Apple Releases New 11.3 Software for the HomePod

[Buerkletucson]

Well guess what?

I received a phone call this afternoon from Apple!
Their technical people questioned me about my Homepods and the 11.3 update issues for over 45 minutes then asked me if I could try two different things.
They want me to make a video showing the dramatic differences in bass between Airplay and streaming from iCloud music match and send it to them.
They also want me to try and unplug the Homepods for a minimum of 60 minutes and then see if it makes any differences.

They will call back late tonight or tomorrow afternoon to discuss further.
Sounds like they are taking this very seriously and they did say they have received a lot of negative feedback and are reaching out for feedback from users.

Interesting Apple reached out....

 

[santa from Oz]

Well guess what?

I received a phone call this afternoon from Apple!
Their technical people questioned me about my Homepods and the 11.3 update issues for over 45 minutes then asked me if I could try two different things.
They want me to make a video showing the dramatic differences in bass between Airplay and streaming from iCloud music match and send it to them.
They also want me to try and unplug the Homepods for a minimum of 60 minutes and then see if it makes any differences.

They will call back late tonight or tomorrow afternoon to discuss further.
Sounds like they are taking this very seriously and they did say they have received a lot of negative feedback and are reaching out for feedback from users.

Interesting Apple reached out....

[doublepost=1522542226][/doublepost]G'day from Oz

I simply tried...

Hey Siri increase bass

and SOMETHING went way up, twice. Sounds better with tracks such as Kashmir by Gregorian, it seems to me.

Edit... Michael Jacksons 'Beat it' sounds better as well. I'm an uneducated-about-music old fart, so it might just be a volume increase.

 

[Buerkletucson]

[doublepost=1522542226][/doublepost]G'day from Oz

I simply tried...

Hey Siri increase bass

and SOMETHING went way up, twice. Sounds better with tracks such as Kashmir by Gregorian, it seems to me.

Edit... Michael Jacksons 'Beat it' sounds better as well. I'm an uneducated-about-music old fart, so it might just be a volume increase.

I said the same........Siri response......."sorry I can't help you with that"
I think it's interpreting your command as a volume increase as you mention. Say "Hey Siri, current volume level" before/after.



Further update to my post above...
I submitted a video and Apple called me back this evening and thanked me for my help.

Apple now wants BOTH my Homepods back!

They are arranging with the local Apple store to work out a deal to get my (2) Homepods and give me two brand new units.
They want to do some testing on my units...

Very interesting developments......

 

[Christian_W]

I said the same........Siri response......."sorry I can't help you with that"
I think it's interpreting your command as a volume increase as you mention. Say "Hey Siri, current volume level" before/after.



Further update to my post above...
I submitted a video and Apple called me back this evening and thanked me for my help.

Apple now wants BOTH my Homepods back!

They are arranging with the local Apple store to work out a deal to get my (2) Homepods and give me two brand new units.
They want to do some testing on my units...

Very interesting developments......

Great to hear that! I’ll have a call next Friday. But I will call them with the option they gave you. Maybe they can replace only one so I can deliver differences between a updated and not updated one.

Thx for sharing!!

 

[The Game 161]

guessing air play 2 is coming in IOS 12...

 

[Buerkletucson]

Great to hear that! I’ll have a call next Friday. But I will call them with the option they gave you. Maybe they can replace only one so I can deliver differences between a updated and not updated one.

Thx for sharing!!

They actually called me.....the Apple engineering people are very concerned and want to duplicate the issues I've seen/heard.
They liked the video I sent them as it is very evident of the differences, especially between Airplay and iCloud streaming.
They said they were not hearing the same things on their units as what my video shows.

Almost sounds like it affects some Homepods differently or some are defective?

Impressed with Apple's aggressiveness and responses to figure this all out.

 

[Christian_W]

They actually called me.....the Apple engineering people are very concerned and want to duplicate the issues I've seen/heard.
They liked the video I sent them as it is very evident of the differences, especially between Airplay and iCloud streaming.
They said they were not hearing the same things on their units as what my video shows.

Almost sounds like it affects some Homepods differently or some are defective?

Impressed with Apple's aggressiveness and responses to figure this all out.

They called me minutes ago. We going through the video process right now.

Impressed so far! I will keep you updated here.

 

[dan9700]

using Mac as airplay bass is like before but using HomePod to play music from Apple Music bass is much lower

 

[Buerkletucson]

using Mac as airplay bass is like before but using HomePod to play music from Apple Music bass is much lower

^^^^^^^^
This is what I submitted to Apple and why they want both my Homepods sent back to Apple Engineering for testing.
They are calling me tomorrow with details on returning both Homepods to Apple store and getting two brand new Homepods.

The Apple store will then send them to Apple engineering.....

 

[Christian_W]

^^^^^^^^
This is what I submitted to Apple and why they want both my Homepods sent back to Apple Engineering for testing.
They are calling me tomorrow with details on returning both Homepods to Apple store and getting two brand new Homepods.

The Apple store will then send them to Apple engineering.....

I have to test this tomorrow. Just tested HomePod streaming and airplay from iPhone.

 

[Z3man]

When you are Airplaying to the HomePod, won't the sound depend on the settings on the device you are Airplaying from.

 

[Buerkletucson]

When you are Airplaying to the HomePod, won't the sound depend on the settings on the device you are Airplaying from.

Airplay is not what changed......streaming from iCloud (iTunes Match for me) is what did.

 

[Christian_W]

Airplay is not what changed......streaming from iCloud (iTunes Match for me) is what did.

From I cloud? Do you mean when you ask the HomePod to play something? Or to play something you have uploaded?

 

[Buerkletucson]

From I cloud? Do you mean when you ask the HomePod to play something? Or to play something you have uploaded?

I do not subscribe to Apple music......I have my own collection of over 8000 songs that I have signed up with Apple's iTunes match program. Apple matches your music collection.......it is then streamed when you ask to play a playlist or specific song. There are only a very few songs that aren't matched that are then uploaded.

The bass from these songs is now almost gone, when before 11.3 it sounded good with good depth and solid bass. This is what I sent them in a video that they liked as it showed the distinct difference.....thus they want my Homepods for testing.

Airplay is the same as as it was prior to 11.3, with good solid bass.

 

[Justin Stevens]

...This is what I sent them in a video that they liked as it showed the distinct difference...

I don't suppose you have uploaded the video somewhere that we may witness what you are experiencing.

 

[Z3man]

The bass from these songs is now almost gone, when before 11.3 it sounded good with good depth and solid bass. This is what I sent them in a video that they liked as it showed the distinct difference.....thus they want my Homepods for testing.

Airplay is the same as as it was prior to 11.3, with good solid bass.

Is this not what is expected though, seems to be from other posts i am reading.

Streaming has less bass due to Apple reducing it in the 11.3 update.

Airplay is still the same, as the sound is being determined by the settings of the device you are Airpalying from.

This seems normal as far as i can see.

What you should be asking Apple is, why have they reduced the bass and not given you the option to change it back.

Are Apple even admitting the have reduced the bass in this update. If they have reduced it i hope they leave it reduced, but they really should give people who are happy with the original sound the option to turn it back to how it was.

 

[Endorphine88]

When I use the equalizer option on both iPad/Mac/iPhone while using Airplay, I don't notice much of a difference between equalizer on and equalizer off. Is it possible the HomePod forcefully tries to offset the effects of the equalizer in order to keep the audio "true" to it's signature?

 

[Z3man]

When I use the equalizer option on both iPad/Mac/iPhone while using Airplay, I don't notice much of a difference between equalizer on and equalizer off. Is it possible the HomePod forcefully tries to offset the effects of the equalizer in order to keep the audio "true" to it's signature?

When i used the presets and equaliser settings in iTunes on my Mac the difference was massive, i could get some superb sound out of the HomePod, but when streaming Apple Music the sound was nowhere near as good, this was before the update.

 

[DNichter]

I think I'll hold off on the HomePod for now. I really want one, but I can't justify the cost. It seems like those who have one really love it though so I think it's a promising start.

 

[Buerkletucson]

Is this not what is expected though, seems to be from other posts i am reading.

Streaming has less bass due to Apple reducing it in the 11.3 update.

Airplay is still the same, as the sound is being determined by the settings of the device you are Airpalying from.

This seems normal as far as i can see.

What you should be asking Apple is, why have they reduced the bass and not given you the option to change it back.

Are Apple even admitting the have reduced the bass in this update. If they have reduced it i hope they leave it reduced, but they really should give people who are happy with the original sound the option to turn it back to how it was.

From my discussions they seem to infer there should not be a reduction of depth or bass when streaming with the 11.3 update.......and with flat settings when using Airplay the bass response should be very similar between Airplay vs streaming, especially when playing the exact same song with Airplay then streaming it from the cloud with iTunes Match.

Doesn't make sense to want my Homepods if they knew streaming bass response was reduced in the 11.3 update.....

 

[Z3man]

From my discussions they seem to infer there should not be a reduction of depth or bass when streaming with the 11.3 update.......and with flat settings when using Airplay the bass response should be very similar between Airplay vs streaming, especially when playing the exact same song with Airplay then streaming it from the cloud with iTunes Match.

Doesn't make sense to want my Homepods if they knew streaming bass response was reduced in the 11.3 update.....

Interesting one this.

I returned my first HP due to too much base. Now that i have heard about this update reducing the bass, i am about to purchase a second HP and try again. Cant get it delivered until Wednesday due to UK bank holiday.

Now after what you are saying i am having second thoughts as it is not an official reduction in bass, i could end up buying another HP and it being just the same as the first one. But going by what most (not all) people are saying there certainly seems to be a reduction in bass, but whats to stop Apple releasing another update and going back to the original sound.

If they just introduced some presets of equaliser settings it would solve all these problems.

 

[Buerkletucson]

Interesting one this.

I returned my first HP due to too much base. Now that i have heard about this update reducing the bass, i am about to purchase a second HP and try again. Cant get it delivered until Wednesday due to UK bank holiday.

Now after what you are saying i am having second thoughts as it is not an official reduction in bass, i could end up buying another HP and it being just the same as the first one. But going by what most (not all) people are saying there certainly seems to be a reduction in bass, but whats to stop Apple releasing another update and going back to the original sound.

If they just introduced some presets of equaliser settings it would solve all these problems.

Agreed...

Also, not sure why they want my Homepods since it seems to be pretty universal that streaming bass response is dramatically reduced since 11.3.
Wish they would tell us exactly what they did in 11.3 instead of being so damn' secretive.....

 

[Z3man]

Agreed...

Also, not sure why they want my Homepods since it seems to be pretty universal that streaming bass response is dramatically reduced since 11.3.
Wish they would tell us exactly what they did in 11.3 instead of being so damn' secretive.....

Yes becoming very frustrating this.

I am just going to order another one anyway, if i still don't like it i will just return it again, this will be costing Apple not me. Like you i wish they were not so secretive then we would know where we stand, and i wouldn't be wasting Apples billions.

 

[Z3man]

Yes becoming very frustrating this.

I am just going to order another one anyway, if i still don't like it i will just return it again, this will be costing Apple not me. Like you i wish they were not so secretive then we would know where we stand, and i wouldn't be wasting Apples billions.

Well i have just ordered another HomePod, getting delivered on Wednesday. I hope all these posts about the bass being reduced are correct, it just worries me a bit that some people say they cant tell a difference.

 

[BSben]

As this thread has really died down, is it fair to assume we all had a placebo effect? After thinking at first that bass was reduced, I am now convinced that it still is as strong as it was in the beginning. Everyone in the house is still moaning about noise. I really like the HomePod, and am hoping for the Stereo update.