Poll: ** The Official Apple HomePod/HomePod mini thread **

[beachBOYken]

Just received it. As expected, nice weight, nice packaging and a quality feeling product. Set up was easy and I was playing music on it within a minute or so. First impressions are that it doesn't sound a patch on my Play 5 and I'm not really sure if it sounds better than a Play 1. At high volumes it seems to struggle and it seems more comfortable being played at low volumes.

It's got the update to do, after that I'm going to put it against a Play 1, pair of Play 1's and my Play 5, playing various types of music.

So far it's going back.

Side by side the HomePod is a lot better than a Play 1, I do think a pair of play 1s in the same room sound great as well though, if I had a pair of homepods in the same room i'm sure they will sound even better, only got the 1 homepod currently.

 

[beachBOYken]

It’s worth having a listen somewhere if you can as opinions are divided. I had a pair of Play 1’s for a while and tbh I thought they sounded dreadful and to me even a single HomePod sounds better. But everyone’s tastes are different.

I have two HomePods as a stereo pair and I think they sound stunning even my wife said how good the pair sounds over one. They really compliment each other well and the sound separation is impressive.

Can you have 2 homepods in a room without putting them in a stereo pair like you can with the play 1s or would that be overkill? I currently have 2 play 1s in different ends of the room and it sounds pretty good, just wondered if the homepods would be good like this as well?

 

[ChrisD.]

I am really tempted to buy a couple of these at the moment, anyone swapped from SONOS? which do you rate more?

Having both side by side right now, plus a Play 5 (more expensive, so wins unsurprising) So far for me, Sonos is wiping the floor of the HomePod. Going to see what my mrs thinks when she gets home.

A single Play 1 seems to sound on par but I'm favouring the baby Sonos speaker slightly to be honest. You can get a pair for £280 which really show up the HomePod, then add an Echo Dot which are £40 currently, there really isn't any contest IMO. Or if you prefer all in one then a pair of Sonos One's are £380 so a bit more expensive than the HomePod but you do get stereo sound which with the Sonos speakers is fantastic.

On top of that you have the variety of sources that Sonos supports in comparison to the HomePod, I can't really see a convincing argument to favour the HomePod.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong with the HomePod, I don't know, but I'm pretty underwhelmed so far. I really, really wanted to like it.

One thing that is impressive is being able to say Hey Siri at pretty much any volume and it hears you.

 

[MOOGLEYS]

Can you have 2 homepods in a room without putting them in a stereo pair like you can with the play 1s or would that be overkill? I currently have 2 play 1s in different ends of the room and it sounds pretty good, just wondered if the homepods would be good like this as well?

You can yes. You can set them up all over the house and select which ones you want the music to play through. I have one in the kitchen and just tell Siri to play in the kitchen. It all works really well...

 

[beachBOYken]

Having both side by side right now, plus a Play 5 (more expensive, so wins unsurprising) So far for me, Sonos is wiping the floor of the HomePod. Going to see what my mrs thinks when she gets home.

A single Play 1 seems to sound on par but I'm favouring the baby Sonos speaker slightly to be honest. You can get a pair for £280 which really show up the HomePod, then add an Echo Dot which are £40 currently, there really isn't any contest IMO. Or if you prefer all in one then a pair of Sonos One's are £380 so a bit more expensive than the HomePod but you do get stereo sound which with the Sonos speakers is fantastic.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong with the HomePod, I don't know, but I'm pretty underwhelmed so far. I really, really wanted to like it.

Have you got Apple Music sub?

I notice sometimes if you talk to siri on it, it seems to select a radio station depending on what you ask for. AM sounds brilliant on it. I find the a Play 1 compared sounds more tinny where as the HomePod has better range and depth which helps with the better bass it has.

 

[Daaaavvveee]

Having both side by side right now, plus a Play 5 (more expensive, so wins unsurprising) So far for me, Sonos is wiping the floor of the HomePod. Going to see what my mrs thinks when she gets home.

A single Play 1 seems to sound on par but I'm favouring the baby Sonos speaker slightly to be honest. You can get a pair for £280 which really show up the HomePod, then add an Echo Dot which are £40 currently, there really isn't any contest IMO. Or if you prefer all in one then a pair of Sonos One's are £380 so a bit more expensive than the HomePod but you do get stereo sound which with the Sonos speakers is fantastic.

On top of that you have the variety of sources that Sonos supports in comparison to the HomePod, I can't really see a convincing argument to favour the HomePod.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong with the HomePod, I don't know, but I'm pretty underwhelmed so far. I really, really wanted to like it.

One thing that is impressive is being able to say Hey Siri at pretty much any volume and it hears you.

Well that's thrown a spanner in the works! I may go on a listening mission to test them out

 

[beachBOYken]

You can yes. You can set them up all over the house and select which ones you want the music to play through. I have one in the kitchen and just tell Siri to play in the kitchen. It all works really well...

Thanks, is there a way to tell where the music is streaming from when you just ask Siri to play something, as Im sure I have had radio streams on it which didn't sound as good quality as AM, or does all the music come from Apple Music if you have the sub.

 

[MOOGLEYS]

Thanks, is there a way to tell where the music is streaming from when you just ask Siri to play something, as Im sure I have had radio streams on it which didn't sound as good quality as AM, or does all the music come from Apple Music if you have the sub.

Tbh mate I’m not sure I have only used Apple Music on mine. I have read that Apple Music streams at a higher bitrate than others using MP3 or similar so might be why it sounds better.

 

[ChrisD.]

Have you got Apple Music sub?

I notice sometimes if you talk to siri on it, it seems to select a radio station depending on what you ask for. AM sounds brilliant on it. I find the a Play 1 compared sounds more tinny where as the HomePod has better range and depth which helps with the better bass it has.

I do, I used Apple Music on my phone to cast the music to the speaker, rather than using the voice command. I also chose Apple Music as the source for Sonos.

 

[BMox81]

Having both side by side right now, plus a Play 5 (more expensive, so wins unsurprising) So far for me, Sonos is wiping the floor of the HomePod. Going to see what my mrs thinks when she gets home.

A single Play 1 seems to sound on par but I'm favouring the baby Sonos speaker slightly to be honest. You can get a pair for £280 which really show up the HomePod, then add an Echo Dot which are £40 currently, there really isn't any contest IMO. Or if you prefer all in one then a pair of Sonos One's are £380 so a bit more expensive than the HomePod but you do get stereo sound which with the Sonos speakers is fantastic.

On top of that you have the variety of sources that Sonos supports in comparison to the HomePod, I can't really see a convincing argument to favour the HomePod.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong with the HomePod, I don't know, but I'm pretty underwhelmed so far. I really, really wanted to like it.

One thing that is impressive is being able to say Hey Siri at pretty much any volume and it hears you.

You’re a tough man to please it seems!

 

[ChrisD.]

You’re a tough man to please it seems!

I'm not saying it's bad, far from it. I've just had another go comparing it to the Play 5 and Play 1, after moving the speakers a little. After having another listen through various songs, the HomePod is on par with a Play 1, probably a little better but no where near the level of the Play 5, especially at higher volumes. Lower volumes it is hard to tell the difference. I'd love to keep it, the 'Hey Siri' when it's pumping out tunes is cool as ****, but I can't justify the price tag as it falls down in other areas.

 

[MOOGLEYS]

Are you sure it’s not faulty have you updated it ? A play 1 in my opinion sounds nowhere near as good as the HomePod. How do you have it positioned ? Is it in a corner near a wall etc ?

 

[ChrisD.]

Are you sure it’s not faulty have you updated it ? A play 1 in my opinion sounds nowhere near as good as the HomePod. How do you have it positioned ? Is it in a corner near a wall etc ?

It's up to date and is near a wall, same place as the Play 1 and Play 5. I've tried a few spots around the kitchen. Impressive as it is, it's not £330 impressive, or the £300 that I paid for that matter.

 

[MOOGLEYS]

Fair enough I have spent a fortune on the things and I’m more than happy. Everyone I have shown them too even as a single have been impressed by how good it sounds hence why I mentioned it being faulty.....

Sounds like you are better off with your Sonos gear.

The boss of Sonos even says the Homepod sounds better than the Play 1..... lol..

 

[MOOGLEYS]

My lounge pair only just fit on unit but wanted them evenly spaced and central. Might look at relocating at some point.

 

[Faustus]

I am really tempted to buy a couple of these at the moment, anyone swapped from SONOS? which do you rate more?

My own view is the Sonos is in a class above the Homepod, especially if you put a couple of Sonos 1's in the same room. The real killer is you can have a pair of the Sonos speakers for the price of a single Homepod, plus the Sonos has access to more music services.

I expect some will disagree but that's my take on this question having tried both systems.

 

[Daaaavvveee]

My own view is the Sonos is in a class above the Homepod, especially if you put a couple of Sonos 1's in the same room. The real killer is you can have a pair of the Sonos speakers for the price of a single Homepod, plus the Sonos has access to more music services.

I expect some will disagree but that's my take on this question having tried both systems.

Yeah I feel like I need to get a couple of each to test, but its quite an expensive test!

 

[MOOGLEYS]

Two HomePods sound amazing is it £649 amazing probably not but it’s Apple so it’s never going to be cheap especially adding in an Apple Music sub too.

 

[ChrisD.]

Prior to returning the HomePod I took it to a friends place for a BBQ. Once set up, the speaker kept disappearing from Airplay in Music and after a few hours 'Hey Siri' stopped working. Having previously taken a Sonos speaker around they all preferred the Sonos for ease of use although admitted the HomePod did sound great when working.

What was mentioned a lot is that there's no way to view a collaborative playlist or easily look at what's playing due to there being no app for it.

 

[Faustus]

Yeah I feel like I need to get a couple of each to test, but its quite an expensive test!

Not really, order online then return them under CCR as being they don't really fill your requirements. That's what I might have done.