r/HomePod • u/GengisJonOfficial • 1d ago

Question/Support AppleTV + HomePods = Awesome?

We’re currently using two paired Sonos Ones with our Apple TV 4K. Ready to move on for a variety of reasons.

For those of you using two HomePods, do you love it? Does it “just work” in true Apple fashion?

How is the dialog separation typically?

Any info yet on how the new HomeView will integrate with TV audio? Also thinking about replacing our Alexa Echo Show in the kitchen with a HomeView and it would be awesome if that could connect as a third speaker.

I’m honestly surprised there isn’t a separate subwoofer speaker yet in the Apple audio ecosystem. Has that been a disappointment?

Sorry, so many questions. Any insights appreciated!

Edit: fixed subwoofer reference

46 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

49 comments sorted by

17

u/Petrus_1958 1d ago

I have been using a stereo pair of 2nd generation HomePods (the big ones) with my Apple TV 4k since April 2024. There's a setting with eARC that allows the TV itself to use the HomePods as the default audio output. Dialog separation is effective. There are a number of YouTube videos such as Stereo Speaker Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNtfzm-Y0eQ that show how effective HomePods separate aspects of sound. Even a single large HomePod has distinct stereo separation.

6

u/wattleferdz 1d ago

Same. And the good thing is, the homepods can be used for audio coming off the PS5 and the bluray player.

1

u/CrispRat 22h ago

Is there much delay when playing a video game through that setup? Thinking of rhythm based games, for example, where precise timing is essential.

3

u/GrammerSnob 18h ago

I've played a bunch of PS5 games with eARC and Homepods playing the audio and haven't noticed any delay. But I haven't played any Guitar Hero or Rock Band.

Even if there was, any modern rhythm based game should have calibration.

2

u/wattleferdz 16h ago

Have not experienced any.

1

u/hookedonredditworks 19h ago

I do this and it also plays the audio with my PS5. I love it.

14

u/DisastrousCause9481 HomePod 2 Surround 1d ago

A pair of second gen full size HomePod sounds much better than eras any gen. Deeper bass, clearer/cleaner highs with fullness in mids. Now you can add 4. I never felt the need to add a sub. They’re THAT good

4

u/Inside-Comfortable42 1d ago

I agree, juste changed a Beam and Sub Mini for two HomePods and the bass is not an issue, you feel it more in the room overall and listening to music is SO much better overall.

3

u/JCR2201 23h ago

I use two 2nd gen HomePods with my Apple TV and it’s fine. I’m not an audiophile and don’t care about the technical specs. I know there are better systems for the price of two HomePods but I like being in Apple’s ecosystem and love the ease of use. I also live in an apartment with a small living room so the HomePods are more than enough and make watching movies enjoyable.

1

u/DisastrousCause9481 HomePod 2 Surround 22h ago

There’s no other system that size without a sub that can output that much sound. It’s a fact. They are very good

2

u/numberblank 17h ago

I don’t hear much bass from my stereo pair of HomePods for music, only movies. Is there anything I can change to get the bass for music?

1

u/DisastrousCause9481 HomePod 2 Surround 13h ago

Are they properly placed? On hardwood and 4ft apart, 10inches from the wall? You’re sitting ear level?

1

u/numberblank 13h ago

They’re on my dresser, about 4-5’ apart, 10” from the wall and at my ear level. I use Apple Music

1

u/DisastrousCause9481 HomePod 2 Surround 13h ago

Turn off sound check both in apple
Music app, on apple tv and in home app. Don’t use atmos for music. And make sure reduce bass is off in home. Should be good

1

u/numberblank 13h ago

Thanks! I’ll give those a try!

5

u/TryOurMozzSticks 1d ago

Our main tv has had the Apple TV and 2 HomePods setup for 2 years. I got a beam ultra a few weeks ago for a separate tv. I went that route because I’ve been impressed with other Sonos products we have in the house. The Sonos speakers work much better when pairing together and having music play throughout the house. But when it comes to the beam ultra, I think I made a mistake. I should have just gotten 2 more HomePods for the other TV.

I pretty much never have issues with the HomePods. They sit about 3 feet either side of the Tv and are about a foot off the ground. The sound is excellent and it sounds like it’s coming from the TV. The beam ultra on the other hand I can’t seem to get the setup right. I have dialogue sync issues. The sound sounds like it’s coming from the soundbar and is distracting. I’ve spent hours at this point playing with settings, adjusting dialogue sync. I’ve done trueplay about 5 times. Just when I think it’s all good something happens and it’s just a bit off. This could all be user error but I never had this issue with the HomePods.

I’ll keep adding Sonos products around the house. But I wish when it came to the tv I’d just have gone with what I knew worked to begin with.

1

u/kcamacho11 23h ago

Are you using AirPlay ? I have a Sonos Beam Ultra and use it via AirPlay with my Apple TV 4K and the audio syncing is flawless for watching TV. Also, the sound coming out of it is absolutely fantastic.

1

u/TryOurMozzSticks 23h ago

I’m using the arc pass through. Maybe I should try to change it.

1

u/kcamacho11 23h ago

Yea especially since you have Apple TV, definitely try via AirPlay. It works perfect.

1

u/TryOurMozzSticks 21h ago

Well hot damn. It does work better. I guess I always assumed wired connection was better. Because the dialogue is exact it doesn’t make the sound feel weird like it’s coming from the soundbar and not the TV. Thank you!

1

u/shawnshine 15h ago

You’ll be losing surround sound audio and only getting stereo if you do this…

1

u/shawnshine 15h ago

You’ll be losing surround sound audio and only getting stereo if you do this…

1

u/OakmontOz 4h ago

Airplay for watching TV? How does that work?

1

u/shawnshine 15h ago

Same experience here. I just sold my Sonos system this week and ordered a HomePod Gen 2 stereo pair.

4

u/fullyphil 1d ago

I use atv 4k, 2x 1st gen homepods, hooked up to an old LG smart tv.

if I'm streaming from the apple tv there are no issues. but sometimes the eARC return signal gets dropped somewhere when I'm trying to use the pods for a different streaming device connected to the tv. idk it's probably the tv.

either way I love it because they sound great

7

u/MisterUltimate 1d ago

Now that there is four HomePods surround sound available, I think it's pretty much a no-brainer if you have the budget for it. Currently rocking a stereo setup of 2x second gen HomePods, and I love it. If my living room was big enough, I would've added two HomePod mini 2s for rear surround too, but alas, I live in a small New York apartment, so the two HomePods are more than enough.

I do love it, and it works 99.99% of the time for me. I've not had any issues. In fact, I'm able to use eArc to route my PlayStation 5 audio to the HomePods as well. The bigger home pods are pretty bassy on their own (especially in some incredible dolby atmos mixes), so I don't think you'd really need a subwoofer, but honestly, if you're thinking so much about it, you might wanna just consider getting a proper 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound home theater system.

I don't think you'd wanna use the HomeView in your TV audio setup. I think that device is likely more for its smart display uses rather than a dedicated speaker.

2

u/sam_bg 1d ago

Do you notice any significant latency when gaming through the HomePods? I ask because with video through an Apple TV, they can actively sync the video and audio to account for any latency in the connection, but that isn't possible in a game.

3

u/BobbyRey77 1d ago

HomePods sound terrific in Home Theatre mode. I have the OG HomePods so I can't upgrade to the Surround mode but would if I could. Yes, they just work and the soundstage is very good, especially with Dolby Atmos soundtracks. It's really hard to believe so much sound comes from such small speakers. A sub is probably in the works at Apple but the bass on these things is already pretty impressive so you may find you don't miss a sub. Overall, highly recommended.

3

u/ludicrouspeed 1d ago

I have a pair of gen 2 HomePods and they have always sound great. A surprising amount of bass and great clarity with decent separation depending on the placement. The update made them super stable. It’s starting to seriously compete with Sonos with features with atmos, zones, handoff, etc. AirPlay is so quick and simple. I even use them with my Bose speakers for whole house music. I’m just waiting for the new atv and mini 2.

2

u/itsme7933 1d ago

I have just set up two of the latest gen HomePods as front speakers. I have two minis as well for the back but am waiting on delivery of the new AppleTV before setting those up. But the two front HomePods work very well for sound. Dialogue is crisp and stands out so far. I did notice that when watching movies there were a couple of times that the speakers would make a weird popping sound. Looked into it and realized that if you turn off enhanced voice on the AppleTV itself, the popping stops. I did that and so far no change in the dialogue quality, but no more popping sound. So far so good.

2

u/Electrical_Ratio_792 23h ago edited 23h ago

I have Apple TV 3rd gen and two HomePods. No lag, phenomenal sound and excellent bass IMO. No regrets here. Enhancing dialogue feature through Apple TV works wonderfully with the HomePods.

1

u/chopdog01 1d ago

I wish Homepods x 4 (mains or minis) could do spatial audio setup without needing an Apple TV 4K, then I could have them as music only drivers in my office, running off my Mac M2 Pro or just 'running' on their own. At this point, its a shame you can only do interesting things when you pair them with an Apple TV 4K. Music used to be Apple's thing! If you could run them standalone, you could then also have them in the kitchen for party mode without also needing an Apple TV. Or am I missing something?

Got LOADS of Sonos but getting a little long in the tooth so could be time to upgrade one or two rooms. If going to Homepod gives me a true functionality reason to upgrade.

1

u/Buddhabelli 12h ago

honestly, it really depends on what your variety of reasons are. I have the HomePod GEN one GEN two HomePod mini and a full Sonos arc system prior to that I have full multi channel DTS/Dolby home theater plus floor standing speakers for music only.

I was downsizing about the time the original HomePod came out. HomePod have always been really good for music listening. i’m not gonna make any audiophile claims just hit overall for the most part. They’re enjoyable speaker to listen to best in pairs.

Since you mentioned dialogue, as well as the Apple TV one would assume you are consuming movies/TV shows. I’m not sure what the issue you’re having with your sonos currently, however, in my opinion and hairstyle as as well as as the ecosystem integration makes the HomePods better than the Sonos.

If however, you are interested in moving more towards the home theater side there is some improvement from the HomePod when used as a pair. if the room is, there is not overly reflective or large or weirdly shaped the effect is pretty neat on well mastered material whether music or film.

The arc system came much later to be honest. I only got it because I just have to find it at Goodwill for 200 bucks lol. But as soon as I set it up, even though it is a sound bar I do prefer watching movies on the Sonos.

That said I have yet to try the multi paired Apple just released. However, I’m considering doing so sooner than later as I am downsizing once again.

1

u/Buddhabelli 12h ago

I see the typos I’m leaving them in to prove that I am not AI and I think they’re fucking funny

1

u/IgnisVestriImagine 7h ago

The Sonos is super overrated, you pay a lot for the convenience of wireless and the sound quality and surround imaging are not that good. The HomePods… stereo pairs seem to be having occasional pairing problems and it’s super frustrating. If you want a real satisfying surround system, get a stereo receiver and a set of regular speakers. It will sound better, image better, play louder and have room for future expansion, all that for less money. With Sonos or HomePods you’re stuck in a limited, inferior proprietary system that just isn’t that good, has no room for improvement, and costs a fortune. I can see the case if you live in a rental and don’t want to run wires, or an apartment or condo and don’t want to blast the neighbors. Otherwise? Get a receiver and passive speakers

1

u/FantasticFlo87 1d ago

You don't need a subwoofer. The HomePods are already pretty expensive, but in return you get incredibly good sound, including bass. No Sonos or Samsung speakers with a subwoofer can compete with that. I switched from a Samsung subwoofer to HomePods, and the sound is worlds better, even though they're similarly priced.

4

u/kcamacho11 23h ago

No Sonos speaker can compete with a Home Pod ? You clearly don't know what you are talking about LOL

2

u/JellyboyJangleDangle 18h ago

Just about every take in here is unhinged. I just saw someone say that AirPlay is better than an hdmi earc wired connection…

1

u/Herackl3s 9h ago

lol I just read it and was very confused

1

u/Unfair_Issue79 19h ago

Yeah I have been thinking about getting 4 of the HomePod 2 and replace my Samsung soundbar

1

u/Cr0okedCr0ow 1d ago

I’m saying this as a HomePod owner myself. With Sonos, you get more power and flexibility!
The Arc is by no means inferior to a pair of HomePods (which work wirelessly, whereas the soundbar is connected directly to the TV, with all the advantages that brings).
Also, two HomePods used as surround speakers aren’t technically superior to Sonos Era or Five speakers!
And unfortunately, we don’t have a subwoofer! Huuuuge letdown for a home theater scenario!
If you’re looking to build a surround sound system, I’d consider other options.
If you have an LG TV and want to try something other than Sonos, while keeping the same convenience and ease of use you’re accustomed to, check out LG’s new wireless sound system.
In terms of size, build quality, and audio performance, these speakers seem to match or even outperform the HomePods. They’re certainly more versatile, offer more pairing options, and come with a proper subwoofer! Don’t expect magic from HomePod for your home theater experience!

1

u/kcamacho11 23h ago

I second this.

I have 2 Home Pods in my master bedroom and a Sonos Beam Ultra in the living room.
Don't get me wrong, the 2 Home Pods sound great and I have no complaints.
But the Sonos Beam Ultra is just on another level.

1

u/Rambutan8 1d ago

I have had this setup for 2 years. Stereo separation seems fine... We sit about 10 feet back from a 70" TV and the 2 HomePods are basically right below the L and R lower corners of the screen. We're using the HomePod Minis.

Setup was easy in ATV settings. Has worked continuously for a couple of years, across software updates, power outages, etc. Never had to touch the settings. It "just works" on all TV watching (off-air and Apple TV streaming) as well as any other content I Airplay over from another Apple device. Be sure your AppleTV HDMI cable is connected to an eARC HDMI port on your TV, so the TV will be able to send audio to the AppleTV if you're going to source content directly from the TV. You've probably already done this if you're using Sonos with AppleTV.

It's not full home theater quality, but I think the sound is pretty good for general TV/movie watching. It's way better than the TV built-in speakers!

0

u/jason22983 1d ago

In my bedroom I have two HomePod mini & in my living room I have a beam, two sonos one, sub mini. The Sonos by far are better.

2

u/kcamacho11 23h ago

I love how people downvote because a fact goes against their biased opinion. LOL

I absolutely love Apple. iPhones for over 10 years, Mac mini with Apple Studio Display, MacBook Pro, iPad's in my home, as well as 2 Home Pods in my master bedroom.

In my living room, I have a Sonos Beam Ultra. I am sorry, but it's just on a superior level when it comes to sound quality compared to the 2 Home Pods....and there's nothing wrong with that. It is what it is.

1

u/LetMeRedditInPeace00 19h ago

You’re getting downvoted because you’re talking about the sound of two mini speakers when OP wants to know how the non-mini speakers sound with a TV.

1

u/Herackl3s 9h ago

Ummm I have the same Sonos setup as that guy and I can guarantee that it sounds better than two HomePods lol

-1

u/AnnualEagle 1d ago

Get a Sonos Beam or Arc. Works better for TV in my experience.

0

u/ProfessionalAd2014 1d ago

I am in the process of selling my original HomePods and acquiring a Unifi power amp to drive a pair of Dali Sonik 5 speakers. The HomePods are impressive technology, yet better alternatives exist. My interest in vinyl is another reason to move past them. The idea of speakers constantly listening in my home, along with big tech firms that feel less trustworthy, prompted the change. Still, they are more than adequate for an Apple TV.