HomePod 6 months on and Stereo Pairs with the HomePod Mini still doesn't work

[Ansath]

It's been 6 months, and the following issue still exists......

2x HomePod Minis set up as a stereo pair. Playing any audio (natively via music, podcasts etc. Streaming from an iOS device. Streamining from Apple TV).

Whilst playing, will play the audio out of both. Then at random intervals the audio will stop on one of the HomePod Minis, for a period (random timing) then back again.

They're on the same wifi as each other. I've rebooted them. I've factory reset them.

How can this issue still be a thing?!?

 

[xraydoc]

I know it doesn't help you, but I've got no such problems with a stereo mini pair.
Wifi issue, maybe? Can you try a different router temporarily?

 

[Ansath]

I know it doesn't help you, but I've got no such problems with a stereo mini pair.
Wifi issue, maybe? Can you try a different router temporarily?

I doubt it's the router. I've rebooted it a few times. It's a Wifi 6 router, and they are about 15 feet away from it. The wifi only has 5 devices connected to it (it can handle more than that, easily).

 

[xraydoc]

I doubt it's the router. I've rebooted it a few times. It's a Wifi 6 router, and they are about 15 feet away from it. The wifi only has 5 devices connected to it (it can handle more than that, easily).

Right, but could one of the Homepods be dropping off and getting stuck on a different band (2.4GHz vs 5GHz)? If your router doesn't allow the two bands to communicate properly, it can cause problems.
That's why I suggested trying a different one temporarily.
I've got old Apple Airport Extreme AC units... while not the fastest by modern standards, devices on 2.4GHz radios don't have trouble communicating to those on 5GHz radios.
Again, just as suggestion as wifi oddities can produce symptoms like yours.

 

[Ansath]

Right, but could one of the Homepods be dropping off and getting stuck on a different band (2.4GHz vs 5GHz)? If your router doesn't allow the two bands to communicate properly, it can cause problems.
That's why I suggested trying a different one temporarily.
I've got old Apple Airport Extreme AC units... while not the fastest by modern standards, devices on 2.4GHz radios don't have trouble communicating to those on 5GHz radios.
Again, just as suggestion as wifi oddities can produce symptoms like yours.

The router is a Netgear Nighthawk (RAX200), and I even tried having 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz on separate networks, rather than letting the router decide what connects to what (even though I've not had any issues with it, nor have I seen reports of it).

I have also tried having them connected to a different one, and the issue persisted.

 

[Ansath]

Seen other people reporting the same issue too.

 

[jwhite9185]

I have the same issue.

Plus an additional one today. Started playing a podcast on Mac, went off to open Safari and both HomePods go silent the second I open Safari.

Flicked back to my Mac speakers, then HomePod, starts playing again. Once more, the second I open up Safari, both HomePods go silent.

Mixed things up a bit - played through the music app this time, then opened pages.... the second I open pages, both HomePods go silent.

It's almost as if the source has to be kept in the foreground in order to have the HomePods as a speaker.

Resolved the problem by playing the Podcast I wanted to listen to initially from my iPhone. Frustrating that it doesn't work as it should!

 

[dotme]

The router is a Netgear Nighthawk (RAX200), and I even tried having 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz on separate networks, rather than letting the router decide what connects to what (even though I've not had any issues with it, nor have I seen reports of it).

I have also tried having them connected to a different one, and the issue persisted.

Have you tried disabling Airtime Fairness?

 

[Ansath]

Have you tried disabling Airtime Fairness?

It's never been enabled. Just checked and definitely not enabled

 

[vitale]

It's been 6 months, and the following issue still exists......

2x HomePod Minis set up as a stereo pair. Playing any audio (natively via music, podcasts etc. Streaming from an iOS device. Streamining from Apple TV).

Whilst playing, will play the audio out of both. Then at random intervals the audio will stop on one of the HomePod Minis, for a period (random timing) then back again.

They're on the same wifi as each other. I've rebooted them. I've factory reset them.

How can this issue still be a thing?!?

This has always happened with my mini pair. I usually just pause the music and start again and it resolves.

 

[Ansath]

This has always happened with my mini pair. I usually just pause the music and start again and it resolves.

We shouldn't have to though

 

[dotme]

I doubt it's the router.

It really probably IS the router. Not the router capabilities, but the router settings.

For reference, I run 13 HomePods - including two sets of stereo-paired Minis - and I can AirPlay music to all of them at once from an AppleTV for 10 hours at a stretch, no trouble at all. Given how many Minis are sold, if they had a systemic AirPlay problem forums like this one would be lit up.

I feel for you, because yes - this stuff should just work. But there are so many router makers, and so many router settings, that sometimes changes are needed to get AirPlay functioning as intended. Sounds like your next move might be to open a ticket with Netgear. It's not an inexpensive router... I'd consider get them involved and hammer on them for help.

 

[Ansath]

It really probably IS the router. Not the router capabilities, but the router settings.

For reference, I run 13 HomePods - including two sets of stereo-paired Minis - and I can AirPlay music to all of them at once from an AppleTV for 10 hours at a stretch, no trouble at all. Given how many Minis are sold, if they had a systemic AirPlay problem forums like this one would be lit up.

I feel for you, because yes - this stuff should just work. But there are so many router makers, and so many router settings, that sometimes changes are needed to get AirPlay functioning as intended. Sounds like your next move might be to open a ticket with Netgear. It's not an inexpensive router... I'd consider get them involved and hammer on them for help.

Already spoke to Netgear a couple months ago, ran through various things with them and they said it’s the HomePod Minis that must have the issue.

plus, as mentioned earlier, issue occurs when I run them on a different router, the VirginMedia routers own Wifi, so unless all routers conveniently have the same problem that causes the HomePod Minis to do this……

I’ve seen other people with the same issue, on here, on Twitter, on Reddit. All with different routers. Thus, why it has to be the HomePod minis at fault.

there’s no issue running HomePods minis individual, only when they become a pair.

my router has a bog standard set up. No smart connect, no ‘airtime’. The 2.4Ghz is disabled.

Interestingly, I’ve been using iOS 14.6 RC on my iOS devices and the HomePod is also on the audioOS 14.6 RC, and they’ve behaved as a pair solidly all day. So it seems possibly that audioOS 14.6 resolved the issue. Will see over next couple days.

 

[H. Flower]

Having this issue, amongst many other HomeKit issues, also...very frustrating.......

 

[SamboSoul]

I am having exactly the same issue… several times a day, when playing sound from my AppleTV, one of them cuts out while the other one continues playing the sounds. After like 5 mins, the sound comes back.

 

[Ansath]

Having this issue, amongst many other HomeKit issues, also...very frustrating.......

I am having exactly the same issue… several times a day, when playing sound from my AppleTV, one of them cuts out while the other one continues playing the sounds. After like 5 mins, the sound comes back.

Have you both looked at your wifi? have you got routers that automatically move things between radios?

Just cos of what the other person was saying, so we can see if it’s that or not.

 

[SamboSoul]

Ok, so here’s what I have changed which seem to have resolved my issues:

• Setting the 2.4GHz network to a fixed channel bandwidth
• Using 2.4GHz network for my HomePods (I had them working on the 5GHz network before)

So far it’s looking good… I continue to monitor the situation.

 

[Ansath]

So, I’ve still got the issue. Tried only having the 5ghz available to connect to, no devices given the password to the 2.4Ghz. I have my Apple devices connecting to one of the two 5Ghz radios, and my other devices to the other. Still have audio dropping out on one HomePod during playing sound out of them then resuming again.

Tried this with another brand router. Same issue.

So, those claiming it’s the router, not the HomePods, are clearly wrong.

 

[B/D]

I have a pair of OG Homepods in the living room and a Homepod Mini in the kitchen, far away from the router. Both are extremely reliable and work great. My wifi router is still an Apple Airport Extreme from 2013, so nothing fancy there.

Perhaps your unit has a hardware issue. Have though about contacting Apple?.

 

[Ansath]

I have a pair of OG Homepods in the living room and a Homepod Mini in the kitchen, far away from the router. Both are extremely reliable and work great. My wifi router is still an Apple Airport Extreme from 2013, so nothing fancy there.

Perhaps your unit has a hardware issue. Have though about contacting Apple?.

They work fine on their own, it’s when you run the Mini’s as a stereo pair, so both would have to have a hardware issue for this situation, which seems unlikely. Others have commented on here that they’ve had the same.

 

[B/D]

They work fine on their own, it’s when you run the Mini’s as a stereo pair, so both would have to have a hardware issue for this situation, which seems unlikely. Others have commented on here that they’ve had the same.

Very interesting. Well, at least you have the comfort of knowing is a software issue, a bug. Quality control with Apple software these days is much less prevalent than what it used to be.

The stereo sound is solid if you stream directly from Apple Music with the Minis (using Siri)?. If it is, have you tried to go to the home app, and enable ad-hoc airplay for the minis (change it to "everyone")?. Changing this setting improved a lot the stability and reliability of Airplay for me. Are you using Apple Music?. If you are, try not use Airplay, but the remote control option in IOS (the homepod will take care of the actual playback, your IOS device acts merely as a remote).

 

[Ansath]

Very interesting. Well, at least you have the comfort of knowing is a software issue, a bug. Quality control with Apple software these days is much less prevalent than what it used to be.

The stereo sound is solid if you stream directly from Apple Music with the Minis (using Siri)?. If it is, have you tried to go to the home app, and enable ad-hoc airplay for the minis (change it to "everyone")?. Changing this setting improved a lot the stability and reliability of Airplay for me. Are you using Apple Music?. If you are, try not use Airplay, but the remote control option in IOS (the homepod will take care of the actual playback, your IOS device acts merely as a remote).

The issue happens when playing Apple Music and podcasts natively on the HomePod’s, as well as when using Airplay, so that setting won’t help.

 

[dotme]

How frustrating. As I said earlier, I don't run into any issues with stereo-paired OGs or Minis when it comes to AirPlay.

I have no idea if this is helpful, but my Minis only appear to connect to my 5GHz band at 40mhz (not 80, which all my OGs and iOS devices use). Would there be any way to check your router settings and make sure it's not hard-set to 80mhz and prohibiting anything lower? I would think 5GHz 20/40/80 would be enabled by default, but you never know. Probably a long shot, I'm just trying to think of other things you could try. Of course, it could be bad hardware in the Minis too I suppose.

Edit: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-Routers-with-WiFi-6-AX/RAX200-Homekit-issues/td-p/2076179

No posted resolution, but I was just curious if some of those other symptoms listed are present for you as well...

 

[Ansath]

How frustrating. As I said earlier, I don't run into any issues with stereo-paired OGs or Minis when it comes to AirPlay.

I have no idea if this is helpful, but my Minis only appear to connect to my 5GHz band at 40mhz (not 80, which all my OGs and iOS devices use). Would there be any way to check your router settings and make sure it's not hard-set to 80mhz and prohibiting anything lower? I would think 5GHz 20/40/80 would be enabled by default, but you never know. Probably a long shot, I'm just trying to think of other things you could try. Of course, it could be bad hardware in the Minis too I suppose.

Edit: https://community.netgear.com/t5/Nighthawk-Routers-with-WiFi-6-AX/RAX200-Homekit-issues/td-p/2076179

No posted resolution, but I was just curious if some of those other symptoms listed are present for you as well...

It’s not hard set to 80.

Also, the issue occurs when playing audio natively, not just Airplay.

the other router I tried out for a week, where the issue continued to happen want a netgear.

 

[B/D]

It’s not hard set to 80.

Also, the issue occurs when playing audio natively, not just Airplay.

the other router I tried out for a week, where the issue continued to happen want a netgear.

Last shot, but... give it a try just in case.


Have you tried a full factory reset (of both units) and fresh reinstall of the OS with a computer?. This is not possible on the OG Homepod, but it is on the Mini.



"Reset HomePod mini with a Mac or PC:

Plug HomePod mini into your computer using the USB-C cable that came with it.

Wait a few seconds. If you're using a Mac, open a Finder window. If you're using a PC, open the latest version of iTunes.

Select your HomePod when it appears on your computer.

Click Restore HomePod".