You don't want to put eight D batteries in your boombox for some tunes?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iFixit Tears Down Second-Generation HomePod
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You don't want to put eight D batteries in your boombox for some tunes?
Apropos of nothing I have a tiny class d kinter amp driving an old pair of Apple Pro speakers (the ones that shipped with the G4 iMac and some of the Powermacs) wired up to a raspberry pi zero w running shairport sync to turn them into airplay2 speakers. They sound amazing, and the amp sips power and doesnt run hot.
I don’t think that home audio is a category that chases updates…
Most people buy the thing and it works for years and years and years.
Why not just buy a Sonos which has great sounds and is compatible with multiple platforms.
Fair question, but Apple does have the upper hand with the small details in their devices, such as how simple it is to pair with AirPods, waaaay better than traditional Bluetooth devices. I live in the Apple ecosystem and was happy to order the new Homepod this morning. I have a HomePod Mini downstairs and this will replace the old 2.1 system I have in the living room connected to my Mac Mini giving me Siri in the living room (the kids love being able to pick songs and change volume on the HomePod Mini).
It has been very accurate in my experience.
Some people don’t need multiple platform support. In fact the only reason I own any Sonos products is because they support airplay 2
nope, HomePods mini produce the perfect sound at the perfect price!
well the blue ones do....
and some people don't want to be reminded how humid your day is.
which I think, is why I turned that off or never used that since this feature was introduced.
It is designed to bounce sound off the wall behind it. It analyses its own real-world output and makes adjustments to use that reflected sound intentionally as part of its sound profile. They spent quite a bit of time talking about the computational power that goes into this effect when the OG was released, and they did comment on it with the new one as well. The mini doesn't do this, just big brother.
I don’t disagree but it’s Apple we’re talking about. They need a clear upgrade path for all products, to maintain those near or above 40% margins.
has to be ? Are you implying a location constrain? Yes it’s a common for outlets to be in a wall, but also floors, and they make these things called extension cords, so I struggle with understanding your point.
T
They haven’t updated the AirTags yet. Nor some of their chargers. Apple does a few, not many, products that appear to be viewed more like appliances with longer lifespans.
I suspect they’re more interested in attracting new buyers over driving update cycles when it comes to their speakers.
I know it’s a marketing distinction, but I don’t think smart speakers are the type of device you update unless there’s a must have feature. These already sound great, so I’m not sure any “smart” features that could be refund or added would really be a compelling reason for consumers to upgrade. We may see a few updates in the next couple of years to further reduce costs (hence enticing people like me who at the right price would absolutely pick one up). I can’t imagine Apple considers an upgrade cycle anything comparable to other product categories. I can see these having unusually long lifespans especially in the older demographic I imagine these are actually being bought by.
I suspect they’re not quite sure what they want to do with these speakers but they don’t think they can afford to not be part of the smart home market, which despite its current flaws is definitely a growth market mid to long term.
It’s in an electrical device that uses a heat sink…. So my tentative guess is “no”… at least if the device is actually in use.
But apparently the amp doesn’t get that hot, so it might still be useful for general measurements.
Last edited:
I’m pretty sure that he meant most people will likely sit one on a shelf or a mantlepiece or on the floor so he is saying that it’s a shame half of the sound is going to be directed into the wall or carpet rather than put out into the room like regular front facing conic loudspeakers do, which will affect sound clarity.
What percentage of people are going to place one in the centre of a room and string an extension cord to it?
If not, then what percentage of people actually have floor mounted power sockets or ceiling ones for that matter?
I really feel that people are purposefully trying to misunderstand others’ comments and score points rather than just give straightforward answers to what appear to be honest questions or opinions.
Good teardown video. Happy to hear that it is easier to open and repair.
Some of us have outlets that are not in a wall. Countertop/islands for example. Also I would assume the chip takes advantage of reflections off a wall to create more soundstage.