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

[chiefsilverback]

"Just connect your speakers." There in is my biggest concern for this product. If you are not an audiophile than the echo speakers are fine. If you are one than you likely have multiple speakers you switch between based on what you are listening to.

You're really picking up the two extremes with that statement!

I hope it does well, but Its hard to see how it will.

My guess is there's a large population of people who want a discreet, nice sounding speaker for their kitchen/bedroom/sunroom etc... They have the 5.1/soundbar type solution for their TV, but they want something that sounds good in other areas in the house. There are plenty of people paying $200 - $300 for Bose speakers, the HomePod is a perfect alternative for them.

 

[WWPD]

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....

The Black Shakes

Johnny Mnemonic: Yeah, the Black Shakes. What causes it?

Spider: What causes it?

[points to various pieces of equipment throughout the room]

Spider: This causes it! This causes it! This causes it! Information overload! All the electronics around you poisoning the airwaves. Technological f***ing civilization. But we still have all this s**t, because we can't live without it.

 

[oneMadRssn]

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

Stop. Just stop it now.

Either that guy is an Apple shill, or has never been a live performance.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

These reviews are enough to make the Apple base snap these up.
Based on this article, the following questions have been asked and answered:

Does the HomePod sound better than the competitors? Yes.
Is the Siri integration useful? Yes.
Is the design good? Yes.

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

The only question left unanswered??? I suspect there's at least a few more to answer.

Just 2 biggies for me:

• Will it play ripped CD music in my iTunes library without an AM subscription?
• Will it play them at the quality I ripped or at the quality of the streamed version in the cloud? (this one should really matter given how much we're all revolving around quality of sound).

 

[Baymowe335]

You missed one:

- Will the HomePod support multiple user accounts? No.

This is enough to cause some of us to hold off and wait to see where this goes.

"Will" it is different than "does" it. It does not today but it could easily be included in a software update.

 

[LordVic]

The only question left unanswered??? I suspect there's at least a few more to answer.

Just 2 biggies for me:

• Will it play ripped CD music in my iTunes library without an AM subscription?
• Will it play them at the quality I ripped or at the quality of the streamed version in the cloud? (this one should really matter given how much we're all revolving around quality of sound).

First Question: No

According to the threads yesterday and the reports, the HomePod will ONLY play iTunes purchased music and NOT imported music to iTunes.

You can play iTunes purchased music without AM subscription though.

 

[chabig]

No third party support = no purchase.

It doesn't run apps, so how do you propose such support? As it is, it's pretty much the same as the Sonos system, which people seem to be happy with, since you can stream anything to the speaker from your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or AppleTV. With Sonos, you run an app on your device to stream to the speaker. With iOS, you run an app on your device to stream to the speaker.

 

[hypertoast]

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.

But who in the right mind is going to come up and say, yes these radiations/ signals are bad so early on? Tobacco industry always said, smoking is cool. Sugar industry always blamed "fats".

I feel the lobbying groups are simply going to claim it safe until 10-50-100 years later, it will be reveled it was all a lie.

my 0.00000182 BTC

 

[albebaubles]

You should have HomePod in your garage next to your Ferrari. So that when you’re walking out the door you continue to experience the HomePod up until the moment you get into your car.

Jeez the person buys 1400 worth of speakers and you all act like he's rich -- give the person a break. Knock off the jealousy.

 

[jamface]

This sounds like complete bs. Siri can’t even tell when to use my watch instead of my iPhone despite initiating via Hey Siri after raising my watch to my face while the phone is not even quite within arm’s reach (on a desk etc). If this worked for him, it’s because his phone was literally too far to hear him.

Also, even if they solve that problem, the bigger one remains. Namely, Siri almost never understands what you're talking about.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

Although longer and more in-depth reviews for Apple's smart speaker, the HomePod, have not yet been published, a few websites have gotten the chance to spend an hour or so with the speaker...

Why only an hour? Seems like a pitiful amount of time to put any product though the paces. Also these reviews were they "in call" where the reviewer had to go to a venue set up by Apple or could the reviewer borrow it and test at an independent location?

Really looking forward to some real reviews.

 

[oneMadRssn]

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.

One doesn't even need to go that crazy. A pair of Pioneer floor speakers and a basic receiver will easily best any small speaker.

 

[AmazingRobie]

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.

Yes. There are surely WiFi and Celltower signals everywhere, some even penetrating the walls of where you might reside, its most likely inescapable inside...outside definitely, but to bring more signals inside, when "science" has not tested long term effects of being blanketed with signals this upclose for long durations of time and were talking never being isolated or buffered from them at all. I cannot imagine a benefit beneficial enough as far as connectivity to take a risk like that, especially given that theres also flicker rates in LED lighting and monitors which are just as irritating to the brain. All im saying is its definitely something people should consider given that noone is speaking about it that much.

 

[AppleInLVX]

I just can't get past the whole idea that for all the hyperbole about how great this thing sounds, it's a single point for sound. For decades, music's been in stereo. Has everyone just sort of forgotten this in favour of convenience and expense? If I listen to early Beatles on this thing, will I hear vocals on one side of the room and guitars on the other as was recorded? Will I hear the separation that builds the sound stage as audio engineers have been doing for the whole of my life? I just don't see how this thing will sound right being a single point. You'd need two of them, and that apparently doesn't even work yet. If this device is all about awesome sound, I just can't understand how it will deliver. Maybe I'm just too old school, I dunno.

 

[bruinsrme]

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.

Which a klipsch referenence 7 7.2 system these little speakers have their place, especially for me.
Small speakers can have large sound usually through exaggerated lows (40-60 Hz).
But these speakers aren’t aimed at a hi-fi set up. These new speakers are the new Bose of yesterday, adequate sound (for most) without destroying the decor (wife friendly) or for small rooms.
My Bose sound bar and sub are perfect for casual movie watching and streaming music. Surely not the same accuracy as the klipsch.

 

[GOAT4521]

A lot of people already thinking this thing is DOA. Typical Apple launch

 

[mattg3]

When HomePod allows my iTunes library to play on it(600 cds that I own but didn't buy from iTunes) I will take a chance.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

First Question: No

According to the threads yesterday and the reports, the HomePod will ONLY play iTunes purchased music and NOT imported music to iTunes.

You can play iTunes purchased music without AM subscription though.

Is that for sure though or just nay sayer speculation? I'm hungry for defacto answers to those kinds of questions.

From the naysayers, the spin & implications is that this is yet another box of junk, etc.

From the cheerleaders, this thing will cure cancer, etc.

I'm hunting for facts. These early reviews mostly read like press releases, focusing almost entirely on exactly what Apple themselves say about the product. For example "astonishing" is a really big word to assign to a $349 speaker. It may in fact sound astonishing- I don't know (yet)- but an adjective like that doesn't sound very far from one like "magical."

These functional & utility questions about what it can and can't do have been flying around for many days/weeks/months now. I have to believe that reviewers doing a little research would build up such a list and focus in on answering such questions to give their audience the information they want. Still watching for a bunch of such answers.

 

[SRLMJ23]

Almost sounds like Apple paid these so-called "reviewers." Give me a break...if these things are that loud are they going to create sound rooms in Apple Stores so people who crank them up to 65%-100% do not bother the ENTIRE store, especially those for the "Today at Apple" classes?

 

[chrisbru]

"Just connect your speakers." There in is my biggest concern for this product. If you are not an audiophile than the echo speakers are fine. If you are one than you likely have multiple speakers you switch between based on what you are listening to. Why spend $300+ in a speaker when you could spend $30 + $0 to $10k+ what sounds best to you.

I'm sure they are great for it's size, but I'm not convinced that the selling point will drive sales. This isn't the same as the ipod making iPods mainstream. Echo is already mainstream. They have had multiple Black Fridays pushing their products at the largest stores in the world.

I hope it does well, but Its hard to see how it will.

You know there's a middle ground, right? Plenty of people want a smart speaker that sounds better than the Home/Echo. Sure, you could get a high-end setup, but not everyone wants to spend $2k+ for a true home audio system. Some people in this group already have a Sonos, and some have accepted the quality of Home/Echo, but this product will sell to the people who aren't happy with the sound quality of Home/Echo and haven't already invested in a Sonos setup.

 

[Baymowe335]

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

Stop. Just stop it now.

Here's the thing. I have a $15k audiophile (semi) setup and agree with you. HOWEVER, you have to remember most people don't know or appreciate audiophile level equipment. People literally think Beats are the best headphones on the market. Most people listen to music with EarPods. People think Bose is amazing quality.

The broader consumer (Apple's Market) doesn't have the interest or money to spend thousands of dollars on great audio equipment. They like that they can plug this in and it "sounds good" without any tweaking. People buy soundbars and think they have movie theater quality sound (lol).

So while I agree that the hyperbole describing the sound is a little LOL, people really don't have much to compare and really think it's great. For what it is, it probably is very good. I always tell people, with speakers...it's physics. How much air can you move? Bigger is almost always better.

 

[LordVic]

Is that for sure though or just nay sayer speculation? I'm hungry for defacto answers to those kinds of questions.

From the naysayers, the spin & implications is that this is yet another box of junk, etc.

From the cheerleaders, this thing will cure cancer, etc.

I'm hunting for facts. These early reviews mostly read like press releases, focusing almost entirely on exactly what Apple themselves say about the product. For example "astonishing" is a really big word to assign to a $349 speaker. It may in fact sound astonishing- I don't know (yet)- but an adjective like that doesn't sound very far from one like "magical."

These functional & utility questions about what it can and can't do have been flying around for many days/weeks/months now. I have to believe that reviewers doing a little research would build up such a list and focus in on answering such questions to give their audience the information they want. Still watching for a bunch of such answers.

https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/23/home...eam-beats-1-without-apple-music-subscription/

If you add music to your home iTunes library that was not acquired through a purchase, HomePod will not be able to access it. It appears HomePod doesn’t have Home Sharing, which would enable that kind of feature.

 

[neuropsychguy]

Yeah, it sounded a little out of touch but it's hard to call it bragging in a forum filled with discussion of multi-thousand dollar purchases all day long.

That said, dare I point out that some people don't seem to realize that envy is as ugly of a virtue as bragging? MR seems like a perfectly logical place for musing about one's Apple purchases. Are people really so delicate that they can't even read about someone else having more than what they have?

Envy (lust) and bragging (pride) are vices, not virtues (which is what you meant but didn't type).

I agree with you.

 

[Bryan Bowler]

As usual, the haters have congregated here in the Front Page stories. The fact is though, that Apple has created a smart speaker that sounds amazingly good with the best-ever microphones used for Siri recognition and it only costs $349. It will sell like hotcakes and mine will be delivered on February 9th.

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

https://9to5mac.com/2018/01/23/home...eam-beats-1-without-apple-music-subscription/

Thank you. That does appear to clearly answer that question.

And WOW. I can't hardly believe such a fundamental would not be there in the release. Who does NOT have some ripped music in their iTunes library? iTunes/iPod originally started on that very concept (as source of music). I'm pretty sure my first "1000 songs in my pocket" and then "2000 songs in my pocket" were all in iTunes BEFORE there was an iTunes music store.