HomePod HomePod Bass Has Gone

[James Godfrey]

Hi all

Was listening to one of my HomePods today had the volume at about 80%, I went out of the room and when I came back it sounded tinny with no bass... this HomePod is one of two that I own and have only had for a couple of months.

I have phoned Apple and they have set up a return for me and sending out a box to send it in.

What’s the process with this, will it get repaired or replaced for a brand new one?

If it is a new one will it just be a refurb or actually brand new? As not sure whether to go back to where I purchased it from or just continue going through Apple.

Thanks

 

[malcky77]

I would have just exchanged it at the shop where you bought it from.....assuming its a local shop you could drive to and they had another one in stock to swap it.

Did you try other songs, power off the HomePod and turn on again to see if the sound was still tinny?

 

[James Godfrey]

Yeah even Siri is tinny, I bought it online, so would have to be a postal return regardless unfortunately.

 

[malcky77]

Could you try a full reset of the HomePod and see if that does anything.......so remove the HomePod from the home app, unplug the HomePod and then plug it back in while holding the top of the unit until it glows red...which is when it does a full reset and once done is ready to set up from scratch again.

 

[James Godfrey]

Could you try a full reset of the HomePod and see if that does anything.......so remove the HomePod from the home app, unplug the HomePod and then plug it back in while holding the top of the unit until it glows red...which is when it does a full reset and once done is ready to set up from scratch again.

Hi

Just tried the above and it’s still tinny, think it’s going to have to be a return to Apple.

It’s crazy because my other HomePod I have had since launch and had no issues but this one which I have only had a few months has done this, cheaper parts maybe on later models ?

I just hope Apple replace it with a new one and not a refurb.

 

[James Godfrey]

Set up a return with Apple first postal return ever. So far been a bit of a poor experience.

Told a box would be sent out to me with full instructions to arrange a pick up with a courier free of charge.

Opened the box there was instructions how to pack the HomePod in the box and seal it etc... and a return label no indication on it if what courier to use at all.

Contacted Apple support they advised me it would be through Royal Mail and to contact them, no contact details provided, so I asked if I could just take it to my local post office, they told me yes and they just need to scan it.

Took it to the post office, they said it’s not a Royal Mail return label and I would have to pay, they charged me £15 for the postage.

Contacted Apple support again to be advised that a refund of the money paid for the return will be refunded on completion of the service request (basically when I get my homepod back).

Not a great experience so far...

 

[CJM]

Is it completely bassless or just worse?
People are saying that iOS 14.1 has killed the HomePod bass somewhat and I certainly find that to be true.

 

[James Godfrey]

Is it completely bassless or just worse?
People are saying that iOS 14.1 has killed the HomePod bass somewhat and I certainly find that to be true.

No completely bass less happened before the update, Siri is louder on my phone.

I have received an email from Apple saying they are going to replace my HomePod for me, should be arriving today.

After researching online if your HomePod goes on you during warranty, if it’s a manufacturing issue they will just replace with a new one because there is no way of actually getting into the HomePod to repair it without damaging it.

If it goes on you when out of warranty your screwed as it costs the same as a new HomePod in a service repair fee (think it’s about $£10 less), basically because they will just give you a new one.

 

[James Godfrey]

Received my replacement and am not overly impressed it wasn’t a BNIB, it just came in a standard brown cardboard box.

Also upon inspection there is what looks like a dirty mark on the fabric and two sort of puncture marks in the fabric near the base.

So in short I had the HomePod for 2 months had the fault above, sent it in and got a replacement which works fine but the condition is worse, thinking of contacting them about this... as not overly impressed with the service so far

 

[malcky77]

As far as I know...ALL Apple warranty replacements will be done in a brown box type....not a retail type packaging, but they will be brand new/unused devices.....or they should be anyway.

If you had done a warranty exchange with the shop you bought it from then they would probably only have retail type boxed ones to exchange it with.

Can you upload pictures of the marks you describe so we can see what they are.

 

[James Godfrey]

Here is how my replacement came, I know it’s not major, but I know Apple will use this in the future if I have any other issues whilst in its warranty, claiming I dropped it etc...

The one I sent to them was flawless as I literally only had it 8 weeks, they calling me Monday morning to discuss the issue.

 

[malcky77]

Hmmmm certainly not perfect as you’d expect anyway....looks like it wasn’t sitting right in the packaging and that has left a depression on the fabric...wonder if that will correct itself if it is only a depression in the fabric?

You should show Apple that picture when they call you and see what the response will be?

 

[James Godfrey]

Hmmmm certainly not perfect as you’d expect anyway....looks like it wasn’t sitting right in the packaging and that has left a depression on the fabric...wonder if that will correct itself if it is only a depression in the fabric?

You should show Apple that picture when they call you and see what the response will be?

Yeah I have forwarded the image to them, and they said the department that they needed to speak to don’t work weekends so they giving me a call on Monday

 

[DarwinOSX]

I'm loving the new sound. They always had too much bass for alot of music types and not enough mid-range causing loss of detail.

 

[James Godfrey]

Just an update having sent the replacement back Apple have decided to replace it again, and agreed that the damage was unacceptable

 

[Mr$tone]

Received my replacement and am not overly impressed it wasn’t a BNIB, it just came in a standard brown cardboard box.

Also upon inspection there is what looks like a dirty mark on the fabric and two sort of puncture marks in the fabric near the base.

So in short I had the HomePod for 2 months had the fault above, sent it in and got a replacement which works fine but the condition is worse, thinking of contacting them about this... as not overly impressed with the service so far

Your story reminds me of the nineties when I bought a twentieth anniversary Macintosh for USD 6000 and it broke down and was replaced with a refurbished unit. The speakers fabric had blue pencil ink on the replacement unit. I was so disappointed.

 

[Donga120]

FYI, the device Apple replaced for me last yesr has badd that keeps cutting in and out. Sounds awful. Apple wont replace because its out of warranty. Shocking service.
Going to open it up and see if I can repair it. Can’t be much as it can work for 10 minutes perfectly

 

[James Godfrey]

FYI, the device Apple replaced for me last yesr has badd that keeps cutting in and out. Sounds awful. Apple wont replace because its out of warranty. Shocking service.
Going to open it up and see if I can repair it. Can’t be much as it can work for 10 minutes perfectly

Looking at the tear downs the only way you can open it up is by breaking the casing, new one is still working fine up to now.

 

[JoHuennek]

Hi, you only need a het gun and a Torx driver to completely disassemble (and assemble the Homepod). No breaking necessary. I tried to fix the bass issue you all experienced, I thought it was the Molex connecter from the bass speaker, replaced it and reassembled it. It works fine, just the bass is still not working. If any of you knows more, please let me know.

 

[ouimetnick]

I've seen several HomePod units in which the woofer's amp chip (International Rectifier PowlRaudio 98-0431) fails. Sometimes it fails by outputting DC offset and frying the woofer's voice coil. Sometimes it just fails all together and it's just the tweeters working.

Disassembly isn't super easy, but it is straight forward. I've torn down a handful of them.

 

[xraydoc]

I bought AppleCare for my big HomePod. I didn't think it was worth it for the $99 minis, but for a $300 speaker with a few reports of expensive repairs (or near-full-cost replacements), I thought an extra $39 was worth it.