Apple’s $349 (£319, AU$499) Siri-powered HomePod sensible speaker produces superior sound throughout a broad vary of genres, making it stand out, significantly in comparison with the $199 Sonos One, Google’s $399 Residence Max and Amazon’s next-gen $100 Echo. Its crazy-fast setup and glorious long-range Siri microphones additionally make it interesting. Providing multiroom audio and stereo pairing, courtesy of AirPlay 2, helps the HomePod compete with Alexa and Google Assistant audio system.

Nevertheless it is not all excellent news. 

Siri nonetheless has loads of maturing to do earlier than it will probably compete with Alexa or Google Assistant. Shopping for a HomePod additionally means you are signing up for a speaker that is constructed with the Apple Music streaming service in thoughts. You possibly can’t play Spotify and different third-party music providers straight from the HomePod by way of a Siri command. As an alternative, you need to ship that audio to your Apple speaker from the corresponding cellular app. 

You actually have to be OK with these limitations to justify shopping for a HomePod in the present day, except you do not care about something however its stellar sound high quality. Everybody else ought to wait to see what Apple will add to this promising speaker within the months forward, above and past the just-released AirPlay 2.

Hey, good lookin’

The material mesh-wrapped HomePod, out there in both house grey or white, weighs a hefty 5.5 kilos (2.5 kg). It is 6.eight inches tall and 5.6 inches large (170 by 140 mm) — petite in comparison with the 11.7-pound (5.three kg) and foot-wide Google Residence Max. However the HomePod feels surprisingly dense if you raise it, as I discovered whereas carrying it by way of the airport.

In true Apple kind, the HomePod has a glossy, minimal design. It seems good, however not distractingly so, and I am glad you get a pair coloration finishes to select from. We received a white HomePod and whereas I like the way it seems, I can simply think about smudging it with repeat dealing with. The HomePod’s mesh exterior is not interchangeable just like the Amazon Echo’s detachable shell. What you purchase is what you get. You possibly can, nonetheless, clear it with a dry or damp material.

The HomePod depends on a single, two-prong energy wire, which you’ll plug into any normal outlet. Apple says the HomePod can go just about anyplace in your house, from the toilet to the storage, both close to a wall or within the middle of the room. Simply bear in mind that the wire is not removable because the HomePod would not have a battery onboard, so that you might need to cover it beneath a rug if you wish to present it off in the midst of an area.

On the prime of the speaker, you may discover a contact show. It is not a display screen, so it will probably’t show high-res textual content or video content material like an Amazon Echo Present or Spot, nevertheless it does have built-in plus and minus indicators for adjusting the speaker’s quantity manually. Faucet or maintain them to extend or lower quantity.

Contact and maintain the middle of the show to get Siri’s consideration with out having to say, “Hey, Siri.” A well-known, blue-green-purple LED standing indicator will start to glow on the show to let you understand Apple’s voice assistant is listening. Faucet the show to play or pause music or to cease Siri mid-sentence. You too can double faucet to skip a tune or triple faucet to skip again and replay a tune.

The show glows white to let you know it is prepared for preliminary setup and inexperienced throughout a telephone name. You possibly can’t place or settle for calls instantly from the HomePod, however you should use it as a speakerphone when your iPhone ($799.99 at Cricket Wi-fi) is close by. The assorted faucets and LED standing indicators have a slight studying curve at first, however the HomePod is simple to manage straight from the speaker.

The HomePod would not have a button on the speaker itself to mute Siri, weirdly sufficient. Each Amazon and Google audio system have devoted mute buttons so you may manually disable voice management. With the HomePod, you may solely lower the music quantity from the speaker itself, which is not actually the identical as muting Siri. As an alternative, you need to use the app or voice management to show the “Hey, Siri” characteristic off or on.

I actually want the HomePod had a devoted mute button. It might be good to have another choice past having to seize your telephone or use voice management.

You recognize Siri’s listening if you see this. 

Chris Monroe/Proinertech

Apple’s HomePod has seven tweeters, all positioned within the backside of the speaker. Every tweeter has an amplifier and a transducer. Six Siri-ready microphones sit above that, adopted by the woofer and Apple’s A8 chip on the very prime.

Apple makes spectacular claims concerning the design of its speaker and the way that interprets to higher efficiency on its web site. The tweeters are supposed to offer 360 levels of constantly good sound, whereas the microphones (with assist from the A8 chip) guarantee Siri can hear you over loud music from a good distance, with out you needing to shout. The woofer brings that wealthy bass.

The HomePod claims omnidirectional sound by way of a characteristic referred to as “spatial consciousness.” Irrespective of the place you place your speaker, a built-in accelerometer (motion and movement sensor) is meant to kick in and recalibrate primarily based on its location. This helps it decide how one can direct sound and may assist guarantee constantly good sound high quality irrespective of the place the HomePod is — and irrespective of the place you’re in a room relative to it.

The identical is true should you use two HomePods as a stereo pair in the identical room. The audio system are purported to take measurements to get a way of the house they’re in, in addition to the place they’re relative to one another.

Stellar sound high quality for its dimension

For a compact speaker, the HomePod provides large sound, and in testing I discovered it just about unflappable it doesn’t matter what type of music I threw its approach. It is onerous to say that about many audio system, no matter dimension. From dance pop to guitar rock to orchestral items, the HomePod sounded glorious. It would not produce stereo sound by any stretch — you’d get extra “presence” or “you’re there-ness” from a pair of stereo audio system. However the HomePod is a stable performer you may plonk in your kitchen with out having to fret that it’d distort at excessive quantity.

The HomePod’s uniform sound throughout so many several types of music separates it from its two predominant rivals, the Google Residence Max and the Sonos One. More often than not in our assessments at Proinertech’s Sensible Condominium, the Max and the HomePod sounded comparable, with each exhibiting a comparatively open sound and good extension, whereas the less-expensive Sonos One sounded barely extra distant.

One of many tracks that created some separation among the many three audio system was “Yulunga (Spirit Dance)” by Lifeless Can Dance. It is the type of tune made for the HomePod — the mixture of ethereal vocals, deep booming notes and crisp percussion introduced out one of the best in Apple’s speaker. The HomePod made the tune come to life from its droning starting, into the palatial vocal line and past.

Though the Max introduced extra of a stereo impact, the sound was a bit harsh compared, and the Max simply wasn’t in a position to dig deep sufficient within the bass. Sonos, in the meantime, sounded extra closed off.

The HomePod sounds just like Google’s Residence Max and higher than the cheaper Sonos One. 

Tyler Lizenby/Proinertech

On a monitor like “3WW” by Alt-J, with its deep bass mattress, the HomePod has an authority that the Google Residence Max and the Sonos One cannot muster. Regardless of the monitor’s weighty synth bass, the Apple speaker by no means struggled. Whereas the opposite two had been balanced, they lacked heft — particularly the Sonos, which did not even try to breed the deep notes.

The HomePod’s bass extension sounds nice, nevertheless it wasn’t all the time as tight as I anticipated. The kick drum in “Girlfriend is Higher” by Speaking Heads sounded rather a lot looser than I’ve ever heard it earlier than, for instance, and resonated a bit too lengthy. When you like funk or different types with a distinguished deep bass drum, this speaker could not provide the type of fast response you are used to.

More often than not the HomePod and Max sounded comparable, with Apple edging forward for bass extension and steadiness, although there was one monitor the place the tables turned. “Do not You” by Amber Rubarth, with its wealthy, reverb-drenched vocals and languid drawl of the violin, sounded crisper on the Google Max. The pitter-patter percussion sounded extra speedy on the Google speaker, although the HomePod was in a position to amplify the increase of the bass drum. Although the Apple system gave a greater sense of the corridor, it created a distance between the singer and the listener that Google’s gadget did not have.

In contrast to the Sonos and the Max, that are typical “directional” audio system that sound higher if you hear from the entrance, the HomePod is supposedly extra versatile. Apple talks up the speaker’s means to sit down anyplace within the room and create nice sound, however I discovered efficiency on all sides hit-and-miss.

With the HomePod within the middle of the room, for instance, I heard distinct wedges of excellent (and fewer good) sound across the speaker. Generally the entrance sounded nice and the again not a lot. Generally one of the best sound got here from 90 levels to both facet.

Apple says the speaker adjusts itself primarily based on room place, and as I moved the speaker round I might hear the distinction because it recalibrated. Total I discovered that the HomePod sounded greatest positioned in opposition to a wall or in a nook, which is okay since that is the place most individuals will in all probability place it anyway.

I listened to numerous completely different tracks evaluating the Apple HomePod in stereo to the Sonos One in a pair — from disco, to acoustic, to rock. On a whim, I began with the HomePod and The Replacements’ Nightclub Jitters and the testing room was instantly remodeled into the smoky jazz membership the tune seeks to emulate. The sound was large. In the meantime, the tune was provided higher stereo separation on the Sonos One with the trip cymbal showing in the suitable speaker regardless that the sense of house was lessened.

Charged with one thing tougher, the bass underbed on 3WW by Alt-J appeared extra absolutely fashioned on the HomePod. The Sonos combo did not go fairly as deep or really feel so full, however additionally it is half the worth.

Does the stereo HomePod sound higher than the stereo Sonos One? In some methods the HomePod is best, it is a extra relaxed combo with higher extension. However in others the Sonos provides higher articulation and a keenly-honed stereo picture.The Homepod is simpler to take heed to in the long run, and should you take heed to plenty of abrasive music this could be extra vital to you. You additionally do not need to wave your telephone round your room for 3 minutes which is the worst/weirdest factor concerning the Sonos setup routine — Apple’s microphones do all of it for you.

30-second setup, Apple-centric lock-in

Earlier than you can begin listening to music in your HomePod, you’ll want to configure it. The excellent news: It actually takes seconds to arrange. Not not like AirPods, simply holding your iOS system subsequent to the HomePod triggers the method. Comply with the steps to start out enjoying music and extra with Siri in your HomePod.

The dangerous information: You may want an iOS system for this. The HomePod and Apple’s Residence app do not work on Android telephones or tablets. Scroll right down to the underside of this web page for a whole listing of suitable iOS gadgets.

Your iOS system prompts you on setup to present your HomePod a devoted location, join Apple Music (if you have not already), and allow one thing referred to as “Private Requests.”

You do not even must obtain an app to arrange the HomePod.

Screenshots by Megan Wollerton/Proinertech

That Apple Music immediate is vital, as a result of on the subject of voice management, Apple providers are just about the one sport on the town. Here is what you may ask Siri to play as outlined on the Audio Sources part of this Apple specs web page:

Apple MusiciTunes Music PurchasesiCloud Music Library with an Apple Music or iTunes Match subscriptionBeats 1 Dwell RadioPodcasts

Multiroom audio is lastly right here with the iOS 11.four software program replace.

Screenshot by Megan Wollerton/Proinertech

What concerning the Spotify, Pandora, third-party podcast apps or every other audio supply? They’re all playable on the HomePod — from iPhone, iPad ($313.99 at Finest Purchase), iPod Contact, Apple TV and Mac — however you may manually must faucet the AirPlay 2 button on the display screen of the supply system. (Home windows PCs working iTunes may also be used as a music supply.) That is a giant step down from the Sonos One, which works with dozens of music providers, as do the Google Residence ($129.00 at Dell Residence) and Amazon Echo audio system.

AirPlay 2 permits multiroom audio, that means you may play the identical tune or podcast in a number of rooms (on a number of HomePods, or on a combo of HomePods, Apple TVs and extra AirPlay 2-compatible gadgets) on the identical time. Launch multiroom audio out of your iPhone or iPad Management Middle by deciding on a couple of HomePod. Saying, “Hey Siri, play a tune within the Dwelling Room and within the Bed room” works, too.

When you merely say, “Hey Siri, play a tune,” solely that HomePod will play. I like that it would not assume you all the time wish to play audio on each suitable speaker. That signifies that you do need to specify “within the Dwelling Room and within the Bed room,” although. 

You too can say, “Hey Siri, transfer the music to the Dwelling Room” if you wish to change rooms — or “Hey Siri, play this tune within the Dwelling Room” so as to add a room by way of voice instructions. 

It is vital to notice that the HomePod would not work as a primary Bluetooth speaker, both. So an Android-toting visitor or member of the family will not have the ability to ship any music to the HomePod from their system.

In different phrases, except you’ve got an exhaustive database of music you bought on iTunes, you are going to want an Apple Music subscription. Apple extends a free three-month subscription to Apple Music if you’re establishing your HomePod. After that 90-day interval ends, the service prices $10 per 30 days for one particular person (or $15 month-to-month for a household plan). Faculty college students can join simply $5 per 30 days, however Apple will ask you to confirm your scholar standing. (These costs within the UK are £10, £15 for household and £6 for college kids. In Australia it is AU$12, AU$18 or AU$6.)