🚨The Power of Dramatic contrast is extremely helpful. This comparison allows you to see the strengths & weaknesses of the HomePod 2's. They obviously won't win against my system, but the value presented in this video is significant if you pay attention 😊 LINKS TO BUY ▶ Apple HomePod 2nd Generation: howl.me/ci8ZN13yFme ▶ Enclave Audio 5.1 Home Theater Sound System: geni.us/f22DE ▶ My Television Stand/Credenza: geni.us/j8ee1 ▶ The song I used: fm.pxf.io/oemjP9 *These links are affiliate links WATCH MORE ▶ Watch my review of the Enclave Audio System: th-cam.com/video/CXWLIWFLNg0/w-d-xo.html ▶ AirPods Pro 1st Gen vs. AirPods Pro 2: th-cam.com/video/hBeAVKB2hAc/w-d-xo.html ▶ 2023's BEST Wireless ANC Headphones Reviewed & Compared by An Audio Engineer: th-cam.com/video/Go8361YJe_o/w-d-xo.html 🌎 Protect yourself with NordVPN and get a bonus discount: nordvpn.com/techtoday (sponsored)
If Apple put out a quality subwoofer, the Home Pods would make killer midrange speakers. A couple mini's would make some killer 5.1 center and surround speakers. I think it could compete with Sonos.
If I connect Apple TV 4k with my existing Sony G700 Soundbar, will there be any enhancement in the audio quality? What is your experience with Enclave 5.1. with and without Apple TV 4K?
The thing is about what is controlling it. Don't think the current Apple TV 4k would be able to handle that. They'd had upgrade the lineup. But now they got these increadiable SoC's, they're capable of everything
I am in the Apple ecosystem and i got the stereo setup and they sound amazing. I live in a small apartment i absolutely love playing music and watching movies on these. They are always available on my Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It was super easy to setup and worth every penny in my opinion.
I'm having one shipped to me, do you think I should opt for another? Also how would you say these compare to Gen1? I've heard Gen 1 sound better overall.
@@Joshua102888 In my case, I had the money for another one, and I wanted a wider sound for movies and tv shows. They both sound great, you can’t go wrong with either one.
Watching this in November as we begin to close out 2023. I wanted to say that I really appreciate your transparency and unbiased approach to reviewing one of Apple's flagship products. I can tell that you value and enjoy the HomePod (2), or Apple products in general. However, it didn't seem to me that you gave any favoritism or bias in comparison to your far superior sound system. Using special equipment to give me as much of an immersive experience as possible made this video stand out amongst other reviews I've watched. Thanks for your effort! This was a great video.
I replaced my 5.1 sound system with these HomePod speakers and they sound absolutely incredible and take up such minimal space. I don’t live in a home I have a condo so there is that to consider. Overall I can actually hear the dialogue now in shows with ease.
That sounds like a massive downgrade to me. A couple of the Homepods are going to be stereo and when watching movies in surround sound, you're always going to struggle to hear the dialogue.
I thought the same but once I got them and listened for a while I was sold on them. They really do sound good and I wouldn’t judge them until you actually listen to them.
Another thing that’s notable about this kind of review (good review btw) is they are always comparing to something double the price. For me that is pretty telling of the quality of the product. While yes they will never do as well due to physics and whatnot the fact they’re only ever compared to 2x$ home theatre set ups in seemingly single family homes means (to me) it’s a great “budget” option for those who want a good set up but don’t want to get into the couple thousands or for those who want a good set up but maybe live somewhere where turning on a subwoofer at 10pm isn’t really appreciated by apartment/condo neighbours.
Thank you! Yeah, the siri stuff seems overdone and not as interesting to me. I care about the sound. These are the stands that I have. I've tried so many different options and they really suck, break, wobble, etc. These things are freaking tanks and worth every dollar. Buy it right and buy it once, lol. geni.us/ZXjL4a
IMO, I have never heard of anyone thinking 2 Home Pods would be the same (or better) sounding as a mid range 5.1 system. To me, this gets close enough for a reasonable price and the ease of setup is awesome. Ill be using 2 HomePod 2's for my bedroom TV. I think will be great for that as we also like to sleep to nature rain sounds.
Best Homepod 2 review on yt, which I saw (and I saw a lot of them). You deserve a sub! Thanks a lot for this awesome sound comparison, your mic is GREAT! Can you do similar test for homepods mini in stereo mode?
As someone that has never owned any type of surround sound system, and my only experience with it is in theaters, those homepods sound mindblowing to me. Is it actually that amazing? Who knows, I have no baseline. But to my ears? Yeah I think I know where to spend my money now. Thanks for the video!
Using AirPort express 2 will cancel dolby Atmos input. So nope. You can either use the HomePods only with atmos or add the sub but it will not be atmos
I bought two mini's and they sound just as good. The trick is to place them side by side in alignment with your ears. Don' placed them side by side next to the tv. I bought two cheap stands made for mini's and placed them on the left and right side of my bed in line with my ears. LOL...
@@ThisIsTechToday It's been great. I have to hang my hat on that Apple says on their AppleTV page that this supports 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound. I wanted to switch back to a soundbar with rear speakers. But I have found that most of the time I found myself putting my ear next to the rear speakers to make sure they worked. I know Apple really works on audio in their software more so than anyone. So I am happy with these speakers. The sound is amazing.
great video man.. I have 4 hp2's.. in my lovong room and bedroom.. while they are absolute monsters when it comes to highs and mids, the bass is lacking when watching real bombastic action scenes.. now I never expected it to be like my jbl soundbar I was looking to replace. mainly due to its compact size.. but I find my self missing it.. I plan to grab and airport express and run a separate powered woofer for my living room via airplay 2..
I was on the fence about buying the new homepod, but after watching your comparison and look at my Klipsch home theater. Perhaps I'll stick with my old gadget...
I just got the Apple HomePod Gen 2 and really love it. I think it sounds better than the Gen 1, even with less Tweeters. My plan is to pair it with a 2nd HomePod eventually to get a Stereo Effect out of my music. But I probably won't be using them as my TV speakers, since I think a dedicated system will sound better like he mentions in the video.
Whew!!! CRAZY difference! Thanks so much for the comparison! The homepods would be great for a small apartment or other small space. I still really like the homepods, but for a true home theater experience? Definitely a pass for me. I am still using my JBL 5.1 speaker system from when my boys were in diapers, though I have updated the receiver for connectivity reasons. My boys are now out of college. Still sounds great. I have used the stereo Echo with Echo Sub in the bedroom, but was always a pain to set up and maintain. I am back to just using the tv now in that room.
Thanks a lot. I got a very good impression about what i just ordered (2HP+ATV) buuut: maybe it would be better comparing in the same price range, anyways i think i will get blown away on monday 😂
I bought a 7.1 setup with a higher spec receiver that does atmos, etc I also bought a pair of HomePod 2 My wife quickly said “return the HomePods, they don’t sound near as good” 2 HomePods can never reach the sound quality, volume, realism, etc of a proper stereo system If you think they’re as good, you haven’t experienced both And I’m an Apple fanboy and wanted to run the HomePods However, we returned them
Had to check out the binaural mic demo, since none of the other reviews on YT (that I’ve seen) went to that extent. So thank you! You’ve convinced me that…I don’t need a stereo pair after all. 😂 They just can’t compete with a good system with subwoofers. Anemic sounding is right. I need that low end! 😁🤘
In 2024, I wish these would be ideal for home tv theater experience. Would have preferred two of these rather than getting a sound bar and other accessories.
I like these and am thinking about integrating them into my TV system with Apple TV I am already running the mini pods as a 2 x stereo pair. Given I run Bower & Wilkins in my cinema I do enjoy quality sound and movies etc.. these are great fun and versatile as I build out my IoT entire home.
Thank you for this amazing review of the HomePods. I really like the way you compare these speakers with your home cinema system. Because this would be my kind of comparison. I have two Sonos play one for music and I also have a home cinema system with five Dali loudspeakers. Two floor standing, one center and two smaller surround speakers. I was thinking about making my system simpler and replacing these both setups with two HomePod’s… but now I know that this wouldn’t be a good idea. Great video 😀👌
thanks a lot very professional test, would be nice having a tv show comparison, and I'm super curious about comparing the Enclave vs a Bose soundbar system
I would point out 2 things: 1. I suggest you to revisit this testing after few days, while leaving the HomePods 2 at the same place as you have it here and use them occasionally for music or TV during this time. I noticed quite significant difference sound after 2 days of usage. It seemed that algorithm to adapt to the environment it is, finally calculated it right. I most noticed it in lower end, but I am not an audiophile, there might be changes elsewhere too. However, I do not expect it to compete to your Enclave setup, but this comparison does not really make sense anyway due to price range difference. 2. Moreover, the room where you use them also has great affect. I cannot tell for yours, but for instance, if behind the listener there is no wall, then it will be harder for HomePods to create 'surround sound', as it cannot bounce the audio-waves of walls (true for any soundbars also). I think stereo pair of HomePods 2 is better in apartment living, even compared to this Enclave, because you will never be able to go past 50% volume in an apartment due to respect for neighbors. And even in your video, you could notice the significant better bass at 50% volume, while other sounds stayed clear still. I do think though that HomePods sound better for Music than Home Cinema - but need to test it a bit more. Probably it would be interesting to see how it compares to a soundbar with perhaps single sub. Something that is 'viable' for apartments.
1. They were actually already there for awhile. I just "set it up" to demonstrate. The enclave was more so you can have the comparison to see the HomePod 2's weak spots clearly due to dramatic contrast. 2. My living room is quite small. I live in California. It's the size of a typical apartment living room, so it makes sense. There's a wall behind me. I agree. Homepod 2 sounds better at lower volumes.
@@ThisIsTechToday Hey Brandon! Thanks for replying. I understand your 1st point, I am no expect - but from what I read on Apple's pages is that (supposedly) whenever you pick up the HomePod and then put it down it will start 're-calibrating / re-calculating', so it might have .. some effect? I don't know, the *ONLY* reason I am pointing this out, because you are really one of the most thorough content creators when it comes to Audio stuff (I always look for your videos when I am interested in some Audio device, hence was very happy that you did HP2s as I currently own one, but want to get second for 'Stereo Pair') and thought I would share some 'pesky details' that I found out on web. I am worried about getting a 5.1 surround system in my apartment (living room is 17m2, which is 183 square feet I believe) and already this single HomePod 2, I have to have it on less than 50% and Reduce Bass option, otherwise it starts to shake the room and I think downstair neighbors would notice it. I always wanted to 'Home Cinema experience', but was 'scared' of purchasing 5.1 surround systems, due to potentially being either too loud, or not really utilized as I would need to have them on really low volume. What is your experience with this? For instance, are systems like Enclave still great at lower volumes (probs sub-50%)? Thanks for all your contributions btw, very great content!
@@daveishere92 You will not be able to enjoy the full home theater experience unless you either live in a house or REALLY do not care about your neighbors haha. In my last apartment, it had brick walls and still my neighbors could hear the bass of my SVS PB1000 clearly anytime I tried to watch a movie somewhat loud. Its unfortunate but that is the same scenario for literally everyone living in an apartment/townhouse/condo. Having a house is where you can really enjoy those louds 30hz or lower bass tones to the max and how it would feel like in a genuine theater experience. But ya, I ended up having to sell my whole audio set (the PB1000 with a set of Klipsch RP600Ms) because it was really overkill as I was never able to fully enjoy it. Its like buying a supercar and only being able to cruise around with it. The only upside I found was that even at low volumes it did sound incredbly amazing. But I really did not like that I had this amazing setup and all it did was take up a lot of space in my already cramped apartment only for me to only be able to use it at half capacity most times. It just didnt make sense in the long run, and I downgraded to just a pair of Klipsch RP400s (because they sound heavenly) and I got some bass heavy headphones for when I need my bass fix
@@eedoamitay3341 Thanks for sharing your experience. I also do not see myself running a home theatre setup in my apartment. I guess, actual Cinema will be way to go for us :D However, I have some high hopes for a pair of HomePods 2 to be a better alternative to my current default TV Speakers (LG C9), which I think are good, but I think HP2 that are placed in front of TV, will still be better than TV speakers that are behind the TV facing the wall.
Well, from the audio quality point of view, it is obvious your 5.1 system beats the shait out of the homepods. Switching back and forth them you can clearly notice the clarity, the separation, the dispersion, the bassss (ofc!) of your system. Homepods are okay for the money and the form factor.
@@ThisIsTechToday I did! I really loved your full setup and especially the headset that captures the sound how we would hear it in person. Do you have any other videos with reviews like this with the headset recording?
I wonder why Apple don’t allow you to add multiple HomePods together? Wouldn’t that be better if you could group four or six in a room for a better surround sound system?
quite a stark difference between the max volume and normalized half volume test. Some tests on the airpods pro 2nd gen also revealed similar behavior regarding the low frequency prominence at lower volume settings. A common agreeance ive seen is that the airpods volume profile are following the curves of equal loudness. here there are obviously more physical limitations with driver size and output power, but i do wonder if there is a similar implementation at work throughout the lower volume settings. great video! side note: did you do the sponsor spot with siri using a shortcut to say that text? i thought that was clever!
You know your stuff. I actually had a part recorded talking about the Fletcher Munson curves or equal loudness, but I found it wasn't applicable here when listening to the tests in post, so I removed it for time. Definitely about driver ability. Haha, thank you on the sponsor. I typed out the Siri parts into notes and then turned on screen reader and then created a screen recording of my phone to capture audio. I imported it into my video editing software and removed the video and kept the audio. Then I added a reverb to it so it sounded like it was in the same room. A fun little trick I figured out for this video. 😅
It's the DSP ruling LFE down with higher volumes. Smaller speakers are today tuned (as from the DSP = Digital Sound Processor) to deliver higher bass to make punchy sound, but of course added bass response comes with earlier limits on the drivers excursion, and hence need to be dialed down when going above a certain threshold. Otherwise the speakers would gladly make their way out of this world.
This was awesome!!!! Can you do the same for the Echo Studio pair + Echo Sub? Since price is similar it would be very interesting to see how it stacks up
Exactly. That’s 100% the point. Do you understand the benefits of dramatic contrast? It can show the strengths and weaknesses of the HomePods. If you can’t understand that, it’s your loss. No one ever expected the HomePods to win. I obviously didn’t as an audio engineer, so assuming I thought it would means you failed to understand the nuance.
I agree the bass is not that great. But when I compare the size of these to the Atmos 7.1 I have, that’s not fair. It’s very compact and I am able to use it as alternate system when the wife and kids are sleeping.
If I have two HomePod Mini’s, could I use stereo pair, but with my iPhone or iMac. Such as a studio display, with a HomePod mini on both sides, could I get stereo audio if I watched a movie?
Listening to this comparison on my Homepod 2’s - definitely a lot more low end coming through on your enclave recordings.. maybe Apple will make a Homepod sub ;) One can only hope. thats the only thing I miss about having a traditional home theatre setup
Great video comparison except that you never sampled lossless/atmos/spatial audio using Homepods. I think those formats wouldve presented a better pro vs cons between the 2
wow the enclave system is amazing! hearing it with airpods pro gen 2. man I came here for the home pods but gonna go buy the enclave despite the cost. thanks man great review
Thanks! May I ask: I'm wondering which should be better: 4 real but simple low level speakers who are connecting to an amplifier in my living room, or these only 2 speakers but defenately better quality which imitating surround.
Hi, Can this setup will work using only my Sony x900h android and not the TV os? My wife doesn't like changing to TV OS prefer using our android TV OS.
Hiya Great video. I’m considering buying 2 HomePods plus Apple TV as you suggested. One question , my current TV 6 years old has HDMI but not ARC HDMI . From my understanding to use the Apple TV and set up with HomePod you need to have the ARC HDMI is that correct? And if so it means I also need a new TV lol
Great review! Thanks so much for being so in-depth! Quick question for you. The Enclave system has me very curious. I do film and video post-production and was wondering if you think they would be good speakers to do sound design and mix on? Or are they too colorful/tuned to be able to hear certain true frequencies? Many thanks!
Thx for the excellent review. It's very helpful. Curious what would happen if you were to set another pair of stereo HomePod Mini and put them in the back (behind your seat)? So you have four apple speakers simultaneously connected to the Apple TV. I wonder if it'll push the sound quality closer to your fancy THX Sound System.
I’m pretty sure you’re only able to use 2 HomePods in stereo at the moment, you’re able to connect more than 2 if you’re just using the speakers to play the same exact thing but obviously that wouldn’t create a surround experience. Hopefully apple adds that option in the future
@@ThisIsTechToday - It does work. I have two original HomePods in front and two Minis in back. The Minis don't support Dolby Atmos, but that's okay... they're just providing some sound ambiance to complement the big Pods. As a mid-level home theater solution for Apple TV 4K, I'm happy. Bass performance is mixed depending on the show itself. It'll occasionally reach down to that earth-moving stuff but not overwhelm. At other times, it may be lacking, although it could be the recording process itself. It varies with music too... it just depends on the song.
My experience with my homepod minis as a stereo pair is enough to keep me away from ever purchasing another apple speaker. The set up was easy and paired seamlessly the first time i used them, and that was the last time anything has been seamless bout them. Rarely can send a podcast or music from my phone to the speakers without having to go through multiple homepod restarts via the home app along with rebooting the phone as well. I live in an apple ecosystem with an M1 macbook Pro, a 12.9" M1 ipad and an apple phone. All of them kept up to date with the latest system software. When i do manage to get the phone to connect, it usually only connects to one of the 2, and requires further homepod restarts and iphone reboots. Often when i finally get them to pair, one of both speakers randomly cut out and they have to be restarted again. My wifi and bluetooth signals are excellent so I know this is not the issue. Also, I don't know who came up with the "feature" where the homepod automatically starts streaming music with the slightest touch...This makes it irritating as i have the speakers on my desktop and i will occassionally just brush the device with my hand and it will start playing music... I have to yell at siri to stop music and siri will reply that nothing is playing!!! I am starting to research a different speaker option as I cannot deal with this anymore. Maybe I got a bad pair of homepods, but I doubt it.
Good afternoon very good video thank you a question using the input (e ARC ) of the television connect the APPLE TV And link your homepod Can all the devices connected to the other HDMI be heard? or does it only play the sound generated by the apple tv? thank you so much best wishes James
yep, night and day, the Enclave produce much better sound than HomePods, but for people with small apartments it is better to buy a pare of good headphones :)
Would love to hear a movie dialogue from the Homepod stereo setup, especially one of those movies with heavy background music over the dialogue. Clear dialogue is key for me. My current Yamaha sound bar with a separate subwoofer setup is just not good enough. I like the Homepod stereo TV setup, which is great from a price and wireless perspective, but would love to know how good the dialogue sounds. Thanks!
Thisistechtoday, what would you recommend between traditional soundbar like Yamaha ATS-1090 [~$150] or Bose Solo Soundbar II [$200] vs pair of homepod 2 + Apple TV 4k ? Setup and size is similar to what you showed in the video.
I'm checking out these Sennheiser Ambeo soundbars right now and I gotta say, they're pretty impressive. If you get the sound bar plus sub combo, I think that'd be pretty great and won't take up much space.
Absolutely. The purpose is to show the dramatic contrasts between a great system so you can hear the home pods strengths and weaknesses. There's TONS of value in it. The midrange is a bit interesting on the homepods.
@@himynameisryan as someone sitting in the room it captured it quite accurately, but I'm glad you're happy with your decision. Whatever makes you happy, but no need to dismiss my work or quality of it.
Ah, yes, the classic "I didn't hear what I wanted to hear to justify my buying decision, so it must be that the person I disagree with has not one, but TWO broken units, and he's a liar, his over a decade of being a profession audio engineer doesn't matter, plus his equipment doesn't work." Highly probable. You're probably right. I bet your next comment will be how a youtube channel with more subs from tons of benchmarks that has no experience with audio engineering and regularly has interesting takes on audio said what you wanted to hear means I'm wrong.
I actually love my HomePod 2’s (stereo pair). It’s so worth it. And I’m slowly buying smart home things to make an Apple ecosystem. Trust me, using a current Android one from a poor company called AMP Smart, the Apple-certified products function much better.
🚨The Power of Dramatic contrast is extremely helpful. This comparison allows you to see the strengths & weaknesses of the HomePod 2's. They obviously won't win against my system, but the value presented in this video is significant if you pay attention 😊
LINKS TO BUY
▶ Apple HomePod 2nd Generation: howl.me/ci8ZN13yFme
▶ Enclave Audio 5.1 Home Theater Sound System: geni.us/f22DE
▶ My Television Stand/Credenza: geni.us/j8ee1
▶ The song I used: fm.pxf.io/oemjP9
*These links are affiliate links
WATCH MORE
▶ Watch my review of the Enclave Audio System: th-cam.com/video/CXWLIWFLNg0/w-d-xo.html
▶ AirPods Pro 1st Gen vs. AirPods Pro 2: th-cam.com/video/hBeAVKB2hAc/w-d-xo.html
▶ 2023's BEST Wireless ANC Headphones Reviewed & Compared by An Audio Engineer: th-cam.com/video/Go8361YJe_o/w-d-xo.html
🌎 Protect yourself with NordVPN and get a bonus discount: nordvpn.com/techtoday (sponsored)
If Apple put out a quality subwoofer, the Home Pods would make killer midrange speakers. A couple mini's would make some killer 5.1 center and surround speakers. I think it could compete with Sonos.
I Would like to get 7.1 or more.
If I connect Apple TV 4k with my existing Sony G700 Soundbar, will there be any enhancement in the audio quality? What is your experience with Enclave 5.1. with and without Apple TV 4K?
I wish Apple would allow these to be used for 5.1 (along with the mini) and release a native Apple subwoofer.
I agree, but at the same time, they’d make the subwoofer so expensive
The thing is about what is controlling it. Don't think the current Apple TV 4k would be able to handle that. They'd had upgrade the lineup. But now they got these increadiable SoC's, they're capable of everything
Or better yet… free up/license the apple tech so 3rd party manufacturers can integrate the apple ecosystem more thoroughly
Holy canola Batman that would be the cats meow
that’s too much but 4 of them paired would be nice maybe coupled with a sub that would be nice.
I am in the Apple ecosystem and i got the stereo setup and they sound amazing. I live in a small apartment i absolutely love playing music and watching movies on these. They are always available on my Mac, iPad, and iPhone. It was super easy to setup and worth every penny in my opinion.
I'm having one shipped to me, do you think I should opt for another? Also how would you say these compare to Gen1? I've heard Gen 1 sound better overall.
@@Joshua102888 In my case, I had the money for another one, and I wanted a wider sound for movies and tv shows. They both sound great, you can’t go wrong with either one.
ive bought 8 OG homepods, gave 2 to my parents, have 4 in my in living room and have 2 in the bedroom. sounds really good with apple tv.
@@minigiant8998 omg
I love that those ears can record the spatial audio experience and transfer it to my AirPodsPro so well. Such a great invention.
Watching this in November as we begin to close out 2023. I wanted to say that I really appreciate your transparency and unbiased approach to reviewing one of Apple's flagship products. I can tell that you value and enjoy the HomePod (2), or Apple products in general. However, it didn't seem to me that you gave any favoritism or bias in comparison to your far superior sound system. Using special equipment to give me as much of an immersive experience as possible made this video stand out amongst other reviews I've watched. Thanks for your effort! This was a great video.
I replaced my 5.1 sound system with these HomePod speakers and they sound absolutely incredible and take up such minimal space. I don’t live in a home I have a condo so there is that to consider. Overall I can actually hear the dialogue now in shows with ease.
Yup! I thought of people like you in my section on who it is for 😊
Yeah you wasted money lol
That sounds like a massive downgrade to me. A couple of the Homepods are going to be stereo and when watching movies in surround sound, you're always going to struggle to hear the dialogue.
I thought the same but once I got them and listened for a while I was sold on them. They really do sound good and I wouldn’t judge them until you actually listen to them.
And no I actually hear the dialogue like 10X better than my old setup.
The binaural mic to help with the real sound was a real thoughtful touch for the video
Another thing that’s notable about this kind of review (good review btw) is they are always comparing to something double the price. For me that is pretty telling of the quality of the product. While yes they will never do as well due to physics and whatnot the fact they’re only ever compared to 2x$ home theatre set ups in seemingly single family homes means (to me) it’s a great “budget” option for those who want a good set up but don’t want to get into the couple thousands or for those who want a good set up but maybe live somewhere where turning on a subwoofer at 10pm isn’t really appreciated by apartment/condo neighbours.
Finally, a review 100% focused on the sound and not around the complaints about Siri..
May I ask where you have got those front speaker stands?
Thank you! Yeah, the siri stuff seems overdone and not as interesting to me. I care about the sound. These are the stands that I have. I've tried so many different options and they really suck, break, wobble, etc. These things are freaking tanks and worth every dollar. Buy it right and buy it once, lol. geni.us/ZXjL4a
exactly! It's crazy what futile things people consider a deal breaker and totally overlook the essential.
IMO, I have never heard of anyone thinking 2 Home Pods would be the same (or better) sounding as a mid range 5.1 system. To me, this gets close enough for a reasonable price and the ease of setup is awesome. Ill be using 2 HomePod 2's for my bedroom TV. I think will be great for that as we also like to sleep to nature rain sounds.
Best Homepod 2 review on yt, which I saw (and I saw a lot of them). You deserve a sub! Thanks a lot for this awesome sound comparison, your mic is GREAT! Can you do similar test for homepods mini in stereo mode?
One of the Finest review I've seen on Homepod... Your set up and dedication level Hatsoff
As someone that has never owned any type of surround sound system, and my only experience with it is in theaters, those homepods sound mindblowing to me. Is it actually that amazing? Who knows, I have no baseline. But to my ears? Yeah I think I know where to spend my money now. Thanks for the video!
Wow- that enclave system sounds fantastic
It's honestly insane!
Adding an Airport Express 2 paired with a powered subwoofer makes this Atmos System a verified *BEAST*
Do you know of any tutorials on how to do this? Would love to consider this option if I end up going with the Homepod 2's.
@@tombalazs5914did you find out how to do this?
Using AirPort express 2 will cancel dolby Atmos input. So nope. You can either use the HomePods only with atmos or add the sub but it will not be atmos
3:43 it’s like there’s a separate subwoofer on homepods. It sounded Amazing
as you go higher in volume the bass begins to lower..once you hit past I say 60% volume
I bought two mini's and they sound just as good. The trick is to place them side by side in alignment with your ears. Don' placed them side by side next to the tv. I bought two cheap stands made for mini's and placed them on the left and right side of my bed in line with my ears. LOL...
Love the review focused on home theater part. Just got 2 of these for my room for movies.
Awesome! How are you liking it?
@@ThisIsTechToday It's been great. I have to hang my hat on that Apple says on their AppleTV page that this supports 7.1 and 5.1 surround sound. I wanted to switch back to a soundbar with rear speakers. But I have found that most of the time I found myself putting my ear next to the rear speakers to make sure they worked. I know Apple really works on audio in their software more so than anyone. So I am happy with these speakers. The sound is amazing.
great video man.. I have 4 hp2's.. in my lovong room and bedroom.. while they are absolute monsters when it comes to highs and mids, the bass is lacking when watching real bombastic action scenes.. now I never expected it to be like my jbl soundbar I was looking to replace. mainly due to its compact size.. but I find my self missing it.. I plan to grab and airport express and run a separate powered woofer for my living room via airplay 2..
I really wish he tried different placements with the homepods. Varying the distance of the speakers to the wall makes a difference.
The bigger home pods produce special audio paired together while the smaller ones produce stereo audio, regardless good video I love it
I was on the fence about buying the new homepod, but after watching your comparison and look at my Klipsch home theater. Perhaps I'll stick with my old gadget...
I just got the Apple HomePod Gen 2 and really love it. I think it sounds better than the Gen 1, even with less Tweeters. My plan is to pair it with a 2nd HomePod eventually to get a Stereo Effect out of my music. But I probably won't be using them as my TV speakers, since I think a dedicated system will sound better like he mentions in the video.
Awesome review. Appreciate it. No clickbait, no bias just review on this use case
very comprehensive review. thanks for the detail and extended review and determination.
I have two HomePod and I love it with music
Whew!!! CRAZY difference! Thanks so much for the comparison! The homepods would be great for a small apartment or other small space. I still really like the homepods, but for a true home theater experience? Definitely a pass for me. I am still using my JBL 5.1 speaker system from when my boys were in diapers, though I have updated the receiver for connectivity reasons. My boys are now out of college. Still sounds great. I have used the stereo Echo with Echo Sub in the bedroom, but was always a pain to set up and maintain. I am back to just using the tv now in that room.
Ordered 2 HomePods. Getting them hopefully March 1
GREAT GREAT GREAT video!
You explain so well who is the HomePod buyer and why.
Great comparison, totally agree with you!
Thanks a lot. I got a very good impression about what i just ordered (2HP+ATV) buuut: maybe it would be better comparing in the same price range, anyways i think i will get blown away on monday 😂
Damn that sound bar system's too good
It's so good. I'm still using them!
Damnnnnn that enclave sounds sooo good! For me, in a bedroom I think the HomePods will do me just fine for now hehe
I bought a 7.1 setup with a higher spec receiver that does atmos, etc
I also bought a pair of HomePod 2
My wife quickly said “return the HomePods, they don’t sound near as good”
2 HomePods can never reach the sound quality, volume, realism, etc of a proper stereo system
If you think they’re as good, you haven’t experienced both
And I’m an Apple fanboy and wanted to run the HomePods
However, we returned them
I have one of the HomePod Gen1 it has incredible audio for music.
Had to check out the binaural mic demo, since none of the other reviews on YT (that I’ve seen) went to that extent. So thank you! You’ve convinced me that…I don’t need a stereo pair after all. 😂 They just can’t compete with a good system with subwoofers. Anemic sounding is right. I need that low end! 😁🤘
Glad I could help!
Came for the Homepods. Left with the Enclave. Wow.
In 2024, I wish these would be ideal for home tv theater experience. Would have preferred two of these rather than getting a sound bar and other accessories.
I like these and am thinking about integrating them into my TV system with Apple TV I am already running the mini pods as a 2 x stereo pair. Given I run Bower & Wilkins in my cinema I do enjoy quality sound and movies etc.. these are great fun and versatile as I build out my IoT entire home.
Thank you for this amazing review of the HomePods. I really like the way you compare these speakers with your home cinema system. Because this would be my kind of comparison.
I have two Sonos play one for music and I also have a home cinema system with five Dali loudspeakers. Two floor standing, one center and two smaller surround speakers. I was thinking about making my system simpler and replacing these both setups with two HomePod’s… but now I know that this wouldn’t be a good idea. Great video 😀👌
thanks a lot very professional test, would be nice having a tv show comparison, and I'm super curious about comparing the Enclave vs a Bose soundbar system
Great video. Thank you for all information shared.
I would point out 2 things:
1. I suggest you to revisit this testing after few days, while leaving the HomePods 2 at the same place as you have it here and use them occasionally for music or TV during this time. I noticed quite significant difference sound after 2 days of usage. It seemed that algorithm to adapt to the environment it is, finally calculated it right. I most noticed it in lower end, but I am not an audiophile, there might be changes elsewhere too.
However, I do not expect it to compete to your Enclave setup, but this comparison does not really make sense anyway due to price range difference.
2. Moreover, the room where you use them also has great affect. I cannot tell for yours, but for instance, if behind the listener there is no wall, then it will be harder for HomePods to create 'surround sound', as it cannot bounce the audio-waves of walls (true for any soundbars also). I think stereo pair of HomePods 2 is better in apartment living, even compared to this Enclave, because you will never be able to go past 50% volume in an apartment due to respect for neighbors. And even in your video, you could notice the significant better bass at 50% volume, while other sounds stayed clear still. I do think though that HomePods sound better for Music than Home Cinema - but need to test it a bit more.
Probably it would be interesting to see how it compares to a soundbar with perhaps single sub. Something that is 'viable' for apartments.
1. They were actually already there for awhile. I just "set it up" to demonstrate. The enclave was more so you can have the comparison to see the HomePod 2's weak spots clearly due to dramatic contrast.
2. My living room is quite small. I live in California. It's the size of a typical apartment living room, so it makes sense. There's a wall behind me. I agree. Homepod 2 sounds better at lower volumes.
@@ThisIsTechToday Hey Brandon! Thanks for replying. I understand your 1st point, I am no expect - but from what I read on Apple's pages is that (supposedly) whenever you pick up the HomePod and then put it down it will start 're-calibrating / re-calculating', so it might have .. some effect?
I don't know, the *ONLY* reason I am pointing this out, because you are really one of the most thorough content creators when it comes to Audio stuff (I always look for your videos when I am interested in some Audio device, hence was very happy that you did HP2s as I currently own one, but want to get second for 'Stereo Pair') and thought I would share some 'pesky details' that I found out on web.
I am worried about getting a 5.1 surround system in my apartment (living room is 17m2, which is 183 square feet I believe) and already this single HomePod 2, I have to have it on less than 50% and Reduce Bass option, otherwise it starts to shake the room and I think downstair neighbors would notice it. I always wanted to 'Home Cinema experience', but was 'scared' of purchasing 5.1 surround systems, due to potentially being either too loud, or not really utilized as I would need to have them on really low volume. What is your experience with this? For instance, are systems like Enclave still great at lower volumes (probs sub-50%)?
Thanks for all your contributions btw, very great content!
@@daveishere92 You will not be able to enjoy the full home theater experience unless you either live in a house or REALLY do not care about your neighbors haha. In my last apartment, it had brick walls and still my neighbors could hear the bass of my SVS PB1000 clearly anytime I tried to watch a movie somewhat loud. Its unfortunate but that is the same scenario for literally everyone living in an apartment/townhouse/condo. Having a house is where you can really enjoy those louds 30hz or lower bass tones to the max and how it would feel like in a genuine theater experience. But ya, I ended up having to sell my whole audio set (the PB1000 with a set of Klipsch RP600Ms) because it was really overkill as I was never able to fully enjoy it. Its like buying a supercar and only being able to cruise around with it. The only upside I found was that even at low volumes it did sound incredbly amazing. But I really did not like that I had this amazing setup and all it did was take up a lot of space in my already cramped apartment only for me to only be able to use it at half capacity most times. It just didnt make sense in the long run, and I downgraded to just a pair of Klipsch RP400s (because they sound heavenly) and I got some bass heavy headphones for when I need my bass fix
@@eedoamitay3341 Thanks for sharing your experience. I also do not see myself running a home theatre setup in my apartment. I guess, actual Cinema will be way to go for us :D However, I have some high hopes for a pair of HomePods 2 to be a better alternative to my current default TV Speakers (LG C9), which I think are good, but I think HP2 that are placed in front of TV, will still be better than TV speakers that are behind the TV facing the wall.
@@daveishere92 I played around with HomePod placement and noticed a difference after a day or two, as well… usually warmer.
Well, from the audio quality point of view, it is obvious your 5.1 system beats the shait out of the homepods. Switching back and forth them you can clearly notice the clarity, the separation, the dispersion, the bassss (ofc!) of your system. Homepods are okay for the money and the form factor.
That was the point. Read the pinned comment and watch the "who this is for" part lol
This was such a great review thanks so much!
Glad you enjoyed it!
@@ThisIsTechToday I did! I really loved your full setup and especially the headset that captures the sound how we would hear it in person. Do you have any other videos with reviews like this with the headset recording?
I wonder why Apple don’t allow you to add multiple HomePods together? Wouldn’t that be better if you could group four or six in a room for a better surround sound system?
Yeah Apple be dumb in that aspect. They’re make more money for those audiophile customers with deep pockets
They're waiting to create a 3rd gen HomePod that's capable of doing this. It'll be 130$ more, because of some trash reason
@@jayyemm69😂
quite a stark difference between the max volume and normalized half volume test. Some tests on the airpods pro 2nd gen also revealed similar behavior regarding the low frequency prominence at lower volume settings. A common agreeance ive seen is that the airpods volume profile are following the curves of equal loudness. here there are obviously more physical limitations with driver size and output power, but i do wonder if there is a similar implementation at work throughout the lower volume settings. great video!
side note: did you do the sponsor spot with siri using a shortcut to say that text? i thought that was clever!
You know your stuff. I actually had a part recorded talking about the Fletcher Munson curves or equal loudness, but I found it wasn't applicable here when listening to the tests in post, so I removed it for time. Definitely about driver ability.
Haha, thank you on the sponsor. I typed out the Siri parts into notes and then turned on screen reader and then created a screen recording of my phone to capture audio. I imported it into my video editing software and removed the video and kept the audio. Then I added a reverb to it so it sounded like it was in the same room. A fun little trick I figured out for this video. 😅
It's the DSP ruling LFE down with higher volumes. Smaller speakers are today tuned (as from the DSP = Digital Sound Processor) to deliver higher bass to make punchy sound, but of course added bass response comes with earlier limits on the drivers excursion, and hence need to be dialed down when going above a certain threshold. Otherwise the speakers would gladly make their way out of this world.
What's the actual name of this background score music
One of the best reviews on HomePod Gen 2 by an Audio Engineer; so don’t need to watch any other clips.
Ha! Thank you. I'm confident other reviews will have some value as well!
So you can have stereo with those, but can you also put in 2 of the mini home pods as well? Or is 2 the limit?
If my tv already has Apple TV build , can I use HomePods without buying another Apple TV 4K?
Which track is playing at 4.57 mark?
This was awesome!!!! Can you do the same for the Echo Studio pair + Echo Sub? Since price is similar it would be very interesting to see how it stacks up
LOL...Lets compare a 2.0 setup to an expensive 5.1 setup and report that the 5.1 setup sounds better. Did not expect that twist. Great reporting.
Exactly. That’s 100% the point. Do you understand the benefits of dramatic contrast? It can show the strengths and weaknesses of the HomePods. If you can’t understand that, it’s your loss. No one ever expected the HomePods to win. I obviously didn’t as an audio engineer, so assuming I thought it would means you failed to understand the nuance.
I agree the bass is not that great. But when I compare the size of these to the Atmos 7.1 I have, that’s not fair. It’s very compact and I am able to use it as alternate system when the wife and kids are sleeping.
Watch the end section 😊
If I have two HomePod Mini’s, could I use stereo pair, but with my iPhone or iMac.
Such as a studio display, with a HomePod mini on both sides, could I get stereo audio if I watched a movie?
Listening to this comparison on my Homepod 2’s - definitely a lot more low end coming through on your enclave recordings.. maybe Apple will make a Homepod sub ;) One can only hope. thats the only thing I miss about having a traditional home theatre setup
Great video comparison except that you never sampled lossless/atmos/spatial audio using Homepods. I think those formats wouldve presented a better pro vs cons between the 2
wow the enclave system is amazing! hearing it with airpods pro gen 2. man I came here for the home pods but gonna go buy the enclave despite the cost. thanks man great review
It’s still insane. A sleeper of a hit
perfect review
Listening to this in my Tesla Model Y and dude you almost blew my speakers up with the sub from your setup! 😂
🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hi, do these Apple homepods2 work with Ty without Apple TV, like with my ps5 or Netflix on smart tv or webtvs on tv?
Can't get the enclave in Europe? What would be the best alternative we can get here?
If it has more bass it’d be great a subwoofer or just update them to have better specs
I would love to see you review the Sony HT-A9 as well as Amazon Echo Studio as a pair.
Thanks! May I ask: I'm wondering which should be better: 4 real but simple low level speakers who are connecting to an amplifier in my living room, or these only 2 speakers but defenately better quality which imitating surround.
Could you do more than 2 home pods?
And is it possible to do like a woofer or something via ir cable or anything?
Hi, Can this setup will work using only my Sony x900h android and not the TV os? My wife doesn't like changing to TV OS prefer using our android TV OS.
What’s the name of the song / sound?
I'm surprised apple didn't fix the issue where the homepod stains wood surfaces
It's wild lol
Hiya
Great video.
I’m considering buying 2 HomePods plus Apple TV as you suggested. One question , my current TV 6 years old has HDMI but not ARC HDMI . From my understanding to use the Apple TV and set up with HomePod you need to have the ARC HDMI is that correct?
And if so it means I also need a new TV lol
Great review! Thanks so much for being so in-depth! Quick question for you. The Enclave system has me very curious. I do film and video post-production and was wondering if you think they would be good speakers to do sound design and mix on? Or are they too colorful/tuned to be able to hear certain true frequencies? Many thanks!
Thx for the excellent review. It's very helpful. Curious what would happen if you were to set another pair of stereo HomePod Mini and put them in the back (behind your seat)? So you have four apple speakers simultaneously connected to the Apple TV. I wonder if it'll push the sound quality closer to your fancy THX Sound System.
I’m pretty sure you’re only able to use 2 HomePods in stereo at the moment, you’re able to connect more than 2 if you’re just using the speakers to play the same exact thing but obviously that wouldn’t create a surround experience. Hopefully apple adds that option in the future
Can you mix these with 2 mini’s at all
I don't believe so but I know some have said how great it would be to use two minis for the back to give a full surround sound.
@@ThisIsTechToday - It does work. I have two original HomePods in front and two Minis in back. The Minis don't support Dolby Atmos, but that's okay... they're just providing some sound ambiance to complement the big Pods. As a mid-level home theater solution for Apple TV 4K, I'm happy. Bass performance is mixed depending on the show itself. It'll occasionally reach down to that earth-moving stuff but not overwhelm. At other times, it may be lacking, although it could be the recording process itself. It varies with music too... it just depends on the song.
@@apexerman1 ah, good to know. It is surprising they don't make it work for Atmos. That would be a pretty neat rig.
Ok thx, I thought the minis DID support Atmos, crap, but hate to waste not using them as rear speakers
Mahn that Enclave sound system is crazy 😂😂😂🙌🙌🙌🤩
For what it is it's awesome but nothing will beat the dedicated 5.1 or atmos set up in my honest opinion.
It was for comparison sake to make the deficiencies obvious
und was ist mit dem seitens Apfelwelt angesprochenen Dialog-/Sprachausgabe-Qualitätsproblem bei gekoppelten HomePods2 im Film-/Serien-/TV-Modus ?
My experience with my homepod minis as a stereo pair is enough to keep me away from ever purchasing another apple speaker. The set up was easy and paired seamlessly the first time i used them, and that was the last time anything has been seamless bout them. Rarely can send a podcast or music from my phone to the speakers without having to go through multiple homepod restarts via the home app along with rebooting the phone as well. I live in an apple ecosystem with an M1 macbook Pro, a 12.9" M1 ipad and an apple phone. All of them kept up to date with the latest system software. When i do manage to get the phone to connect, it usually only connects to one of the 2, and requires further homepod restarts and iphone reboots. Often when i finally get them to pair, one of both speakers randomly cut out and they have to be restarted again. My wifi and bluetooth signals are excellent so I know this is not the issue. Also, I don't know who came up with the "feature" where the homepod automatically starts streaming music with the slightest touch...This makes it irritating as i have the speakers on my desktop and i will occassionally just brush the device with my hand and it will start playing music... I have to yell at siri to stop music and siri will reply that nothing is playing!!! I am starting to research a different speaker option as I cannot deal with this anymore. Maybe I got a bad pair of homepods, but I doubt it.
Apple should go for THX certification for their next speakers.
Fun fact: THX is owned by Razer.
What about somebody listening at 25-35% volume. Do good speakers matter? I have kids sleeping. Currently have a Sonos Playbar but no surround or sub.
Good afternoon
very good video
thank you
a question
using the input (e ARC ) of the television connect the APPLE TV
And link your homepod
Can all the devices connected to the other HDMI be heard?
or does it only play the sound generated by the apple tv?
thank you so much
best wishes
James
All devices connected to the HDMI can use the Homepods in this case.
What is the enclave sound bar reference ?
can you have a stereo pair with homepods and connected to mac mini m2
yep, night and day, the Enclave produce much better sound than HomePods, but for people with small apartments it is better to buy a pare of good headphones :)
I was going to say the end part might better explain the nuance of what I was trying to say, but the headphones part threw me a curve ball lol!
The level of detail for your videos is great, I appreciate the experience, new sub here :D
Can you connect them to a Playstation 5?
Would love to hear a movie dialogue from the Homepod stereo setup, especially one of those movies with heavy background music over the dialogue. Clear dialogue is key for me. My current Yamaha sound bar with a separate subwoofer setup is just not good enough. I like the Homepod stereo TV setup, which is great from a price and wireless perspective, but would love to know how good the dialogue sounds. Thanks!
Thisistechtoday, what would you recommend between traditional soundbar like Yamaha ATS-1090 [~$150] or Bose Solo Soundbar II [$200] vs pair of homepod 2 + Apple TV 4k ? Setup and size is similar to what you showed in the video.
I'm checking out these Sennheiser Ambeo soundbars right now and I gotta say, they're pretty impressive. If you get the sound bar plus sub combo, I think that'd be pretty great and won't take up much space.
Name of song ? For music I choose edifier 351 db for 300€ and is awesome. Home theatre is way better in bass response?
Hi, what was that song you tested with called ?
'lust and giants' by aeph and kings and creatures
That's it, lol.
Is it a valid to compare against a system that is double the cost?
Absolutely. The purpose is to show the dramatic contrasts between a great system so you can hear the home pods strengths and weaknesses. There's TONS of value in it. The midrange is a bit interesting on the homepods.
Even if it was the same cost or even less it would've brought up a better experience. It's a valid comparison for sure.
What’s are the links to those sound test videos. Want to test my soundbar.
It’s Apple TV+ “See” intro and a song from “Kings & Creatures”
Good to know, thank you...
HE SPEAKS
@@ThisIsTechToday only I can't afford it...but good to know
@@yveslegh it's best to spend your hard earned money elsewhere, IMO
And what is with 3d audio? BUt nice Video :)
I like your TV lowboard can you tell me where you bought it? Thanks :-)
Here ya go! geni.us/j8ee1
06:38 i'm 🤣remote ! remote !
Why didn’t you test Dolby Atmos rendering on the HomePod 2 ?
That WAS enabled.
Those connection issues should have been rectified in the latest update Apple just released
You are the best❤
Thanks!
Even if I was stuck in the Apple ecosystem, I don't think I'd bother with a HomePod.
That's the conclusion I'm landing on as well.
Upgrading from my 4 yo Sonos Playbase, I am very satisfied with my new setup with two gen. 2 HomePods.
@@himynameisryan as someone sitting in the room it captured it quite accurately, but I'm glad you're happy with your decision. Whatever makes you happy, but no need to dismiss my work or quality of it.
Ah, yes, the classic "I didn't hear what I wanted to hear to justify my buying decision, so it must be that the person I disagree with has not one, but TWO broken units, and he's a liar, his over a decade of being a profession audio engineer doesn't matter, plus his equipment doesn't work." Highly probable. You're probably right.
I bet your next comment will be how a youtube channel with more subs from tons of benchmarks that has no experience with audio engineering and regularly has interesting takes on audio said what you wanted to hear means I'm wrong.
I actually love my HomePod 2’s (stereo pair). It’s so worth it. And I’m slowly buying smart home things to make an Apple ecosystem. Trust me, using a current Android one from a poor company called AMP Smart, the Apple-certified products function much better.
Which movie intro did you use for the test?
That was “See” on Apple TV+