HomePod HomePod Mini sound quality w/out internet?

[foonon]

I have a stereo pair of HomePod Minis that I use with my AppleTV 4K (latest model w/ethernet port).

These are all on my home wifi network along with a Plex server.

We lost our internet connection last night and so we spent the evening watching things stored on the Plex server. Everything is on the same local wifi network.

Less than an hour into our viewing session, the sound from the Minis started to get distorted, esp music. Not just for the things we were streaming from Plex, the Apple TV feedback sounds were distorted in the same way.

It was so bad, the internal TV speakers were a preferable option.

This morning, when the internet service was restored, everything sounded great again.

So, are HomePod Minis incapable of operating when the local wifi is OK, but the Internet is out to lunch? Clues or pointers to clues welcome!

~f

 

[foonon]

I have a stereo pair of HomePod Minis that I use with my AppleTV 4K (latest model w/ethernet port).

These are all on my home wifi network along with a Plex server.

We lost our internet connection last night and so we spent the evening watching things stored on the Plex server. Everything is on the same local wifi network.

Less than an hour into our viewing session, the sound from the Minis started to get distorted, esp music. Not just for the things we were streaming from Plex, the Apple TV feedback sounds were distorted in the same way.

It was so bad, the internal TV speakers were a preferable option.

This morning, when the internet service was restored, everything sounded great again.

So, are HomePod Minis incapable of operating when the local wifi is OK, but the Internet is out to lunch? Clues or pointers to clues welcome!

~f

First of all things might have been good for a while, but the speakers started having issued later on in the evening.

But I think I've found the problem.

One of the Home Pod Minis in the pair was connecting to the network via an Airport Express that I have (on the other side of the house!) and the other was connecting to the wifi base station directly.

I've unplugged the AE and things are really all good now (fingers crossed!).