Google Home Max stereo pair NOT working properly

[Vic]

There was a time when Google Home Max speakers paired in stereo would work properly. Its has been glitchy in the past (only one of the paired speakers - the left one - was displayed in the Google Home app, restarting the devices unblocking the issue) but now it just does not work anymore:

- When I'm lucky, only the left speaker in the pair is displayed in the Google Home app (issue on both Android and iOS).

- Most times, even if the left speaker is displayed, the app cannot connect to it.

- When I ask the pair to play some music, it answers that it will play music from Spotify but then nothing happens.

- When I ask another Nest / Google Home speaker to play music on the Google Home Max pair, it answers that it will play music from Spotify but then nothing happens.

- When I want to extend music casting from a Nest Hub Max to the pair of Google Home Max speakers - directly on the screen of the Nest Hub Max, it may sometimes work during a small period of time, not work at all, or sometimes the pair of Google Home Max speakers is not even displayed as an option.

- When I play music on other Google Home or Nest speakers in my home and want to extend this music to the Google Home Max pair from the Media menu in the Google Home app (Android and iOS), the Google Home Max is usually NOT displayed as an option (when all other Google Home / Nest speakers used in single mode are).

- Other Google Home Max speakers used as single speakers (i.e. not paired in stereo mode) all work properly, are recognized and can be accessed in the Google Home app (Android and iOS).

Here is what I have tried so far:

- Rebooting all speakers in the pair. Does not work.

- Resetting (hardware reset) all speakers in the pair and setting them again from scratch. It works for a couple of hours and will stop working the next day (cannot play music, cast from another device, get the pair to be properly displayed and accessible via the Google Home app).

- Changing one of the Google Home Max speakers paired in stereo by a Google Home Max that was used in single mode. Works for the first couple of hours and will stop working the next day. Resetting both speakers and starting the setup process from scratch offers the same result.

- Changing the WiFi network. The Google Home Max stereo pair used to be connected to WiFi via Nest WiFi mesh routers in our home (like all other Google Home / Nest speakers). I moved all of them to a single Xfinity WiFi router. Does not change anything.

System firmware version: 275994

Cast firmware version: 1.56.275994

I feel like so many abandoned by Google, when frankly Google Home Max was the best option on the market for connected speakers with awesome sound quality. Please tell your engineers to stop breaking code that used to work. Right now that pair of Google Home Max speakers is becoming useless and - guess what - if this is the level of quality control we get from Google, I will happily get rid of all Google Nest devices and move on to the HomeKit ecosystem and will never come back.

Please figure it out.

[Vic]

Thanks, but as I mentioned in my post, rebooting speakers is already a step I have tried, multiple times.

Also, if I have to reboot each speaker in the pair every time there is a casting issue, it does not really solve the actual problem. I just want a fix to a problem that only impacts 2 speakers in a stereo pair.

[Muddi]

Hey Vic,

Thanks for sharing details about the issue here. I know how challenging it is when you're having issues playing music on your Google Home/Nest devices. We appreciate your efforts. Since all troubleshooting steps have been exhausted, please fill out this form with all the needed information. This form is only meant for you to use, so let me know once you’re done.

@RachelGomez123: I appreciate your help here!

Cheers,

Muddi

[Vic]

Hi, the provided form has been filled. Thank you!

[Muddi]

Hey Vic,

Thanks — we got your form and has sent it over to our team for review. Please check your inbox from time to time as someone will be reaching out to you. 
 

Cheers,

Muddi

[MrJinx]

good morning,

i'm having similar problems with Nest and Home speakers. Google doesn't care about its products or customer service. They are dropping the ball. I would not recommend any of their products to anyone. 

[MrJinx]

After trying the Nest Pro Mesh, I decided to return that overpriced piece of garbage. I switched to a much less expensive TPLink X55 router. So far, I have 12 speakers connected as singles and pairs in a group. So far so good.

That being said, the Home application is trash. I'll never recommend a Google product. Complete waste of money. Frustration after frustration. Garbage.

[Vic]

So, it's been extremely frustrating but by moving all speakers to a single router vs using mesh WiFi (and not any mesh WiFi but Google's very own Nest WiFi), the speakers seem to be recognized and the pair seem to kind of hold - for now. It does not stop the Home app to only display the Left speaker in the stereo pair from time to time.

What a waste. Google, please tell your developers to get their **bleep** together. This is not how a brand should be building trust. We cannot just wish that basic features that used to work may just stop working in the future.

That's how you loose users to your entire ecosystem of products.

[MrJinx]

google produces garbage. their IT team doesn't care. their support is trash. i won't buy any of their products or recommend them