HomePod Diary

Seven 'HomePod Diary' stories January 2018 - May 2018

HomePod Diary: Stereo pairing took an age, but it was worth the wait

Ben Lovejoy May 30 2018 - 8:08 am PT

It was a frustratingly long wait for Apple to finally launch AirPlay 2, adding stereo pairing to HomePod – along with multi-room playback from an iOS device and more.

If you haven’t already updated, you’ll need to upgrade to iOS 11.4, and then update your speakers. I did that yesterday, finding it a largely painless process, through there were a couple of glitches which I’ll get to.

That done, I was finally able to find out how a pair of HomePods sound …

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HomePod Diary: A second one just replaced the Sonos Play 5 in our bedroom

Ben Lovejoy May 8 2018 - 6:14 am PT

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I said back in February that the HomePod is a Sonos Play 5 killer, and I’ve just demonstrated this by buying a second one to replace the Sonos in our bedroom.

I explained then the reasons why I felt that HomePod was the better buy, despite my fondness for Sonos speakers …

Sound quality: Almost no difference
Clunky Sonos app versus Siri control
Truly awful, flakey Sonos setup versus fully automatic set up
Speaker-only versus Home hub too
Large-ish size versus much more compact one
$499 versus $349 …

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HomePod Diary: I want another one for sure, maybe two more

Ben Lovejoy Mar 20 2018 - 6:47 am PT

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I wrote last time that one of the tests of truly useful technology is how quickly it stops feeling like a luxury and starts feeling like something you wouldn’t want to live without.

For me, streaming music started out as a luxury – something I used to supplement my own collection of music – and has turned into my primary music source. Not just because it gives me access to music that would otherwise have cost me a fortune, but also because For You playlists have introduced me to more new artists than I could count.

I’m finding that HomePod is moving rather rapidly into the same category: a gadget I wouldn’t want to be without.

A month on, I can report that HomePod has definitely completed that transition …

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HomePod Diary: For me, it’s the Apple Watch all over again – but should you buy one?

Ben Lovejoy Feb 16 2018 - 7:00 am PT

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Well, almost. With the Apple Watch, I was pretty sure it was a pointless device, and was wrong. With HomePod, I did think it was going to find a role as a HomeKit hub and a device to allow my partner to control lighting when her phone was in another room. But I wasn’t expecting much from it as a speaker.

And yet it’s the speaker which is winning me over.

As I’ve said before, the sound quality isn’t up there with B&O or Naim – but is at least as good as a Sonos Play 5. I wondered last time whether two stereo-paired HomePods might go some way to closing the gap between the two levels, and I now find myself actively hoping this proves to be the case …

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HomePod Diary: The best party gadget ever, and the difference between ‘really good’ and ‘great’

Ben Lovejoy Feb 12 2018 - 9:00 am PT

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Friday morning, my HomePod arrived; Friday evening, we had a small party. And the belle of the ball was the HomePod.

We had a group of friends round for drinks and pizza. That seemed a good opportunity to put HomePod to the test – both to see what others thought of it as a speaker, and to allow friends to try Siri control …

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HomePod Diary: Hands-on, and this thing is a Sonos Play 5 killer

Ben Lovejoy Feb 9 2018 - 8:33 am PT

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There are Apple products I’ve been more excited to receive, but I can’t think of any that I’ve awaited with such impatience. The reason? Curiosity about that audio quality!

I wrote last time that it was Home hub and voice control of HomeKit devices for my partner that really sold it to me, and I wasn’t expecting too much from it on the audio front. Sure, it was going to beat out other smart speakers, but I didn’t see it as serious competition to proper HiFi brands.

But as the reviews came in, I started to wonder …

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HomePod Diary: How I got talked into buying one despite my reservations

Ben Lovejoy Jan 24 2018 - 7:10 am PT

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Having two audiophile friends who spend truly terrifying sums of money on their hifi systems, I’ve always said that I’m glad my ears aren’t good enough to appreciate that kind of audio kit.

However, while I wouldn’t describe myself as an audiophile, my ears do go up to the level of B&O, B&W and Naim’s lower-end speakers. Which means that I was pretty ‘meh’ about the HomePod announcement.

I’m sure Apple is right that it offers better audio than other smart speakers, but that’s not really saying much. My view was that it wasn’t going to compete with my Sonos Play 5, let alone my more expensive systems, so I was ready to pass …

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