HomePod My Own Observation Why There Are Conflicting HomePod Sound Assesments

[donster28]

I have my HomePod by my bedside and I am totally happy with it. Having said that, there were times the vocals on songs sounded like they were literally at the back of the speaker (at a fixed orientaion I chose). Rotating it it didn’t seem to put the vocals properly in the front, as if the HP pulls them back to the rear no matter how I rotated it.

See, after I set the HP down on the spot I wanted it to be for the very first time, plugged it, let it set itself up and played a song, I tried to move it just a few centimeters from it’s original spot. After moving it, I noticed a change in the vocals of the song-they suddenly moved to the rear and the instruments were clearly in the front! And yes, I grasped the HP by its side mesh to move it while a song is playing.

Anyway, I unplugged the HP, plugged it back in, let it initialize then played the song again...and wala!...the vocals were back in the front! I also tested the left and right channel spacial effect (via Youtube-Airplay) and to my amazement, I could hear the channel placements properly after re-booting the HP!

This goes to show how sensitive the HP’s accelerometer is and this same scenerio might have affected some reviewers’ assesment of the HP’s sound quality. What do you think?

UPDATE: Whatever you do, do not lift the HP by grasping it on the side mesh while it’s playing! Somehow this activated its automatic sound tech and adjusts the sound somehow. Observed this a few times now.

 

[darthbane2k]

Then this is a problem more than a benefit. Mine sounds great most of the time but other times I question the quality , especially when it comes to bass. Some bass heavy songs just sound flat yet when I lift the HomePod up it springs into life.
I have mine on the middle of some ladder shelves and I’m wondering that that’s causing an issue. The back of the HomePod is pushed right against the shelf which is exposed to the wall

Like so..

 

[donster28]

Then this is a problem more than a benefit. Mine sounds great most of the time but other times I question the quality , especially when it comes to bass. Some bass heavy songs just sound flat yet when I lift the HomePod up it springs into life.
I have mine on the middle of some ladder shelves and I’m wondering that that’s causing an issue. The back of the HomePod is pushed right against the shelf which is exposed to the wall

Like so..

This is not a problem, it’s a characteristic associated with HP’s automatic sound enhancement. Now I agree it’s a little bit over-aggressive but the HP was not intended to be moved around a lot (hence its heft).

I am guessing a software update will dampen this feature down a tad, but for now we just have to find the best place for our HP’s, set them up then leave them alone.

In your case, do the same as I did. Unplug the HP, move it to your preferable spot then plug it back in and let it set it’s auto-features again.