But I also think that anyone purchasing smart speaker can be a judge based on how they the feel audio sounds. Because they are the ones that are bringing the smart speaker into their home and making the decision of what sounds best to their ear. Everybody will have differing opinions on what sounds better. To me, I find the HomePod superior, but somebody else might find the Google home better than the HomePod. It’s all relative, but it’s all personal choice too.
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Consumer Reports: Google Home Max and Sonos One Sound Better Than HomePod
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But I also think that anyone purchasing smart speaker can be a judge based on how they the feel audio sounds. Because they are the ones that are bringing the smart speaker into their home and making the decision of what sounds best to their ear. Everybody will have differing opinions on what sounds better. To me, I find the HomePod superior, but somebody else might find the Google home better than the HomePod. It’s all relative, but it’s all personal choice too.
If you read the article or watch the video you’ll see that he didn’t test the HomePod himself.
People who love the HP: Biased CR!
People who don’t like it: They’re the one true source of knowledge
I discovered many years ago that CR does not understand how to test products for which taste matters. I read a CR reviewed of teas. Of the products evaluated, it rated Tetley's Orange Pekoe the highest; and my favorite at the time, Jackson's of Piccadilly Earl Grey, the lowest. Why? Because Earl Grey did not taste like the benchmark, which was Orange Pekoe.
I've listened to HomePod side by side with an Alexa, a Harman Kardon, and a Sonos. There is no doubt in my mind that the HomePod is much much better than the first two.
I used to review digital audio kit in the iPod days. There is no doubt in my mind that the HomePod is one of the very best small speaker systems I've ever come across.
I used to manage bands and work in the business. There is no doubt in my mind that the HomePod is an excellent piece of equipment capable of delivering a beautiful sound stage and a delightful presence.
There is a great deal of doubt in my mind as to the credibility of the Consumer Reports report. It flies so much in the face of any rational, objective or even subjective test I've come across that someone must be incorrect.
I think it's Consumer Reports. Perhaps someone should review them? How is there accuracy running on Apple reviews since that specious and deeply flawed MacBook Pro review?
I can't help but ask: "Who is paying them?"
It's a piece of work that report, and not a good -- or a convincing -- one.
I wouldn't have reported it myself as it seems so flawed.
I used to review digital audio kit in the iPod days. There is no doubt in my mind that the HomePod is one of the very best small speaker systems I've ever come across.
I used to manage bands and work in the business. There is no doubt in my mind that the HomePod is an excellent piece of equipment capable of delivering a beautiful sound stage and a delightful presence.
There is a great deal of doubt in my mind as to the credibility of the Consumer Reports report. It flies so much in the face of any rational, objective or even subjective test I've come across that someone must be incorrect.
I think it's Consumer Reports. Perhaps someone should review them? How is there accuracy running on Apple reviews since that specious and deeply flawed MacBook Pro review?
I can't help but ask: "Who is paying them?"
It's a piece of work that report, and not a good -- or a convincing -- one.
I wouldn't have reported it myself as it seems so flawed.
I've listened to the Home Pod at the Apple store. Here's my honest take... loving almost everything Apple. I personally do not like the sound of the Home Pod. First off, let me say, it's good...not great. I own a Bose Soundtouch 30 that blows the Home Pod away. 1. It's not nearly loud enough. If you want to crank sound up loud, it's just not there. I mean, it's clean but I was surprised for the weight, of how underpowered this is. 2. Siri...well it just doesn't do as good a job as Alexa, and didn't pick up my commands well. 3. The sound is too Textured for my taste. Too much psycho acoustic sound. Unlike a monitor speaker, which is true to sound. I played some good fidelity Steely Dan and Michael Jackson thru it as a test. Yes, the young millennial had no idea who Steely Dan was, (but that's another story). 4. Not enough bass. Others may disagree, but if you play music that has overkill of bass already, I'm sure it's fine. 5.. You have to get your ears at the right level to pickup all the sound. On the shelf at the Apple store, I moved my head lower to the level of the Home Pod and it sounded better. True, there's lots of noise in the store. 5. No Stereo option yet...Really, with so much hype and delay, Steve Jobs would have never released a product like this without true stereo L & R separation ready to go. Hopefully that will improve a room sound. In summary,,,if you're looking for a good speaker and want Siri, (Personally I don't need that), and you're looking for really good Audio Quality, then it's good, product and sound, but just not great. For a few more bucks, the Sonos, Bose and some others are better.
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Typical MR forum responses here:
Anytime they see a good review of any Apple product: Great job! It was a fair and unbiased review.
Bad review of any Apple product: They're wrong and obviously anti-Apple. #FakeNews
Contrary to popular belief around here, it's quite possible for someone to make a fair and unbiased review of an Apple product while concluding it's not the best option out there.
Anytime they see a good review of any Apple product: Great job! It was a fair and unbiased review.
Bad review of any Apple product: They're wrong and obviously anti-Apple. #FakeNews
Contrary to popular belief around here, it's quite possible for someone to make a fair and unbiased review of an Apple product while concluding it's not the best option out there.
I stopped giving a crap about Consumer (Mis)Reports a looooong time ago. I'll take WinterCharm's review over this mass-market drivel.
Question: Why does Consumer Reports have so much hate for Apple and Tesla?
Answer: Because it brings in clicks.
Answer: Because it brings in clicks.
C.R. is totally irrelevant and just want to make headlines. Don't let their "review" go viral, don't let them get the clicks.
Here's a better review https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/7wwtqy/apple_homepod_the_audiophile_perspective/
Here's a better review https://www.reddit.com/r/audiophile/comments/7wwtqy/apple_homepod_the_audiophile_perspective/
This test seems to be completely invalid as it was performed in an acoustic anechoic chamber. The HomePod is not designed for this at all, it's designed to automatically adapt to the acoustics of a normal listening room.
True. But I’m going on the idea of going to reviewers at all.
The article would still be better served if a audio person did it.
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Yep, and the truth is somewhere in-between
The truth is that audio quality is subjective. But people don’t want to hear that.
One might ask oneself; What will get CR more attention. "CR Raves about Apples Home Pod! Best speaker in Class!" just like every other review so far. Or, "CR rates HomePod as below Google and Sonos." Which one of those two scenarios benefits CR? Which one gathers interest and implore you to go read what they said? The one where they said EXACTLY what every other reviewer said or the one where you ask yourself; "I wonder why they didn't like it? I better go read to find out." Which one gets CR on your FB newsfeed? Which one does their "media partners", NBC BTW, to lead with in this evenings news? Which one garners new membership? They won't sell advertising, the have to make money somehow and they're becoming more and more irrelevant in the age of information.
Other reviews have pointed out that the HomePod lacks in the midrange so that’s no lie. Of course, the best thing to do is buy it, test it and if you’re not satisfied with it, return it. Maybe buy a Sonos and test that as well. As simple as that. You can also wait for the discounts which I expect will come by November at stores like Best Buy and Target. The HomePod may be a better value then.
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You can listen to uncompressed music from your iPhone or Mac (Or any Airplay source). You're really not understanding a lot about the product you are spending a lot of time blasting on an Apple rumor site.
44.1 kHz via Apple Lossless.
You couldn’t be more wrong or biased. CR is independent and doesn’t accept advertising from outside sources. In reviews I have read they have come from Mac focused sites where they accept Apple advertising, promote Apple products, write about the company etc. In other reviews those who offered feedback owned Apple products or have paid for the product themselves. Hardly independent or objective.
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
'Round here, basically:
- CR is very RIGHT when they are ranking something from Apple best and/or panning something that directly competes with something from Apple.
- CR is very WRONG when they pan anything from Apple.
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They all sound good enough for a cheap single speaker. It really just depends on what ecosystem you’re in and what you’re buying it for. I just have no need for a single speaker. An Apple speaker system for Apple TV and I’m interested. Hopefully that’s down the road.
Don’t worry I read it. It doesn’t really matter which format is being used for it. Here’s a good analogy.. Take AirPods for example. It doesn’t matter if you play music through Apple Music, 320 kbit/s MP3 or lossless FLAC. Everything will sound the same. Why? Simply, because it’s cheap, small and uses Bluetooth. Many people say that they can’t even hear the difference between those formats, but that’s because they don’t have any experiemce with a truly great gear. Do you get me now?