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Consumer Reports: Google Home Max and Sonos One Sound Better Than HomePod
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you own one?
It doesn't seem far fetched that an apple speaker has too much bass and similar ranges as the beats headphones.
Anyone thinking CR is unbiased needs to look into their tests closer. They have always been biased. An example is their bias against Chrysler for many years. Back when they were working together, I've seen reports for a Mitsubishi be glowingly positively, yet the identical car with a Chrysler badge rated poorly.
They also are particularly hard on premium products, such as repair histories. Face it, a homeowner buying a Viking stove is much more likely to call for service for the slightest glitch vs the person that bought the entry level Kenmore. Pretty much the same for cars.
I bought a Homepod, and also own several other such speakers. I really don't care about the Siri function, I bought it for the sound quality which, to me is excellent. My only complaints so far is that it's too hard to move it from my home to my office of other site which requires a complete reset.
As to other services, why do folks think it's any different to connect to a Bluetooth speaker and send the audio to it from Spotify or Tidal than it is to send it via Airplay (which is higher quality anyway). All that argument is based on FUD not facts. No you can't access them via Siri, but I can't access them on my Bose Soundlink or Sonos via Siri either without controlling the phone rather than the speaker.
They also are particularly hard on premium products, such as repair histories. Face it, a homeowner buying a Viking stove is much more likely to call for service for the slightest glitch vs the person that bought the entry level Kenmore. Pretty much the same for cars.
I bought a Homepod, and also own several other such speakers. I really don't care about the Siri function, I bought it for the sound quality which, to me is excellent. My only complaints so far is that it's too hard to move it from my home to my office of other site which requires a complete reset.
As to other services, why do folks think it's any different to connect to a Bluetooth speaker and send the audio to it from Spotify or Tidal than it is to send it via Airplay (which is higher quality anyway). All that argument is based on FUD not facts. No you can't access them via Siri, but I can't access them on my Bose Soundlink or Sonos via Siri either without controlling the phone rather than the speaker.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
To love something doesn't require it to be perfection in every way. If that is the requirement, no-one and nothing could be loved... (well, except maybe Apple, because it is obviously perfect in every way
).I can say I "LOVE" a iPhone and simultaneous go far, FAR to the other extreme and HATE that iPhones jettisoned the headphone jack. I could give you 5 paragraphs of my own opinions of how stupid dongles are and how inferior "the future" (BT) remains. But iPhone is more than an audio-connection port, so I can love the product in spite of hating that it lacks a feature that used to come baked in.
Sometimes "love" is more sum of the parts vs. every part having to be perfect. Your significant other probably has some flaws- maybe even some you can perceive yourself- but if you love them, you love them... maybe for the 97% of them that you view as near-perfection while rolling with the 3% of them you would change in a second if you had the ability to tweak those flaws/faults. Odds are high that your S.O. can see you the very same way: loving you for the 9X% of you that seems toward their ideal and in spite of the rest that they see as flaws or faults.
Agreed. It's great to hear that (ignoring CR's review, which is almost certainly inaccurate - I long ago lost all faith in CR) Apple has made an excellent sounding speaker for the size. But unless size is your single biggest consideration your $ is better spent towards a good traditional setup: Nice large speakers and a good amp, etc.
As for the second point, even if I had been in the market for a small high-quality speaker Apple's walled-garden approach to the HomePod would have immediately eliminated it from the running. It's an absolutely crazy approach to take in a world where things need to function properly with a wide variety of hardware.
That's a damn fine answer, especially with such complex things as "people", probably the best I've ever seen on MacRumors. But the Homepod is a speaker; if it's underperforming you can't "love it" then point out how it can be improved. It's either great, and you want it in your life, or it needs improving and you take a pass until Apple releases one that meets your approval.To love something doesn't require it to be perfection in every way. If that is the requirement, no-one and nothing could be loved... (well, except maybe Apple, because it is obviously perfect in every way
I can say I "LOVE" a iPhone and simultaneous go far, FAR to the other extreme and HATE that iPhones jettisoned the headphone jack. I could give you 5 paragraphs of my own opinions of how stupid dongles are and how inferior "the future" (BT) remains. But iPhone is more than an audio-connection port, so I can love the product in spite of hating that it lacks a feature that used to come baked in.
Sometimes "love" is more sum of the parts vs. every part having to be perfect. Your significant other probably has some flaws- maybe even some you can perceive yourself- but if you love them, you love them... maybe for the 97% of them that you view as near-perfection while rolling with the 3% of them you would change in a second if you had the ability to tweak those flaws/faults. Odds are high that your S.O. can see you the very same way: loving you for the 9X% of you that seems toward their ideal and in spite of the rest that they see as flaws or faults.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
OK, let me try again. I LOVE my iPhone. I HATE my iPhone for not having a headphone jack. Overall, I love my iPhone.
My iPhone is great and I want it in my life. But I hate that it lacks a headphone jack and I have to deal with stupid dongles and/or BT options. But I still want the iPhone in my life.
If iPhone is too complex vs. a speaker too, I love the tap water that comes out of my faucets. I hate that it may have some particulates in it AND I hate that it is not already as cool or hot as I would like it to be for whatever I'm using the water for. Still, I love that tap water.
I love, love, love
TV as a product. But I can easily rattle off 20 things I wish I could change about it, many of which I consider flaws, maybe even some major flaws. Nevertheless, I love the product, perhaps judging it the best of all Apple products through my own lens (and I have pretty much ALL of the other stuff).
Frankly, I think it's easy to love something even if one can simultaneously see a flaw(s) in it. The other way is impossible. There are no flawless things.
My iPhone is great and I want it in my life. But I hate that it lacks a headphone jack and I have to deal with stupid dongles and/or BT options. But I still want the iPhone in my life.
If iPhone is too complex vs. a speaker too, I love the tap water that comes out of my faucets. I hate that it may have some particulates in it AND I hate that it is not already as cool or hot as I would like it to be for whatever I'm using the water for. Still, I love that tap water.
I love, love, love
TV as a product. But I can easily rattle off 20 things I wish I could change about it, many of which I consider flaws, maybe even some major flaws. Nevertheless, I love the product, perhaps judging it the best of all Apple products through my own lens (and I have pretty much ALL of the other stuff).Frankly, I think it's easy to love something even if one can simultaneously see a flaw(s) in it. The other way is impossible. There are no flawless things.
Then why did you respond to my post? Also not sure what being American has to do with anything here. HomePod works the same way worldwide. Certainly CRs review here like other U.S. based reviews are equally relevant outside the country. Same as What Hi-Fi’s review would still be useful outside the U.K.
I think you're being too fast and loose with the word "hate". If you truly hated something you wouldn't put-up with it. With regard to water I think you actually mean you would prefer it not to have particulates in it or you would prefer it to come out cool and yes I believe you would prefer an iPhone to have a headphone jack. You don't really hate any of that stuff.
Consumer Reports has no horse in the race, perhaps that's the difference none of the fanboys can appreciate. If you aren't inclined to like Apple for other reasons, you tend to be more inclined to be objective when it comes to reviewing Apple products. CR had a huge impact on Tesla when it removed its recommended rating a couple of years ago. Even Steve Jobs had to apologize over antenna-gate, thanks to Consumer Reports which highlighted the issue.
Sorry the fanboys don't like Consumer Reports, but that's because they are objective and critical - something fanboys don't understand.
Sorry the fanboys don't like Consumer Reports, but that's because they are objective and critical - something fanboys don't understand.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
No, let's be clear. I personally HATE, HATE, HATE the headphone jack decision. I hate it. IMO, all hassle for no consumer gain. I do put up with it because I want "the rest" of an iPhone instead of dumping the rest over any single flaw(s). If I was in charge, I'd immediately have them put it right back in there. Those happy with the other options would be entirely unaffected but those not loving dongles or BT could get back to having the utility that comes with the most ubiquitous tech jack in the world.
Definitely no "prefer" feelings about that topic. And note, that's sort of the point of using that as an example here. The other guy didn't HATE the flaws he was seeing with his HP, just noting them. Thus, I'd suggest he'd be able to more easily love the product and see a few minor(?) flaws vs. my extremist example of loving another product and HATING what I consider a fault/flaw with it. I'm generally not much of an extremist, so "prefer" would certainly apply to most things like that. But that one- wow- if not "hate", I'd slug in adjectives like "detest" at minimum.
Definitely no "prefer" feelings about that topic. And note, that's sort of the point of using that as an example here. The other guy didn't HATE the flaws he was seeing with his HP, just noting them. Thus, I'd suggest he'd be able to more easily love the product and see a few minor(?) flaws vs. my extremist example of loving another product and HATING what I consider a fault/flaw with it. I'm generally not much of an extremist, so "prefer" would certainly apply to most things like that. But that one- wow- if not "hate", I'd slug in adjectives like "detest" at minimum.
Because some of you Americans clearly have somekind of fetish regarding CR and some really hate it.
See I got the exact opposite from my homepod. I was wanting just a little more bass, and the highs seemed quite good and clean.
Better than the Sonos1? I don't get that at all.
The google max better? I can see that but it is a much larger cabinet and produces more bass yet they say the Homepod is too 'bassey'. Let's not get double standardy here CR.
Better than the Sonos1? I don't get that at all.
The google max better? I can see that but it is a much larger cabinet and produces more bass yet they say the Homepod is too 'bassey'. Let's not get double standardy here CR.
Just to be clear, David Pogue actually reviewed HomePod as the best but his "panel" didn't necessarily agree. The Wired article you linked is just a "first impression," and the same author has higher praise for the HomePod in the full review. And the WaPo piece oddly pits a single HomePod against 2 Sonos Ones, which is ridiculous because true stereo is almost always going to sound better than "fake" stereo from a single source. Not totally disagreeing with you, just pointing out that a lot of these reviews aren't what they seem.
Have you checked out the /r/audiophile review yet? Excellent, in-depth empirical analysis of the HomePod from someone who obviously knows audio: https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/7wwtqy/apple_homepod_the_audiophile_perspective/
Or a thorough blind test like this
http://pogueman.tumblr.com/post/170722337727/head-to-head-does-the-apple-homepod-really-sound
Please spare me of the pamphlets that you're trying to pass out to get me to come to your church.
Perhaps we have different perceptions of what thorough is, but to me, that was no where near thorough. I outlined what a thorough test would be in my comment: #283
However, for the sake of simplification: the HomePod needs to be tested (actually measured) in various positions and the results compared to find out its true optimal position in a room. Once the optimal position is established, the other speakers can be placed relatively next to it according to their own optimal positions and listening heights. Only when all of the speakers' positions, and then settings have been optimized, would it be an adequate subjective comparison.
But even that would be limiting, because it would only be the subjective view. We'd then need the objective pure non-optimized data, as well as the optimized data (once the optimal position is found). Only by having all three things would it be a thorough test, as then it would be a complete view of comparable performance. Until then, we'd have some speakers in optimal positions and using optimal settings, and others in not for the sake of having them in close proximity of the rest, and people's biases coloring the situation. -- I think personal opinion matters, so it's important to not neglect it, but it's also important to not blindly pray to it either. So we need three sets of thorough data.
----
From some of the other replies it seems that CR will actually be doing more extensive testing. I look forward to it, and welcome it.
After-all, no test results will change my personal view that the HomePod sounds merely "okay", but I'd love to see real, measured comparison data. Maybe through it, I will be able to actually discern some flaw in my own configuration, and I'll be able to optimize my particular placement. Right now, I think it's possible that my HomePod is just too close to the wall / window and might be more optimal a foot away from the wall, or something like that ... but I can neither do that (due to the space), nor have the tools to test that (I know my ears are not good enough, and I'm too biased to discern it by ear). For most of the people in these forums, they are just seeking things to confirm their bias, so these tests are sufficient if it's enough for them to think or say they are right.
I care not about such things.
I care about the science, and I'm pretty sure that any real scientist or professional (which I am not an audio professional) in these threads can see these all of these tests are not sufficient to draw definite scientific conclusions. We can only infer, and each test brings us a step closer to the truth, but we're not there yet.
Hopefully, CR's additional testing will truly cover it. I genuinely / really look forward to it.
Consumer Reports is a pinko commie rag.
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Excellent point!
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Excellent point!
Why do you need "any real scientist or professional" opinion to make-up your mind about a Homepod? Isn't it enough to heed your peers opinions or, heaven forbid, listen to it yourself? Or perhaps when people disagree with you you just want to throw "scientific conclusions" in their faces?
The ears belonging to the staff at Consumer Reports need to be examined. The doctor should check their brains while they are at it.
I've never heard a Google Home but I've REPEATEDLY listened to a Sonos ONE. The HomePod sounds VASTLY superior to the Sonos ONE at ALL volume levels.
Even the founder of Sonos agrees the HomePod sounds better than the Sonos ONE.
Mark
I've never heard a Google Home but I've REPEATEDLY listened to a Sonos ONE. The HomePod sounds VASTLY superior to the Sonos ONE at ALL volume levels.
Even the founder of Sonos agrees the HomePod sounds better than the Sonos ONE.
Mark
I literally said that test results would not change my opinion.
And I also did not say that I need a real scientist or professional, you're not comprehending what was written. I am a real scientist, so I care about the data and a scientific approach. Perhaps you do not understand the merit to exploring and discovering what limits and or enhances the sound of the HomePod. We know that distance is one, reflectivity is another, but what optimal distance, what optimal reflectivity?
These things don't matter to you because you only care about opinion, view, and argument. There is no argument that will change my opinion, there is no data that will change it either. My opinion is that the HomePod is mediocre, and I will stand by that. My desire for data is to understand. Understanding and opinion are not dependent. I can understand how a movie was made but still think it sucks. I already know the latter part, now I desire understanding.
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LOL at all the new found acoustic engineers in this thread. Every test is flawed except the ones that show HomePod as the best.