HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Fortunately, Apple has already revealed all anyone wants to know about HomePod functionality.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
HomePod Early Hands-On Reviews: 'Seamless' Siri Commands and Audio Quality 'Feels Like You're at a Live Performance'
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Fortunately, Apple has already revealed all anyone wants to know about HomePod functionality.
Amen!
So I should be able to airplay my cd ripped iTunes library okay.
Same here, but I don't think that is correct.
A) it would be a stupid decision
B)Apples website states -
"Peer-to-peer AirPlay requires a Mac (2012 or later) with OS X Yosemite or later, or an iOS device (late 2012 or later) with iOS 8 or later."
"Siri works with Apple Music. Subscription required for Apple Music."
I'm assuming I can steam a playlist from my desktop iTunes library to the Homepod, but I can't use Siri to control iTunes."Siri works with Apple Music. Subscription required for Apple Music."
I wish there was a clear definitive answer. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
Last edited:
HobeSoundDarryl
macrumors G5
Wow that would be interesting! If people can jam (other) car shaking (massive) subs into their cars, I would think there's a good chance of this fitting right in (easily). It could be a really interesting vertical application for this product.
If you follow through with this, please take note of my name and PM me when you write it up. I'd love to know how it worked out. I'm not quite seeing this product for my own home (already well equipped with seemingly comparable features & benefits) but that's interesting... maybe a boat too (in spite of the risk of moisture damage), motor homes, decked out SUV/Vans, etc.
Last edited:
Truly shocking that a $350 device sounds better than $29 echo dot and or $79 variant. Shocking indeed...Yet it constantly compared my members in this forum.
“Echo just sounds awful, bad, crappy..” well no **** it’s $79.
—————————————————————
Btw I don’t own any Echos as I don’t see value in a home assiastant. BUT I did pre order 2 Homepods because I’m more interested in the speakers capabilities at the $350 price point.
If I could add a number 4 and 5 they would be:
4. It hasn’t been released and tested by a wide-range of independent reviewers who don’t sign pre-access agreements, so I won’t buy it; and
5. I haven’t heard it myself, so I won’t buy it.
You don't have to experience something to make an inference on the experience. I know if I jump out of a third-story window, that it's going to hurt when I land. As far as HomePod goes, you can judge approximately by the size of the drivers and the size of the enclosure, how it will sound. Speaker design is all about physics, and as a generality, the more air a speaker can move and the easier it can do it, the better it will sound. That being said, I think the HomePod will sound rather good for what it is.
I think you've now veered way off course and attributed far more to the comment than it actually said, which again, was saying that the reviewer was either uninformed or a shill.
If that's true then that's enough for me. If I have my phone with me, I can tell Siri on the phone to play something and it will play on the HomePod over AirPlay. This assumes HomePod isn't in earshot and both the phone and HomePod try to execute the verbal command. How is that kind of verbal conflict going to be resolved? (Actually I don't use Siri to play my music today, I poke around and select something, but just illustrating a scenario.)
If HomePod could use home sharing with Siri integration then Siri could theoretically access anything in my iTunes. However, that isn't promoting Apple Music subscriptions so I wonder if we will ever see that.
Inputs? This is Apple; it doesn’t need to be compatible with any of your non-Apple products because those products don’t generate revenue for Apple. Apple wants you to replace everything in your home with their offerings. And replace those every 2 years when their cheap Chinese batteries die.
Right. What sounds good is such a individual thing........having said that, claiming that it sounds like your at a live performance just invalidates the whole review. Thanks for nothing. Since sound from speakers is so individual and people want different quality, a comparison would be nice if not necessary. This sound is equal to bose model xxx or this sounds as good as a two speaker set up of $300 speakers. Then you give readers something to compare to. "sounds like your at a live performance" or "the sound just blew me away" or "IT REALLY KNOCKS YOUR SOCKS OFF" etc is pointless and tells the reader nothing.
My sister thinks the echo dot is fine, for music too!!!!! I on the other hand think the new echo is passable but its incapable of replacing a two speaker setup and I dont consider myself an audiophile. These single speaker things are no better then the huge boomboxes of the 80's........40 year old technology. Come on. Once when I was in high school one of my speakers broke and I was listening to a Beatles album. WTF!!!!! Half the music vanished. It was like a whole new experience. A lot of effort went into the recording of that stuff and it was meant to be heard IN STEREO. You need the separation otherwise its a whole different experience. Ok, I'm sounding like a audiophile, I swear I'm not.
I have Focals myself.
In reading this thread, I think I've re-aligned my expectations. I think that folks who listen to music in the ways we do, with the hardware we do can't think about this in the same terms. Earlier today, I was; I couldn't imagine how this could sound right. But, I have to admit, if I was just doing chores in the kitchen upstairs, it might do quite well for the purpose of 'wallpaper' music, or listening to podcasts or news. From that perspective, it may be worth it.It is obsessive. My father was an audiophile. His investment in hardware was the cause of his divorce. He explained why he couldn't settle for lesser hardware or listen to certain genres. Some people's hearing is hyper sensitive to their detriment. There are people with a similar trait, called super tasters, whose tastebuds recognize or amplify flavors that escape an average person. To them, spicy foods can be overwhelming and unpleasant. In comparison, some audiophiles aren't seeking details in the sound, they are trying to minimize, or avoid, irritating sounds that average persons are immune to. For example, my father intentionally clipped the lowest bass frequencies, they literally gave him a headache.
You might ask, why would someone with such a sensitivity even listen to music? Filtered to his requirements, music could be a reprieve from the environmental noise at the end of a day.
I feel so left out with things like this. I’m not into music at all these days so a speaker like this really isn’t for me. A cheaper, always listening Siri assistant speaker/microphone is all I’ve wanted. Just a hub to access future home automation devices.
These are not specs that an average consumer is going to care about or understand when purchasing a speaker for background (or in many cases primary) music listening. Are the reviews good? Does it sound good to me? Sold.
As an audiophile I care about this stuff to ensure system and room synergy. The HomePod is really not targeted for that kind of consumer. I'm buying one anyways though because of its potential to be a very good background speaker (and home assistant) in rooms where an audiophile system makes no sense.
I’m not knocking anyone interested in this, but I fail to see the appeal personally. This feels like a me-too product to cash in on something of a fad, and that’s pretty much it.
It does have something of a unique element to it - as do the other home assistant speakers - but it’s not something that’s really all that essential or life changing when most of the intended audience for this speaker have iPhones that can do Siri already, can control apps with a far more powerful screen and can stream or play music to speakers connected via AirPort Express or AppleTV.
There are plenty of Wi-Fi speakers out there. Though more expensive, I think the B&Ws look nicer at least. Siri, I’m just not that into you anyway.
It does have something of a unique element to it - as do the other home assistant speakers - but it’s not something that’s really all that essential or life changing when most of the intended audience for this speaker have iPhones that can do Siri already, can control apps with a far more powerful screen and can stream or play music to speakers connected via AirPort Express or AppleTV.
There are plenty of Wi-Fi speakers out there. Though more expensive, I think the B&Ws look nicer at least. Siri, I’m just not that into you anyway.
I have Focals myself.
I'd love to have put one of these in the bathroom. Unfortunately, I'm not going to buy one because I also wanted it to have a battery so that I could take it outside on the deck or by the fire pit.
I haven’t veered off course. There was a post from someone that had these expensive speakers making it seem as if he/she was such an audiophile and that made them so much better. I’ll leave it here though.
Haha. ML can be great if set up and driven correctly. Therein lies the problem with good sound. Cost means nothing as there is way too much audiophile snake oil out there, but proper set up is the key at any price range. And a good sounding ML system to me might be crap to you, it's all personal taste. Psychology has a big play here.... many audiophiles succumb to "audiophile nervosa" and are never satisfied. Case in point the story earlier about a parent going overboard with his audio habit.