We tested it on a number of songs that play with a left and right channel and it immerses and engulfs you in sound. The stereo pair works a charm and isn’t just about making things “louder”. Plug it in, find the pair via the Home app and Apple does the rest.
That then caused a drop in the quality, presumably because it doesn't resonate as effectively.Īdding a second HomePod to create a stereo pair is equally as easy. The only time the sound performance did change was when it was placed it on coaster to try to stop the white marks we mentioned above. What can - and can't - you do with Apple's HomePod?.
When against a wall or on a bookshelf, the included Apple A8 chip (the same chip that powers the iPhone 6) analyses the music and appropriately beams direct energy and centre vocals into the middle of the room, while reflecting the ambient reverb and backup vocals against the wall for dispersion into the room.ĮcoFlow takes the DELTA Pro ecosystem to the next level with the Smart Home Panel When freestanding in a room, HomePod beams consistent 360-degree audio throughout the room. Unlike Sonos that requires you to wave your phone around to create a better "sound landscape" using its TruePlay technology, Apple says that the speaker sends out an array of sounds and then uses the six built-in microphones to hear how those sounds reverberate around the room. Turn the speaker on and it will automatically tune itself to maximise the performance based on its position in the room.
There are resemblances to the company's cylindrical Mac Pro computer, although it's not as big or as shiny. Amazon solved this problem with a clean light ring around the top of the Echo and Echo Plus, while Google angled the top of Google Home. Apple's approach? You can have an audible beep, very much like Alexa, to ensure you know that you are expected to give a command, but in the time we've been using it, Siri's voice response is so good not being able to see when it's listening probably isn't as important as other smart speakers. Sadly, those Siri lights aren't always clear enough to be seen from various positions around the room. 65 funny things to ask Siri for a good giggle.We subsequently tested the HomePod on other materials: the same wood that hadn't been treated with Danish oil and a regular lacquered desk and haven't seen the same issues.Ī single detachable power cable (although we wouldn't recommend you try and detach it) comes out just above the base, while a touch-sensitive display panel on the top shows volume controls when needed, as well as a glowing rainbow of lights when Siri is responding to your commands or questions - called the "Siri waveform". Within 20 minutes the HomePod had caused a white discoloured ring to appear on the wood that some days later has faded, although still hasn't completely disappeared. For our tests we placed the speaker on a solid oak kitchen worktop treated with Danish oil. It is this snug fit that could cause you problems however. The Apple HomePod speaker sits flat on any given surface creating a snug fit, presumably to help resonate and amplify the bass. Funniest internet reactions to Apple HomePod's white ring marks.
#Ringgate: How to stop HomePod from leaving rings on wood surfaces.Cautionary note: White marks on some surfaces For now, it's just a speaker that sounds great, that isn't very smart. If you live in the Apple ecosystem for the most part, you'll be fine, but even then, you can be left wanting more. Apple has already dropped the price from £319 to £279 and that makes it a bit more approachable. We know that this will change, and we know that Apple is great at creating and refining user experiences. The HomePod is just not smart enough when pitched against the likes of the cheap little Amazon Echo or Google Home, Siri is not refined enough and even the experience between the iPhone and the HomePod feels confused. It is a natural sound that's nicely balanced rather than one that is too tinny or too bass heavy, and the more we listen to it, the more we realise just how good it sounds given its size.īut we aren't grading it on just its sound quality, and neither will anyone else - and that's where it all starts to disappoint. Apple has produced a small speaker that produces a sound way above its stature, in a way that is enjoyable to listen to whatever music you're in to. If we were grading the HomePod on its sound performance alone it would be a slam dunk.