I mean they sound fantastic for their price, their size and their features - but they're a hi-fi sound. A good hi-fi sounds, much MUCH better than anything Bose, B&W and those types of brands make. But you can't even hear the difference on my $4500 headphone rig or my $1000 critical listening (eg not nice sounding, revealing) studio monitors so you sure as hell won't on HomePods.
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HomePod Will Support Spatial Audio for Apple Music, But Not Lossless Audio
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I mean they sound fantastic for their price, their size and their features - but they're a hi-fi sound. A good hi-fi sounds, much MUCH better than anything Bose, B&W and those types of brands make. But you can't even hear the difference on my $4500 headphone rig or my $1000 critical listening (eg not nice sounding, revealing) studio monitors so you sure as hell won't on HomePods.
Exactly! I'm full of bluetooth / airplay speakers and high end headphones/earphones working with good bluetooth dacs, all supposedly high fidelity audio, so if they can't play the new standard then what can?Wonder if my whole house fitted with Sonos will?
I really don't know why they couldn't process a native lossless (16/44.1) file. I would hope they are applying DSP to Airplay2 otherwise we would hear a clear difference in the sound when we send it a lossless file via Airplay. I haven't tested that, but I would have expected to hear complaints about it.
I haven't had a receiver in the last 10 years (probably longer than that) that couldn't apply DSP to a lossless signal (typically at least 24/192 - since most DACs in the last 10 years have supported that). It would be surprising if the hardware in the HomePod is actually that archaic.
I do wonder how the spatial audio settings will be handled, since it is already supposed to be doing room correction and all that.
Not sure how they plan to implement spatial audio with the HomePod. Especially if you have only one.
I love my homepods. They work great for what they are. I airplay to mine because they sound better using airplay. IMHO
That is strange. No idea why Airplay would sound better. If it wasn't being processed, you would expect it to sound worse because room correction can make a huge difference in SQ.
I only have one HomePod in my kitchen area. Sounds fine already. However, I will give the Spatial Audio a try.
My dude...lossy (compressed) vs lossless is literally removing data based on the human range of hearing. Depending of the type of compression, you're leaving out either the dynamics range, frequency range or both. Just taking about frequency, ACC has a max of AAC 96 kHz where Apple Lossless goes up to 192 kHz. You're going to record in the studio at lossless and compress down to AAC when you stream this over the interwebs. Cheers!
The HomePod has multiple tweeter/midrange drivers, which can use room-reflectivity and beam-forming to create the proper effect.
That’s how HomePods create Dolby Atmos effects for movies. Spatial audio IS Dolby Atmos for Audio-only tracks.
Note: This not the same as the Spatial Audio for AirPods, which anchors the soundstage to the screen, even when you move your head. That’s a different feature.
The HomePod does not have midrange drivers. It has mult tweeters and a mid bass driver. Real bass is limited. No matter what people here post.
Actually, it does! HomePod uses a flat disc, in a folded horn design, which vibrate in two modes. One mode behaves like a normal tweeter for high frequencies, while the second mode produces upper midrange sounds.
These are studio-quality drivers, each with its own custom amp, that work differently than normal dome tweeters. That’s one of the reasons the HomePod was so expensive. The large diver only produces low-midrange and bass.
Think about it this way: High and midrange frequencies are directional, bass is not. If the single bass driver was producing the mid-range too, a pair of HomePods would sound like a stereo-source. It would never be able to do Dolby Atmos effects, which it does. That’s only made possible by the multiple tweeter/midrange drivers.
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Your trying hard to make the HomePod something it’s not. There’s nothing audio file about it.
It’s a great. Maybe the best streaming speaker. Love mine. Loved my 2 channel rig more.
What?!! I merely corrected your statement that the HomePod did not have midrange drivers, and that the bass driver also produced the midrange. I also provided some info on those special drivers.
Nobody cares if you think the HomePod is not Hi-Fi. Independent measurements and audiophile magazine reviews say otherwise. And, those guys are way snootier than you!
I agree 100%. Sonos has ALAC support correct? So, streaming Apple Music through my Sonos system should bring lossless??
Well LOOKIE WHAT WE HAVE HERE… 👀
HomePod and HomePod mini to Gain Support For Apple Music Lossless Audio in Future Software Update
The HomePod and HomePod mini will gain support for playing back Apple Music Lossless audio in a future software update, according to a newly...
www.macrumors.com
Not surprised. I never thought the initial reporting was correct.Well LOOKIE WHAT WE HAVE HERE… 👀
HomePod and HomePod mini to Gain Support For Apple Music Lossless Audio in Future Software Update
The HomePod and HomePod mini will gain support for playing back Apple Music Lossless audio in a future software update, according to a newly...
Allow me to clarify: The difference between 16/44 lossless and 16/44 at 256 kbit AAC has exactly nothing to do with frequency response.
I don’t know about AAC, but at lower bitrates MP3 cuts off higher frequencies, but we’re discussing iTunes here.
The difference between 16/44 and higher sample rates like 96 or 192 has of course an impact on frequency response. However, both can in theory be lossy with no impact on frequency response, although as you mention AAC doesn’t actually support 192 kHz, which wouldn’t make sense anyway, since compression is designed to throw away sounds you “can’t hear anyway”.
In other words, your point relates to standard vs hi-res sample rate, not to lossy vs lossless.
The fact that Apple’s communication department also doesn’t seem to know the difference will not help clarifying hhis distinction…
I understand how they work. There is no midrange. The woofer is the midrange speaker. There really isn’t a true LF woofer.
preach on though lol
It does seem very un-Apple like to not support the latest software and data developments in their hardware products. I understand the issue with bluetooth and there isn't much they can do about that but I thought Airplay used a combination of bluetooth and WiFi, surely there is enough data rate to stream lossless over that?
Even with this said, I am really enjoying Apple's pursuit of audio advancements and their love of music.
Even with this said, I am really enjoying Apple's pursuit of audio advancements and their love of music.
Can I listen to lossless audio on my HomePod or HomePod mini?
HomePod and HomePod mini currently use AAC to ensure excellent audio quality. Support for lossless is coming in a future software update.About lossless audio in Apple Music - Apple Support
Learn about lossless audio in Apple Music and how to turn it on or off for your device.
I assume this will be an update to HomePod 'OS'
About Software Updates for HomePod - Apple Support
Learn what’s new in HomePod software updates.
Yes and it's still dreadful. High priced, not high quality. They have some "flagship" £50k speakers and the like, but 98% of what they churn out that people will actually buy and that makes up their actual business sales is dreadful.
So… a few weeks later where are we now… are HomePods able to play Dolby and Lossless ?
I've read that only through an appleTV the HomePods were supporting Dolby 'something'.
Are we still waiting for a firmware upgrade on the HomePods for Airplay Lossless and Dolby 'something' ?
Cheers,
I've read that only through an appleTV the HomePods were supporting Dolby 'something'.
Are we still waiting for a firmware upgrade on the HomePods for Airplay Lossless and Dolby 'something' ?
Cheers,