Apple Releases New 11.3 Software for the HomePod

[Christian_W]

Thanks for the feedback, cant wait to get my new HomePod now, returned the first one as couldn't stand how it sounded, sounds like the update has improved things dramatically.

Give it a try. As i said a hundred times now... it depends on the place where you place it. The bass can be still there or it is completely gone. For me that is a bug in their detection system since two hps in one room sound extremely different. Maybe you and your room have luck!

Pls feedback for a EQ!

 

[Z3man]

Give it a try. As i said a hundred times now... it depends on the place where you place it. The bass can be still there or it is completely gone. For me that is a bug in their detection system since two hps in one room sound extremely different. Maybe you and your room have luck!

Pls feedback for a EQ!

My first one was so temperamental to placement it was unreal, it used to sound quite a bit different everywhere i put it. This is not how it should be with the detection system, it makes things worse if anything. But no matter where i put it and all the different sounds i used to get out of it, it always had too much bass and not enough treble, so with this update hopefully second time round it will work out for me.

 

[Christian_W]

My first one was so temperamental to placement it was unreal, it used to sound quite a bit different everywhere i put it. This is not how it should be with the detection system, it makes things worse if anything. But no matter where i put it and all the different sounds i used to get out of it, it always had too much bass and not enough treble, so with this update hopefully second time round it will work out for me.

Please keep us up to date! Talked to Apple and told them to watch this thread, because many opinion collide here!

Together we can make this a great product for everyone!

 

[Z3man]

Please keep us up to date! Talked to Apple and told them to watch this thread, because many opinion collide here!

Together we can make this a great product for everyone!

Too right we can, especially with some presets or equaliser settings, then we can all be happy.

 

[BSben]

For me the sound seems not much changed, a bit less bass perhaps. After updating iPhone and HomePod to the latest software the HomePod has become unusable fr me. I use Airplay to play music from my phone, and it used to work perfectly. Now it barely works, sometimes it works for a short time and suddenly stops. Sometimes there is a massive lag, the track on the phone has been playing on the phone for 20 seconds and only then starts actually playing on the HomePod.

 

[strategicthinke]

To those that day position makes bass more pronounced or less pronounced, which kind of space should input it to boost bass? Corner? Flat surface? Higher? Lower? With something covering it?

 

[Christian_W]

For me the sound seems not much changed, a bit less bass perhaps. After updating iPhone and HomePod to the latest software the HomePod has become unusable fr me. I use Airplay to play music from my phone, and it used to work perfectly. Now it barely works, sometimes it works for a short time and suddenly stops. Sometimes there is a massive lag, the track on the phone has been playing on the phone for 20 seconds and only then starts actually playing on the HomePod.

Yeah the audio stopped while playing AirPlay from my iPhone. After the hp disaster I didn’t upgrade my iPhone to 11.3. Being out of sync with videos happend while streaming a video from Facebook. The delay was 2-3sec.
[doublepost=1522495191][/doublepost]

To those that day position makes bass more pronounced or less pronounced, which kind of space should input it to boost bass? Corner? Flat surface? Higher? Lower? With something covering it?

The problem is... I have no idea! His old position doesn’t work anymore. While the exact same spot in another corner of the room works just fine.

 

[Buerkletucson]

Same here. Give Apple the feedback on their page. They are listening!

Done.......polite but let them know I'm not happy at all.

btw - I called support about it.......completely worthless and waste of time, except for maybe logging it as another user dissatisfied. Didn't seem to know much about the update but she did admit they have received a lot of negative feedback.

 

[SuperSnake2012]

I had to unplug my HomePod and move it around the room a few times before it sounded normal again. I think there was an issue with the spatial sensors, because the speaker sounded awful before it fixed itself.

 

[shk718]

Does it still lose the connection to Apple TV when you play a song then later watch a tv show ?

 

[The Game 161]

my homepod still says 11.2.5 is up to date?

odd

 

[kissfan]

my homepod still says 11.2.5 is up to date?

odd

Is your phone on 11.3?

 

[The Game 161]

Is your phone on 11.3?

Yeah all other devices have been updated

 

[canyonblue737]

my homepod still says 11.2.5 is up to date?

odd

you can force the update by going to the "Home" app, clicking on the location arrow in the upper left corner, and scrolling down to software update.

 

[The Game 161]

Update has now appeared so downloading now

Cheers

 

[strategicthinke]

Done.......polite but let them know I'm not happy at all.

btw - I called support about it.......completely worthless and waste of time, except for maybe logging it as another user dissatisfied. Didn't seem to know much about the update but she did admit they have received a lot of negative feedback.

At least it gives me hope that they have been receiving a lot of negative feedback.

 

[Millah]

I’m not someone that needs loud boomy bass. But I also appreciated the HomePod sound signature that let the lower tones in certain tracks of mine be very apparent and audible. For instance, one song I used for reference has a low synth Cello line that typically doesn’t come through audibly on some speakers. On HomePod it was vibrant and sounded great. Now it sounds much worse after the update. It’s no longer coming through and the overall song sounds less full now because of it.

It’s like they went too far in the other direction. I would have appreciated something in the middle. I do think I prefer the old sound profile better. Not because I’m a bass junky, but because it sounds like some elements are lacking now. The kick drums etc still sound punchy, it’s the lower bass lines that are silent now.

 

[Christian_W]

I’m not someone that needs loud boomy bass. But I also appreciated the HomePod sound signature that let the lower tones in certain tracks of mine be very apparent and audible. For instance, one song I used for reference has a low synth Cello line that typically doesn’t come through audibly on some speakers. On HomePod it was vibrant and sounded great. Now it sounds much worse after the update. It’s no longer coming through and the overall song sounds less full now because of it.

It’s like they went too far in the other direction. I would have appreciated something in the middle. I do think I prefer the old sound profile better. Not because I’m a bass junky, but because it sounds like some elements are lacking now. The kick drums etc still sound punchy, it’s the lower bass lines that are silent now.

Please report this on their feedback page! I’ll have a call with their product team next week to evaluate what’s wrong. They listen to the feedback you will send them. I’m from Germany and was the first one from here to feedback the negative audio quality. So send them feedback!

 

[delo]

I have mix feeling listening to it now after updating to ios 11.3 I still feel the sound was better than before to my ears.

[doublepost=1522524416][/doublepost]I agree the sound was way better! Took mine back to the Apple store and they gave me a new one!! I will not be updating until the sound is fixed to the way it was when I purchased it. Sound quality is the HomePod best thing in it.
[doublepost=1522524457][/doublepost]

I’m in the “happy with the bass as it is” camp, so reluctant to update.
Hopefully iOS 12 will bring an equaliser (I mean, it’s a speaker, so is that so much to ask?), but knowing Apple I won’t hold my breath...
For those who have updated, any other noticeable changes apart from the sound?

[doublepost=1522524509][/doublepost]

[doublepost=1522524416][/doublepost]
I agree the sound was way better! Took mine back to the Apple store and they gave me a new one!! I will not be updating until the sound is fixed to the way it was when I purchased it. Sound quality is the HomePod best thing in it.
[doublepost=1522524457][/doublepost]

Don’t update it will be a mistake!!

 

[deeside81]

Play “the hills” by the weekend. Sound terrible! Sounds very flat. I think we definitely need EQ settings as the new signiture sound suits other genres much better now. It was the opposite before ie. for rnb, pop, edm it sounded amazing.
[doublepost=1522528165][/doublepost]Do you think if I return the HomePod and exchange for new one that it will not be the updated?

 

[CamiMR]

So happy I haven’t updated mine!!
Have submitted feedback to Apple, and will hold off until this is sorted.

 

[Benz63amg]

So after doing 2 days of vigorous testing since the original post I made in this thread regarding the new 11.3 firmware that was released for the HomePod I can attest that the bass is as good and powerful as before the update if not better and it is still “felt” when the bass needs to be there. Perhaps if the HomePod is placed in extreme positions such as a corner or something of that nature then the audio correcting algorithms are applying different optimizing methods to decrease “boomy” bass but for me personally the bass on my HomePod is as good as it was before the update with the improvement being noticeably greater in the overal midrange reproduction. The HomePod is a fantastic overall speaker and this oversight is coming from audiophile such as myself. (I own a two thousand dollar Definitive Technology setup in the living room) and I know what good audio reproduction should sound like.

 

[Christian_W]

So after doing 2 days of vigorous testing since the original post I made in this thread regarding the new 11.3 firmware that was released for the HomePod I can attest that the bass is as good and powerful as before the update if not better and it is still “felt” when the bass needs to be there. Perhaps if the HomePod is placed in extreme positions such as a corner or something of that nature then the audio correcting algorithms are applying different optimizing methods to decrease “boomy” bass but for me personally the bass on my HomePod is as good as it was before the update with the improvement being noticeably greater in the overal midrange reproduction. The HomePod is a fantastic overall speaker and this oversight is coming from audiophile such as myself. (I own a two thousand dollar Definitive Technology setup in the living room) and I know what good audio reproduction should sound like.

Conclusion: Spacial awareness big for those who have a massive decrease in bass balance.

 

[Endorphine88]

Please report this on their feedback page! I’ll have a call with their product team next week to evaluate what’s wrong. They listen to the feedback you will send them. I’m from Germany and was the first one from here to feedback the negative audio quality. So send them feedback!

Submitted feedback to Apple yesterday as soon as I was done with testing the difference between the two HomePods.
Fun tip: I moved the updated HomePod in a place where it's blocked from all sides but the front and it seems like this restores some of the depth, but the sound can't project well (pic attached). I'm leaving it like this for now since I use it with my Apple TV in that room and prefer this to the tinny flat sound it would give me if it was unobstructed. I hope they act quickly. I am NOT happy !

 

[jonnyb098]

Ok here’s my update after testing various music ,bee gees , Ozzy & deadmou5 (yes I have eclectic taste) at 50 percent volume in various places in my apartment for the last hour. I tested in my dining area on three different spots on the dining table and in the living room in two different spots (corner table near couch on a large wall and DVD rack near corner). Note this is different than my normal spot in my bedroom up against the wall. I just wanted to test it in spots I did when I first got it...Ok the results.

On the dining table bass was still very mich present and balanced, though that low end rumble was much more subdued while still present. The mids and highs were much more pronounced in a way that felt like the music was projecting much more in guitars and vocals. This resulted in much more balanced and larger sound than the old firmware when I first got my HomePod.

In the living room the bass was definitely a bit heavier and the ultra ultra low end was a little more noticeable. As with the dining area the mids wee MUCH better than the old firmware which made it sound like a tin can on my DVD rack. Now it sounded...FULL.

Overall it seems like the spatial awareness of the speaker was greatly improved in my case. I think what’s going on is a lot of people got used to that ultra low low rumbling bass that while sounded amazing for a small speaker....was not as balanced. Also some said the speaker sounded like a coat was thrown over it like the mids were too low and I agree. But it still sounded great. Now it just sounds real really full and balanced to my ear while still retaining a lot of quality low end , sans wall rattling rumble.

As a final note I’ll add that I tested the HomePod in the EXACT same spots when I first got it. And the results were VERY different for each spot resulting in various sound quality. Whereas now it sounds much more similar in all the different spots which is what was intended for the HomePod. It never sounded bad before in each spot but just different and less consistent.

I’m not sure if those who have really degraded sound quality are just so used to the ultra rumble of before or if the placement is just yeliding weird results. Overall I’m happy with the update but I can understand how some got used to the sound signature including myself might be thrown off.