Foreign journalists have already received the 2nd generation HomePod and shared their impressions.
In general, everyone is satisfied with the column and the laudatory sound (although not without exceptions). However, the cost of new items is still depressing.
We understand.
1. Edge
And although the new HomePod is very similar to the old one, it is better in everything
The Verge edition received one novelty. The following is an excerpt from their text.
The second generation HomePod is very similar to the original. It is still wrapped in mesh fabric, while being slightly shorter and lighter in start. Animation of the LEDs on the top now reveals the entire glossy surface, now everything glows whenever you interact with Siri or press one of the buttons. By the way, the mass regulators are now always switched.
Get ready for dust to soak into the edge where the weave panel is with the fabric body. Apple has moved to fully detachable power cord. It could be removed in the original, but with some users, and now it’s much easier to do. Apple uses a figure-eight connector instead of the weird proprietary plug from the first model.
I replaced the braided cord with a plain black power cord from another product and the HomePod worked fine, although without the round cap completely covering the hole.
There are other changes hidden under the HomePod’s cloth shell: five tweeters now boost a higher frequency, and there are four microphones (compared to the weighty version) and an Apple S7 chip. In terms of processor, the S7 gives the HomePod more options for customizing audio.
The new HomePod includes temperature and influence sensorthose that were discreetly built into the HomePod Mini.
When it comes to sound quality, the most important component of Apple’s new HomePod remains the high-throw woofer, which can be raised up to 20mm to push through as much air as possible and maximize bass. The lowest frequencies are where the HomePod differs from similarly sized speakers like the Sonos One, Amazon Echo, and Nest Audio.
I would put one HomePod above the most popular smart speakers from Amazon and Google in terms of overall performance. Personally, I prefer the wider sound field of the Sonos One. Keep in mind that you can’t customize HomePod audio; it offers to tweak any equalizers you have installed for Apple Music on your iPhone.
With two HomePods firing virtual massive sound beams across the room, covering some tracks that really exist more than atmospheric. Unfortunately, you can’t watch or turn off the sonorous sound with voice commands, which seems like an option that should be on the speaker.
I was shocked How well did HomePod 2 work when playing on PS5?. I played MLB The Show and didn’t notice any obvious lag or audio timing issues during a bat or catcher’s glove. And those woofers in HomePods do a very good job of delivering bass punch to movies, shows, and games.
Apple’s voice assistant is also less useful for finding public information than Google Assistant, with its direct access to Google’s abundance of information. Sir, who will play in the Super Bowl the day after the team is determined, and she could not find an answer for me. Google got it right away (for that matter, Alexa did too).
Siri is usually best smart home controller due to its clearer situation and more reliable management. In fact, Siri is already a couple of options for smart home control, and the new HomePod offers that choice.
If you’re less picky about sound quality, just get HomePod mini. They have the option of getting an extra $200 for a richer, louder sound for many people. However, $299 for a novelty is still a lot of money, no matter how good it may seem.
2. CNET
Expensive but the sound is good. It also shows the temperature
CNET also noted the high cost of the HomePod 2.
You no longer need to use Apple Music as your default service, alternatives include iHeartRadio, TuneIn Radio, Deezer and Pandora. Only two expected amounts of sugar, and then only at a monthly subscription fee.
themes, Spotify, the best music streaming service, cannot be set as default, and HomePod does not support Spotify Connect. To use Spotify with HomePod, you need the “AirPlay and Bluetooth” setting in the Spotify app to play music on the speaker. In other words, most HomePod users are better off in charge of Apple Music.
You can connect two HomePods for stereo listening, although they need to be same type and generation. For example, you cannot pair a new HomePod with a HomePod Mini or an older HomePod for stereo listening.
An interesting feature that will debut on the HomePod is the temperature and phenomena sensor. Now you can use the application House or ask Siri for indoor and outdoor temperatures. This information will help other smart devices in the future home, especially thermostats.
In addition to Apple’s HomeKit support, the full-size HomePod also supports the new Matter standardprotocol with correct source code that works with numerous smart home devices.
Based on my testing, the new HomePod was designed with a wide range of use cases in mind, including watch movies and podcasts. I tested the speaker with a mix of Apple Music tracks (in Dolby Atmos if available), as well as Spotify and FLAC files played from a MacBook.
The first thing I asked Siri to do was “play music”. She chose Duran Duran’s Planet Earth tune and I wasn’t even upset by the sound. I compared the sound of this classic to the new HomePod and rival Amazon Echo Studio. While Echo Studio scattered the song across the airport’s specially accented mids, it left the sound a bit lost. A more laid-back HomePod sound and an insistent background beat made by the guys from Birmingham more susceptible for my ears.
What follows is one of my all-time favorite test tracks, Nick Cave’s Red Right Hand, with its combination of baritone, slippery bass and harsh percussion. The addition of the bass guitar is a little distorted, but the activation of the options Less bass problem solved. However, I liked Echo Studio better in this song. The sound reached room scale, which HomePod couldn’t.
I then compared the new HomePod to HomePod consumption across different genres. HomePod 2 sounds better than the original with more intimate vocals. The stronger bass of the second generation HomePod also gave the Red Right Hand a more powerful sound. While the HomePod 2 was also slightly louder than the original, you wouldn’t be able to attend a party with either of them. Echo Studio has both.
Even though a home theater system wouldn’t be possible without the use of a private subwoofer, the HomePod 2’s sound was still enough use for watching movies in my opinion.
Source: Iphones RU
