Whole home audio via HomePod?

How many sources can be selected at once? I am thinking about buying multiple HomePods for whole home audio. I am not talking about stereo mode. Just wondering if I can do whole home audio before purchasing 10 HomePods.

Posted on Jan 23, 2019 1:56 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 24, 2019 5:49 AM

We just set up a stereo pair of HomePads for our living room.


You can plug in numerous HomePods in specific Rooms or Zones within your home... and then configure the settings in the Home App designating each HomePod device as a specific Room or Zone.


Different sources can be utilized concurrently (from different iTunes accounts or with Family Sharing using numerous iPhones/iPads/Macs) for different rooms or one source for user-selectable Rooms/Zones. One restrictive caveat regarding the simultaneous use by more than one person of one HomePod (or a stereo pair of HomePods): only one iTunes account can be used at a time for a specific HomePod; this effectively disallows numerous sources to play concurrently on the same HomePod or HomePod pair.


The only issue we are experiencing is the integration of the HomePod AirPlay 2 protocol devices with existing analog audio systems I have been using for years including LP records and some audiophile components. For now I think the work around is to use an Apple TV to act as the node that AirPlay 2 recognizes in order to provide integration with an existing analog stereo system.


Hope that helps!

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 24, 2019 5:49 AM in response to LaRazaUnida

We just set up a stereo pair of HomePads for our living room.


You can plug in numerous HomePods in specific Rooms or Zones within your home... and then configure the settings in the Home App designating each HomePod device as a specific Room or Zone.


Different sources can be utilized concurrently (from different iTunes accounts or with Family Sharing using numerous iPhones/iPads/Macs) for different rooms or one source for user-selectable Rooms/Zones. One restrictive caveat regarding the simultaneous use by more than one person of one HomePod (or a stereo pair of HomePods): only one iTunes account can be used at a time for a specific HomePod; this effectively disallows numerous sources to play concurrently on the same HomePod or HomePod pair.


The only issue we are experiencing is the integration of the HomePod AirPlay 2 protocol devices with existing analog audio systems I have been using for years including LP records and some audiophile components. For now I think the work around is to use an Apple TV to act as the node that AirPlay 2 recognizes in order to provide integration with an existing analog stereo system.


Hope that helps!

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Whole home audio via HomePod?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.