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

nrvna76 said:
The HomePod is solving the problem of Apple not getting any of the smart speaker market share. Same problem the Apple Watch solved for wearables.
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Grabbing market share is not solving problems.
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nrvna76 said:
I am excited to hear real world reviews. So far the only thing that I don’t really like is having to have it tied to one persons account. If I understand that correctly things like messages, notes, reminders, and appointments only work for one person. Idk how they’d implement multiple users like that but having to pick just one is somewhat disappointing.
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British Vogue got a first listen. Because of course people who want reviews of audio products look to Vogue magazine.

http://www.vogue.co.uk/article/apple-homepod-release-date-everything-to-know
 
All the negativity towards this speaker can summarised like this:

First they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
 
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zerind said:
"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.
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I was thinking something similar, not to mention was the environment controlled? Was the media stock Apple Music or higher bit rate media? Smells like an advertisement. Besides, when it comes to music, what one person thinks is unbelievable the next will say is just OK. Do the guys reviewing the speaker come from an audio background? I think no one here on this forum can say one is better than the other until they hear it first hand. But I do like the previous comment, that this will be enough for the Apple base to snap it up.
 
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CLS1 said:
As I’ve mentioned numerous times, I feel I am the target market for this speaker. I’m not an audiophile in any sense of the word. But if the HomePod can produce quality sound at $350, I say that’s a win for me. For some, the “smart” aspect of the speaker is the selling point for them. For me it’s the speakers capabilities.

In my opinion it is a bargain at $350. I spent close to $350 on my wireless Bose QC35’s. The HomePod can presumably fill an entire room regardless of its location. That is quite impressive if true.

I for one am very exited for this product.
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I'm in the same boat as you are. I don't have a very big house or big rooms and i only need something that sounds decent to my ears and has certain features. If this sounds half as good as they say i think i will buy at least 2.
 
Rogifan said:
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.
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Exactly. Sounds like this was a controlled test with specific media. I guess it's a smart move to not let anyone really "test" the speaker until it goes on sale. We can already see here that the Apple fanbase thinks it's the best speaker in history, and everything else pales in comparison. Funny hardly anyone has even heard one let alone seen one, and people are buying several at a time. Gotta love Apple supporters, they alone will keep Apple profitable for a long time no matter what Apple makes.
 
bopajuice said:
Exactly. Sounds like this was a controlled test with specific media. I guess it's a smart move to not let anyone really "test" the speaker until it goes on sale. We can already see here that the Apple fanbase thinks it's the best speaker in history, and everything else pales in comparison. Funny hardly anyone has even heard one let alone seen one, and people are buying several at a time. Gotta love Apple supporters, they alone will keep Apple profitable for a long time no matter what Apple makes.
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I will let you in on a secret. Good products keep Apple profitable.
 
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bopajuice said:
Exactly. Sounds like this was a controlled test with specific media. I guess it's a smart move to not let anyone really "test" the speaker until it goes on sale. We can already see here that the Apple fanbase thinks it's the best speaker in history, and everything else pales in comparison. Funny hardly anyone has even heard one let alone seen one, and people are buying several at a time. Gotta love Apple supporters, they alone will keep Apple profitable for a long time no matter what Apple makes.
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All we can go on is from the people who have used it.

Those people have had plenty of positives to say about it and thats all we can judge it on it.

CNET have said the same thing as well. Least we will see more in the coming week or so when you tubers get their hands on it.
 
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The Game 161 said:
All we can go on is from the people who have used it.

Those people have had plenty of positives to say about it and thats all we can judge it on it.

CNET have said the same thing as well. Least we will see more in the coming week or so when you tubers get their hands on it.
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CNET also reviews cars and smoke detectors. Sounds like they know audio.

I am sure it will be a wonderful speaker. What gets my attention is when others here start putting it on a pedestal and talking down other products without even hearing it let alone seeing it.

Apple is emphasizing it as a music product. Yet the reviews are done by tech sites. I'd trust a review by Stereophile, or Audioholics, not some site that compares smart watches.
 
bopajuice said:
CNET also reviews cars and smoke detectors. Sounds like they know audio.

I am sure it will be a wonderful speaker. What gets my attention is when others here start putting it on a pedestal and talking down other products without even hearing it let alone seeing it.
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I agree but least we won’t need to wait long to get real users thoughts on it

Looking forward to getting mine and seeing how it works out. Least have 14 days after all
 
OK, so this review came from Whathifi. They have some pretty legit reviewers. They are not a dedicated audio site, but good enough. Here are some highlights:

"Sound quality
The packed hands-on room in San Jose was too noisy to judge the speaker's audio capabilities. But, we've since had a chance to listen to the HomePod and two rival speakers side by side.

In a controlled environment, we heard tracks played on a Sonos Play:3, Amazon Echo and HomePod.

The Play:3 had been tuned for the room using Sonos' excellent Trueplay software. The HomePod had also been calibrated using its own set-up software - although we didn't get to see how exactly the speaker carries this out.

As Sia’s The Greatest played out, the HomePod sounded impressive: strong bass rang out – which was perhaps the overriding audio takeaway for the speaker – but the vocals still seemed sharp and crisp.

In comparison, the Sonos Play:3 appeared uncharacteristically flat, while the Amazon Echo felt almost pedestrian.

We listened to Superstition by Stevie Wonder and DNA by Kendrick Lamar. Both sounded good on the Sonos but appeared punchier and louder on the HomePod. As we moved around the room, the HomePod managed to project in every direction, with no discernible sweet spot.

We also heard a pair of HomePods playing a live recording of Hotel California by The Eagles. The attention to detail was striking, with different instruments sounding discretely realised. Did we feel like we were at the concert? Maybe not, but it did sound powerful.

Verdict
Whether the seemingly bass-heavy sound can be tweaked through the speaker's audio processing remains to be seen. If not, the Apple HomePod might not be to everyone’s taste.

But the brief time we had with the speaker was more than enough to pique our interest, and that's without having a chance to test the Siri integration."

https://www.whathifi.com/apple/homepod/review#DoeRIlBbvziXVL75.99
[doublepost=1517087243][/doublepost]On the other hand, Sound and Vision wasn't as optimistic:

"So, Apple is focusing on “sound quality.” Bravo, Apple, and bravo sound quality, right? Gimme a break. The sound quality you’re lauding here is compared to the Amazon Echo, which sounds like crap, or the Sonos Play:3, which isn’t their best product either. Let’s just congratulate Apple for using a few more speakers instead of one or two, and throwing in a small woofer to create a modicum of bass. This just shows how dismal sound quality has become."

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/apple-homepod-coup-détat-home-stereo#WqGZxhVRCuavTEsX.99
 
Whats the USP, i just don't see it...
If i want a good AI there's better options available, if i want a good BT speaker there's better option ok its an all in one but I'm not feeling the need, it's a pass from me.
 
Phil in ocala said:
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.
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I bet your Titan supercomputer is better than a MacBook Pro, too, isn’t it?
 
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applezulu said:
I think the issue is the critics think the only benchmark is niche audiophile gear.
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Well obviously the HomePod must not be any good because it’s more expensive than an Echo and not as high quality as Martin Logan speakers... but hey the sheeple will buy and make it profitable anyway, right?
 
applezulu said:
I think the issue is the critics think the only benchmark is niche audiophile gear.
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Exactly. “Audiopiles of you know what seemingly snub their noses at anything mainstream.

Because everyone that wants to listen to music should spend crazy money and spend their time calibrating the av stuff. I speak from experience. Now I am liberated and actually enjoy listening to music far more on “less quality” stuff.

In my realm a hey Alexa, soon to be hey Siri, stream some eagles is more enjoyable than firing up the system. Being able to have my music follow me around the house will be nice as well.

People scoof at the price but many are willing to spend $350 on headphones that sound mediocre.
 
bruinsrme said:
Exactly. “Audiopiles of you know what seemingly snub their noses at anything mainstream.

Because everyone that wants to listen to music should spend crazy money and spend their time calibrating the av stuff. I speak from experience. Now I am liberated and actually enjoy listening to music far more on “less quality” stuff.

In my realm a hey Alexa, soon to be hey Siri, stream some eagles is more enjoyable than firing up the system. Being able to have my music follow me around the house will be nice as well.

People scoof at the price but many are willing to spend $350 on headphones that sound mediocre.
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I have iPod Hi-Fi that still to this day sounds awesome for it's size and i can even take it to my hut when i go hunting.
 
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bopajuice said:
OK, so this review came from Whathifi. They have some pretty legit reviewers. They are not a dedicated audio site, but good enough. Here are some highlights:

"Sound quality
The packed hands-on room in San Jose was too noisy to judge the speaker's audio capabilities. But, we've since had a chance to listen to the HomePod and two rival speakers side by side.

In a controlled environment, we heard tracks played on a Sonos Play:3, Amazon Echo and HomePod.

The Play:3 had been tuned for the room using Sonos' excellent Trueplay software. The HomePod had also been calibrated using its own set-up software - although we didn't get to see how exactly the speaker carries this out.

As Sia’s The Greatest played out, the HomePod sounded impressive: strong bass rang out – which was perhaps the overriding audio takeaway for the speaker – but the vocals still seemed sharp and crisp.

In comparison, the Sonos Play:3 appeared uncharacteristically flat, while the Amazon Echo felt almost pedestrian.

We listened to Superstition by Stevie Wonder and DNA by Kendrick Lamar. Both sounded good on the Sonos but appeared punchier and louder on the HomePod. As we moved around the room, the HomePod managed to project in every direction, with no discernible sweet spot.

We also heard a pair of HomePods playing a live recording of Hotel California by The Eagles. The attention to detail was striking, with different instruments sounding discretely realised. Did we feel like we were at the concert? Maybe not, but it did sound powerful.

Verdict
Whether the seemingly bass-heavy sound can be tweaked through the speaker's audio processing remains to be seen. If not, the Apple HomePod might not be to everyone’s taste.

But the brief time we had with the speaker was more than enough to pique our interest, and that's without having a chance to test the Siri integration."

https://www.whathifi.com/apple/homepod/review#DoeRIlBbvziXVL75.99
[doublepost=1517087243][/doublepost]On the other hand, Sound and Vision wasn't as optimistic:

"So, Apple is focusing on “sound quality.” Bravo, Apple, and bravo sound quality, right? Gimme a break. The sound quality you’re lauding here is compared to the Amazon Echo, which sounds like crap, or the Sonos Play:3, which isn’t their best product either. Let’s just congratulate Apple for using a few more speakers instead of one or two, and throwing in a small woofer to create a modicum of bass. This just shows how dismal sound quality has become."

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/apple-homepod-coup-détat-home-stereo#WqGZxhVRCuavTEsX.99
Click to expand...
LOL!! Sound and Vision didn't even have one to review. He's never heard it.

Reading is fundamental. "Look, I may be completely off base, and I hope I get a chance to review a HomePod."

Fake news.
 
Mono "sound quality" - what's this delusion.

I have no doubt Apple can produce something capable of great sound, but no stereo pairing at launch? While claiming this thing is all about music? No. Sorry.
 
So all of the sudden the usual suspects here are audiophiles and experts in that trade. Funny thing is, now sound quality matters for them - unlike last year when during the discussions about the removal of the headphone jack it didn’t...

Ah, well. In the end it’s still a mono speaker with some sound processing, playing compressed data wirelessly.
 
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