HomePod First Listen Impressions: 'Incredible' Audio With Bass-Heavy Sound That Easily Beats Echo

[Tapiture]

Interesting you should ask that as I was just pondering this. I think the logical conclusion that I've come to with these types of hardware is that, to a degree, they need to be cross-compatible with other brands, service offerings, and other similar hardware. First, you have the cost to switch that falls on the consumer. If you're the first-mover or an early entrant into the market, no problem with "switching" costs to your customers. But if you're late to the game, you're trying to get people like me that already have a setup to buy into your product as well. That's going to be a tough sell if it doesn't work with my existing setup. For example, most of us who spent thousands on our sonos stuff won't be picking up one of these anytime soon.

Then they have to consider the service offerings. This was an interesting point of contention with the Apple TV, I believe. For a while, Apple and Amazon weren't friends and there was no Amazon Prime streaming app for the Apple TV. I may be incorrect in my recollection of that all played out, but if I recall... it was really just a necessary business move between the two and the result was that I kept my prime account but didn't buy an Apple TV (my kid watches stuff on Prime a lot).

It'll be interesting to see if and to what extent most of these newer devices and offerings integrate.
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Truth. How is cost not a factor in this comparison? Play:1's were recently $150ea. How are you going to compare a $350 speaker to a $150 speaker?

Gee, wonder how it compares to the new Anker Bluetooth speaker that is water resistant and selling for $34? If we are comparing to something 1/2 the price, why not something ~1/10 of the price?

...I haven't even heard the thing yet but I'd say a more fair comparison would be a Play:3 or, like I said my favorite, a pair of Play:1's. How does the new Apple speaker compare to a Stereo pair of Play:1's and a steak dinner? Cause that's what I could get for the same money.

There are conflicting reports - some said they compared it with a Play:3 and some say they had a Play:1 at the demo. Either way, I agree a stereo pair of play:1s sounds fantastic and is 50 bucks cheaper. Plus you can split them and fill up two rooms if you wanted.

 

[AustinIllini]

Almost a must purchase--if this also included Airport Extreme basestation functions.

Are there any indications that will happen?

Honestly, I left the Airport Extreme and I don't miss it. So many products are better.

 

[mazz0]

But you can’t plug your telly into it, for example?

 

[Folbo]

Could somebody explain this 'Airplay2' thing to me? I have airplay all over the house via Airport express going into various hifi separate systems (Pioneer, Onkyo etc.). I also have a couple of Bose units with air play (portable but in the Kid's rooms).
I can play these all simultaneously, perfectly synced, from my MBP. Airplay is already capable of being played across multiple systems ... the limitation seems to be purely in the iOS devices (or the iOS OS). Is Airplay2 something that is marketing speak for removing a limitation in the OS? or is it capable of something more than the express/Bose/Apple TV airplay implementations?

Thanks.

 

[Tapiture]

Yeah... I can't run a cable - it has to be wireless. Was just wondering if that problem was solved since the last time I checked a few years ago. Too bad Sonos still has that limitation...

I suspect HomePod will, if not now, eventually be able to stream any audio material from your computer as Apple has control over both hardware and system software.

Just learned you can play a computer's audio through Sonos quite easily using streamwhatyouhear. http://www.streamwhatyouhear.com/
1. Go to your Sonos app on your PC and go to “Manage” –> “Add Radio Station…”
2. Right click on your SWYH icon in the task bar and go to “Tools” -> “HTTP Live Streaming”
3. Enter your streaming URL and the desired “Radio station” ( ) name and play!

Note: SWYH will use a different port when you start the app, so it is recommended to enter a specific HTTP port in your settings pane.

You can stream MP3 and PCM/L16.

 

[SSDGUY]

I have a five channel Martin Logan Electro Static System plus a subwoofer....this is fine for teens but it will never replace a truly high fidelity system.

Well of course. It's $349. I can be a bit of a hi-fi snob myself, but there's plenty of adults that also enjoy decent audio, but don't want a large system, or its price tag. I see these types of systems as made for those who might not sit down in their room's sweet spot an listen to an entire album (like I often do) but certainly want better audio than a boombox or cheap all-in-one. For those needs, as well as the Siri part, this might be just the ticket.

 

[nuckinfutz]

Could somebody explain this 'Airplay2' thing to me? I have airplay all over the house via Airport express going into various hifi separate systems (Pioneer, Onkyo etc.). I also have a couple of Bose units with air play (portable but in the Kid's rooms).
I can play these all simultaneously, perfectly synced, from my MBP. Airplay is already capable of being played across multiple systems ... the limitation seems to be purely in the iOS devices (or the iOS OS). Is Airplay2 something that is marketing speak for removing a limitation in the OS? or is it capable of something more than the express/Bose/Apple TV airplay implementations?

Thanks.

You can play multiple streams but they generally aren't guaranteed to play in sync. You could audio smearing in some cases. I too have noticed that on fast wifi networks the delay isn't bad at all. However Airplay2 is going to use a more robust audio sync so that audio across even large homes stays in sync.

Even better though an Airplay2 speaker will be accessible via any HomeKit app and become part of any scene you want.

 

[AppleInLVX]

I don't imagine a real stereo effect is possible since it disperses sound in 360 degrees. I believe the multiple-devices per room is simply for larger rooms where you may encounter uneven sound levels (particularly at parties, etc.).

Which I find pretty mind-blowing. I mean, stereo has been around and used since before the Beatles were doing their thing. How are you supposed to listen to music from the past 6 decades the way it was mixed and meant to be played? It's hard to imagine Pink Floyd sounding good on this. Maybe I'm not the target audience or something. Just seems weird to me.

 

[GaryLasereyes]

Truth. How is cost not a factor in this comparison? Play:1's were recently $150ea. How are you going to compare a $350 speaker to a $150 speaker?

Gee, wonder how it compares to the new Anker Bluetooth speaker that is water resistant and selling for $34? If we are comparing to something 1/2 the price, why not something ~1/10 of the price?

...I haven't even heard the thing yet but I'd say a more fair comparison would be a Play:3 or, like I said my favorite, a pair of Play:1's. How does the new Apple speaker compare to a Stereo pair of Play:1's and a steak dinner? Cause that's what I could get for the same money.

The Play:3 was the comparable. I'm not sure where all this talk of Play:1 came from.

 

[raccoontail]

The music by bluetooth industry is done. It's not a good product.

For casual listening, kids bedroom, small party, backyard barbecue, etc a $40 BT speaker sounds fine and is compatible with everything. Now if you're trying to reproduce the experience of hearing (and feeling) Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played on a pipe organ, BT won't cut it... and I doubt even the HomePod can do it with a 4" subwoofer. Will be interesting to see how it performs.

 

[Folbo]

You can play multiple streams but they generally aren't guaranteed to play in sync. You could audio smearing in some cases. I too have noticed that on fast wifi networks the delay isn't bad at all. However Airplay2 is going to use a more robust audio sync so that audio across even large homes stays in sync.

Even better though an Airplay2 speaker will be accessible via any HomeKit app and become part of any scene you want.

Thank you ... Sounds like I can stay safe in the longevity of my existing Apple kit ... most of my apple kit circa 2010, used daily and looking good ;-)

 

[AustinIllini]

For casual listening, kids bedroom, small party, backyard barbecue, etc a $40 BT speaker sounds fine and is compatible with everything. Now if you're trying to reproduce the experience of hearing (and feeling) Toccata and Fugue in D Minor played on a pipe organ, BT won't cut it... and I doubt even the HomePod can do it with a 4" subwoofer. Will be interesting to see how it performs.

Right, I guess I was referring to the premium home audio industry. People cannot expect the top companies to build BT speakers anymore. Exception being Beats, but the pill is awful.

 

[WatchFromAfar]

I think you missed the point... HomePod is first and foremost, a great home speaker for the masses that requires no setup. It sounds great wherever you are. That's the magic; there's no waving of the speaker or using a smartphone to help set things up.

The "smart" in these smart speakers is still extremely limited (and frustrating) so you can spend $130, which for many, have become a very expensive alarm clock, or you can spend $350 on a great sounding speaker that you can enjoy for a decade or more. Over that time, the "smart" feature will get better in the background and maybe in 10 years it'll truly feel somewhat intelligent whereas the $130 speaker will still sound like crap in comparison.

So what you are saying is we should wait 10 years until it gets good before we buy one?

 

[curtwilliams]

For $350 you can get some really really great speakers and hookup a $40 Echo Dot to enable smart functionality, plus stream Amazon Music, Spotify, Pandora, Etc.. I don't really understand the market for this.

I use my Echo Dot with a portable (battery powered) speaker. The bluetooth reaches pretty far and I can take the speaker outside. Seems like HomePod is missing this flexibility. I like to move the speaker around.

 

[flychild]

Would have been nice to have a portable option with battery. I thought the cylindar shape (Mac Pro) design was obsolete. I'll stick with my JBL soundbar and subwoofer for Apple TV and Yamaha HS5 for desktop.

 

[raccoontail]

Right, I guess I was referring to the premium home audio industry. People cannot expect the top companies to build BT speakers anymore. Exception being Beats, but the pill is awful.

I doubt BT will go away. It shouldn't be the primary connection protocol for owners of high-end speakers, but it's really nice when a friend just wants to share a playlist from her phone at a party. Do a web search for "bluetooth" and "Sonos" and you'll see how frustrated people get when BT is left out... tons of how-to articles on how to rig a BT receiver to the aux input, etc.

 

[Leonard1818]

The Play:3 was the comparable. I'm not sure where all this talk of Play:1 came from.

Ah, sorry... you're right, I think (I thought I read Play:1 somewhere though). But comparing with Play:3 is a bad compro IMO.... the Play:3 is...hmmm..... not... great. I HAVE heard the Play:3 and to be honest, as an obvious Sonos fan, I'd stick with a couple of Play:1's or pony up for the Play:5.

I still think the comparison is one to be taken with a grain of salt.

 

[batmccoy]

The Echo Dot is the best expression of a device that that can lead the way for voice commands in the home.

It is not a "speaker." Its best described as a digital assistant I suppose.

Comparing the Apple device with Alexa (the Dot included by proxy) is really comparing two different things. When people praise the Apple device (because of the sound quality) they then attempt to say its therefore better than Alexa.

Apple knows this. They're hoping the reviews focus on audio quality, not integration, compatibility, response time.

The game of digital assistant isn't about an all in one perfect speaker/music. It's about having an affordable mic device that you can put in multiple rooms. Your entire house needs to hear you.

Until Apple makes an affordable product like the Dot, users should make sure they understand both systems.

 

[Cloudkicker]

So buy two separate devices with a cable between them instead of one?

That's sounds super smart, not.

lol Criticizing a non-Apple product is especially rich when Apple became a dongle addict by design in the last couple of years.

 

[raccoontail]

Until Apple makes an affordable product like the Dot, users should make sure they understand both systems.

Totally agree. And Amazon is allowing others to integrate Alexa, so she will soon be everywhere . Imagine an alexa-enabled nightlight that can be plugged into a hall or bathroom outlet. The question is how big of a lead will Amazon build in the smart home space until Apple has an affordable "HomePod Nano" on the market. So far device manufacturers seem to be supporting both Alexa and Homekit fairly well, but time will tell.

 

[citysnaps]

Just learned you can play a computer's audio through Sonos quite easily using streamwhatyouhear. http://www.streamwhatyouhear.com/
1. Go to your Sonos app on your PC and go to “Manage” –> “Add Radio Station…”
2. Right click on your SWYH icon in the task bar and go to “Tools” -> “HTTP Live Streaming”
3. Enter your streaming URL and the desired “Radio station” ( ) name and play!

Note: SWYH will use a different port when you start the app, so it is recommended to enter a specific HTTP port in your settings pane.

You can stream MP3 and PCM/L16.

Thanks, that sounds nice. But... doesn't solve my issue of not being able to play Logic Pro tracks or Final Cut Pro (audio portion) from my computer. For me, audio needs to be from any source on my computer, not just streaming music.

 

[falainber]

Even one of them has dimensionality. Buy a second one, it becomes stereo with very dimensional sound. You ought to learn about beam-forming. You can buy a single speaker that gives you Dolby Atmos, at least in a simulation. Not saying this does that, I don't know, but beam-forming is why. When a speaker understands the room it's in, and are able to use beam-forming for location, it's pretty great; the best news of all is it's driven by an A8 (or is it A9) chip?

Beam forming is a snake oil. Besides in this case there is no targeted location at all. When doing the proper audio setup, people use multiple audio speakers and use special panels and bass traps to prevent sound reflection from the walls. In this case, people suggest AirPod will use sound reflections to create stereo effect. That's just baloney.

 

[batmccoy]

I got the same impression. It's not about Siri, but a lot of people here think it is. It seems to me that Siri is mostly being used to drive the interface and any additional functionality it provides by way of smart assistant functionality is just value added. Amazon's bet is that people want a smart assistant in every room. Apple's bet is that people want to have their music available in every room combined with a little extra streamed programming.

And they're not aiming for inconsolable audiophiles. Nobody is even suggesting that this is anything on par to a 5.1 Martin Logan Electro Stat. Even if it were, no audiophile would ever admit to it nor be caught dead with this.

Apple has made speakers before...everyone knows the real market is in fact "smart home". That's why Apple is back in the speaker business AGAIN. Apple is only using the speaker (Apple Music) as a tool to get into the market. Reviews will target audio quality—not how smart Siri is. The shell game. But the fact that Siri is there will bleed the product onto smart home shelves. It forces people trying to make a decision to come to the conclusion that "Apple's speaker is better." The problem is, the smart home market is not about the integrated speaker but rather, other things such as connecting to existing speakers, lamps, plus, TVs, alarms, etc.—and being able to have multiple smart microphones in multiple rooms (without needing to move them for parties).

 

[mwhals]

Haven't read through every page, so don't know if it's already been asked:
How do we turn the volume up and down? No physical buttons, right?
Will it be, Hey Siri turn volume up to 70%?...
Or maybe a dedicated remote app like the Apple TV?

I thought that I read you can expand your fingers on the top of it to turn up volume and the opposite for decreasing volume. Sort of like zooming in and out of a web page on a smartphone.

 

[mwhals]

The music by bluetooth industry is done. It's not a good product.

Ever hear of Spotiftly, Pandora, Apple Music and no headphone jack on an iPhone 7?