r/HomePod • u/alexsandernyc • May 13 '23
Will apple ever have true surround sound with 4 HomePods? Discussion
35
u/Mlabonte21 May 13 '23
It has to be on their radar.
The eARC stereo pair feature JUST dropped the ‘beta’ label 3 months ago.
Maybe we’ll hear something at WWDC—- or potentially the Fall.
If they wanna sell more of these things—it would certainly give us all a reason to buy a second set.
-2
u/Screenwiz White May 13 '23
eArc been a thing for a while.
13
25
u/Ok-Airport-2063 May 13 '23
I'd be down to add to HP minis for surround. Make it so Apple!
7
5
u/alexsandernyc May 15 '23
I have two minis on the side of the couch. (Not pictured) so that’s why I was hoping we can get something going one day.
19
u/kestralsanmorn May 13 '23
It would be so nice ! I’m sending weekly demand of this function on feedback.apple.com !
14
u/churningaccount May 13 '23
Why not 5? I think people are really undervaluing the center channel, especially with the state of dialogue mixing in movies/tv shows these days…
3
u/ADHDK May 14 '23
I can’t do a lack of centre channel. Split my HomePods back around the house as Siri speakers and replaced them with a Yamaha soundbar. If voices aren’t coming from the direction of the screen then I don’t want to watch it.
2
u/Majestic-Factor9390 Jul 08 '23
The next update will include a dedicated center speaker option I believe
2
4
u/jaakkopetteri May 14 '23
Phantom center is good enough with omnidirectional speakers and proper processing
4
u/Enscivwy May 14 '23
I mean I guess but why settle at “good enough” if you got the money
2
u/jaakkopetteri May 14 '23
Simplicity, and it's really a marginal difference
2
u/Enscivwy May 14 '23
My guy, dude’s running 4 HomePods I don’t think they care about either of those things
1
u/jaakkopetteri May 14 '23
Why do people buy Homepods if not for simplicity?
6
u/Enscivwy May 14 '23
One HomePod, fair enough, but 4.
2
u/jaakkopetteri May 14 '23
I don't see why you'd draw such an arbitrary limit. Put it this way: if one wants a surround setup, is there more minimal way?
1
u/Enscivwy May 14 '23
Ah. See I was interpreting it differently. I suppose that’s fair, but still, at one unit that’d make sense, but in my opinion, there’s easier ways to get surround, probably maybe at cheaper prices too
1
u/jaakkopetteri May 14 '23
Is there, though? I guess some soundbar setups could be cheaper or more convenient, but they lack the separation in the front
→ More replies3
8
May 14 '23
They should come out with a soundbar with HomePod surrounds
5
u/churningaccount May 14 '23
At that point they’d have to commit to a subwoofer as well, though, since it would be silly to offer a “high end” home theater product without one. And that extent of a product lineup in the home theater space might be too much for Apple’s tastes at the moment.
3
u/BurnAfter8 May 14 '23
This is probably the best answer. The powers that he have probably decided to either go all in, or don’t even try. To really get in that space AND be considered “premium”, it will require more than just a few extra pods.
1
6
u/Hot-Teacher-2930 May 14 '23
It makes a lot of difference where the HomePods are placed. I had mine on the TV stand besides the TV, but didn’t feel right unless I sat at a particular place in front of the TV. The I moved the on top of my big speakers, WOW! Now they sound like the big speakers and the woofer are playing. Visitors do not believe the audio coming out of these 2 HomePods.
3
u/1arj23 May 14 '23
can i see pictures ? i’m still unsure on my placement like you said i have to sit specifically
1
u/Hot-Teacher-2930 Jun 25 '23
Sorry for the late reply. You need to set it up in such a way there are no other items blocking them. Play a very high quality audio or video, it maps your environment then they will deliver beautiful audio to where you are in the room.
8
u/Rooster_Entire Space Gray Jan 01 '24
2x HomePods L&R stereo pair + 2x Mini/HomePod surround + TV or wireless/wired sub support centre. I think that’s what most peeps want. Apple, listen, LISTEN, SHOUTY SHOUTY SHOUT #Apple
1
1
5
u/beesuptomyknees May 14 '23
Sorry if I’m out of the loop here, but how does this setup work with TVs? Do people with this setup use airplay for all audio out? Is that not untenably latent?
9
u/Crazy-Sir-9263 May 14 '23
Apple TV & 2 HomePods, no latency, works great… also nice being able to use voice commands to control video
2
u/seymour5000 Midnight May 14 '23
To add, Apple TV HDMI plugged in E/ARC allows the HP to be your speaker for any entertainment out of your TV…like gaming, DVDs, Video cameras, etc.
1
u/theLeviAllen Feb 26 '24
Can you explain this like I’m 5? What do I need to do this?
1
u/seymour5000 Midnight Feb 26 '24
I need more details, please. Are you using an AppleTv and HomePod? Is the appletv your main device for streaming?
1
u/theLeviAllen Feb 27 '24
Yeah AppleTv 4k. And Nintendo switch. No Dac, or receiver. Just into the TV, using a 3.5mm output of tv to get audio to wired speakers for when I use the switch, and then airplay to the stereo HomePod minis’ additionally while watching movies.
I like the idea of being able to use the sound from the switch over the HP’s
1
u/seymour5000 Midnight Feb 27 '24 edited Mar 02 '24
We have switch, Blu-ray, and AppleTV all play through HPs.
Get at least 4K resolution HDMI cable. Plug that cable into your Apple TV, and then into the back of your television on the port thats labeled earc or arc.
Make sure your HomePods are Bluetooth connected to your Apple TV.
Apple TV: From the Home Screen on Apple TV, select Settings > Video and Audio > Audio Output. Select the HomePod or stereo pair that you want to use for home theater audio.
This will solve your issue.
Sometimes I have to turn on the Apple TV frost and then my game device to get sound but there was a patch that fixed that issue. Just a tip if you’re having issues.
3
u/djbullard87 May 13 '23
It’s something I really would like but I just feel like they aren’t bothered.
3
2
2
u/dapala1 May 25 '23
Why is that a thing anyone would want?
Homepod is the most amazing sounding single mono speaker ever for the price. Then you have to double the price just to get stereo. Doesn't make it better sounding other then adding the dimension of stereo.
Now you want to quadruple the price? Just use that money and construct a proper Home Theater system that would sound 10 times better.
3
u/Equivalent-Point4910 Oct 14 '23
Flexibility would be my guess. The ability to have surround sound for movie night and then move two speakers to another room or backyard for streaming music through out the home for a party.
2
u/jbiser361 Space Gray Sep 04 '23
I hope this will be a thing. I’ve been doing something like this with temporary audio source for a couple years now. But official support would be awesome and add a whole new dimension to it
4
u/TLP34 May 13 '23
I love HomePods, but for the $1,200 it would cost for 4 of them you could get one hell of a great sound system from almost any company.
15
u/jaakkopetteri May 13 '23
You can barely get a good AV receiver for that price
7
u/gngstrMNKY May 13 '23 edited May 13 '23
Denon S760H, best cheap AVR going at just $500. $700 for speakers can get you a lot, especially if you're buying used.
4
u/jaakkopetteri May 13 '23
The Denon is great value but not quite "hell of a great" tier. 700$ is pushing it for 4 speakers, at least if a sub is also considered as most people would.
1
2
u/monsieur_beau19 Space Gray May 14 '23
I’ve seen Sony HT-A9s refurbished going on sale for $1,100 and it has a built in receiver.
1
1
u/1arj23 May 14 '23
Two HP2’s 600 + 2 minis $200. $800 in plus no amp cost for true surround I’ll take anyday. I already have 2 HP2’s so adding two minis can only add to the experience for me
5
u/MrGodyr May 13 '23
Just get Sonos if you want wireless home theater
2
u/1arj23 May 14 '23
I don’t got 2k for surround sound. Hp2 stereo pair 600 + 2 minis 200 vs just an arc 800
4
u/churningaccount May 14 '23 edited May 14 '23
If you don’t have $2k for surround sound, you are probably better off doing 3.1. A Beam + sub mini is ~$900 and I guarantee it would sound better for home theater use cases than the setup you suggested.
Surround is usually the last thing added to a home theater setup. Ask anyone over in r/hometheater and they’d tell you the priority is 2.0 (stereo) < 2.1 (stereo + sub) < 3.1 (add center channel for clearer dialogue) < 5.1 (add surrounds) < Atmos
-1
u/jm9760 May 14 '23
I’ve never heard a Sonos setup that sounds as good as a stereo pair of HomePods
3
u/sec102row1 May 14 '23
I have to respectfully disagree. I have both.
HomePod OGs in stereo through ATV4k and Sonos beam with Sonos ones in surround eArc w/ ATV4k.
Similar room sizes. The HomePods don’t get anywhere near the clarity or volume of the Sonos.
I’ll admit, I’m a fan of the Sonos sound profile. I love the HomePods, and the Siri simplicity in the HP setup is far superior, but I always feel like I’m wanting more out of them, especially in their punch and overall volume.
1
u/jm9760 May 14 '23
In my experience, the volume issue is a problem with the Apple TV, not the HomePods. I use the Infuse app with the volume boost feature to compensate. But in terms of clarity, I’m not sure on that one. Sonos ones have always sounded muddy to me. My HomePods are crystal clear. Plus I think music is where the HomePods really shine and that’s the most important use case for me.
2
u/MrGodyr May 14 '23
Interesting lol. Never heard an Arc+Sub+300s setup?
If it’s solely a soundbar I guess that would make sense.
1
u/jm9760 May 14 '23
If you’re talking about the brand new era 300s, you’re right I haven’t heard those. But I’ve heard pairs of Sonos fives with a sub and soundbar. Still prefer the HomePods. Especially for music.
1
2
2
u/Hopeful_Panda6083 White May 14 '23
It’s the only logical thing to do. It’s a win win. Customers are getting a more immersive listening experience while Apple is selling more of their stereo devices.
3
2
u/christianuvich Space Gray Apr 29 '24
Has this happened yet?
2
u/jpi1088 Jun 11 '24
Wondering the same? Just watched WWDC no mention of it.
This seems so easy for Apple to do and gain massive market share. Sonos just pissed off a large percentage of their customers with a horrible app update.
1
u/christianuvich Space Gray Jun 11 '24
Yeah, id be keen to get more. 2 is never enough. Sony had a 4 piece wireless speakers worked really well for surround
1
u/UsernameTaken7435 May 14 '23
Have 2 HomePod G1s and discovered a probably obvious problem. The logic board failed on one and I can’t replace it with a G2 to get stereo (G2 won’t pair with a G1). The problem then, as I see it, is that generally speakers last a long time other components maybe not so long, at least in my and many others’ case. So now I have a speaker with a failed integrated amp and the whole thing is garbage.
1
-8
u/pointthinker May 13 '23
No because it was never surround. It is Atmos. And Atmos is object based sound. So we have stop thinking of a specific number of speakers is “better” versus any other amount. You could have 12 speakers and have the bird chirp in the corner or have 2 speakers, and the bird is still chirping the same in the corner. As well as a singer, sax, etc.
23
u/BradasaurusRexx May 13 '23
A speaker simulating a sound from behind and to the sides of you will never sound as good as the actual sounds coming from behind and to the sides of you, so yes, the number of speakers will always matter.
-2
u/pointthinker May 14 '23
Except, I just rewatched a video discussion with top Atmos mixers and, they said what I said. Of course, a specialized designed room with 12/4/4 Atmos is awesome. But so is a 5/1/2 or two HomePods. Just mild degrees difference except for the extremes.
1
u/dapala1 May 14 '23
Care to share that video?
1
May 15 '23
[deleted]
2
u/dapala1 May 15 '23
This is a great listen. I'll chop it up and listen in four sessions.
But I'm sorry you have misunderstood. They are 100% talking about multi-speaker mixing.
From the YouTube video description: "Dolby Atmos is a surround sound technology developed by Dolby Laboratories. It expands on existing surround sound systems by adding height channels, allowing sounds to be interpreted as three-dimensional objects."
From the Dolby website: "We recommend installing four Dolby Atmos enabled speakers whenever possible. The use of four speakers will make the placement of overhead sounds more accurate, and you'll get more precise, realistic sounds when an object, such as a helicopter, passes overhead."
If you love your simulated Atmos that that awesome. Enjoy that! As I'm listening to that video you posted, I like it also that the Atmos tag on music and movies is 100% real on a real system. Not just a tag that it's all simulated. I'm just trying to stop the spread of misinformation. You cannot send a sound to one corner of the room with one speaker.
0
May 15 '23
[deleted]
2
u/dapala1 May 15 '23
Do everyone a favor and use this passion for being right on something else. Your just so wrong about this, but that's okay. Take his effort to something that your correct about and be great at that.
1
8
u/dapala1 May 13 '23
None of that is correct.
8
u/gngstrMNKY May 13 '23
Getting upvotes is just about stating something authoritatively.
9
u/dapala1 May 13 '23
"No because it was never surround. It is Atmos."
Like WTF?! In a proper unstimulated Atmos setup you literally have to add two more speakers. Height speakers above your front speakers on the ceiling. Dolby and Apple did a great job marketing Atmos to idiots, that's for sure.
At any rate, simulated surround and simulated Atmos are trash IMO. I'd rather have good proper Stereo.
4
u/pjcfraley May 13 '23
Ehhh…heh..heh…he said stimulated
4
u/dapala1 May 13 '23
Well, an Atomos setup will stimulate your surround sound experience. Or I just don't know how to type good. Or both!
3
-2
0
-1
-1
-3
u/Hot-Teacher-2930 May 14 '23
Some people just don’t understand waves. Atmos is just making use of the phenomenon that sound waves bounces off objects. Just like speed traps. The HomePod sends out sound waves and from the returned waves, it is able to map the environment. It already know the frequency a human body radiates. Different people may have different perceptions of the audio quality based on placement of the speakers.
1
1
u/keepcrazy May 14 '23
They won’t. Because they don’t want to provide tech support when someone switches two of the speakers!!!
1
1
1
u/Knockstock May 15 '23
They need to update the Mini to be used as rear channels 🤞
However, the bass still gonna be lacking.
1
u/Majestic-Factor9390 Jul 08 '23
Idk what setting you are using but my HomePod gen 2 (stereo pair) be slamming. The bass from watching atmos movies is incredible
1
u/DisastrousCorner3576 Oct 17 '24
Even my gen 1 sound amazing paired. And together they sound like there is center channel. Base. Check. Just want support fur rear channel from hp minis.
1
112
u/jm9760 May 13 '23
HomePods covering the corners of the TV… criminal