Apple’s four-speaker HomePod surround sound is official, and it comes with a short compatibility list. It requires the new Apple TV 4K (4th generation) and two matching pairs of HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers. Older Apple TV 4K models, the original HomePod mini and the original HomePod are not supported.
Apple’s HomePod mini 2 announcement confirms the hardware requirements. The setup can also get expensive quickly, since the Apple TV 4K (4th generation) costs $299 separately, on top of the speakers.
The Four-Speaker Setup Needs Two Matching Pairs and the New Apple TV 4K
Apple describes the setup as a front pair and a rear pair. Each pair has to be the same model, and every speaker has to be either a HomePod mini 2 or a HomePod (2nd generation). Four HomePod mini 2 speakers work, and so do four HomePod (2nd generation) speakers.
The front and rear pairs can differ from each other. Apple’s own example image shows two HomePod (2nd generation) speakers at the front and two HomePod mini 2 speakers at the rear. A front pair made of one HomePod (2nd generation) and one HomePod mini 2 falls outside what Apple describes.
Once the speakers are in place, Apple TV 4K (4th generation) works out where each one sits in the room. It then calibrates audio timing and levels automatically. The feature had been showing up in audioOS 27 beta code before Apple announced it.
Owners of Older Apple TV 4K Models Get Siri AI but Not Surround Sound
In its Apple TV 4K announcement, Apple lists Siri AI as a beta on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation) or later. That covers the 2021 and 2022 models, so their owners get the new assistant without buying hardware.
Surround mode has a stricter requirement, since Apple’s fine print names Apple TV 4K (4th generation) and nothing older. Anyone with an earlier box who wants four-speaker surround sound has to buy the new Apple TV 4K.
A Four-Speaker Setup Costs Between $895 and $1,695 at List Price
HomePod mini 2 costs $149 and HomePod (2nd generation) costs $349 at Apple’s US store. Add $299 for Apple TV 4K (4th generation) and there are three combinations to price.
- Four HomePod mini 2 speakers cost $596, or $895 with Apple TV 4K (4th generation).
- Two HomePod (2nd generation) and two HomePod mini 2 speakers cost $996, or $1,295 with Apple TV 4K (4th generation).
- Four HomePod (2nd generation) speakers cost $1,396, or $1,695 with Apple TV 4K (4th generation).
HomePod mini 2 pre-orders are open now, with the speakers reaching stores on Friday, October 30. The new Apple TV 4K follows on Friday, November 13, which is the earliest date a four-speaker setup can be switched on.
Our Take
The matching-pairs rule will catch more buyers out than the price does. I read it as Apple pointing people to either an all-HomePod mini 2 setup at $895 or an upgrade path for anyone who already owns two HomePod (2nd generation) speakers. For that second group, two HomePod mini 2 speakers and the new Apple TV 4K come to $597, which is the cheapest way in for existing owners.
