External speakers for M4 Mac minis?

The only things you didn't provide is what is your price ceiling for these external speakers and are you looking for a single or multiple speakers that will be used with your mini?

Regardless, to get you started, I would suggest you consider the following ... in no particular order:

• Apple HomePod 2nd gen / Apple HomePod mini
• Bose SoundLink Flex
• JBL Clip 5
• Sonos Move 2

If it were me, I would go with either the Apple or Bose speakers.

Sorry, I was in the process of editing my first response so I didn't see your reply. For < $100 you will be sacrificing sound reproduction quality for low cost ... but if that's ok with you, then I concur with gsyrba and the Apple HomePod mini may be what you are looking for. Since Apple provides you with a 14-day return policy, you can check them out and return them if you are not happy with them.

Alternately, if you have an Apple Store nearby, you can have them demonstrated for you.

Here are some of its key features:

• Audio Quality: 360-degree sound with computational audio for balanced performance.
• Compact Size: Smaller and more affordable than the larger HomePod but still delivers impressive sound for its size.
• Multi-Room Support: Like the larger model, it supports AirPlay 2 for seamless multi-room audio and stereo pairing. (This is where you would want more than one HomePod.)
• Smart Assistant Integration: Built-in Siri for hands-free control and smart home functions.
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi and Thread support, making it a smart hub for HomeKit devices.

I have a pair of HomePod mini speakers. They sell for $99 each (U.S. prices). I love them on my iMac M4. They have very nice sound. However, if I had extra cash I would have purchased the HomePod (large ones, not Mini). The sound is a lot richer... but those are priced at $299 each.

Still, I am satisfied with the HomePod mini speakers, and do recommend them.

The advantage of getting these is having a smart speaker instead of just the speaker.

rocker71 wrote:

Is one homepod, not enough? Why did you buy two?

I'm thinking of a single one.

I bought two for stereo sound. That isn't necessary of course. It will play through one speaker just as well.

rocker71 wrote:

Thanks.

If you just have one on your desk next to your mac (mini pod) would that be good for listening

to music and streaming? Also, how is connectivity with Zoom, Facetime, etc.? I'm assuming seamless.

Yes, definitely one would be enough. I simply have two because I have a large desk, and put one way to the left and one way to the right for true stereo sound. I did have just one for about 6 months before I bought the second one and had zero connectivity issues no matter what I was using it for. When I had only one I just kept it close to the monitor.

Yes, both the Apple HomePod and HomePod mini support radio stations, but they do not support them natively. That is, they do NOT have a built-in AM/FM radio receiver. However, you can stream a wide variety of radio stations using Siri voice commands or Apple Music integration. You can also stream from free radio stations via TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and Radio.com.

rocker71 wrote:

Thanks @gsyrba!

I think I need to go to an apple store and test them out.

I did actually go to check them out once but not test them with a Mac.

I was also turned off the sales rep didn't know if it supports radio stations.

At the time, I didn't think of it, but there are apps for stations.

Maybe I'll go today.

Sorry for the delayed reply - I've been sick, and feeling better now.

If you ever have a negative experience with a salesperson at an Apple Store because they don't know an answer to your question, simply ask them to check with another employee who knows what you are asking. Usually they are very good at this (it's part of their training) so this person may have been new, or possibly having a bad day. I can't count the number of times over the years I've had questions for an Apple employee that they could not answer, and they typically say "Let me ask someone who knows", but on occasion I have had to ask them to.

I just read your other comments about buying then returning the speaker. Wish you would have asked here first about the cable. I was a little surprised at first when I bought mine that it wasn't a detachable cable. However since 90% of the time they sit on my desktop, it was a non-issue. The 10% of the time I'm out in the garage working on a project, or out on the deck, or in another room, I'm fortunate enough to have an outlet to easily plug into, but I know everyone's situation and/or use isn't the same. Wish you luck on finding something that works!