macOS Big Sur 11.3 Beta Adds Support for HomePod Stereo Pairs

[mackya99]

I'm on MacOS 11.3 Beta and Airplay to any speakers is broken for me. I went out and bought minis to use as computer speakers and they won't work. I tried AirPlay to any of my Sonos speakers, both from system sounds and even from iTunes sound. Just won't connect to anything. Just to make sure it wasn't a network issue I fired up my other MacBook running 11.0.1 and it connected right up to my Sonos via Airplay without issue (and the HomePod minis individually). I guess YMMV. Attached is the error I get via iTunes no matter which AirPlay device I try to send audio to.

I'm having the same issue as you. Since updating to the newest beta I can no longer airplay audio to any of my airplay compatible speakers.

 

[st3ffl0n]

FIIINNAAALLLLLYYYYYY@@@@@@!!!

yea, like 4 years later. thanks apple

 

[B/D]

yea, like 4 years later. thanks apple

2 years. Still late, but one has to be fair.

 

[DarwinOSX]

Someone else already gave me a less condescending answer: Asking Siri to stop listening.
You know, there are many customers that actually want an AirPlay 2 enabled speakers but don’t like having microphones listening all the time. But if I find third party speakers compatible with AirPlay 2 that could be my answer.

You can turn off the mics on both HomePods.

 

[Killerbob]

My stereo pair of HomePods work fine for sound in macOS in the Beta, I just wonder if I am the only one who has to select the pair for sound almost every single time I want to listen to Music, YouTube, VLC, you name it... ?

 

[jazz1]

I've was surprised today when my two desk bound HomePod Mini's actually worked in stereo using Apple TV on my M1 MacMini. I don't if this is a fluke before it is supported in a full release of Big Sur? I'm afraid to stop the movie and try it with other streaming services.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that stereo, for movies, sound so much better than a mono setup. I'll have to try Tidal tomorrow. But I have my doubts that will work in stereo with my two HomePod Minis via my M1 MacMini.

Has anyone else discovered this using Big Sur 11.2.3?

 

[ErikGrim]

I've was surprised today when my two desk bound HomePod Mini's actually worked in stereo using Apple TV on my M1 MacMini. I don't if this is a fluke before it is supported in a full release of Big Sur? I'm afraid to stop the movie and try it with other streaming services.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that stereo, for movies, sound so much better than a mono setup. I'll have to try Tidal tomorrow. But I have my doubts that will work in stereo with my two HomePod Minis via my M1 MacMini.

Has anyone else discovered this using Big Sur 11.2.3?

The Apple TV app, being derived from iTunes has always supported stereo out for homepods

 

[BootLoxes]

So does anyone have an update on how they work on macs? I want to get a homepod mini to use as a speaker (eventually 2) for my m1 air

 

[Phil77354]

So does anyone have an update on how they work on macs? I want to get a homepod mini to use as a speaker (eventually 2) for my m1 air

You are asking how the HomePod mini works as a speaker for a mac?

They work terrific. The thread here is following the expectation that a stereo pair (2 x HomePods or 2 x HomePod minis) will be fully functional with an iMac or mac laptop. Current situation is that some applications can recognize the stereo pair for audio output, but not normal mac sound output. That is a very short explanation of an issue that is somewhat complicated to explain.

But to your specific question, you can certainly use the HomePod mini with your m1 Air. It works perfectly fine.

 

[BootLoxes]

You are asking how the HomePod mini works as a speaker for a mac?

They work terrific. The thread here is following the expectation that a stereo pair (2 x HomePods or 2 x HomePod minis) will be fully functional with an iMac or mac laptop. Current situation is that some applications can recognize the stereo pair for audio output, but not normal mac sound output. That is a very short explanation of an issue that is somewhat complicated to explain.

But to your specific question, you can certainly use the HomePod mini with your m1 Air. It works perfectly fine.

What about the delay? I read something about a 2 second delay in the earlier posts and system sounds not playing through it

 

[Phil77354]

What about the delay? I read something about a 2 second delay in the earlier posts and system sounds not playing through it

There is some latency. I think it is a characteristic of airplay not the HomePods or any particular hardware.

 

[BootLoxes]

Oh. I guess it wont do well with facetime and zoom then.

 

[Phil77354]

Oh. I guess it wont do well with facetime and zoom then.

Good question, and I don't know the answer. I'll have to try with FaceTime. With Teams, I personally always use headphones.

 

[mscuthbert]

Maybe if this had come out earlier, HomePod (full) sales wouldn't have been so dismal as to abandon the line. I bought 3 with plans to buy more, but stopped because the main thing I wanted the stereo pairs to do (play music in stereo not necessarily from iTunes/Music/TV) couldn't be done.

 

[Benjamin Nabulsi]

What about sound input? Can use the stereo HomePod mics as input device? It would be amazing for meetings. Also will it echo when using HomePod as output and macs mics as input?

 

[caunn]

What about sound input? Can use the stereo HomePod mics as input device? It would be amazing for meetings. Also will it echo when using HomePod as output and macs mics as input?

I only see Airplay devices listed under Output in preferences, not Input.

 

[Nütztjanix]

Is this even a thing - AirPlay devices as input? Regardless of device. I think it always was one-way (output only).

 

[caunn]

The issues where audio would be out of sync in a HomePod group and occasional distortion blips have existed from 11.3 beta, through production, and still through an 11.5 beta.

 

[ErikGrim]

Distortion blips are still present even when AirPlaying from iTunes on Monterey :|