New group doesn't work

[Lee55]

I am new to creating groups but not new to using Alexa. I recently bought two 3rd gen Dots. They are both in the bedroom. I used the app to create a group. Both Dots are online and work independently but not together as a group. Can someone tell me what I did wrong?
Thank you,
Lee

[dragon123]

Yuo want them to play music together in a group? What music service are you using, what specific command do you give, and what's the result?

[Lee55]

Thanks for the quick reply, dragon. No music (at this point). I really got into the sound effects (ocean, thunderstorm) etc.
and with the better gen 3 speakers, I wanted a more "immersive" sound filling the bedroom when I go to sleep. I thought grouping 2 Dots together when I asked for a particular sound effect they would both play the same thing at the same time.
Right now, if I ask for the thunderstorm sound one opens and plays that sound. I have to then ask again to get the second Dot to play that sound but it starts it's own loop (which is not in sync with the first one). And, actually, if you're listening to something like storm sounds that's not all that bad. However, if I request the piano, for example, they would both need to be playing the same sound effect at the same time.

[dragon123]

Well you can either create a 'smart group' which is for turning on the lights and stuff in the particular room you're in, or a 'multi rooom music group' which will play, well, music over a group of echos. So if those sound effects are on amazon prime or spotify what you want would work.
Another option is to use 2 speakers to get stereo: https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GPSQQS7N3SBKAEWU   but again I think this'll only work for spotify and the like.

There's also the option of linking 2 speakers together using an audio cable. The 2nd one doesn't need to be an echo.

[Lee55]

Boy, that's disappointing, dragon. That's what I get for asking a question on Amazons Echo Dot product page. Evidently, someone was just trying to be helpful without actually knowing what they were talking about. They said just form a group and they will all work together. I have no idea where the sound effects come from. You just enable them in the skills section of the phone app. As they would not be considered "music" I doubt creating a music group would accomplish what I want. I think your idea of just linking them together with an audio cable is my only solution. I just ordered one from Amazon. Thanks for all your help.

[Lee55]

UPDATE: For anyone who thinks you can just connect two Dots together with a 3.5 audio cable and have them play the same thing...  don't bother. I just got my cable, connected my two Dots together and all's it did was prevent either Dot from playing anything! The cable just completely shut down the Dots ability to take commands or play sounds.