20 or 30. I can hear everything else just fine. If I ask it to play music, it plays fine, or a radio station, or even the sound of a timer alarm going off (you can use the echo dot as a timer) all come through just fine. But alexa's responses are muted. I believe the issue is that the speaker mutes itself so that Alexa can hear your commands, however it doesn't get un-muted quickly enough to hear the response. On occasion I will catch the tail end of a long response from Alexa.

Is there a way to stop the speaker from "auto-muting" when I say Alexa? That's the only time it auto-mutes the speaker.

[Brandon_M]

Hi Jtwitkow,

Thanks for the post.  The speakers muting is actually expected behavior from the SoundTouch systems.  This is done so the Echo device can hear your voice when you issue it commands.  There is no way to disable this feature, but I will put in a request to the software team to see if it's possible.

Let us know if you have any other questions.

Best Regards,

Brandon - Bose Support

[#3]

Definitely agree, this needs to be an option not standard

[Jtwitkow]

Just wanted to update my original post.  The very next day, after I posted this, it magically just started working.  I haven't seen the mute symbol since. It's almost like the dev team read my post on Sunday night and had it fixed the next morning (that likely didn't happen, but it certainly was a strange coincidence).  So I'm not sure how or why it's working, and I'm pretty much just waiting for it to stop working again. Fingers crossed!

[Dene88]

So I'm having the same exact problem(and I'm sure others as well). Any clues to what you may have done to fix this would be apreciated. I'm using the echo dot connected to a soundtouch 30. It even still does this if connected via AUX cable.

[Jtwitkow]

Unfortunately I'm not sure why it started working. I've even pulled the power completely, and as soon as it connects (via Bluetooth by the way), it works now. No more mute symbol. I wish I could explain why it does or doesn't work. Total mystery.

[dnw]

I have exactly the same problem and it is infuriating. I have an echo dot connected via Bluetooth to a SoundTouch 10 in the bedroom and an echo spot connected to a SoundTouch 20 in the lounge. The same problem will happen on both and then it will fix itself again but I can’t exactly replicate steps of how it starts or ends.

The Bose answer above makes no sense because this would render Alexa unusable with both products.

The only thing I can think of is that I’ve recently used the new Bose Alexa Skill and it seems that whenever I mess around with that then later I have this problem.

Anyone else had this and found a definitive solution?

Thanks

[dnw]

This is definitley realted to the new native Alexa Skill. Unlinking the skill fixes the problem.

If you use the new Bose Alexa skill, unpair from Bluetooth before setting up the skill. Then you will get Alexa responses coming out of the Echo device and music coming out of the Bose (when you use the correct commands...).

[jimsto2]

I am having the same problem.  I have a SoundTouch20 and a SoundTouch10 both paired with an Echo Dot.  They mute every Alexa reply to anything I ask, who sings this song (?), what time is it (?), what the weather tomorrow (?).  This is very annoying and serves absolutely no purpose.  I have emailed, chatted, and called support.  The phone support was totally clueless about the product.  I have done every update offered and even deleted & restored the bluetooth profile from both the Echo and the SoundTouch.

WHY CAN'T SOMEONE AT BOSE GET THIS STUPID FEATURE DISABLED???  Does anybody at Bose care enough to reply?

I am considering returning all the SoundTouches and getting something else that won't adversely effect my Echo.

Please help & reply.

[dnw]

Are you connected via bluetooth?

Do you have the BOSE Alex skill enabled?

If the answer is yes to both, disable the Alex skill. You have to chose one or the other.