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Apple’s huge, high-quality good speaker is again for a shock second era. However 5 years because the first mannequin was launched, loads has modified on the planet of voice-controlled dwelling hi-fi. Can the HomePod nonetheless reduce it?
The speaker prices £299 ($299/A$479), £20 lower than the 2018 launch value of its predecessor however greater than 3 times the value of Apple’s different Siri speaker, the £99 HomePod mini.
The brand new HomePod has the identical design because the previous model: a marshmallow-like form with a light-up disc on the high, fabric-covered physique and a small silicone foot. The removable energy cable slots within the again however in any other case there are not any ports or recesses.
As with different HomePods, this speaker is for Apple customers solely. These with out an iPhone operating iOS 16 or an iPad operating iPadOS 16 can not set it up, whereas Android and PC customers can not connect with it in any respect.
It’s designed for Apple Music, although it could actually play tracks purchased from Apple or streamed from the iTunes Match cloud storage service, podcasts, TuneIn and a few radio stations from World within the UK. Within the US and Australia it could actually play iHeartRadio and Audacy, too.
Different companies, together with Spotify and BBC Sounds, could be manually despatched to the speaker through AirPlay 2 over wifi utilizing their respective apps in your iPhone or iPad, however not performed natively by voice requests of Siri reminiscent of Apple Music. The HomePod doesn’t help streaming to it through Bluetooth nor does it have any analogue line-in.
Apple’s voice assistant works effectively for track requests from Apple Music and controlling playback. Its means to listen to you with “Hey Siri” at a traditional talking quantity even when it’s blasting music out at 100% quantity is completely spectacular.
Siri has extra restricted entry to normal info than rivals, however performs most duties, reminiscent of timers, calculations and conversions simply. It has entry to your private info, reminiscent of calendar, when it recognises your explicit voice and your iPhone is on the identical wifi community because the speaker.
Specs
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Dimensions: 142 x 168mm
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Weight: 2.3kg
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Connectivity: wifi 4 (n), Bluetooth 5.0, Thread, UWB, 4x mics
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Controls: high capacitive contact buttons
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Audio system: 4in woofer, five-tweeter array
Music, motion pictures and spatial audio
How good the HomePod sounds is extra dependent in your room form and your listening place than another speaker I’ve examined. When positioned in a big open-plan space, reminiscent of on a kitchen island, it sounds nice.
It has loads of well-controlled bass, detailed highs and good mids, with wonderful separation of tones. It sounds nice with regular and spatial audio tracks, although it could actually sound somewhat clear and medical.
Two HomePods could be paired up for even wider sound. Spatial audio tracks can sound unbelievable if the recording has been effectively produced, although most songs sound higher in stereo.
However when utilized in a four-metre sq. front room, with the speaker on one facet of the room subsequent to the TV and the couch immediately dealing with it towards the wall, the whole lot modifications. Sat on the couch, all you hear is loud, booming and uncontrolled bass that absolutely dominates the sound. Rise up or sit on the ground in the midst of the room and the sound returns to regular.
The issue is accentuated when used as a pair for stereo and spatial audio from Apple Music, tracks from Spotify and film soundtracks performed from an Apple TV. Transferring the audio system left, proper or additional away from the wall makes no considerable distinction. I discovered the identical downside in two different rooms of various dimensions however related layouts.
The bass discount toggle within the Residence app does flip it right down to much less overwhelming ranges but in addition reduces among the fullness of the remainder of the audio within the course of. The right answer is to maneuver the couch additional into the room, however that simply isn’t sensible.
Sustainability
The HomePod comprises a number of recycled supplies together with gold, plastic, uncommon earth parts and tin. It’s typically repairable with an out-of-warranty service costing £239 and has a better to entry design than its predecessor. It attracts lower than 0.5W when idle, as much as 9W at 50% quantity and a most of 36W at 100% quantity.
Apple gives trade-in and free recycling schemes, together with for non-Apple merchandise.
Worth
The second-generation Apple HomePod prices £299 ($299/A$479).
For comparability, the HomePod mini prices £99, the Amazon Echo prices £110, the Google Nest Audio prices £90, the Sonos One prices £199 and the Period 100 prices £249.
Verdict
The second-generation HomePod is likely one of the most inconsistent audio system I’ve examined. In giant open-plan areas it sounds nice. However sit within the improper place, reminiscent of immediately dealing with a settee that’s positioned towards a wall in a medium-sized front room, and the HomePod can sound totally dominated by saggy, booming bass, which is extraordinarily disappointing for a £299 speaker.
You can not natively play music to it from Android or Home windows, so solely all-Apple households ought to even contemplate it and it wants an Apple Music subscription to get the very best out of it. But when that’s you, and you’ve got the appropriate room geometry, the HomePod is full of neat options and works nice with an Apple TV. Siri can hear you extraordinarily effectively and carry out a lot of the fundamental duties anybody is prone to really need from a wise speaker.
For most individuals, although, there are higher choices from rivals reminiscent of Sonos, Bose and Amazon at related or cheaper costs.
Professionals: spatial and lossless audio, recycled materials, improved Siri, AirPlay 2, could be made a stereo pair and used for Apple TV sound, good sound in huge open areas.
Cons: sound high quality extremely depending on room geometry, no native Spotify or BBC radio, wants Apple Music subscription to get finest out of it, no Bluetooth streaming or line-in, costly, not cross-platform.
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