HomePod Mini Stereo Pair Unboxing and First Impressions
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- Опубликовано: 10 июл 2024
- The HomePod Mini is finally here. I got a stereo pair of HomePods for my office, and I want to show you what it’s like setting them up and give you my first impressions.
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Eric (et al.), heads up! The latest update to Big Sur (v 11.3) FINALLY allows you to send audio to a stereo pair of HomePod minis (probably OG HomePods too but I haven’t tested that). What’s really cool is that it almost appears that if you do it from a Mac that supports Dolby Atmos, you seem to be getting surround sound (?Dolby Atmos) out of the HomePod Minis. I connected a stereo pair of minis to my 16 inch MBP and played an action movie and was startled when the drones on screen started zipping around from behind my right and left and overhead. It might be my imagination but it certainly felt like the sound I hear when listening to that same movie on my iPad Pro when wearing my AirPods Max (spatial audio enabled, natch!).
Thanks for adding the update here and sharing your experience.
Thank you for going over the stereo pair setup. I'm picking up my pair tomorrow and your explanation was very helpful. And congrats on the twins! Exciting.
Congratulations Eric! Welcome back.
Thanks Doug!
SO EXCITED. I can’t wait to get one for the kitchen!
Nice! Yeah, I think a HomePod mini would be a great kitchen companion.
Congrats!! I've watched your HomeKit videos all year - I love this expanded content too. Subscribed!
Big fat congrats on the babies! It’s good to have you back.
Thanks Tom! 😊
Love the setup! Congrats on the twins! Praying you find sleep! God bless!
Glad to see you post a video!
Congrats on the twins! Very good video, I've ordered 2 black ones for my office desk, very similar to your set up, so the info & tips are excellent. Many thanks.
Just seen lot of videos of this and the new ATV 4K, I’ve just ordered them, can’t wait to have them ❣️
Thanks, this was very useful, and I particularly like the tip about listening history, as I will also have multiple people requesting their songs.
Love the runthrough, and congrats on the twins!
Thanks!!
Hey Eric, been waiting for these! I think these will be great for multi-room audio. These are definitely on my Christmas shopping list - thanks for your great content as always. Congrats with the twins and good luck with the lack of sleep 😁!
Haha thanks Deon!!
I’m interested in seeing a comparison between 2 HomePod minis in stereo vs one HomePod, thank that would be interesting!
Thanks for the suggestion
@@EricWelander what would you recommend?
Congrats!
Congrats! I see what you did there, clever! Welcome Twin mini Humans and twin mini HomePods. Brilliant! 🤣
Congratulations on the twins!!!
Congrats on the twins! and thanks for video on the twin homepod Minis :) Planning to have one ahead on the left and one below on the right
Thanks! I hope the minis work out for you.
Great Video. Gongrats on the twins!
Great video and and welcome to the Twin Dad club!!
Thats a luxurious working desk over there
Are you using them as speakers for the MacBook? Does your Mac see them as a pair or 2 individual HomePods?
Hello Eric - does this set up allow you to make the HomePod mini the default speakers for your computer and if so do they output in stereo from the computer?
Congratulations on the twins!
Thanks Howard! 😊
Best HomePod tutorial.
I got 2 HomePod mini’s in SpaceGray, and paired as Stereo in my Bedroom and hookup to my AppleTV!
Can the setup and pairing be done on MacOS?
Great video, btw congratulations on having twins. 🙌🏽💯
Looking like the new mini Ladd.
Great review!!!!!
Would love to see a comparison of the Mini pair vs a Full size pair when used with the AppleTV 4K.
I believe ONLY the full sized HomePod can be stereo paired with AppleTV.
False. HomePod mini do pair with Apple TV.
ruclips.net/video/zHHzzdZWjzU/видео.html
Good review Eric!
As of this morning, I’ve received one (of three ordered at launch) HomePod Mini. I set it up in my basement in an attempt to use it as an output from my television with an AppleTV 4K.
- basically I was hoping for (even slightly) better sound than the internal TV speakers provide.
Well. With one HPM, I am not satisfied. I will be trying a ‘stereo pair’ when my next order arrives - but calculated dynamics of sound tell me that it’s not going to be sufficient for THAT room. We shall see though.
I think these HPMs will be fine for playing ‘background music’ throughout the rest of the house.
Congrats on the new additions to the family!!!
Babies are pretty cool. I’m sure you’re tired of the ‘I cannot imagine dealing with twins’ comments...so I will just wish you and your family the best. Stay safe, stay healthy and ‘sleep when they do’. 🙂
Cheers!
Hey Bradley, it’s great to hear from you! I can imagine having used HomePods minis now that one isn’t good enough as a TV speaker. I hear many people interested in this but honestly I think it’s a crazy idea. I would rather find a sound bar on sale for a TV...just my two cents on that. I hope the second one works well for you.
Lol yes thank you! We are surviving with twins so far 😄
2 HPM = stereo with Atv4k. 2 HP = Dolby atmos when possible. 1 HPM = not sure.
@@EricWelander - Yeah Eric. My ‘want’ is not due to trying to avoid other options. The TV I was going to use the HPMs on is already connected to a pretty good 7.1 receiver w/quality speakers.
I wanted a simple stereo pair for ‘normal’ viewing scenarios. Not really much reason to watch the local news or RUclips tech reviews in crazy surround sound audio...
BUT...
I also was excited about the idea of being able to use those same speakers for simple ‘background music’. The thought of having a speaker set that would work double duty - being utilized for the TV when needed....but also being able to simply walk into the room and tell Siri to play some music at a low volume seemed like the perfect solution.
I dunno. That was just my $0.02.
I have a serious audio delay with FaceTime and zoom. I bought the mini specifically for my office and need to use we conferencing. Any suggestions? Is it that airplay is just too slow for zoom like applications?
I am interested in buying homepods as MacBook Speakers. Would you recommend that? Is it lag free and able to play sound from games or youtube videos in the browser in stereo?
congrats!
Thanks!
I really want to use the mini's but I use Spotify due to their superior recommendations so I wont be using the HomePods to their max potential. I just received an M1 MBP (refurbished) after my 2013 MB Air dropped. Had to upgrade and I am impressed.
Great review! To the point and crispy on this new retina display. Consider me subscribed!
Which mouse do you use? The one on the desk.
Why your Trackpad is connected to the computer? Thanks.
I use a Logitech MX Master 3 mouse...they are the best. The trackpad needed some charging.
Are we not gonna talk about the 'baby shark' song recommendation? 😂
LOL! #ParentLife
Congrats with the twins
Did you manage to use them as speakers for your Mac? If so, did you notice a lag connecting to airplay over the Mac?
Just received my second HomePod to stereo pair with my 2022 AppleTV 4K. Loving the sound already. Must admit I’m already seeing a potential glitch in the software; the stereo pair will not volume sync - changing the volume with the Siri Remote only changes the volume on the newest HomePod. Can’t figure out why that is. Just means until I do I have to manually adjust the volume on one device.
Wall wart is FUNNY 😁
Is the iPod mini the same as plugging in a powered stereo pair speakers into the headphone jack of a laptop. Giving me stereo music, RUclips and system sounds?
Is it good for making phone calls? Can it be used to make Whatsapp or zoom or teams calling too?
What web cam do you use? I have been using my GoPro 8 but I’m over it.
Hi.!
I'm thinking to buy these lovely things for my desk setup but Can those be used as computer speakers,???
Do you have any knowledge about this? Thanks and take care.
Congratulations with the babies. By the way can you use HomePod as external speaker for the Mac ?
Jazzed about seeing what can be done with stereo pairing and Home Theater mode.
Oh yeah I think that will be a really nice upgrade to TV sound! It's nice Apple has that, AND Dolby Atmos with the bigger HomePods too
Home theatre mode is only available on the bigger HomePod
@@midnightprophet that’s hood to know.
When lost wifi, can it still pair while playing music?
I think they are ok. I got 2 as well, wonder how many people are doing that, but I don’t think their sound is all that fantastic. I’m also seriously disappointed that you can’t make the stereo pair the default audio output for an AppleTV or a Mac. Unless I’m missing something...
Geat video Eric maybe you can help us out. I currently have two home pod minis as a stereo pair, one in the bedroom and living room when i play music they both play at the same time which is great, but only the bedroom responds to "Hey Siri" the other one doesnt how can we fix this?
Great video can this work as a HomeKit hub??
Can they be used as computer speakers?
yes but can u use it as stero pair for non apple apps? or for watching you tube videos?
When your Apple device has the HomePod mini stereo pair set as it's audio destination, yes it can.
Can u hook up 2 HomePods and 2 HomePods mini all together to your Apple TV for a surround sound experience?
Can you set the mini's up to be the permanent speaker output for the AppleTV? That would be awesome.
You can, but I feel like it’s a better option to buy a sound bar and use the HomePod minis separately.
What type of desk is that? Could you link the company please? Thanks!
Can I play music from my macbook air through my homepod mini..
As with the other comments, I'm interested to see if these would work with my smart tv + Apple TV. Debating on purchasing a second Homepod and setting it up with my TV or purchasing two minis.
If you have an Apple 4K TV I’d go with a second full size HomePod. I have that setup on my tv. With the upcoming OS14.3 you will be able to set them as default speakers for your tv, and they will play in Dolby Atmos when available. I am running the beta OS right now with mine and the sound with Dolby Atmos is amazing. I think it’s better than an sound bar setup.
Please, can it play through three speakers at the same time: Two homepod minis paired in stereo and one homepod?
I have a sonos beam sound bar, does anyone know if these minis can be used as rear speakers with it (and an AppleTV) for surround sound ?
I’m also wondering this
No. Only sonos speakers can be used since they need to be running the same software in order to bond with the beam. The beam is considered the hub and then sends out the other channels when needed to the rear speakers. The mini's also don't have access to the home theatre feature with Apple TV as that uses spacial awareness, which is only available on the bigger HomePod
@@midnightprophet ok thanks for the clarification, does this mean that if I wanted surround sound, I could pair 2 sonos one’s with the beam ?
@@mdwhite85 No problem. Yes, and even the older Play 1's would work. That is exactly what I did and it sounds fantastic.
@@midnightprophet sweet,
I love the HomePod minis but now I’m also excited for a pair of sonos speakers to go with my beam
Eric, can you please test handoff with a phone call? I noticed now that when you want to switch a phone call over to the Mini a message pops up asking you if you want to hand it off. It never used to do that, it would just automatically switch over. It does not do this if you’re playing music, it just automatically switched over. Thanks
Anker has good low profile power adapters
5:45 option of using a HomePod mini to update your listening history.
Hey just bought a pair of mini homepods and they don’t work with macOS in stereo!!
but can they be used as regular computer speakers?
Now you can AirPlay to a pair of minis from a Mac (software updates since this video), but I wouldn't recommend it as consistent speakers to use all the time from the Mac.
Which Mac station are you using?
A 16" MacBook Pro with a 2.4GHz i9, 32GB RAM, and ATI 5500m
@@EricWelander I mean, what is the name of the station where your MacBook is placed?
@@EricWelander Thank you for your answer.
Can u do stereo with one mini and one regular size HomePod?
No.
Does it support iphone 5s?
The iPhone 5S can’t run iOS 14 so I don’t think so 😔
Hey Eric I like your desk where did you get it from?
It's an older version of the Autonomous.ai standing desk maker series with an Ikea Gurton desk top that I finished myself and screwed to the top.
@@EricWelander it looks gorgeous with that finish.
Hi Eric, did you happen to use HomePods as an intercom in the house?
I haven't really used it yet...more on that soon.
Thanks for the reply.
If you could cover any other intercom options within the Apple ecosystem- that’d be awesome!
New to your channel- loving it! Planning to build full security system with the help of your videos.
Congratulations on twins!😍
Yo dude where have you been. You don’t post any more content no mo’
How do you not show the viewers how the stereo pair sounds?
HomePod minis won’t stereo playback from laptop. It only plays to one. What were they thinking? 🤦🏻♀️
It's coming soon in a future macOS update though. I heard it's currently in the public developer betas.
That's wild, I spend $1,100 on a iPhone 13 Pro max... and it doesn't come with 20watt power brick. I spend $100 on a speaker... and it comes with one. What sense is that???
there is nothing to be suprised to see a charger in the box. this product will stand still for years probably where it lays. thats why you cant use your ipad or iphone wall plug for it.
Two quick observations: First, when I try to output the audio from my 16 inch MacBook Pro (2019), my HomePod mini stereo pair shows up as individual speakers and I can’t find a way to get the MBP to recognize it as a stereo pair. Has anyone else found this? Is there a workaround?
Second, when I set up my first mini, the whole process took about half an hour to complete. In fact it sat so long (half an hour or so) on that tile on my iPhone with the message “configuring” that I thought the process had hung. So I unplugged it and restarted my iPhone. Same tile showed up. I suspect this was just the 14.2 download taking place. However, I mention this simply so people don’t freak out if they experience a similar delay.
Yeah I can’t do stereo from my MBP to the HomePods either. Maybe in a future macOS update?
Thanks for sharing on the setup. Mine took a bit, but not that long!
@@EricWelander I called AppleCare about this. It turns out that in order to select a stereo pair of HomePods (mini or full-size) as audio output from a Mac, you need to do it from within the app you want to play audio from. For example, Open Music app, click on AirPlay icon, and you will see your HomePod stereo pairs in the drop down menu. Unfortunately, this seems to be dependent on the level of support for this feature in the app you are using. It appears to work fine for Music but not for RUclips videos like yours playing in Safari. Bizarre. And very UN-Mac-like. Here's a link they sent me: support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/use-homepod-with-mac-mchl9beedd58/mac
And, it works in Apple TV (but you have to be watching a video to get the AirPlay icon) but not at all with Apple Arcade. This makes no sense. What we need is a SYSTEM LEVEL audio output choice for paired HomePods, just as we have in iOS for iPhones and iPads. I sent feedback to Apple saying the same.
@@mpetrides this sounds like a pain in the ass. I wanted to buy the HomePod mini to use as a speaker with my iMac. Can you not use the mini as a regular speaker and have all sounds from the iMac to go through the speaker?
@@Y-J65 You can definitely do that. The problem arises if you buy two HomePod minis, set them up as a stereo pair, and want to output all the sounds from your iMac to that PAIR of HP minis. One is fine, a pair requires the workarounds I've set forth in my comments. See: @t
This should available without Siri
I'm sorry. You've gone to a lot of work and this is Google's failing. I wanted a video that would show the speakers as surround sound. Whatever you did on this I couldn't wait. I thought I'm not sitting through a wasted whatever to find out "???
Why you need 2?!?
The sound is much better IMO
a lot of people will use it as a home theatre set up. I know in my small home office, i think i will.
Why not?
I’m so sick of hearing the power adapter joke. “Omg, a power adapter in an Apple product!? What a surprise!” Lol. I wish Apple would have just sent a brick with the iPhone just so people didn’t have to say this with every other Apple product they buy
Calm down
"you can only hit the like button once"....... I can also hit the DISLIKE button once! :D
Trash!! Echo dot 25 dollars! MUCH BETTER! 😊 no compren esta porquería HomePod 👎🏼