100% I wish he had a second channel dedicated to just audiophile content as I think his review style is perfect for this - and I would love to see him review some insanely insane setups!
Your content is brutal, love your essence and your honesty, as well as the ironic / funny / joking parts, LOVE your content. Glad I discovered your channel!
From the moment the HomePod 2 had its *SURPRISE* announcement, I was waiting for this review. No one else has been able to definitely say if the loss of the two tweeters and microphones has had real impact to the speaker. The 1st gens as a pair have been incredible for years now though in our home at least
Finally an honest, detailed, and useful HomePod 2 review that covers important and relevant points that actually matter. You’ve earned my subscription sir!
Sincere appreciation for this detailed report! I spent 20 years as a professional musician and had stellar audio engineers. Therefore, my tastes and interests are keen. Having 4 OGs and two miniHPs, I've been especially pleased with them. Your review is a strong case for upgrading to the 2nd gen!
I currently have three HomePod Mini's through my home. I never owned the original HomePod. If I were in a small house or an apartment, I can easily see getting two HomePods for a home theater setup especially if you use an Apple TV as your hub.
This must be this channel first time reviewing Apple product for the host to actually say “Hey Siri “ multiple times …You know, in order to activate everyone’s freaking HomePods!! Sarcastic and annoyed
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Thanks Quinn for a really awesome and honest review. As an Apple fan who is completely bought into the ecosystem, but never owned the OG HomePod or HomePod Mini felt it was time to enter that realm of Apple. I used to watch TV (using an Apple TV 4K) just with the built in speakers. A stereo pair HomePod 2nd Gens has been phenomenal and a huge upgrade. I have owned a Sonos One for the last 4 years or so and thought about getting a Five, so thank you for that comparison. Very interesting!!
Dual HomePods with Apple TV is the killer feature that makes me use HomePods. The sound is good enough for my ear, but the convenience and ease of use is incomparable to anything else.
Watching Atmos content in a stereo pair is amazing! I love them, incredibly immersive and such a wide soundscape. Maybe it’s just the size of our living room but I think they are phenomenal. Solid purchase for me. Friends that come over are always amazed at how good they sound too
I bought two of the Homepod 2s and connected them to my Apple TV as a stereo pair. I love them. They sound amazing. I am also in the boat that enjoys the new sound over the original Homepod. I think bass is great but I listen to a lot of songs that emphasize the highs as well, not to say that the bass is lacking because it definitely isn't lol. So these speakers are perfect for me. It is also easier to listen to movies.
@@sharuuukh yeah it’s been great only problem I’ve experienced so far is one speaker will slightly disconnect and become quieter than the other. I think it happens when connecting or disconnecting to the tv or phone. To fix it I just do a restart of the HomePods.
12:54 and hayley williams 😩 definitely didn't expect to hear that, but super happy i did, this is why has got to be some of the best music ever released here's to hoping at least one person reads this and gives the album a listen
@@marcel151 yeah, the album: This is Why by Paramore this video came out like a week after the album's release, so it was pretty hype seeing it mentioned
I’m not an audiophile, but I like to appreciate classical music and have attended several philharmonic orchestras. I used a surround sound Sonos setup and two HomePods to playback Dolby Atmos classical music. Turns out I was blown away with the HomePod. You could distinguish between each instrument, and the directional audio was as good as a surround setup. Soundbars on the other end sounded like a boombox. It didn’t allow me to appreciate the finer details between each instrument like the violin, viola and cello
I have 2 OG HomePods. Have enjoyed many years of audio through them. I will be getting 2 new HomePods for the improved processor, thread support, and the more balanced audio reproduction.
i asked chatGPT who is the better in the tech in youtube and he said (For me, I believe that Snazzy Labs channel is the most comprehensive in the field of technology on TH-cam. It covers many different technical topics, including hardware, software, applications, games, and more. The videos also have high quality and simple and understandable explanations of various technical topics.) i didn't know you before chatGPT
Awesome review Quinn! One thing I was hoping to hear briefly touched upon is max volume as I normally never listen to a speak at or near its max volume, but found myself doing so occasionally when rocking out with the OG HomePod. Is the new one any different in this regard?
Great content as always Quinn, I always look forward to hearing your perspective on all things audio. I have one of each homepod (2018, mini, & new). I’m glad you mentioned the “younger ears” who seem to hear the high mids/treble a little differently…the very first thing I noticed on the first song I played was that, when turned up, some voices seemed to almost lose the “warmth” that the OG seemingly could produce better. In fact, in some situations the new homepod almost sounded a little too harsh on the higher frequencies and I felt the need to turn it down a tad. There’s no denying that it’s a much better package, but i’m beginning to think that I may be in that small minority of people who prefer the 2018’s overall sound signature. I just cross my fingers with every update in hopes my 2018 doesn’t become a $350 paperweight
Had a stero pair HomePod mini which I thought sounded great then I went and got a stereo pair HomePod gen 2 and my goodness😳😳 best invest I made. I have hooked to my Apple TV in my bedroom and it’s a whole theater in my room. I absolutely love them
Nice presentation. However almost every negative about the OG HomePod is not true on my three OGs. Handoff is as fast as my HomePod minis. Humorously, while watching this video when you did the Siri test the one closest to the iPod i was watching on responded immediately. I love both gen HomePods for what they do for me. BTW, all five of mine are on 13.1.2 which is the latest as of today.
I believe there would be more of a value proposition if there was a way to to do a quad pairing of the HomePods. But I fear it won’t happen, the HomePod 1 had 802.11AC, HomePod 2 downgrades to 802.11N. Like the Sonos products, I don’t understand why there is no Ethernet in these HomePod products. Give the people USB-C cables with a usb power supply, that can be changed out for a dongle that has Ethernet allowing the user to utilize a full array of speakers for Dolby Atmos that you (Apple) are pushing so hard. Who knows, maybe they’ll make an Apple TV with a speaker that acts as a center channel for your TV.
Finally someone who knows how to explain that the homepod v2 sounds better than the old one. i was getting tired of the noobtubers saying it sounds worse than the OG. it sounds amazing for the almost toilet roll size thing it is! Thanks for the good review
i really respect your perspective because you are critical but fair! you don’t blow smoke up apple and you don’t criticize them for the sake of destroying them. good stuff man!
Good video. So many reviewers always push for more functions, inputs et c. And they forget that the beauty of many of Apples products is that they are easy to use. More functions brings more complexity which makes anything harder to use. The iPad is a good example. It used to be super easy to use. My mum and many others loved it to bits. Something they could use with confidence and joy. In come the geeks and power users who year after year push for more and more and more functions. Voila! You have iOS of today which is just a mess to use. Love the HomePod for its simplicity.
I got the HomePod 2. I’m enjoying the sound and it’s room filling. Very rich audio. I’m in the Apple ecosystem and happy. All my HomeKit devices work with Siri commands.
@@JonRatzlaff it’s a strange thing to leave out. My kids love their audiobooks and have them in both the Audible and iBook. It get them HomePod minis in a heartbeat if they could listen to them but it doesn’t support it all. Instead you have to start on a phone and airplay over.
Two things: First: why go to the murray Best Buy when the one on 2100S is better (unless youre going for the Chick-Fil-A, then by all means, do the Murray Best Buy) Second: that album by Haruomi Hosono/Shigeru Suzuki at 14:22 is amazing.
We have an original HomePod, and I've always felt the sound quality was just 'ok'. Mids and highs are heavily compromised, and it always sounded a little boomy. There's no way to alter it, either. It's nice to hear that they've addressed that somewhat. Also, Siri has just been a pain in the rear on the HomePod, and I really wish Apple would work on it. It seems like they haven't worked on improving it at all, even though they say they do. I've also always wished I could play music from the Apple TV with the TV off through my home theater speakers, as they sound far superior to any smart speaker.
I bought a pair of HomePod mini for my tiny ass room, in NYC. I never hated an apple product more, in my life. When it works, it’s great, most of the time, it’s so f***ing defective, it boils my frustration to the max. I eventually bought a soundbar, and a portable speaker, so my minis just became an expensive pair of white noise machines.
Great video. I trust your judgement more than anyone else when it comes to sound quality. I'll still be sticking to my Sonos (whole home) setup personally.
This was a good review. I am a homepod lover since day one, but the homepod has continually been improved. I also notice constant issues with mine not sending a request etc, and if the new improves upon it that seems like a win.
How do you put the HomePod 2 in the middle of your room without trailing a power cable across the floor? I know SOME people have outlets in the carpet (my parents among them), but I feel like the vast majority do not, making the 'middle of the room' thing a gimmick with little actual use. What Apple should have done is given this thing a built-in battery, and a qi-charger that it can sit on overnight. Charge it while you sleep, put in in the middle of the room all day. I can't believe they made this thing twice and never did that.
I have several OG HomePods which I love. Would like to try out new ones, but since the old ones still work fine I'll be sticking with those for now. I just wish Apple would give us a simple EQ control. Nothing fancy just a treble and bass knob like we had in ye olden times.
I’ve been using two gen. 1 HomePods, stereo paired, as speakers for my Apple TV 4K on a Samsung TV for more than 3 years. They still produce great sound. Now that I’ve jinxed them they’ll probably self-destruct tonight.
If you can’t do much better than chance in the blind test, why are you so confident about the specific differences in the sound signature in the new ‘pods?
Right now I have two HomePod Minis in my bedroom and used to use them as a stereo pair for movies and gaming and it was actually pretty good for my small room. The only issue I had was that they natural hogged the WiFi bandwidth of my house and my family kept complaining about that and that I’ve set so many alarms that none of them can even turn one on. Heck I can’t even delete any one of them on the Home app. Now I only used one of them, and while I do care about audio quality, the cost is too much for me at this moment even if they’re not over priced
This review makes me want to buy the Minis, if that makes any sense. I won't settle for less than a detachable cable now so I'm waiting for the Minis second gen 😂 They'll probably have an hidden anti gravity device too. Wait till they activate it via a software update and they start floating around 🙃
I do agree that Sonos 5 is a lot better, then again it's almost twice the price lmfao. I can't really fathom a world where I'm defending an Apple product due to it's much more fair pricing, but here we are.
Love love love the graphs! Have 3 Gen 1 speakers for music. Stereo pair in living room where me and kids love to use them for enjoyment or dance parties and one in kitchen. I have Arc as well but wish I could use HomePods without AppleTV. After your review, I'll stick with Arc.
It’s not just that audio is subjective, Psychoacoustics is a major issue with anything audio related. You can trick yourself into preferring something. A lot of people aren’t doing level matched comparisons and A/B-ing them quickly enough to get meaningful results, also. As to young people hating brighter sound… the sound lost over age is generally 15K and up. There’s very little information there. Brightness is caused somewhere around 9-10Khz frequency range, well below that area lost over time.
The HomePods don’t compare to my built in 5’ tower speakers and 12” sub in my 5.1 theater room however I use my HomePods way more just out of convenience throughout my day. When I sit down to watch a movie, sure I use my theater speakers but for most everything else; HomePod.
Someone should look In to the aggressive nature of apple Bluetooth. So many times I have to remove my macbook from my bag, when it's closed. Open it up and turn off Bluetooth, because I can't connect my headphones to my phone. Closed. Bluetooth still holds on to the device.
Loved your review. I’ve watched hundreds of Homepod reviews and this is one of my favorites. The fact that you’re an audiophile and know what you’re talking about helps a lot.
I’ve owned the OG since day one. Bought a pair to use in my office and I’ve been enjoying them since the beginning. I just received the new HP2 today and I’m ready to pair and see how they do in the living room. I’m ready to hear the differences
Wow, this was an impeccable review. It’s the one that honestly made me wanna pull the trigger. Quinn is very convincing. He knows what he’s talking about. Great job!
I want my homepods to do everything they currently do, AND.... I want a program that will turn them into a 5/6/7/or even 9.1 surround set up. Yes, there are people with 9.....I'm one of them. 9 1st gens bought WAY below retail is cheaper then a sonos set up of a arc/sub/and 2 era 300's. 9 homepods....that's 9 woofers and 63 tweeters. That's not enough to make give an amazing home theater experience......GTFOOH? And it's 1000% possible given the processing ability in a homepod + Apple TV vs a AV receiver. Why apple didn't take the time to make this possible is beyond me. Geeeee.....I wonder what would get people to buy more homepods 🤔....the ability to pair 2.....or pair 9. 😐
In my experience Siri still handles natural language parsing better than any of the other assistants, especially when it comes to home control and personal information management. Siri is the only assistant who can parse things like “turn on the lights in the lounge, kitchen, and hallway” and do what it’s asked, with no weird backchat.
I’ve had two HomePods, bloody expensive, great while they worked, but both died and you cannot do ANYTHING when that happens on an Apple HomePod.. I hated HATED having to take them to the dump … Shan’t get bitten again
One thing all reviews miss, and is really hard to find anywhere: HomePod mini is very bad for Home Security Video. It just fails to perform the video streaming with all the encryption and iCloud writes fast enough. Because reviewers walk this part around, I still cannot really find out whether for 5 cameras I need HomePod 2 or Apple TV.
I have a 400sqf apt, I have 3 HomePod minis. I love them. I have one by itself on my bedside table and 2 in stereo on my desk near the middle of the apt. The only complaint I have about them is that if Sound Check is on, I have to max out the volume to get them to where I like for music listening if I'm not right by them. With it off, MOST albums are fine and even a bit loud at 75% but there are some that are older and not remastered or were just mastered poorly that aren't loud enough. I work in IT now but I used to be a FOH sound engineer and tour manager for bands and I have a decent amount of studio experience too. I HATE Siri but I also understand why it's the worst voice assistant and I'm ok with that. Overall the mini's sound really good for their money and for the sound quality at their size you can't beat them. I have considered getting the new HomePod, but considering I wont want too much bass as it will annoy my neighbors, It hard to justify 300 dollars for more volume when I dont need it all the time.
Homepods are nice, But Siri completely ruins it. Until Apple makes Siri useful, Anything that relies on her, Will never be able to reach its full potential. I would take a worse sounding speaker, For a vastly improved Siri. Because without Siri as it stands, You just have a over priced decent speaker. In my opinion.
I bought the HomePod OG as an Xmas gift for my parents, as my mom has an Apple Music subscription. My dad is more likely to use it, as he can shout whatever he wants to hear while cooking or cleaning. They really like it, more so my dad than mom as she uses her AirPods over the speaker. For the right person(s) it’s the right product but will remain niche, too limited and/or to really break out. It’s interesting to see apple relaunch it without fundamentally reimagining it at all as I don’t see it being massively more successful… especially when hingeing it’s fate on Siri.
I love my two OG homepod's but wtf apple can you just add Bluetooth support for my friends who have android and need bluetooth. Don't worry I'll still be stuck in your ecosystem, you cant even manage it without an iPhone anyway. But I can't force my friends to switch.
What does the homepod actually do besides being a blue tooth speaker? Genuinely want to know, as I already have a Logitech 1000W surround sound PC system, so why would I buy one?
I converted my decent Denon hi fi system with old but good Tannoy speakers into an AirPlay system by buying a cheap 2nd hand AirPort Express from eBay.
Quinn actually makes audio reviews enjoyable to watch :D
A collaboration with *Crinacle* would be something.
They are even more of a joy to listen to😂
A lot of audiophiles online really sounds like they’re taking down on you for having the audacity to use Bluetooth headphones lol
100% I wish he had a second channel dedicated to just audiophile content as I think his review style is perfect for this - and I would love to see him review some insanely insane setups!
You’d probably love darko audio or Andrew Robinson
Channels like yours make paying for yt premium a way better deal than tv or streaming.
Too kind. Thanks, Leo!
Also SmartTubeNext on Android TV/FartSticks is a good option. Total freedom, no ads ever, with included SponsorBlock!
Fax
Ordered 2 a week ago. Can’t wait for them to get here!!
@@TheTrafficBoss how was it?
Your content is brutal, love your essence and your honesty, as well as the ironic / funny / joking parts, LOVE your content. Glad I discovered your channel!
Thanks so much! I’m glad you found it too 😅
@@snazzy 😂hahahahaa youre welcome!!
From the moment the HomePod 2 had its *SURPRISE* announcement, I was waiting for this review. No one else has been able to definitely say if the loss of the two tweeters and microphones has had real impact to the speaker. The 1st gens as a pair have been incredible for years now though in our home at least
Finally an honest, detailed, and useful HomePod 2 review that covers important and relevant points that actually matter. You’ve earned my subscription sir!
I appreciate that!
everytime a TH-camr makes a video on Siri or Siri-related it triggers my HomePod... very annoying but also quite funny sometimes.
Sincere appreciation for this detailed report! I spent 20 years as a professional musician and had stellar audio engineers. Therefore, my tastes and interests are keen. Having 4 OGs and two miniHPs, I've been especially pleased with them. Your review is a strong case for upgrading to the 2nd gen!
Thanks for the kind words! Very flattering to hear coming from an expert. 😊
Wouldn't you be better off with studio monitors then?
As ever bang on, refreshingly accurate reviews from someone who understands audio, and Apple better than just about every TH-camr
Cheers!
I currently have three HomePod Mini's through my home. I never owned the original HomePod. If I were in a small house or an apartment, I can easily see getting two HomePods for a home theater setup especially if you use an Apple TV as your hub.
This is exactly what I was waiting for before ordering mine. Thanks Quinn!
Glad I could help!
This must be this channel first time reviewing Apple product for the host to actually say “Hey Siri “ multiple times …You know, in order to activate everyone’s freaking HomePods!!
Sarcastic and annoyed
I've tried a stereo pair and enjoy them since. They are subtle, simple and sound really good. I find your evaluation on point.
Thanks
Between you, MKBHD and Dave2D, I think we have the most objective trio of reviewers who know and say they can be subjective!! 👏🏻
Really? MKBHDs review of this was so lazy and predictable. He didn’t “get” the first one and the second was no different
I get my honest reviews from genius bar
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I have the OG HomePods as speakers on my TV and I wish there was the option to add HomePod Minis as rear speakers for a true surround sound.
Thanks Quinn for a really awesome and honest review. As an Apple fan who is completely bought into the ecosystem, but never owned the OG HomePod or HomePod Mini felt it was time to enter that realm of Apple. I used to watch TV (using an Apple TV 4K) just with the built in speakers. A stereo pair HomePod 2nd Gens has been phenomenal and a huge upgrade. I have owned a Sonos One for the last 4 years or so and thought about getting a Five, so thank you for that comparison. Very interesting!!
Regarding 4:50, the HomePod mini definitely also does this, and it always has as far as I remember. I just tried it.
Yes
Your vids are my #1 source of excitement on the web. Simply great content. Thank you.
Wow, thanks!
Dual HomePods with Apple TV is the killer feature that makes me use HomePods. The sound is good enough for my ear, but the convenience and ease of use is incomparable to anything else.
Watching Atmos content in a stereo pair is amazing! I love them, incredibly immersive and such a wide soundscape. Maybe it’s just the size of our living room but I think they are phenomenal. Solid purchase for me.
Friends that come over are always amazed at how good they sound too
I bought two of the Homepod 2s and connected them to my Apple TV as a stereo pair. I love them. They sound amazing. I am also in the boat that enjoys the new sound over the original Homepod. I think bass is great but I listen to a lot of songs that emphasize the highs as well, not to say that the bass is lacking because it definitely isn't lol. So these speakers are perfect for me. It is also easier to listen to movies.
Just set up my 2 HomePods today with my Apple TV. Need to test some movies with it, but I’m glad you’ve liked the experience so far.
@@sharuuukh yeah it’s been great only problem I’ve experienced so far is one speaker will slightly disconnect and become quieter than the other. I think it happens when connecting or disconnecting to the tv or phone. To fix it I just do a restart of the HomePods.
@@117dude thanks for the tip! Restart by unplugging or is there an easier way?
@@sharuuukh you can restart the HomePods in your Home app on your phone. I just keep them paired and restart them together.
ugh why didn't Snazzy censor out the "HEY Siri" lmao
12:54 and hayley williams 😩
definitely didn't expect to hear that, but super happy i did, this is why has got to be some of the best music ever released
here's to hoping at least one person reads this and gives the album a listen
Paramore? Or which album do you mean?
@@marcel151 yeah, the album: This is Why by Paramore
this video came out like a week after the album's release, so it was pretty hype seeing it mentioned
I’ve definitely punched my HomePod. Multiple times.
Good video senor.
I wonder if any Apple speakers will ever earn your recommendations?
Jesus it's been 5 years since the OG Homepod? And Siri barely seems to have improved since then.
I’m not an audiophile, but I like to appreciate classical music and have attended several philharmonic orchestras. I used a surround sound Sonos setup and two HomePods to playback Dolby Atmos classical music. Turns out I was blown away with the HomePod. You could distinguish between each instrument, and the directional audio was as good as a surround setup. Soundbars on the other end sounded like a boombox. It didn’t allow me to appreciate the finer details between each instrument like the violin, viola and cello
Considering I almost threw my HomePod mini from my balcony because of the 1 in 30 query failures, I can’t imagine owning an original HomePod.
I have 2 OG HomePods. Have enjoyed many years of audio through them. I will be getting 2 new HomePods for the improved processor, thread support, and the more balanced audio reproduction.
i asked chatGPT who is the better in the tech in youtube and he said (For me, I believe that Snazzy Labs channel is the most comprehensive in the field of technology on TH-cam. It covers many different technical topics, including hardware, software, applications, games, and more. The videos also have high quality and simple and understandable explanations of various technical topics.)
i didn't know you before chatGPT
Awesome review Quinn! One thing I was hoping to hear briefly touched upon is max volume as I normally never listen to a speak at or near its max volume, but found myself doing so occasionally when rocking out with the OG HomePod. Is the new one any different in this regard?
New one actually doesn’t get quite as loud as OG.
I know this isn’t a dealbreaker for the average consumer, but repairability is a lot better on this HomePod compared to the old one
This is true.
Great content as always Quinn, I always look forward to hearing your perspective on all things audio. I have one of each homepod (2018, mini, & new). I’m glad you mentioned the “younger ears” who seem to hear the high mids/treble a little differently…the very first thing I noticed on the first song I played was that, when turned up, some voices seemed to almost lose the “warmth” that the OG seemingly could produce better. In fact, in some situations the new homepod almost sounded a little too harsh on the higher frequencies and I felt the need to turn it down a tad. There’s no denying that it’s a much better package, but i’m beginning to think that I may be in that small minority of people who prefer the 2018’s overall sound signature. I just cross my fingers with every update in hopes my 2018 doesn’t become a $350 paperweight
I have long been waiting for your review on HomePod 2, I knew you would do a blind test on them! Informative as alway, Thank you!
I have the OG homepods and they are amazing…. but one died out of nowhere.
mine too!!!i bought a gen2.
This is, by far, the best HomePod 2 review.
Had a stero pair HomePod mini which I thought sounded great then I went and got a stereo pair HomePod gen 2 and my goodness😳😳 best invest I made. I have hooked to my Apple TV in my bedroom and it’s a whole theater in my room. I absolutely love them
The Sonos 5 is NOT $50 cheaper. It's $200 more. Or did I misunderstand what you were saying?
$50 cheaper than a PAIR of HomePod 2. And sounds better than two HomePods.
Nice presentation. However almost every negative about the OG HomePod is not true on my three OGs. Handoff is as fast as my HomePod minis. Humorously, while watching this video when you did the Siri test the one closest to the iPod i was watching on responded immediately. I love both gen HomePods for what they do for me. BTW, all five of mine are on 13.1.2 which is the latest as of today.
A good listening setup for HomePods is to pair them in stereo and then use a macOS desktop app to also pass bass to a subwoofer.
I believe there would be more of a value proposition if there was a way to to do a quad pairing of the HomePods. But I fear it won’t happen, the HomePod 1 had 802.11AC, HomePod 2 downgrades to 802.11N. Like the Sonos products, I don’t understand why there is no Ethernet in these HomePod products. Give the people USB-C cables with a usb power supply, that can be changed out for a dongle that has Ethernet allowing the user to utilize a full array of speakers for Dolby Atmos that you (Apple) are pushing so hard. Who knows, maybe they’ll make an Apple TV with a speaker that acts as a center channel for your TV.
WiFi downgrade is due to using an Apple Watch chipset this time around. Ultimately, it’s not a big deal. Agree on Ethernet though.
Finally someone who knows how to explain that the homepod v2 sounds better than the old one. i was getting tired of the noobtubers saying it sounds worse than the OG.
it sounds amazing for the almost toilet roll size thing it is! Thanks for the good review
i really respect your perspective because you are critical but fair! you don’t blow smoke up apple and you don’t criticize them for the sake of destroying them. good stuff man!
Good video. So many reviewers always push for more functions, inputs et c. And they forget that the beauty of many of Apples products is that they are easy to use. More functions brings more complexity which makes anything harder to use. The iPad is a good example. It used to be super easy to use. My mum and many others loved it to bits. Something they could use with confidence and joy. In come the geeks and power users who year after year push for more and more and more functions. Voila! You have iOS of today which is just a mess to use. Love the HomePod for its simplicity.
I got the HomePod 2. I’m enjoying the sound and it’s room filling. Very rich audio. I’m in the Apple ecosystem and happy. All my HomeKit devices work with Siri commands.
The thing I cant wrap my head around on the HomePods is why Apple don’t even allow listening to audio books purchases through iBooks! C’mon Apple!
I didn’t know this. That’s interesting.
@@JonRatzlaff it’s a strange thing to leave out. My kids love their audiobooks and have them in both the Audible and iBook. It get them HomePod minis in a heartbeat if they could listen to them but it doesn’t support it all. Instead you have to start on a phone and airplay over.
Two things:
First: why go to the murray Best Buy when the one on 2100S is better (unless youre going for the Chick-Fil-A, then by all means, do the Murray Best Buy)
Second: that album by Haruomi Hosono/Shigeru Suzuki at 14:22 is amazing.
We have an original HomePod, and I've always felt the sound quality was just 'ok'. Mids and highs are heavily compromised, and it always sounded a little boomy. There's no way to alter it, either. It's nice to hear that they've addressed that somewhat. Also, Siri has just been a pain in the rear on the HomePod, and I really wish Apple would work on it. It seems like they haven't worked on improving it at all, even though they say they do. I've also always wished I could play music from the Apple TV with the TV off through my home theater speakers, as they sound far superior to any smart speaker.
best Homepod 2 review
"I didn't fart, trust me bro." Quinn, 2023
Waw what a review. The best review of the Homepod 2 on youtube.
I bought a pair of HomePod mini for my tiny ass room, in NYC.
I never hated an apple product more, in my life.
When it works, it’s great, most of the time, it’s so f***ing defective, it boils my frustration to the max.
I eventually bought a soundbar, and a portable speaker, so my minis just became an expensive pair of white noise machines.
people calling themselves “audiophiles” will never not be funny to me
Great video. I trust your judgement more than anyone else when it comes to sound quality. I'll still be sticking to my Sonos (whole home) setup personally.
Agree...Sonos rocks!
The HomePod mini actually does the haptic thingie to my iPhone 12 while beaming music to it
People forget that new speakers take months to be properly played in.
If you believe in burn-in placebo.
This was a good review. I am a homepod lover since day one, but the homepod has continually been improved. I also notice constant issues with mine not sending a request etc, and if the new improves upon it that seems like a win.
Omg that beard is GLORIOUS! Hiding a HomePod mini in there?
Two!
The HomePod Mini does it too 4:50
Totally agree with your analysis
I have enjoyed the quality of sound on my Home Pod 2 and it's limitations are easily gotten around or insignificant
as always u can get better speaker with 1/3 of the price of homepod
How do you put the HomePod 2 in the middle of your room without trailing a power cable across the floor? I know SOME people have outlets in the carpet (my parents among them), but I feel like the vast majority do not, making the 'middle of the room' thing a gimmick with little actual use.
What Apple should have done is given this thing a built-in battery, and a qi-charger that it can sit on overnight. Charge it while you sleep, put in in the middle of the room all day. I can't believe they made this thing twice and never did that.
I do suspect they’ll do a Sonos Roam version of the HomePod eventually.
I have several OG HomePods which I love. Would like to try out new ones, but since the old ones still work fine I'll be sticking with those for now. I just wish Apple would give us a simple EQ control. Nothing fancy just a treble and bass knob like we had in ye olden times.
I’ve been using two gen. 1 HomePods, stereo paired, as speakers for my Apple TV 4K on a Samsung TV for more than 3 years. They still produce great sound. Now that I’ve jinxed them they’ll probably self-destruct tonight.
I look forward to HomePod 3 review in 2028 (5 years) explaining why HomePod 2 failed, and yes you’ll look different.
If you can’t do much better than chance in the blind test, why are you so confident about the specific differences in the sound signature in the new ‘pods?
Lmao indeed- same guys that say they can hear differences in dacs
Right now I have two HomePod Minis in my bedroom and used to use them as a stereo pair for movies and gaming and it was actually pretty good for my small room. The only issue I had was that they natural hogged the WiFi bandwidth of my house and my family kept complaining about that and that I’ve set so many alarms that none of them can even turn one on. Heck I can’t even delete any one of them on the Home app. Now I only used one of them, and while I do care about audio quality, the cost is too much for me at this moment even if they’re not over priced
This review makes me want to buy the Minis, if that makes any sense. I won't settle for less than a detachable cable now so I'm waiting for the Minis second gen 😂 They'll probably have an hidden anti gravity device too. Wait till they activate it via a software update and they start floating around 🙃
I do agree that Sonos 5 is a lot better, then again it's almost twice the price lmfao. I can't really fathom a world where I'm defending an Apple product due to it's much more fair pricing, but here we are.
The calibration period on the temperature and humidity sensors in my HomePods lasted about 3 hours.
this is quality content!
Dang this review is gold!
Love love love the graphs! Have 3 Gen 1 speakers for music. Stereo pair in living room where me and kids love to use them for enjoyment or dance parties and one in kitchen. I have Arc as well but wish I could use HomePods without AppleTV. After your review, I'll stick with Arc.
It’s not just that audio is subjective, Psychoacoustics is a major issue with anything audio related. You can trick yourself into preferring something. A lot of people aren’t doing level matched comparisons and A/B-ing them quickly enough to get meaningful results, also.
As to young people hating brighter sound… the sound lost over age is generally 15K and up. There’s very little information there. Brightness is caused somewhere around 9-10Khz frequency range, well below that area lost over time.
Also, this is one of the best reviews on the HomePod out there. Great job!
The sound of the Homepod 1 and 2 are not good. Far from an audiophile taste, really far from hi-fi despite the false marketing declaration.
The HomePods don’t compare to my built in 5’ tower speakers and 12” sub in my 5.1 theater room however I use my HomePods way more just out of convenience throughout my day. When I sit down to watch a movie, sure I use my theater speakers but for most everything else; HomePod.
@@JonRatzlaff Even for listening music ? I find the sound too confined
Someone should look In to the aggressive nature of apple Bluetooth. So many times I have to remove my macbook from my bag, when it's closed. Open it up and turn off Bluetooth, because I can't connect my headphones to my phone. Closed. Bluetooth still holds on to the device.
Loved your review. I’ve watched hundreds of Homepod reviews and this is one of my favorites. The fact that you’re an audiophile and know what you’re talking about helps a lot.
I’ve owned the OG since day one. Bought a pair to use in my office and I’ve been enjoying them since the beginning. I just received the new HP2 today and I’m ready to pair and see how they do in the living room. I’m ready to hear the differences
could you share your experience with new ones?
Wow, this was an impeccable review. It’s the one that honestly made me wanna pull the trigger. Quinn is very convincing. He knows what he’s talking about. Great job!
The video from iFixit you have titled as "iFixit - HomePod 2 Teardown" is incorrect. That is the Homepod 1 teardown footage.
great video and i love that MGMT album a lot, kudos for music taste quinn!
I want my homepods to do everything they currently do, AND....
I want a program that will turn them into a 5/6/7/or even 9.1 surround set up.
Yes, there are people with 9.....I'm one of them. 9 1st gens bought WAY below retail is cheaper then a sonos set up of a arc/sub/and 2 era 300's.
9 homepods....that's 9 woofers and 63 tweeters. That's not enough to make give an amazing home theater experience......GTFOOH? And it's 1000% possible given the processing ability in a homepod + Apple TV vs a AV receiver. Why apple didn't take the time to make this possible is beyond me. Geeeee.....I wonder what would get people to buy more homepods 🤔....the ability to pair 2.....or pair 9. 😐
It’s been FIVE YEARS since the first one???!!! I feel like I was just clowning on it yesterday lol
In my experience Siri still handles natural language parsing better than any of the other assistants, especially when it comes to home control and personal information management.
Siri is the only assistant who can parse things like “turn on the lights in the lounge, kitchen, and hallway” and do what it’s asked, with no weird backchat.
5 years and Snazzy hipster transformation is complete
I’ve had two HomePods, bloody expensive, great while they worked, but both died and you cannot do ANYTHING when that happens on an Apple HomePod.. I hated HATED having to take them to the dump … Shan’t get bitten again
my partner and I have spent an UNGODLY amount of time yelling at the original homepod. almost certainly getting a new one
One thing all reviews miss, and is really hard to find anywhere: HomePod mini is very bad for Home Security Video. It just fails to perform the video streaming with all the encryption and iCloud writes fast enough. Because reviewers walk this part around, I still cannot really find out whether for 5 cameras I need HomePod 2 or Apple TV.
I have a 400sqf apt, I have 3 HomePod minis. I love them. I have one by itself on my bedside table and 2 in stereo on my desk near the middle of the apt. The only complaint I have about them is that if Sound Check is on, I have to max out the volume to get them to where I like for music listening if I'm not right by them. With it off, MOST albums are fine and even a bit loud at 75% but there are some that are older and not remastered or were just mastered poorly that aren't loud enough. I work in IT now but I used to be a FOH sound engineer and tour manager for bands and I have a decent amount of studio experience too. I HATE Siri but I also understand why it's the worst voice assistant and I'm ok with that. Overall the mini's sound really good for their money and for the sound quality at their size you can't beat them. I have considered getting the new HomePod, but considering I wont want too much bass as it will annoy my neighbors, It hard to justify 300 dollars for more volume when I dont need it all the time.
As soon as I saw this product announced I just wanted to see Quinn’s review of it
Wait, the Sonos Five is cheaper in America than the Homepod2? In NZ the HomePod 2 is NZ$529 and the Sonos Play Five is NZ$999.
Next time you make a video like this, can you PLEASE bleep or mute any smart speaker trigger words so you don't trigger EVERYONE'S Siri?
Homepods are nice, But Siri completely ruins it. Until Apple makes Siri useful, Anything that relies on her, Will never be able to reach its full potential. I would take a worse sounding speaker, For a vastly improved Siri. Because without Siri as it stands, You just have a over priced decent speaker. In my opinion.
I bought the HomePod OG as an Xmas gift for my parents, as my mom has an Apple Music subscription. My dad is more likely to use it, as he can shout whatever he wants to hear while cooking or cleaning. They really like it, more so my dad than mom as she uses her AirPods over the speaker.
For the right person(s) it’s the right product but will remain niche, too limited and/or to really break out. It’s interesting to see apple relaunch it without fundamentally reimagining it at all as I don’t see it being massively more successful… especially when hingeing it’s fate on Siri.
I love my two OG homepod's but wtf apple can you just add Bluetooth support for my friends who have android and need bluetooth. Don't worry I'll still be stuck in your ecosystem, you cant even manage it without an iPhone anyway. But I can't force my friends to switch.
The only audio-related reviews I will listen to.
Interesting, clicked for an Audiophile review and I found about Siri, humidity, temperature, etc... :/
What does the homepod actually do besides being a blue tooth speaker? Genuinely want to know, as I already have a Logitech 1000W surround sound PC system, so why would I buy one?
I converted my decent Denon hi fi system with old but good Tannoy speakers into an AirPlay system by buying a cheap 2nd hand AirPort Express from eBay.
Nice