HomePod 2023 review - hearing it for the FIRST TIME!
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- Опубліковано 31 тра 2024
- In my 2023 HomePod review, I listen to a big HomePod for the first time. I also reveal what I’ll be doing with it when I take it home!
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CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro and unboxing
02:16 - Setting it up
03:12 - Listening
09:45 - My plan
Slightly different video from me today, but it was super fun to shoot. Who else has got the new big HomePod?
I’ll be getting 2 shortly
I’m curious to see if you get another one to experiment with stereo pair and with Sledgehammer again to check the difference
more interested in a stereo pair / how it does with spatial audio etc.
another honest and good review mark. I am too transitioning from Alexa's to Homepods (both minis and 2 of these reviewed to make a stereo pair for my Living room TV). My plan is to then start using Homekit for my smart home. Is that something you would consider also doing and reviewing your steps in doing it? Think that would also be good content especially in your down to earth style compared to your American counter parts etc.
@@drewmain6459 cheers, Drew. Yes, I do plan on getting more into the HomeKit stuff 👍
Honestly…I really enjoyed that cute little tune you played us whilst listening to “Sledgehammer”! Is it one of your own creations? It made me smile😂😅! I enjoy all the clever engineering and stuff in this speaker. As a man in his 60s, I still use a 30-year-old set of amplified speakers. I use a 25-year-old amplified sub which I’ve connected to my sources with crude Y-Connectors. Thank goodness, the sub has an adjustable crossover point as well and its own level control, eh? 😂😅This is the system I use with my iPads, Macs, and iPhone 6S. Thank goodness, all these have 3.5mm audio jacks (my iPhone 13 Mini doesn’t, of course). Now…if you’ll excuse, I’m gonna play “Sledgehammer” first. Then, I wanna play that smile-inducing tune of yours! I hope you can tell me the title of it and where I can buy it! Mahalo!
Building the stereo pair makes a big difference…
I have two OG HomePods set up in stereo that I sometimes unpair to bring one downstairs - I’ve never once heard the OGs distort even at max volumes. I know some people might have convinced themselves the new one sounds better, but I suspect it actually sounds a bit worse because of the cheaper internal hardware(which allowed them to hit that lower price point).
The other thing I’ve found is pairing two OG HomePods is not twice the sound of a single HomePod, it’s almost like 2.5-3x the sound of a single HomePod. The stereo pairing and spatial audio does a really good job of creating a huge sound stage with the beam forming computational audio.
I have a bunch of the original HomePods all over my house I basically only use them as speakers they sound great
I’ve got 2 of the first generation set up as a stereo pair in my living room. Fabulous sound, to my ears at least, never have them above 50% volume as blows the walls out.
Blows the walls out?
@@emilsecker7881 Small room 👍🏻 Very loud
I have a pair of the original HomePods which are still formidable as a paired stereo unit. They were expensive but the weight of the warm sound and the soundstage is immense. They look discreet too compared to conventional speakers.
Pairing with a second HomePod is when they REALLY Shine in my opinion. I have a pair or the originals and love their sound for listening to music. Thanks again for another interesting and informative review.
Just added one of these to my living room. A few days in and I really like it. Have several Minis which I like but I have a feeling I’m gonna love the HomePod.
It might need an update first. Before it updated to 16.3 I noticed something just was not right. But now it sounds a lot better
Always great content and quality from your videos, another crush from this one.
Been using homepod 1 since launch and the biggest problem with it is that you have to put it at a very specific place in your room to get the best sound out of it! I hate and also love the fact the its tweeters are placed in 360. To get the best sound out of it you have place it a little far from you, on a hard surface(wooden prefered) with no other object placed atleast 2 Metre from it and at atleast your waist level. You can also place it corner and will get great sound too!
I'm brand new to Home Pods and I'm discovering the same thing.
I think that's normal though, i had a 12" powered sub that only sounded good in corners and needed different places bc where it looked best in my room would suddenly need to turn up the bass so you could hear but then so could everyone else. My portable bluetooth its the same thing. Sound acoustics can be tricky.
In December, I got a pair of HomePod Minis and I absolutely love them. The louder they get, the better they sound.
no comparison though to a full size one..
@@chrishampele181 Definitely not but they do sound amazing when they’re cranked up. I have 2 of them paired in stereo.
I’m definitely getting the big boy, though.
congrats on getting two of the Mini's - I have one myself and am so impressed with the sound quality. of course I would never compare the mini to the full size because what is the point, apples & oranges.
plus, the mini and their new colors of blue, yellow and orange are so much better looking than the boring two colors of the larger size model. am I wrong?
Set up as stereo pair on Apple TV!! Awesome!
Interesting. I'm considering getting a new homepod, mostly as a Matter hub but also for music so it'll be very useful to see your opinion of it when you get it all set up at home.
Is Home Pod playing music geared for stuff downloaded from Apple Music? Which would be my main use or am I misunderstanding? To repeat myself, sorry, would Apple Music library sound better? Looking forward to the testing of "smart Home " features. Quite a price bump as well.
Good honest review. I am looking forward to continued honest reviews after you have fully integrated it into your ecosphere. I have a bunch of Echos in my house. My question is, will it be worth it, to switch out to a bunch of HomePods, mini or otherwise? I will see what you have to say.
Yeah setting it up was a pain. I was using 2 HomePods straightaway and followed the stereo pairing steps. Didn't work but later it did. After setting up both individually.
This video is awesome😂
Thanks for the humor!
Haha - cheers!
Got two original playing in stereo got say I’ve found them great to listen to,, be worth popping into apple store take listen to these and see if much improved,,,
So given that you are an audio engineer (presumably), what kind of setups would you recommend for 650-700£? (assumption here being one is willing to get two).. I feel this may also give you an option to branch out into consumer audio equipment. Would you recommend- sound bar, another bluetooth speaker, some kind of shelf speaker setup or something else entirely?
Awesome 👏🏾 video and explanation of this video keep up the good work, can’t wait to see your next review on it. God Bless
Thank you!
@@MarkEllisReviews you welcome keep up the excellent work
What was amazing to me was the bass coming through the YT video. I'm listening on a Sony TV with a mid-priced Sony soundbar and subwoofer. And the bass response from the Homepod through your mic was quite loud and rich. I can't hear detail enough to pick up on the distortion edging up, but I can understand how that would sound. Looking forward to your take as you go 'all in' on them. Thanks!
Haha - glad that came across well!
Great video! Had to try Sledgehammer on my Sonos. Have you ever compared the homepod with something like Ikea symfonisk?
Good video! You can try playing music simultaneously to the HP and the Mini and see what happens. It also sounds much much better with two of these, IMO. However, I personally can only speak to the OG HomePods as I have those and thus have no need for buying these. I like them for music, though listening on my Klipsch RF-7 IIIs via a Marantz receiver is an INFINITELY better experience (though to be fair there speakers and receiver are just about two orders of magnitude higher in cost). Audiobooks can sound really muddy if there's any background noise whatsoever. Regarding Siri, I've found that in my bedroom where I have a pair of these, my Apple devices all fight each other so I have no way of knowing beforehand if my Apple Watch, my iPad Mini, or my HomePods will answer, to unpredictable results, and that can be extremely annoying given the OG HomePods' limited Siri responses. I'm really interested in your further reviews on these once you have them set up and get more of a chance to play with them. I expect a mixed bag.
I have two of the original homepods at the back corners of the desk in front of me. I think they sound great at any reasonable volume level. I've never used them as smart speakers with Siri - just for music from my phone and the Mac on my desk. Not as good sound as a B&W Zeppelin connected to an iPhone, but still vary nice. Other UA-cam comparisons on average have been concluding the new one is not quite as good as the old
I know you moved away a bit but at least the OG HomePod is not great at near field listening. It’s never distorted even at the highest volume. All that said, I use the minis more than the original for home control than listening. Airplay 2 is available in all my dedicated hifi gear and that is how I route my music throughout the house.
Excellent review. Honest and down to earth. I have many things Apple but not sure about this one mostly because of Siri.
Keep up the good work Mark. Love the honesty in your reviews. Just a slight amendment in the spec, in that your right about the new homepod having two less tweeters….but it’s 5 compared to 7😊
Thanks… and well spotted!
I don't get why so many reviewers say that being able to hand off music from you phone to the new iPod and iPod mini is new. You can do exactly the same thing with the OG HomePod. Just hold your iPhone to it and it will start playing from the HomePod.
I have to admit I have the OG HomePod for my living room and use it all the time with lights, timers (cooking) and such. The bedroom TV is smaller and speakers are not very good so a pair of HomePod mini paired work great. Not sure I'm going to upgrade to the new version as you mentioned wifi is older and it has less tweeters and mics.
Wifi being older doesn’t matter
Have the og i’ve loved it; bought the airpods max based on the sound quality and signature
Every time you moved the HomePod it will have restarted its room calibration and it needs to play some music for a little while before it adjusts the audio (sometimes you can actually hear the changes happening in real time). I wonder whether when you move it to your home it will sound different once it’s been in a single place for a little while.
Oh, I'm sure it will - this wasn't the best test ;)
@@MarkEllisReviews You will also grow tired of people telling you a pair of big HomePods gives you sound that’s more than the sum of its parts. ;) But I can definitely recommend (based on the OG ones, at least).
Long term plan is to have a HomePod in most of my rooms. If nothing else it will make for a nice thread network to free up Wi-Fi traffic.
Good music indeed!
I use a stereo pair of the original big HomePods with my Apple TV 4k in the living room. Sound is room-filling.
Am I right in thinking that if you do not have Apple Music there is no point buying this or can you just play music from Spotify on your phone and put it next to the HomePod in order to play music on the speaker?
We had a 1st gen Echo in our master bathroom for listening to music in the morning ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxABghAEkaIDGZfHRBH3D3rBrlraNmnC71 and while in the shower. I didn't realize how tinny and awful the sound output on the original Echo was until we replaced it with the Studio. It was a sonic upgrade far beyond what I was expecting. Just wow. I love it because it's like having speakers IN the shower. My friend likes it because the music is so loud that she can no longer hear me singing. So that's a win-win.
Amazing Mix! we need your playlist man
Cheers! Loads more music content on the way this year ;)
Now you have to buy another one and pair it with this one! 😉
I have 2 pairs of the original HomePod and they sound fantastic. I’ve been reluctant to purchase the new large HomePods after watching several reviews and your review was the nail in the coffin for me to not purchase them.
just now demoed Sledgehammer on my new Homepod 2 stereo pair and it seems that the “special edition” Apple music picked for me might’ve been mastered in Dolby Atmos .. definitely had a lot of spatial positioning… Sounded decent, but I’m not 100% sold on spatial audio for music yet. Love it for TV/movies though.
I’m pretty heavily invested in the Apple eco system and was in the market for a sound system for my new LG C1 65, so the ATV 4k and Homepod combo seemed a natural fit. I have had some brief second thoughts that maybe I’d have been better off spending $300 extra for the Sonos Era 300 set , buts that’s just GAS talking. HP are a great system for the price.
you use the HomePod for HomeKit and thread. I really use it for music cuz I barely listen to music lol.
Your own music sounds pretty funky. What DAW did you use?
Cheers! I'm a Logic Pro user.
Dude, you make great videos.
Thank you, Pat!
Hmm, I think my Sonos system is safe for now. My friend has three HomePod minis in her flat and they work really well for her as a casual music system, but as you say, you wouldn't want to listen to anything seriously through them. My Sonos, despite the shit app and annoying wonky connection, sounds bloody amazing. Well done you for daring to go completely to HomePods at home though Mark! Be interesting to se you verdict after a month or two.
My go to is SRV Tin Pan Alley and Dire Straits’ Brothers in Arms
That was another great video, I am also a HomePod virgin who has never owned one and was wondering if I should give this one a go so I am really looking forward to when you a more in-depth video which help me decide weather I should get one or not
Thanks for the kind words!
I still use the 1st gen HomePods with my Apple 4k tv so I definitely can’t justify buying these,or can I 😂
You can justify anything if you try. ;) Seriously though, if you have the originals you probably don’t need this second generation.
Get a second one for a a stereo pair. Stereo pairs sound great with the OG ones anyway
Mark can we get a link to your mix please
My feeling to new HomePod is very good home kit control device compare to Apple TV or iPad, very fast response even it is using Wi-Fi 4 much faster than I using Siri with iphone
Clear vocal and not bad sound if you compare with speaker with similar price range
the homepod is one of the best apple products . you really need a pair for full effect
This speaker is best sounds when in couple
I think you need to update the HomePod to 16.3.1
Great review! I too never had much exposure to the original, aside from hearing it in the store but thats not an ideal setting. Just got mine yesterday. PS - Definitely update to 16.3.2
Thank you!
Mark - I would be really interested to understand how well it plays BBC Radio. Not via your phone, but by just asking Seri to Play BBC Radio One, Two, Three etc. My understanding is that it won't work, which is stopping me from getting one.
Just tried it. Doesn’t work.
Do you think that the 2023 Homepod would be better than 2 homepod minis?
definitely, the minis sound f cheap
I don't even think that's up for debate ;)
Mark......Although I Bleed Apple 🍎 🩸 🍎 when it comes to Audio my Ears take over and Klipsch Speaker Systems reign Supreme. A pair of Bookshelf Speakers sit on my desk and are Powered by a Subwoofer with a 10" Speaker. When I play "Sledgehammer" the entire building Shakes. #nodistortion #bloodrunsfrommyears I LOVE your reviews! ✌
Thanks for the kind words, Rich!
Interesting. I replaced a home full of Alexas with HomePod minis a couple of years ago.
Main rationale being multi room music and incorporating that with my existing Sonos speakers.
Siri is fine - the sound is fine - a stereo pair of HomePod minis sounds excellent for the size and price..... however even to this day with each release of iOS15, 16, 16.2, 16.2, 16.3 including the new architecture the multi room functionality is ropey as ever. You have to wrestle with speakers that dont connect - mostly via the Siri command - as inexplicably if you open the phone and select the speakers manually they tend to all connect.
I also want to be a HomeKit smart home instead of Alexa... however I still have to use Alexa for routines that incorporate the Nest thermostat and Ring alarm and cameras - let hope matter finally solves this and Amazon and Google dont use it as excuse to make you buy new kit to get matter compatibility.
You could do hand off with the original HomePod .
Thank you, Mark! I have the original homepod and the mini. The mini is terrible and the big one is just ok. I love it and use it all the time because of Siri and the integration with all my Apple gear, but in terms of „faithful“ classical music reproduction, it is at best mediocre.
The OG HomePod actually features 7 tweeters.
It will be really interesting to see you transition from Alexa to Siri. We are an Alexa house. Whenever I use Siri in the car it almost always says “I cannot show you that while you are driving”. Will the HomePods say “I cannot show you that”? Or will they dump stuff to your phone? I am looking forward to your follow ups.
I hate that driving restriction. I hear that more and more lately
Siri will never be better than Alexa. Siri is awful.
Put it through some acoustic instruments please. Jazz, Orchestral…. Thanks
Apple does not need to make speakers! My HomePod lasted two years and suddenly “died”. When I took it to the Apple Store they had no idea what happened and said maybe it crashed during an update?? There suggestion was for me to either buy another one or pay $300 to get it repaired!
You are listening too close to it. Stick it on the shelf behind you then you need to play a few varied tracks to enable it to tune to the room. The main difference is the tweeters which point upwards so it needs room to breathe. Finally, try a stereo pair. Although it’s twice the money, it give a far better sound stage, better than a Sonos pair. Also with a pair you can turn the volume down to avoid distortion.
I used a pair of minis set up on top of my MA Radius 90 mini monitors on their stands. A friend came round and thought I was using the monitors with their £1300 Marantz amp but the REL subs off. When I told him it was a pair of Apple minis he couldn’t believe it. He used to be a semi pro guitarist and definitely knows what music should sound like.
Let’s hear a review after you’ve tried a pair, given they’re £600 and the system I described above is £3k+ with a DAC. Finally try the in built equaliser adjustments within Apple Music as it’s really designed to work with that. There is a myriad of options in there to reduce bass, increase treble, vocals, acoustics etc to tune to your preferences. I’m mainly classical, choral and organ so prefer a neutral sound and my minis are good at that. They even make a fist of some organ music as a pair in a medium sized room. Clearly they are not going to get down to the bass level and volume of a stereo pair of REL subs but it’s more about convenience and small footprint with Home Pods.
It would be interesting if Apple released a Wi-Fi sub to match too.
Do yourself a favor Mark and buy a 2nd HomePod 2 and retest Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer. Also test a Dolby ATMOS movie eg. Bohemian Rhapsody or Mad Max Fury Road or Top Gun Maverick. Do that with a pair of second generation HomePod 2s and you will understand why they were brought back. So far only a stereo pair but wait for Apple to release the Quad pair option. Two is better than one and four will be better than two. Still cheaper than many Soundbars. If you try the Sony HT A9 ( with four speakers) you will understand why four is better than two. “Just one more thing” Apple! T👌
For a small speaker to create that much sound (esp. bass) there will be distortion. No way around that.
What would you buy instead?
Shame you didn’t try it with some better music with a wider set of frequencies being used.
What are you saying about my music, Richard? 😉 This was a quick first listen - as mentioned at the end of the video, it’s going home for a thorough test.
Decent review. The music samples were a little long in my opinion.
Can I have your home pod mini? 😂
I have 3 OG HomePods and have plans to replace them. Not enough new features to justify the price.
I had the original and returned it after one week, underwhelmed! Wouldn’t waste my money on 2nd generation. Great review.
missed out
Thanks for the honest review. I was never impressed with the original Homepod, it had a boxy, boomy sound which was fatiguing after a while. Quite a boring listen. All of these wireless speaker devices are only ever going to be okay, but with a bit of effort you can hook up an amp and speakers to an echo dot and enjoy infinitely better sound quality. I know that sounds nerdy and hi-fi snobbish, but if you enjoy music these single speaker devices just don't cut it on any level apart from convenience. The Homepod doesn't even look good and at £300 is a terrible listening experience.
Only really worth getting if it had Spotify
Correction, the original HomePod has seven tweeters.
the fact that you don't have an updated iphone is very sad given the work you do 😂😂 bye from Venice!!
There are a lot of things I do wrong on this channel, mate.
@@MarkEllisReviewsplease stop making videos until you can guarantee absolute perfection in everything you do /s
@@creventa see you in the year 20271629 😉
@@MarkEllisReviews or on the next video? :)
@@MarkEllisReviews nooooo! You are super !!! Super friendly !!!
This is where Apple get you, they need you to have the latest OS to get it going, and this may mean you need a newer device depending on when you last updated your device. It’s a shame they do this, as technically an older OS should be able to work.
Definitely your flat mix. I can here it on some cheap headphones.
Thanks.
Not an 'upgrade' by any means compared to the first generation which was a marketing failure. Seems Apple has reached a plateau in producing innovative devices.
🙄
Pricing failure more like it
She's scared of homepods but you have Alexa's? 🤔 I would be the other way around tbh 😅
FYI… Don’t set it on a finished wood table.
These HomePods need to be listened to as a pair. The difference between a single HomePod and two paired is like night and day
The bass is weak, it's weird, you can hear it but it doesn't transmit powerfulness, and the system definitely sucks, and siri sucks, I give it a 7 out of 10 considering it's high price
This is not reflected in reality. Buy one, send it back if you don’t like it
Been using homepod 1 since launch and the biggest problem with it is that you have to put it at a very specific place in your room to get the best sound out of it! I hate and also love the fact the its tweeters are placed in 360. To get the best sound out of it you have place it a little far from you, on a hard surface(wooden prefered) with no other object placed atleast 2 Metre from it and at atleast your waist level. You can also place it corner and will get great sound too!
@@TechnoFreak-IN so like any speakers then?
Sounds like a good score, given what you've just said!
😥