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Is a HomePod stereo set up worth it?

  • Yes

    Votes: 33 94.3%
  • No

    Votes: 2 5.7%

  • Total voters
    35

dontlookback82

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 14, 2009
44
13
I have had my HomePod for over a year now and love it. I am seriously considering investing in a second one to make them a stereo pair. For those who have a stereo set up with two HomePods how much better is it? My only problem is they would be placed quite close together.
 

JPGR_Fan

macrumors regular
Apr 5, 2003
188
29
St. Louis
I have had my HomePod for over a year now and love it. I am seriously considering investing in a second one to make them a stereo pair. For those who have a stereo set up with two HomePods how much better is it? My only problem is they would be placed quite close together.
I think placement is key, so too close together may not be optimal. If you are able to get them at least a few feet apart you can achieve great stereo effect. I bought one on day one, and convinced the sound was good for me, purchased two more on the early price break at Micro-Center, even before AirPlay2 was out. But haven't regretted it, and am enjoying the left-right separation just like The Beatles intended.
 
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bbednarz

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2017
1,409
3,740
Chicago
I had a stereo setup in my office back at my old place and had them probably 3-4 feet apart on the desk. I didn't notice much of a difference with that setup. It was definitely louder, but I wouldn't say any better, probably because they were so close together. In my new house I only have one in the office and it is plenty. I do have a stereo setup in the kitchen because of how long it is, not a big kitchen, but its kinda long and skinny. I think the stereo pair in there is really nice because I have much more of a gap between them.

I think it really all just depends on the setup.
 

furbzv1

macrumors 68000
Sep 17, 2014
1,520
1,169
i think its worth it but like others have said, placement is key. They are def louder and bass is so much better when in stereo mode.
 

cynics

macrumors G4
Jan 8, 2012
11,959
2,155
I feel the HomePod sounds amazing solo. In stereo it only sounds moderating better, better but not double the initial experience. That is just my opinion though.
 

devman

macrumors 65816
Apr 19, 2004
1,242
8
AU
It is better but two of them is expensive. I don’t feel it’s twice as good.
 

BlankStar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2004
775
835
Belgium
Mine are 4 meters apart (12 feet?) and sound amazing together. I wish I bought them both together instead of waiting for a couple of months. If they're too close together I wouldn't bother buying a second one. Or not for a stereo pair, you can set a second one in the bedroom or some other room maybe.
 

AXone1814

macrumors regular
Oct 16, 2018
182
255
Definitely sounds a lot better. I alternate between using them in my living room as a stereo pair and having one in my bedroom and just using multi room. I would love a third to have both, I’ll probably wait for a new version before paying for a third though.
 

BlankStar

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2004
775
835
Belgium
Definitely sounds a lot better. I alternate between using them in my living room as a stereo pair and having one in my bedroom and just using multi room. I would love a third to have both, I’ll probably wait for a new version before paying for a third though.


I went for two cheap Ikea bookspeakers for the bedroom, no need for a lot of power there :)
 

mangoman

macrumors 6502a
Nov 27, 2002
929
60
Second Floor
Resurrecting this thread because I finally bought two HomePods. BestBuy's $200/each sale last week was too good to pass up. And I can vouch for the stereo setup: VERY nice. So, all told, I'm late to the HomePod game, but it was worth the wait.
 
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boltjames

macrumors 601
May 2, 2010
4,876
2,851
Resurrecting this thread because I finally bought two HomePods. BestBuy's $200/each sale last week was too good to pass up. And I can vouch for the stereo setup: VERY nice. So, all told, I'm late to the HomePod game, but it was worth the wait.

Congrats!
 
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Phil77354

macrumors 68000
Jun 22, 2014
1,918
2,006
Pacific Northwest, U.S.
Since this thread I purchased my second HomePod. Super impressed with them paired together.

Good move, and with the currently low prices it's a worthwhile upgrade. I've had a stereo pair as speakers on either side of my iMac since the HomePod was first released, so the separation is not that great but I have greatly enjoyed the sound. And it was a heck of a lot more expensive for this pair of HomePods than what someone would pay today!!
 

ouimetnick

macrumors 68040
Aug 28, 2008
3,552
6,344
Beverly, Massachusetts
I bought a HP for $199 at bestbuy several weeks ago. Definitely will get another at that price. I use it only for music (streaming via AirPlay) so the $299 price is hard to justify, and the $349 price is absurd (for my purposes)

How do the HomePods know which speaker is the left channel and which is the right channel or is it not a true stereo setup? Is the left channel information being played on only the left HomePod (how does it how it’s the left channel) or is it just both HomePods playing the same information? (2 mono speakers.)
 

boltjames

macrumors 601
May 2, 2010
4,876
2,851
I bought a HP for $199 at bestbuy several weeks ago. Definitely will get another at that price. I use it only for music (streaming via AirPlay) so the $299 price is hard to justify, and the $349 price is absurd (for my purposes)

How do the HomePods know which speaker is the left channel and which is the right channel or is it not a true stereo setup? Is the left channel information being played on only the left HomePod (how does it how it’s the left channel) or is it just both HomePods playing the same information? (2 mono speakers.)

True stereo. You set it up in the Home app.

 
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ouimetnick

macrumors 68040
Aug 28, 2008
3,552
6,344
Beverly, Massachusetts
True stereo. You set it up in the Home app.


Should have googled before asking here? Thank you for the link. Looks like I’ll be ordering another HomePod once they drop the price back to $199 again.
 

boltjames

macrumors 601
May 2, 2010
4,876
2,851
Should have googled before asking here? Thank you for the link. Looks like I’ll be ordering another HomePod once they drop the price back to $199 again.

Good choice.

I keep a pair of HomePod's in stereo in my office. But when its warm outside and we're by the pool I hit a button in the Home app and bring one out back. When we travel to our beach house, I bring one up there to put in the kitchen, just plug it in the wall and off it goes playing non-stop summer beach songs. It a quite versatile product.
 
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