Airplay 2 FAQ: Everything you need to know!
Wondering how Airplay works with two HomePods? With a different AirPlay speaker? You've got questions, we've got answers!
Apple just pushed out iOS 11.4, HomePod 11.4, and tvOS 11.4 with support for AirPlay 2. If you've got a HomePod (or two) you can finally take advantage of the upcoming features. If you're wondering how AirPlay 2 works with HomePod or with third-party Airplay-supported speakers, keep on reading.
How do I pair a second HomePod using AirPlay 2?
Well, the first thing you'll need to do is make sure all of your HomePod speakers are updated to HomePod 11.4, which is the software update that includes AirPlay 2 support. You'll only see AirPod 11.4 after you've updated your connected iPhone to 11.4 or newer, and if you're hoping to sync up your dual HomePods to your Apple TV, you'll have to be running tvOS 11.4, so make sure all of your software is up to date.
How to update your HomePod software
After both speakers have been updated, open the details of one of the HomePods in the Home app and tap Create Stereo Pair to pair the two speakers together. Then select a second HomePod to connect them together.
You'll then be asked to identify which HomePod is on the left side of the room and which is on the right. Tap on each one to make sure they're playing the right channel. If they're backward, tap the orange swap button to switch them. Tap Back once you've confirmed their set up.
The two HomePods will now be in a group identified by which room they are in.
Do two HomePods in the same room mean true stereo?
Because each HomePod houses its own A8 processor chip, it will provide separate left and right audio channels for true stereo sound when both HomePods are in the same room. It's kind of like magic, except it's anything but magic because a lot of people worked very hard to make this a reality.
Syncing up is perfect. I can stand in any spot in the room and not even realize both HomePods are playing music, and I mean that in a good way. They both fill out the room perfectly without any overlap or lag. It's as if they are hardwired to my stereo.
How does multi-room music playing work?
If you are playing tunes through two different HomePods and they're not paired in a group, you can either ask Siri to control playback and it will trigger on both AirPods or you can control playback and volume (individually or together) from Control Center. When you pause audio, it stops in both rooms. When you play, it plays, with scalpel precision, the exact same moment in the track without even the slightest lag.
If you've grouped multiple HomePods in one "room," meaning they're synced to always play at the same time in the same room without the ability to separate what is being played, volume controls, and the like, and you move one of the grouped HomePods into a different room, you'll still be able to have audio play perfectly in sync, but you will only be able to trigger Siri commands or Control Center playback from one of the HomePods.
By default, this is the left HomePod, but you can switch the default to the right HomePod by long-pressing on the touchscreen on top. This is actually a very easy way to use Siri on a different HomePod if the two are grouped and you happen to want to take a different one into another room. Just long press on the touchscreen and then ask Siri anything. You can switch back by long-pressing the left HomePod touchscreen anytime you'd like.
Are there syncing issues with same-room HomePod 'stereo'?
Not even a little. Once you've paired your HomePods into a group and identified which is the left and which is the right, they're synced up and running like they are hardwired to your stereo or Apple TV. Whether you play, pause, fast forward or rewind, both speaker act in tandem with each without any hesitation every single time.
I tried a couple of different tests with Siri and Control Center to play content with grouped HomePods creating a stereo sound and they never failed me.
I've played audio tracks that play separate sounds between the right and left channels and can confirm that they are set up like a set of stereo speakers, not like two mono speakers playing the same thing at the same time.
Can AirPlay 2 make two HomePods a better Apple TV speaker experience?
As far as sound is concerned. Yes.
Having a single HomePod is fantastic and really fills a room. When connected to Apple TV, however, I sometimes have to turn up the audio to the max in order to hear a movie at what I would consider "loud."
Having two HomePods, both connected to my Apple TV, makes the audio really fill the room and doesn't require me to be at full volume in order to get a serious sound set up. Dual HomePods has definitely solved my volume issues.
As for connections issues...
I've had a single HomePod connected to my Apple TV since day one. It's my main use for HomePod. To my great annoyance, my HomePod disconnects from my Apple TV all of the time — like, nearly every day. Will having two HomePods fix that? Probably not, but I'm hoping that HomePod 11.4's software update includes secret stability support to fix the problem. I haven't been using the dual HomePod connection long enough to know for sure if it's fixed or not. I'll let you know when it's been a few days.
Does AirPlay 2 work with Airport Express?
Nope. I know there were rumors that AirPort Express showed up in a beta version of the Home app, but as far as the official launch of iOS 11.4 goes, AirPort Express has not had a firmware update and because it's nearing the end of its life, there is little chance it will ever get AirPlay 2 support.
Does AirPlay 2 work with Sonos (or other speakers)?
It does and it doesn't. Apple opened up support to third-party speaker makers, and many companies have said they would add AirPlay 2 support to their speakers, but at the time of this writing, it's too soon for companies to push out their own updates.
Apple's AirPlay support page lists the following speakers (in addition to HomePod) that will receive an update to support AirPlay 2:
- Beoplay A6
- Beoplay A9 mk2
- Beoplay M3
- BeoSound 1
- BeoSound 2
- BeoSound 35
- BeoSound Core
- BeoSound Essence mk2
- BeoVision
- Denon AVR-X3500H
- Denon AVR-X4500H
- Denon AVR-X6500H
- Libratone Zipp
- Libratone Zipp Mini
- Marantz AV7705
- Marantz NA6006
- Marantz NR1509
- Marantz NR1609
- Marantz SR5013
- Marantz SR6013
- Marantz SR7013
- Naim Mu-so
- Naim Mu-so QB
- Naim ND 555
- Naim ND5 XS 2
- Naim NDX 2
- Naim Uniti Nova
- Naim Uniti Atom
- Naim Uniti Star
- Sonos One
- Sonos Play:5
- Sonos Playbase
This is not the entire list of brands that will support AirPlay 2. On Apple's info page, there are additional companies, like Beats, BlueSound, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and more, that have pledged support with upcoming speakers.
Any more questions?
Do you have any questions about AirPlay 2? Let me know and I'll find out everything I can for you.
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