HomePod Early Hands-On Reviews: 'Seamless' Siri Commands and Audio Quality 'Feels Like You're at a Live Performance'

[JaySoul]

Not convinced it will be anything more than a niche product. That goes for Google Home Max, too.

The fact is you could get a small smart speaker with Aux (e.g. small Echo whatever or Google Home Mini) or a Chromecast Audio and connect it to any old great speaker for 14 times less the price.

I connected a Chromecast Audio to this amazing 10 year old Sony speaker and couldn't be happier. Cost me £14 to reinvigorate an old product. You could do the same for a multiple speaker set up.

Plus Siri vs Google Assistant - there is no comparison right now, but of course people may choose on ecosystem/privacy.

 

[Darryl.Jenks]

Ugh the biggest problem I have is choosing what color. I wanted two, but i want it to match by other devices. Problem is I have a silver iphone X (256GB) and a space grey ipad pro (10.5), plus a space gray iMac Pro... not to mention my stainless steel (black) watch. So I ordered two HomePods in White, and two in Space Gray. I'm hoping that will cover my living room sufficiently. Depending on which color is nicest, I'll order more to place in the other rooms.

Please keep us updated. I won't sleep well until I've been briefed on your possessions.

 

[AmazingRobie]

Is anyone else concerned about all of the additional signals these devices will be bringing into your home? I mean cellphones are one thing and can be managed by shutting off in the evening, same with a router, but all of these little gadgets all over the house is going to really screw up the environment in there with signal pollution. Bluetooth lightbulbs, bluetooth speakers, bluetooth this and that. Forget not holding a cellphone next to your head, you wont be able to escape the amount of disturbance your body will be picking up on on a level you most likely wont be able to perceive...just a thought. Carry on....

 

[neuropsychguy]

wow not gonna lie. This post sounds... Uh... Rich.

My thought exactly. What's amazing is the poster didn't come across as bragging or trying to show off. It was like (assuming it is all true) she/he was musing about a normal (minor) dilemma in life. Maybe I'm just projecting myself but I thought it was one of the post down-to-earth posts set on a throne of wealth I've read in a long time. Maybe the post was meant to display wealth but that's not how it came across.

 

[jabingla2810]

Once again, like all Apple product launches, everyone is talking about what it can’t do that it’s competitors can.

Same old story. This looks like a great speaker, it’ll do well.

 

[Mjmar]

Not sure why, but I ordered one.

 

[now i see it]

[If you close your eyes, it’s easy to feel like you’re at a live performance.

After you drink the Kool Aid. What a ridiculous statement.

 

[deanthedev]

I have Martin Logan Electrostatic floor speakers for right and left and Martin Logan Electrostatic Center Channel speaker for home theater...all speakers require AC power to charge the panels......once you hear this kind of speaker...then any little speaker would sound very small. For some people this Apple speaker is good enough...not for audiophiles.

I'm an audiophile and it's plenty good enough for me.

Do you have Martin Logans in your kitchen? Den/office? Bedroom? Rec room? Do you refuse to listen to music when you're in any other room except your listening room because the sound isn't "good enough" for your ears?

 

[Baumi]

I have Martin Logan Electrostatic floor speakers for right and left and Martin Logan Electrostatic Center Channel speaker for home theater...all speakers require AC power to charge the panels......once you hear this kind of speaker...then any little speaker would sound very small. For some people this Apple speaker is good enough...not for audiophiles.

Could we just wait with the verdicts until the product is actually available?

Having said that, I'm quite sure there are better-sounding speakers out there – especially those with a much higher price tag, and I doubt that it's Apple's intention to compete with systems that cost thousands of dollars.

 

[NoNothing]

"equating HomePod's sound quality to a live performance."

Put this guy in front of some Martin Logans and his head will probably explode. lol, such hyperbole.

Agree. But I am sure they sounds great for their size and convenience. Setting up my Logan's are a pain and it can take months to get them perfectly positioned. Then you have a fairly small sweet spot where the sound is simply incredible. Outside of that spot, the sound is simply very good.

But inside that sweet spot, you can close your eyes (and with good recordings) place every person in the soundstage; hear every nuance; be truly immersed; believe you are listening to a live studio performance.

 

[tearzyo]

What are the inputs? Does it have AUX, Ethernet? Or is it just a single power-cable?

 

[smirking]

The only question left unanswered is, will people buy this? Given Apple's track record, I think that the answer is an easy Yes.

I'm thoroughly impressed at how good the sound from my 2016 MBP is. If they can engineer these tiny speakers in a flat and cramped enclosure to sound this good, I'm very interested in finding out how good a proper speaker set will sound.

 

[cocoua]

Wow, siri doesnt answer me half of the times in my iphone 7, im really sacred about using something just with siri...

 

[Pirate!]

How is it even considered a review when one guy listened to "upwards of" five songs that were most likely hand selected because they play well on the device. That's like saying I've reviewed every product at best buy because they had a display model out for me to touch.

I am curious to see how well the device actually sounds. I've got a pair of Sonos ones that I really enjoy, but I could use another speaker in a different room. But I never use Siri, so it'll come down to sound quality vs price.

 

[DavidLeblond]

I'm probably the only one I know who doesn't have some sort flavor of Echo and the only reason I don't have one is I always have my phone on me so I just use Siri that way. I think Apple is late to the game and has an uphill battle this time.

 

[tooloud10]

" If you close your eyes, it's easy to feel like you're at a live performance."

Stop. Just stop it now.

Agreed, they're laying on the 'audiophile sound quality' hyperbole way too thick. I have no doubt that it will sound better than the competition, but any audiophile can glance at the HomePod and its price and know that it's not going to be top quality sound quality.

 

[DavidLeblond]

" If you close your eyes, it's easy to feel like you're at a live performance."

Stop. Just stop it now.

I should also point out that usually live performances I go to don't have as good quality as a well crafted studio album.

 

[BornAgainApple]

Sure, the price is going to scare some buyers away, but seems to be targeting this to the more well-to-do crowd, which is ok with me. I won’t be buying one, however, because my ears aren’t as discerning as most. But I hope, and think, has another winner here.

 

[robjulo]

And a review also isn't somebody who was given the product free, early, in order to write a glowing "review".

These aren’t reviews. A review is someone having the device for more than an hour and able to play whatever they want on it.

 

[crazyroo1]

Does anybody know if it can work with AppleTV? Seems logical that it could serve as a TV speaker system once AirPlay 2 is available, but I can't find this stated 'yes' or 'no' anywhere.
(I've been looking around for an answer, but my apologies if this has already been addressed somewhere.)

It should work just fine. Apple TV allows you to send all system audio out via Airplay to other Apple TVs. HomePod should function as an Airplay speaker, so it should work just fine. I'll let you know once mine ships

 

[OllyW]

These aren’t reviews. A review is someone having the device for more than an hour and able to play whatever they want on it.

What more do you want, he played "upwards of five songs". There's no pleasing some people.

 

[Paultmaine]

I’ve ordered mine, space grey, delivery Feb 9th

 

[thelookingglass]

Is anyone else concerned about all of the additional signals these devices will be bringing into your home? I mean cellphones are one thing and can be managed by shutting off in the evening, same with a router, but all of these little gadgets all over the house is going to really screw up the environment in there with signal pollution. Bluetooth lightbulbs, bluetooth speakers, bluetooth this and that. Forget not holding a cellphone next to your head, you wont be able to escape the amount of disturbance your body will be picking up on on a level you most likely wont be able to perceive...just a thought. Carry on....

Not to be dismissive, but if one is that concerned about wireless signals, the only solution is to live in a rural area. Just go to WiFi settings in any major urban environment and you'll see how bombarded we all are with WiFI. Then there's all the Bluetooth connections we don't see and the cell tower signals as well. It's unavoidable in this day and age.

The question isn't whether we can escape it, the question really is whether it has an impact on our physiology. Current science says any negative impact is very limited. Certainly not enough to outweigh the benefits of all of this connectivity.

 

[cknibbs]

Not sure why, but I ordered one.

Send it to me in Canada I’m watching from the sidelines

 

[AustinIllini]

Not convinced it will be anything more than a niche product. That goes for Google Home Max, too.

The fact is you could get a small smart speaker with Aux (e.g. small Echo whatever or Google Home Mini) or a Chromecast Audio and connect it to any old great speaker for 14 times less the price.

I connected a Chromecast Audio to this amazing 10 year old Sony speaker and couldn't be happier. Cost me £14 to reinvigorate an old product. You could do the same for a multiple speaker set up.

Plus Siri vs Google Assistant - there is no comparison right now, but of course people may choose on ecosystem/privacy.

Right. I have a bunch of Sonos speakers and you know what makes them great? I have a 5.1 setup in one room, a stereo pair in another, and a single in another.

Even if a HomePod becomes expandable to multi-room, Apple isn't going to build a Soundbar.

I have said it before and I'll say it again: Apple should have bought Sonos instead of wasting its time with the HomePod.