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Still too high. For most people listening to music on an Echo is more than acceptable..
It is but doesn’t mean people can’t pay more for better sound quality if they want. Also remember the HomePod integrates better with Apple devices than a HomePod,Sonos or google home. Believe it or not there are things the HomePod can do that the other smart speakers can’t.
 
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Also remember the HomePod integrates better with Apple devices than a HomePod,Sonos or google home. Believe it or not there are things the HomePod can do that the other smart speakers can’t.
I have one, but I don't have any of the others. What can HomePod do that the other ones can't?

My HomePod observations are:
  1. HomePod is very loud and the bass is deeeeeep.
  2. Can be a bit too bassy and there isn't a decent way of controlling EQ.
  3. It's mono!! Why? It has multiple speakers and could create a stereo-like field. I have smaller bluetooth speakers that can output stereo sound, so why not HomePod?
  4. The idea that it detects its surroundings and updates its fidelity accordingly... Sounds like bulls__t to me. If it does, it's VERY subtle.
  5. Siri can hear me in a different room even while playing music loudly.
  6. With HomePod in the bedroom, Siri can hear me when I'm in bed and speaking reaaaaally soflty.
  7. I only use Siri to control music, and it does that very well. I can even tell it to connect to other speakers.
  8. AirPlay is so much better than Bluetooth. I can walk with my phone from room to room and the music doesn't cut out.
  9. AirPlay 2 is really cool. Just wish it was backwards compatible and could also control AirPlay 1 speakers.
  10. HomePod is overpriced. I have one because I am paying for it via my mobile contract.
 
I have one, but I don't have any of the others. What can HomePod do that the other ones can't?

My HomePod observations are:
  1. HomePod is very loud and the bass is deeeeeep.
  2. Can be a bit too bassy and there isn't a decent way of controlling EQ.
  3. It's mono!! Why? It has multiple speakers and could create a stereo-like field. I have smaller bluetooth speakers that can output stereo sound, so why not HomePod?
  4. The idea that it detects its surroundings and updates its fidelity accordingly... Sounds like bulls__t to me. If it does, it's VERY subtle.
  5. Siri can hear me in a different room even while playing music loudly.
  6. With HomePod in the bedroom, Siri can hear me when I'm in bed and speaking reaaaaally soflty.
  7. I only use Siri to control music, and it does that very well. I can even tell it to connect to other speakers.
  8. AirPlay is so much better than Bluetooth. I can walk with my phone from room to room and the music doesn't cut out.
  9. AirPlay 2 is really cool. Just wish it was backwards compatible and could also control AirPlay 1 speakers.
  10. HomePod is overpriced. I have one because I am paying for it via my mobile contract.
Control your Apple TV, send iMessages, find your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, answer phone calls, airplay, notifications.
 
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Control your Apple TV
I haven't tried this one, but I keep my HomePod in the bedroom. Nice integration though, I remember hearing about it. Does it work with older Apple TVs or does it have to be 4G and above?
send iMessages
I don't use iMessage, it's a terrible system unfortunately.
find your iPhone
Yes this!! It's saved me a good few times already. Brilliant.
answer phone calls
Technically I believe it can't answer phone calls, but you can transfer calls to it.
Other smart speakers can do AirPlay. Sonos support AirPlay 2 and Yamaha support AirPlay 1.
notifications
What notifications?
 
I haven't tried this one, but I keep my HomePod in the bedroom. Nice integration though, I remember hearing about it. Does it work with older Apple TVs or does it have to be 4G and above?

I don't use iMessage, it's a terrible system unfortunately.

Yes this!! It's saved me a good few times already. Brilliant.

Technically I believe it can't answer phone calls, but you can transfer calls to it.

Other smart speakers can do AirPlay. Sonos support AirPlay 2 and Yamaha support AirPlay 1.

What notifications?
Don’t use iMessage either. I use what’sapp and it can send those too.

There’s been an update and you can now initiate and answer calls on it. You just say hey Siri call X and it makes the call and if you have an incoming call you can say hey Siri answer and it will take the call on the HomePod.

It only works with the Apple TV 4 and 4K.
 
That's good to know about WhatsApp. Although I guess even if you send a message, you won't hear the reply. Would love to be able to have a text conversation with someone without looking at my phone.

Good to know about phone calls too! Will have to try it sometime soon.
 
That's good to know about WhatsApp. Although I guess even if you send a message, you won't hear the reply. Would love to be able to have a text conversation with someone without looking at my phone.

Good to know about phone calls too! Will have to try it sometime soon.
It’s a bit glitchy with reading WhatsApp messages. Sometimes you can say do I have any WhatsApp messages and it will read them to you but other times it won’t do it. However it sends what’sapp messages perfectly fine.
 
I have one, but I don't have any of the others. What can HomePod do that the other ones can't?

My HomePod observations are:
  1. HomePod is very loud and the bass is deeeeeep.
  2. Can be a bit too bassy and there isn't a decent way of controlling EQ.
  3. It's mono!! Why? It has multiple speakers and could create a stereo-like field. I have smaller bluetooth speakers that can output stereo sound, so why not HomePod?
  4. The idea that it detects its surroundings and updates its fidelity accordingly... Sounds like bulls__t to me. If it does, it's VERY subtle.
  5. Siri can hear me in a different room even while playing music loudly.
  6. With HomePod in the bedroom, Siri can hear me when I'm in bed and speaking reaaaaally soflty.
  7. I only use Siri to control music, and it does that very well. I can even tell it to connect to other speakers.
  8. AirPlay is so much better than Bluetooth. I can walk with my phone from room to room and the music doesn't cut out.
  9. AirPlay 2 is really cool. Just wish it was backwards compatible and could also control AirPlay 1 speakers.
  10. HomePod is overpriced. I have one because I am paying for it via my mobile contract.

You’re wrong. No single device can fabricate a stereo triangle. Some use reflective walls to simulate a second source of sound, but that’s not really a solution. Even if a small single device is advertised with ‘stereo speakers’ that just means it can playback the left and the right signal of an audio source through at least two discrete speakers. Since these speakers are located at the same spot / in the same device it’s not gonna be stereo. For the impression of stereo you need two sources of sound within the same distance to your head and between the speakers.
Otherwise there will be no left and no right and definitely no phantom center.
These are the basic rules of stereophony, you can’t blame apple, nor apple’s greed nor Tim Cook for it. But you can buy two HomePods.

Edit: Sorry, you never said it’s overpriced, I got carried away.. A lot of people can’t stop complaining about an apple device that actually delivers quality.
 
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I’m an ‘Apple Music Family subscriber’ and haven’t received the promotional email here in the UK. I already have a HomePod but was considering getting a second one and therefore would have really appreciated the £50 discount. I rang Apple to find out why I haven’t received said email and apparently it’s being sent to random Apple Music subscribers. Given the amount of money we spend on Apple products and services I am incredibly put out that the offer hasnt been extended to us. If anyone does happen to receive the promotional offer and isn’t intending to use it, I would be ever so grateful if you could forward it to me at justin [dot] stevens [at] mac [dot] com. Many thanks!

I am a family subscriber and never got them email, then at random I got a push notification with the offer, which took my to a website with the code, but i have since closed the tab and cant find a way to get it back. Really strange way to send out the offer.
 
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You’re wrong.
Okay, thanks for pointing that out.
No single device can fabricate a stereo triangle.
Tell that to all the boom boxes in the eighties. Were they mono? No.
How about the iPhones 7 and above. Not stereo? They output two channels and I can hear the stereo signal. It's not an illusion.
https://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/975635

It has multiple speakers. It can generate stereo sound.

Even if a small single device is advertised with ‘stereo speakers’ that just means it can playback the left and the right signal of an audio source through at least two discrete speakers.
uh... stereo.

Since these speakers are located at the same spot / in the same device it’s not gonna be stereo.
Okay, so don't call it stereo. What do you call it when a device produces left and right channels that creates a field of sound that is different to both left and right ears?

I call it stereo.
 
I call it stereo.
For this type of device.. one speaker sitting on a shelf...it doesn't make sense to make it stereo. For stereo sound to make any sense, you have to sit in the sweet spot. If you are off axis, one speaker will be louder and it will ruin the stereo imaging.

Yes, you can pair two homepods and they will play stereo. Stereo makes much more sense with two independent speakers that can be placed properly. As for the iPhone, you hold it much closer to your head than you would with one Homepod, so it would be easier to sit in the sweet spot. However, I still don't hear much stereo imagining coming from it. I typically use Airplay or Bluetooth to much better speakers.

My personal use for my HomePod is a shelf that sits between my eat-in kitchen and living room. Its ability to create a 360 sound field is much more useful that stereo feeding one room or the other.
 
For this type of device.. one speaker sitting on a shelf...it doesn't make sense to make it stereo. For stereo sound to make any sense, you have to sit in the sweet spot. If you are off axis, one speaker will be louder and it will ruin the stereo imaging.
I have used plenty of stereo bluetooth speakers, no bigger than the HomePod. I can hear their stereo separation from a good few feet away. Okay, the stereo imaging wouldn't be great, but it's better than no stereo imaging at all.

FM stereo is designed in an AB pair, where A is the combination of both channels and B is the difference between them. If the signal is weak and it loses part or all of B, you are left with either mono or a partial stereo image. I never heard of radio buffs complaining that a partial stereo pair was putting them off listening to the radio.

Yes, you can pair two homepods and they will play stereo. Stereo makes much more sense with two independent speakers that can be placed properly.
But for that price, as long as you're not worried about the smart aspect, just buy a second-hand AirPort Express and a decent amp and speakers. For £700 you'd get amazing sound quality, better than two HomePods would produce.

As for the iPhone, you hold it much closer to your head than you would with one Homepod, so it would be easier to sit in the sweet spot. However, I still don't hear much stereo imagining coming from it.
True, but I was just arguing that Apple had decided it was a worthwhile exercise in a teeny tiny device, so why not in their flagship audio product?

My personal use for my HomePod is a shelf that sits between my eat-in kitchen and living room. Its ability to create a 360 sound field is much more useful that stereo feeding one room or the other.
What is a 360 sound field? To me, it sounds like a very high-quality mono speaker, but I can hear exactly which corner it is coming from.
 
Okay, thanks for pointing that out.

You're welcome.

The iPhone (7 or above) is a great example. Put it in front of your desk, an arm's length away and play a song with a wide spreaded stereo image. Something with an instrument panned total left or total right.
Within that distance it's possible to tell the direction, though it's probably more guessing.
The further you move away (in a straight line), the harder it gets to say if the sound is stereo at all.
If you put the phone half a meter to the left or to the right, it becomes impossible to say.
This is just how our hearing works. If someone is talking to you from your right side, the sound waves of his voice will reach your right ear before they reach the left one. After an immediate calculation your brain is gonna tell you: 'Someone is speaking on my right side'.
Just because a device is capable of playing back the left and the right channel on two discrete ways, doesn't necessarily mean that you will get a true stereo image.
 
I have used plenty of stereo bluetooth speakers, no bigger than the HomePod. I can hear their stereo separation from a good few feet away. Okay, the stereo imaging wouldn't be great, but it's better than no stereo imaging at all.
No, you won't get true imaging unless you are in the sweet spot. The smaller the speakers, the smaller that sweet spot will be. With the iPhone, you can move it an inch to the left or right of the sweet spot and it will completely change any imaging you might have. It is just the way audio works.

Personally, I have a lot of stereo and multichannel systems around the house. I don't complain about stereo imaging when I am up and walking around because it still sounds like music no matter where I am standing. However, the "stereo sound" is lost.

FM stereo is designed in an AB pair, where A is the combination of both channels and B is the difference between them. If the signal is weak and it loses part or all of B, you are left with either mono or a partial stereo image. I never heard of radio buffs complaining that a partial stereo pair was putting them off listening to the radio.
Exactly, people know this happens. It is a compromise we live with when we have stereo or multiple speakers for that matter. However, if you have been to audio forums, you will see a lot of discussion about the "sweet spot", room acoustics, bass traps, etc... People are spending a lot of time and effort to get audio to sound decent in compromised spaces...so yes, it is an issue.

True, but I was just arguing that Apple had decided it was a worthwhile exercise in a teeny tiny device, so why not in their flagship audio product?
The iPhone is meant to be handheld right in front of your face. It is a different type of device. A single HomePod is meant to fill the room with sound so it sounds good anywhere. I would much prefer that the iPhone have a speaker array and room-sensing audio, like my HomePod, but it has space restraints. The sound coming from the iPhone...even in the perfect sweetspot...doesn't hold a candle to the audio coming from one Homepod.

What is a 360 sound field? To me, it sounds like a very high-quality mono speaker, but I can hear exactly which corner it is coming from.
From Fast Company:

"When the HomePod’s speaker starts emitting sound, an external microphone on the device starts to measure the acoustic pressure of the sound waves returning after bouncing off the walls, ceiling, floor, and objects in the room. Based on that information, it understands the acoustic response of the room. So if the HomePod is in a corner, the microphone will detect the close presence of the two walls from the strength of the sound waves bouncing off them and returning.

That microphone then shares what it learned with a microchip within the speaker. That chip is also collecting information from an internal microphone listening only to the speaker output. Now that it knows both what the speaker is outputting and how that output is being received out in the room, it can–through some fairly intense algorithms–instruct the speaker’s digital signal processor to tweak the equalization of the music to fit the room."


In my opinion, this is the ideal way to handle audio coming from a device with less than a 6 inch footprint. Personally, I don't care if it is stereo because I am not typically listening in the sweet spot.

But for that price, as long as you're not worried about the smart aspect, just buy a second-hand AirPort Express and a decent amp and speakers. For £700 you'd get amazing sound quality, better than two HomePods would produce.
People care about convenience and the lack of speaker wire. Personally, I have the type of systems you are referring to and when I sit in the sweet spot, I prefer my B&W and NHT speakers. When I am just listening to music while I am in the kitchen, the HomePod is ideal. Also, since I can use it to play music in my main system via its Airplay 2 control of the AppleTV, it even makes that process easier.
 
I subscribe to Apple Music but no email code. Anybody have one they could give me if they’re not using it? I live in the UK.
 
I subscribe to Apple Music but no email code. Anybody have one they could give me if they’re not using it? I live in the UK.
Do you already have a HomePod? I didn’t get one and I subscribe to Apple Music but I already have 2 HomePods.
 
Yes I have one. But I want another one on discount haha. I guess they don’t want me :(
I was listening to the 9 to 5 podcast and Benjamin Mayo surmised that if you already have a HomePod you won’t get the code. However it’s only £10 more at John Lewis and Currys.
 
I was listening to the 9 to 5 podcast and Benjamin Mayo surmised that if you already have a HomePod you won’t get the code. However it’s only £10 more at John Lewis and Currys.

Weirdly, John Lewis appears to have put the price back up to full. I’ll take a look at Currys PC World.
 
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