HomePods
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As you may be aware, Apple has discontinued the HomePod from its product lineup. It is, supposedly, a high-end, high-quality speaker, with Siri built in, and is heavily entwined in the Apple ecosphere. It was originally listed at (I believe) $399.
In its place, Apple introduced the $100 HomePod mini. It has all the same features as the original, but it's a much smaller device, with audio quality that is not as good, and has no "spatial awareness" to optimize sound output.
I though the concept was good, and being invested in Apple, I bought one of the minis. It's remarkable in its ability to hear "Hey Siri" and, much to my surprise, the audio isn't half bad - if you're looking for background music while you're reading, browsing the web, etc. It's not an audiophile device, but it's pretty good. You can pair it with another mini for true stereo.
Having liked what I heard, I ordered one of the discontinued HomePods (at a discount) and got it a few days ago. Setup was stupid easy, and it's ability to hear "Hey Siri" even when music is playing was really really good.
However, I was disappointed by the audio. It is certainly room-filling, but not for someone who is invested in classical and jazz. Much too "boom-ey" for my taste. It's certainly powerful, but it didn't wow me. I think I'd be better off with another mini and setting up a stereo pair.
I'm returning the HomePod today.
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You can’t customize the HomePod’s equalizer settings?
Bad Apple!You can. THere's all kinds of equalizer setting available in the "music" section of "settings."
Even with it set to "classical" or "bass reducer" it was still too boom-ey. It was good for stuff like rock, etc, but for classical, it just didn't work for me.
For "serious" listening, I'll sit in the living room with my good speakers - I can stream to them.
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Interesting review from Rolling Stone:
https://www.rollingstone.com/product-recommendations/electronics/best-airplay-2-speakers-1133194/
Apple makes the best AirPlay 2 speakers, and its HomePod Mini is our top recommendation.
The pint-sized speaker puts out an impressive amount of sound, with surprisingly rich bass that doesn’t overpower softer sounds like acoustic instruments or vocals. We were able to listen to music from any genre and come away pleased, even at a loud volume.
The HomePod Mini is also the smallest AirPlay 2 speaker we’re recommending, which makes it a great choice for a work desk or kitchen countertop, places where space can be an issue.
It doesn’t work with any other smart assistants, but the HomePod Mini has deeper integration with Siri than any other AirPlay 2 speaker (save the full-sized HomePod). Apple’s smart assistant is built into the speaker, so you can ask it to play music, engage with smart home accessories, set reminders, or get answers to questions even if your other Apple devices are in another room. This feature makes it a great pick for situations where your hands are full, like cooking.
The downside is that the HomePod Mini isn’t compatible with other smart home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa or the Google Assistant. You can connect it to non-Apple devices over Bluetooth, though.
You can pair two HomePod Minis together for true stereo sound, and the difference it makes is stark. You can fully appreciate how a song has been mixed, and hear nuances that may have gotten buried when listening in mono.
Apple’s HomePod Mini sounds really good, highlights all of AirPlay 2’s best features, and is tightly integrated with Siri in ways other speakers aren’t. As a bonus, it’s also the least expensive speaker in our guide.
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OK - I have a pair of HomePod minis in the spare bedroom (where I spend my mornings reading). I set them up as a stereo pair, and I am very pleased with the sound.
No, they won't blast the room out of the condo, but turned up to max volume, they're more than adequate for my needs. Not for "serious listening" as I said, but pretty damn good.
Having Siri available is a great option as well. I can also make/receive phone calls via the HomePod.
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You can’t customize the HomePod’s equalizer settings?
Bad Apple!Not only is there an equalizer, you can have presets for the equalizer for individual songs.
Good Apple!
I spent about 4 hours with these playing in the background. For what they are, they're very nice. More than adequate.
