5 ms·

They’re useless to everyone I know until they add support for functioning as a standard Bluetooth speaker. I don’t understand why Apple is so opposed to this.

tshaddox 6y ago
Do you know people who use iPhones but require their smart speaker to work as a Bluetooth speaker? I think it’s pretty clear the HomePod is only intended for iPhone (or maybe Mac) users.
- gnicholas 6y ago
  My home is all Apple products, but we returned our two HomePods after we learned that we can't use them as a stereo pair if we're playing off a computer (unless the source is iTunes). We could use our iPhone to play to the stereo pair from any app. But on the Mac, they disallow this. You can't even get them to both play the same audio — you have to choose one of them to play and the other to sit silent. This is ridiculous. I am about to get a Sonos soundbar instead, which I will AirPlay to from whatever app/application I please.
  - ajkblue 6y ago
    Wasn’t this fixed in Big Sur?
    - gnicholas 6y ago
      Hey, what do you know, looks like it is/was. Might be worth reconsidering after all. Though at this point in the refresh cycle I'd be hard-pressed to buy a HomePod, since they're getting long in the tooth.
  - mrweasel 6y ago
    There was a program for the mac, at some point, which could hijack audio from any application and stream it over airplay. It would be a silly work-around, but maybe something for people to try if otherwise like the HomePod
    - gnicholas 6y ago
      > * which could hijack audio* It's called Audio Hijack [1], but I don't think it reliably supports stereo pairs. 1: https://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijack/ https://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijack/
    - rogueamoeba 6y ago
      In this case, Airfoil would be the tool to use: https://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/ https://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/
  - jrnichols 6y ago
    Was this currently? I am unable to recreate that issue with mine. 2020 MacBook Air and 2 x HomePod units in a stereo pair. I can select the stereo pair from my MacBook and it's working fine for me. how often were you doing this? from what app?
  - locusm 6y ago
    Try to sample HeOS - I thought they sounded better than Sonos with virtually same feature set.
    - neuronic 6y ago
      HeOS is bluetooth only while Sonos is now bluetooth and WiFi. WiFi is nice because I don't ever get connection issues or drops around the house. I have a few bluetooth speakers and they were bad at this. Just walking into the kitchen or bathroom caused the connection to drop.
      - locusm 6y ago
        Some other features I like: - Good range of sources, ticks the boxes for me - Spotify, Soundcloud and NAS - In clients premises I use HeOS 3 units, plug a USB stick full of tunes and it will connect to other HeOS units and play across all of them. - They have a decent solution for hooking up existing amps/floor standing speakers.
      - Terretta 6y ago
        I own HEOS speakers, they are WiFi. For instance Denon AVR creates its own WiFi network that HEOS surrounds participate in, and the independent room speakers are all visible on the joined WiFi network as well. So, wired, Bluetooth, and WiFi. Agree with grandparent comment, the HEOS speaker sound is fuller/richer, less reliance on Bose-style psychoacoustics. Further, the Denon AVR with HEOS surrounds is the only receiver I know of supporting integrated amplifier for wired front speakers (separates) and WiFi wireless surrounds. I run Definitive ProMonitors and ProCenter for front, and Denon HEOS for surrounds. (Note: Many receivers support wireless for other zones, I’m talking about mixing amped and wired for front with wireless for surrounds, and also ruling out “kits” where you can’t mix and match your own choice of speakers.)

tshaddox 6y ago

Do you know people who use iPhones but require their smart speaker to work as a Bluetooth speaker? I think it’s pretty clear the HomePod is only intended for iPhone (or maybe Mac) users.

gnicholas 6y ago
My home is all Apple products, but we returned our two HomePods after we learned that we can't use them as a stereo pair if we're playing off a computer (unless the source is iTunes). We could use our iPhone to play to the stereo pair from any app. But on the Mac, they disallow this. You can't even get them to both play the same audio — you have to choose one of them to play and the other to sit silent. This is ridiculous. I am about to get a Sonos soundbar instead, which I will AirPlay to from whatever app/application I please.
- ajkblue 6y ago
  Wasn’t this fixed in Big Sur?
  - gnicholas 6y ago
    Hey, what do you know, looks like it is/was. Might be worth reconsidering after all. Though at this point in the refresh cycle I'd be hard-pressed to buy a HomePod, since they're getting long in the tooth.
- mrweasel 6y ago
  There was a program for the mac, at some point, which could hijack audio from any application and stream it over airplay. It would be a silly work-around, but maybe something for people to try if otherwise like the HomePod
  - gnicholas 6y ago
    > * which could hijack audio* It's called Audio Hijack [1], but I don't think it reliably supports stereo pairs. 1: https://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijack/ https://rogueamoeba.com/audiohijack/
  - rogueamoeba 6y ago
    In this case, Airfoil would be the tool to use: https://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/ https://rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac/
- jrnichols 6y ago
  Was this currently? I am unable to recreate that issue with mine. 2020 MacBook Air and 2 x HomePod units in a stereo pair. I can select the stereo pair from my MacBook and it's working fine for me. how often were you doing this? from what app?
- locusm 6y ago
  Try to sample HeOS - I thought they sounded better than Sonos with virtually same feature set.
  - neuronic 6y ago
    HeOS is bluetooth only while Sonos is now bluetooth and WiFi. WiFi is nice because I don't ever get connection issues or drops around the house. I have a few bluetooth speakers and they were bad at this. Just walking into the kitchen or bathroom caused the connection to drop.
    - locusm 6y ago
      Some other features I like: - Good range of sources, ticks the boxes for me - Spotify, Soundcloud and NAS - In clients premises I use HeOS 3 units, plug a USB stick full of tunes and it will connect to other HeOS units and play across all of them. - They have a decent solution for hooking up existing amps/floor standing speakers.
    - Terretta 6y ago
      I own HEOS speakers, they are WiFi. For instance Denon AVR creates its own WiFi network that HEOS surrounds participate in, and the independent room speakers are all visible on the joined WiFi network as well. So, wired, Bluetooth, and WiFi. Agree with grandparent comment, the HEOS speaker sound is fuller/richer, less reliance on Bose-style psychoacoustics. Further, the Denon AVR with HEOS surrounds is the only receiver I know of supporting integrated amplifier for wired front speakers (separates) and WiFi wireless surrounds. I run Definitive ProMonitors and ProCenter for front, and Denon HEOS for surrounds. (Note: Many receivers support wireless for other zones, I’m talking about mixing amped and wired for front with wireless for surrounds, and also ruling out “kits” where you can’t mix and match your own choice of speakers.)