Did you bother to read the objective test criteria I gave above (on page 12)? Which would allow speakers to be compared using their most optimal conditions? Or are you just blindly deluding that CR's test was unbiased?
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Consumer Reports: Google Home Max and Sonos One Sound Better Than HomePod
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Did you bother to read the objective test criteria I gave above (on page 12)? Which would allow speakers to be compared using their most optimal conditions? Or are you just blindly deluding that CR's test was unbiased?
And other’s won’t try anything else, just the HomePod. They prefer to let Apple do their thinking.
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Except when they rate Apple on top.
"smart" speaker ya.. its not gonna replace your Hi-Fi.. Experts still would test across the board though.
I never give consumer reports credit.
Just look at the cars they like...lol. Joke company.
which shows the agenda they clearly have against apple.
CR were an embarrassment in their testing of the MacBook Pro. That alone says everything you need to know about them.
Apple should have a section calked "recommended room settings" on HomePod page. That way, we will know the true sound quality of HomePod.
People stress so much here about reviews. Apple gives you a 14 day return policy.
Buy a HomePod, try it and if you like it great if you don't the return it. Simple.
Nothing wrong reading reviews to make a smart buying decision but the final test is always personal choice.
Buy a HomePod, try it and if you like it great if you don't the return it. Simple.
Nothing wrong reading reviews to make a smart buying decision but the final test is always personal choice.
At a bare minimum the speaker needs to sit infront of an acoustically reflective surface so it can bounce the ambient channels from the 4 ‘rear’ facing tweeters back into the room.
First, consumer reports sucks at anything having to do with photography and even more so music. Their testers over the years have judgments that are more than puzzling, they show the testers have no idea what photo quality or musical quality is. Second, contrary to what is said, audio quality does not vary as much as people think across people. When you expose people to a wide variety of input and do blind testing under normal conditions and ask which equipment is more musical and they would like to listen to more, there is remarkable consistency. Third, What HiFi an excellent British journal has a good review of the HomePod (all their reviews are excellent) and they judge to be better by a mile sound wise than any other smart speaker (that said they may not have tried all other smart speakers)
LOL. Here’s some not fake news: I bought one, and it took me 20 minutes to decide I wanted to return it. I don’t think it sounds all that great. It does stay distortion free at full volume, which is nice, but full volume just isn’t loud. I don’t get the whole “fill the room with sound” thing everybody is saying. I walk 5 feet away, and it sounds like a small speaker is playing 5 feet away. The sound is also sort of hollow to my ear.
I have every Apple device, including 3 MacBooks. I’m not a hater, in fact I really wanted to like it. Just doesn’t do it for me.
Funny thing, is despite how my stance may appear, I actually don't think the HomePod sounds all that great. I was disappointed because I was expecting a more enveloping / surrounding sound, but that, it is not.
I am just really curious to see how this thing fairly stacks up against the competition, despite that I don't personally think it sounds that great. But all I'm seeing is biased reviews and / or half-a**ed jobs.
I am just really curious to see how this thing fairly stacks up against the competition, despite that I don't personally think it sounds that great. But all I'm seeing is biased reviews and / or half-a**ed jobs.
Funny you should mention blind testing...
http://pogueman.tumblr.com/post/170722337727/head-to-head-does-the-apple-homepod-really-sound
What! Don't use your home phone to listen to the music. Call from your iPhone and use HomePod as your speaker. Then only you will appreciate that music, the music that not only will fill your ears and heart, but also your room!
I don't put any stock on anything they say r/t them staging issues with the Suzuki Samurai.
However these testes (unless they were manipulated like with the SS)are checked electronically so the human factor doesn't sneak in. I think the HP is ridiculous at that price but that's what's good about the free market.... I'll vote with my money or lack there of.
Maybe in a few months after the hype has died down, and people stopped arguing about which of their gods is more real ... we'll get someone rational that will test this thing throughly and objectively. And maybe then after comparing the data, they'll subjectively pit the HomePod in its most optimal conditions, against the competition in their most optimal conditions.
That way we can see how the data weighs, as well as how they subjectively compare with everything being optimal.
For now, I think people are too passionately against or in favor of the device and are producing a lot of cat noise, which of course is great for publicity (considering the threads, the HomePod is probably one the hottest topics on MR in awhile). Personally, I already have one and think it's "meh" and am waiting to see the test results, but no results will cause me to think it's more or less "meh" than it is. However, I'd understand the difference between my subjectivity and the objective results, while preferring my EQ'd Bang & Olufsens, until maybe one day Apple decides to let me EQ my HomePod. I won't be returning it, but I'm looking forward to updates, the same as I'm looking forward to adequate test results.
That way we can see how the data weighs, as well as how they subjectively compare with everything being optimal.
For now, I think people are too passionately against or in favor of the device and are producing a lot of cat noise, which of course is great for publicity (considering the threads, the HomePod is probably one the hottest topics on MR in awhile). Personally, I already have one and think it's "meh" and am waiting to see the test results, but no results will cause me to think it's more or less "meh" than it is. However, I'd understand the difference between my subjectivity and the objective results, while preferring my EQ'd Bang & Olufsens, until maybe one day Apple decides to let me EQ my HomePod. I won't be returning it, but I'm looking forward to updates, the same as I'm looking forward to adequate test results.
I'll just leave this here....
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rip-consumer-reports-credibility-1936-2017-receives-ryan-monahan
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/rip-consumer-reports-credibility-1936-2017-receives-ryan-monahan
Yeah same. I wouldn't trust their recommendations for a vacuum or dishwasher. It's got nothing to do with it being Apple other than I do think they like to grandstand when Apple's involved.
Also, people need to be realistic. It's a $350 speaker, not magic. If you want to chase high-end sound, $350 doesn't buy very much.
