Apple Homepod in-room measurement

[Thomas savage]

Reality is setting in. I set the HomePod on my tv stand, between the JBLs, toggled between them from Apple Music, then turned the SVS sub up to match the balance of bass the pod is emulating. Audiophool hangover causes me to run it at a fraction of what normal people would, and the pod, evidently, is aimed at normal people. The pod doesn’t come very close, IMO. The bass is...boomy?...not exactly, because it’s still well-defined, but it’s not quite right, either. And the mids and highs don’t have the clarity and detail of the JBLs, and bear in mind, while these LSR 305s are really good small recording monitors, they are the world’s cheapest really good small recording monitors. Will two pods bridge the gap? Maybe. I was running it at 100%. Two won’t be working nearly as hard, and the excursion of the bass won’t be dampened as much by the software. Could make all the difference in the world. Will that sharpen the clarity of the mids and highs? Probably not.

With all of that said, it still sounds better off axis than the JBLs. It doesn’t matter where I put it or where I’m sitting. It sounds the same as long as I can see it. They’ve turned the room into the sweet spot, with a $350 speaker. That’s an incredible achievement. I hope Apple, or somebody, does this on a larger scale. And it is, by a long shot, the best speaker I’ve heard in its category. I’ve had the $250 Klipsch (Sent it back. Twice. Long story). And I bought my daughter the $250 Harman Kardon. This is a lot more than $100 better than those, and all the others I’ve auditioned, including more expensive models like the B&Ws. And it takes dictation.


I still may buy a second one, depending on Apple’s return policy (can’t say I’ve ever wanted to return anything to Apple.) But in a place the size of mine, I really only see the need for two if they’re going to replace my main speakers. In the meantime, I think I’ll place it for whole house walking around listening, and pick up my iPad, switch to the JBLs when I’m headed to the living room to sit.

This is in keeping with my impressions of it.

The base is kinda forward with the relationship between base and mids a bit weird ( can’t think of a better description) The HomePod is probably about as good as a device of it’s size and type can be but ultimately it’s resticted by its form.

I certainly could not live with it as a main way to listen to music and I have trouble believing anybody would prefer it to a decent 2 channel system.

 

[12B4A]

The curious issue seems to be the faithful vs. accurate distinction Apple marketing is making. Does extracting the ambience cues from a stereo recording and physically approximating them with directional tweeters enhance a listening experience? When these guys get their software to function with technology invented after 1881 then it will clear the air.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

This is in keeping with my impressions of it.

The base is kinda forward with the relationship between base and mids a bit weird ( can’t think of a better description) The HomePod is probably about as good as a device of it’s size and type can be but ultimately it’s resticted by its form.

I certainly could not live with it as a main way to listen to music and I have trouble believing anybody would prefer it to a decent 2 channel system.

I can - the mids seem just a bit diffused and recessed, even when sitting in front of it. This is ok, maybe even an improvement for piano, rhythm guitar, background vocals...but when Miles steps up to take a solo, the sound is supposed to step up with him. My humble little JBLs step up much stronger.

But it’s a breakthrough for the millions of people who are not going to put a stereo system, properly set up, in their house anywhere.

 

[RayDunzl]

I don't see a low level boost (those traces are rather flat), I do see higher level progressive cut.

Some material seems to be a bit bass heavy at low volume.

Thinking about this again...

It probably does have some "boost" in the low frequencies, the limit of the boost (or the amplification of the bass frequencies in general) is progressively cut back (via some form of frequency selective compression) as the volume control level is increased.

And then there's this (related to the harmonic distortion measurements, maybe), from http://www.electronicdesign.com/systems/how-get-big-sounds-small-speakers

"The smart amplifier technology can easily and smoothly transition from a true bass at low volumes—when there’s enough excursion headroom—into a harmonic bass extension at higher volumes.

It accomplishes this by employing psychoacoustics, the field of research concentrating on the acoustic response of the ear and the brain's perception of sound. Essentially, a smart amplifier fools the brain into hearing low frequencies that aren't actually there.

A musical note normally contains a fundamental tone that defines the pitch, plus harmonic overtones at multiples of the fundamental. When the overtones are present, but not the fundamental, the listener can still perceive the lower note, a phenomenon known as the missing fundamental. Researchers believe that the brain processes the information in the overtones to calculate the fundamental frequency. The precise mechanism is still a matter of debate, but the processing seems to be related to the timing of neural impulses in the auditory nerve.

Smart amplifiers split the audio signal by frequency. Higher frequencies that can be safely reproduced by the speaker are unaffected. But the amplifier DSP analyzes lower frequencies, synthesizes the harmonics above the fundamentals, and then adds them back into the audio signal to create the perception of a powerful bass response. This results in great bass performance at all volume levels."

 

[RayDunzl]

Does the HomePod have any audio controls, other than the volume setting?

Can you say "Too much/Not enough bass!" and it does something about it?

 

[12B4A]

There's no EQ control on the homepod itself.

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

There’s a very simple graphic eq in iTunes, and an even simpler one (a selection of presets) in Apple Music. The bass doesn’t bother me. Yes, the balance can get bass-heavy, but it’s not tubby and sloppy like it is on most small speakers that try to emulate bass. And I’m not sure how to explain it any better. Exaggerated, but not loose. Another pretty good sonic trick, and probably a wise one, since so many people seem to love bass.

 

[leonroy]

There was an interesting write up by Bloomberg about the HomePod here which mentioned a 3' prototype in Apple's labs. One can only imagine what kind of prodiguous sound that thing must have thrown out.

What I find most exciting about the HomePod is the shake up (I hope) it creates in the audio industry. Speakers like the BeoLab 90 and the new Lexicon thing are great and all but until they trickle down past luxury car pricing they might as well not exist as far as 99% of people are concerned.

To get a sneak peak of the future of beam formed, self measuring, active, DSP driven audio I'm curious, is it at all possible to hack open the HomePod, stick it in say a 10" drainpipe and attach a much larger woofer to its output (driving the woofer from a separate amp of course)?

 

[Phelonious Ponk]

There was an interesting write up by Bloomberg about the HomePod here which mentioned a 3' prototype in Apple's labs. One can only imagine what kind of prodiguous sound that thing must have thrown out.

What I find most exciting about the HomePod is the shake up (I hope) it creates in the audio industry. Speakers like the BeoLab 90 and the new Lexicon thing are great and all but until they trickle down to small car pricing they might as well not exist as far as 99% of people are concerned.

To get a sneak peak of the future of beam formed, self measuring, active, DSP driven audio I'm curious, is it at all possible to hack open the HomePod, stick it in say a 10" drainpipe and attach a much larger woofer to its output (driving the woofer from a separate amp of course)?

Not without destroying it.

 

[mpm]

First, I generally agree with Phelonious' assessment. And I too have JBL LSR305s.
I put stereo > mono on my Mac, and used only one 305 to compare to the Pod.
I think that brings them closer to equal regarding the mids and highs. Not sure though ...
which means, I guess, that at least they're very close. The Pod goes deeper, no question.
And agree too that the bass is very tight/controlled. I can't tell for sure if the bass
chamber is sealed ( rather than ported ) from the tear-downs, but would guess it is.
Having had sealed bass units before, it sounds that way to me. It plays very loud,
and totally under control. It fills my 28' x 26' main room, 9' ceilings, as loud as I would
ever want. I have it currently sitting on the ceramic tile floor ( I had to try it ), and
it sounds as good to me as having had it on makeshift speaker stand. Go figure.
If AirPlay 2 will allow true *stereo* play, will be tempted to get another.

 

[mpm]

Other random thoughts ...

1. Apple needs to ensure EQ capability continues. And maybe expand the iOS capability to include
the sliders in iTunes in macOS. People at different ages have different needs. And many recordings
are bass-heavy behemoths, don't we know. Nothing anyone can do about either of those issues except allow flexibility
at the end point for those who require it, or want to bother messing with it.

2. If AirPlay 2 allows stereo signal, might it also allow beam form control, as Beolab 90s?
Then one would have pinpoint imaging available for those lonely late nights in the dark,
locked in the center position with a cheap California red. But possibly most of the time
enjoy a wider diffusion range -- a really a nice advantage with the Pod.

3. Has occurred to me that Apple is possibly making a BMW 3 series here:
for most, about the right size, most of the right features, good looks/design, etc.
I even think the bass response and volume might sufficient for many or most, even for
movie thunder. Only one wire ... no electronics boxes ... etc.

 

[astr0b0y]

I wonder how well a homepod would do as in in car audio system?

 

[12B4A]

Podcasts are the wild, wild west for sound quality and the bass boost with this is accentuating a common production problem: p-p-p-p-plosives. I've also noticed it on some music as well. It'd be nice to be able to tone it down a bit.