[goskers]

Has everyone seen this already?

https://www.apple.com/homepod/

Looks pretty involved for $350.  I wonder how well the DSP correction works in different environments.  Unfortunately, release is not until December.

[cody69]

I'm a fan of Apple, but had not heard of the HomePod until I saw this.
It's an interesting product niche, will be curious to see how this works out.

Thanks for posting.

[JLM]

Wonder:

If it can do stereo;

If it can tap into the music on a local network (like my LogicTech UE Smart Radio);

What the frequency range is; and

What the maximum spl output is. 

[Phil A]

I've seen the info.  Waiting for more.  I'd like to get one of these devices but waiting until they get a bit better.  I guess when it is released there will be more info.

[Bemopti123]

Wonder:

If it can do stereo;

If it can tap into the music on a local network (like my LogicTech UE Smart Radio);

What the frequency range is; and

What the maximum spl output is.

I surmise it will do stereo at ease as most advanced network speakers now have this pairing function....Apple is going after a large chunk of this home network speaker pie....Sonos and others will have taken notice. 

It will be able to stream from an Itunes Apple Music library....via Airplay, which I HATE when it goes haywire BUT love when it works.  It will not do NAS network playing seeing that AppleTV does not seem to natively support movie files in a NAS. 

Frequency will be somewhat limited looking at the drivers at hand....the main woofer/subwoofer is small...but it will be heavily digitally manipulated thus the idea of traditional "frequency" as we are used to, should be thrown out of the window.  I see that the high frequencies will be fine.

Maximum SPL...it will be loud enough for the masses but will it be enough for people accustomed to live music, I doubt it, but it will be sufficient.  Some people will call small SET systems with fullrange drivers loud....while some people who have lost hearing sensitivity will call anything not loud enough. 

I think the homepod will be marketed for those people in the younger generations who are into convenient music but not necessarily high fidelity type BUT who knows?   I am waiting for its release and real live reviews but I doubt I will purchase it.  Got too many systems at hand.   

[Phil A]

My interest is more of what can it do vs. music.  If I wanted something to do music, I'd look at something like  https://www.oppodigital.com/sonica/

It is cheaper and can be controlled easy enough.

[macrojack]

Are these type speakers battery powered? I never see a power cord in the pictures but no mention has been made about battery life either.

[srb]

Are these type speakers battery powered? I never see a power cord in the pictures but no mention has been made about battery life either.

I believe both the Apple HomePod and Oppo Sonica are AC powered with no provision for battery power.

Oppo lists 100 - 240VAC as the power supply.  Apple has no power spec (yet), but you do see a cord in the living room lifestyle photos.

Steve

[planet10]

dave

[JLM]

Not much of a looker is it?

[macrojack]

Not much of a looker is it?

Also available in white. And, of course, you are free to adorn as you see fit post-purchase. My thought was that they had "inconspicuous" listed among their design goals.
I'm honestly considering replacing my big horns with one (or two) of these. Or tripling the outlay for a pair of KEF LS 50W.

[Phil A]

Not much of a looker is it?

People say the same about me so that's not a deal breaker.  I've held off buying these type of devices as they seem to be a novelty that can do a couple of things.  I don't need it for music.  I have a Lumin music server in the main system, JRiver on two multi-purpose PCs and two back-up systems with dedicated Windows 10 music servers and I have Oppo players all over either with a hard drive or I connect to my NAS (e.g. if I want to select music for the outdoor speakers they are connected to my bedroom system with an Oppo 103D and I have the Oppo Media Control App on my phone).  My concerns are more of how it does on speach recognition and what it can usefully do.  I don't need the weather.  I can look at an App on my phone (which has radar imaging) or on my PC.  I really want to buy one being a gadget guy but the practical side of me wants it to do something that will be of use.

[cody69]

Now that these are out, has anyone had any experience with these... how was the sound quality?

[planet10]

I've held off buying these type of devices as they seem to be a novelty that can do a couple of things.  I don't need it for music.

Me as well. I have a nice hifi playing 24/7.

We can expect these devices to rapidly improve. Look at the gains made by iPhone or Android, or AppleWatch.

dave

[dB Cooper]

Now that these are out, has anyone had any experience with these... how was the sound quality?

It's good for what it is. Very bass heavy, I guess so as to sound 'big'.

[droht]

Looks like you can grab a HomePod for $200 at Best Buy.  If you want simplicity I highly recommend it.  We use it in the kitchen and I have one in my office, supplementing my "serious" 2.0 set up.

Not the choice for critical listening, or if you want to crank the output, but otherwise I'm more than fine with the sound.  You need Apple Music to make it simple.  I'm really spoiled just asking it to play what I want to hear.  We use it 90/10 for music, but being able to check the weather or ask for other basic info is nice as well.

[JLM]

Heard them playing at an Apple store a year or so back.  Yucky sound, bloated upper bass, muffled at higher frequencies, of course no real bass.  Had to try multiples to make sure the first wasn't broken.  Unfortunately it wasn't.  Sounded worse than any comparably priced product I've heard.  My old Logitech UE smart radio is miles ahead in sound quality. 

[droht]

Heard them playing at an Apple store a year or so back.  Yucky sound, bloated upper bass, muffled at higher frequencies, of course no real bass.  Had to try multiples to make sure the first wasn't broken.  Unfortunately it wasn't.  Sounded worse than any comparably priced product I've heard.  My old Logitech UE smart radio is miles ahead in sound quality.

Wow.  Quite a few people have heard this speaker, tucked into a corner on kitchen countertop under an overhanging cabinet, and asked about the sound, thinking we had in-ceiling or some kind of whole house audio.  These people are not audiophiles.  They all thought speaker sounded great.

[yertletheturtle]

For fear of stating something that has already been said.. the HomePod is a decent speaker when paired with a stereo HomePod. I did not like the sound from one but as a pair, they are quite enjoyable.  They handshake electronically and present themselves to airplay or iTunes as one speaker. The sound really rounds out significantly.

[kmmd]

I have two of these things, one on the kitchen island and the other in the front foyer.  I agree that it’s not the best sounding, but my wife likes it in the kitchen when she’s cooking.  As long as she’s cooking and my belly’s full, the HomePod stays.  But seriously, it is a device where I can Airdrop from my Sirius XM app.  It also ‘listens’ for my “Hey Siri...” commands to control my Lutron Caseta light switches and Ecobee 4 thermostats.