Siri speaker, Apple HomePod review: bass issues overshadow impressive features.

Optimal in Apple-centric setups, smart speaker’s sound varies with room.

Apple’s surprise second generation of its big, high-quality smart speaker has arrived, marking a return to the market. However, with five years having passed since the debut of the initial model, significant transformations have taken place in the realm of voice-controlled home audio systems. The question lingers: can the HomePod maintain its relevance?

Priced at £299 ($299/A$479), the speaker comes in at £20 less than its predecessor’s launch price in 2018. Nevertheless, it remains over three times the cost of Apple’s other Siri-enabled speaker, the £99 HomePod mini.

Retaining the familiar design of its predecessor, the new HomePod boasts a marshmallow-like shape, complete with a light-up disc at the top, a fabric-covered body, and a small silicone foot. The detachable power cable finds its place at the back, with no additional ports or recesses evident.

Similar to its counterparts, this speaker is exclusively designed for Apple users. Individuals lacking an iPhone equipped with iOS 16 or an iPad running iPadOS 16 won’t be able to configure it. Additionally, users of Android devices and PCs are unable to establish a connection with the speaker.

Crafted with a focus on Apple Music, this speaker has the capability to play tracks purchased from Apple or streamed via the iTunes Match cloud storage service, podcasts, TuneIn, and select radio stations from Global in the UK. In the US and Australia, it extends its compatibility to iHeartRadio and Audacy.

For services like Spotify and BBC Sounds, they can be manually directed to the speaker through AirPlay 2 over Wi-Fi using their respective apps on your iPhone or iPad. However, they cannot be played natively through voice requests via Siri, such as in the case of Apple Music. Notably, the HomePod lacks support for streaming via Bluetooth and does not feature an analog line-in.

Apple’s voice assistant performs admirably in handling song requests from Apple Music and managing playback. Its remarkable ability to recognize “Hey Siri” commands at a normal speaking volume, even when the music is at maximum volume, is noteworthy.

While Siri may have more limited access to general information compared to some competitors, it excels in executing various tasks such as timers, calculations, and conversions. When your voice is recognized, and your iPhone is on the same Wi-Fi network as the speaker, Siri gains access to your personal information, including your calendar.

Specifications

• Size: 142 x 168mm
• Weight: 2.3kg
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi 4 (n), Bluetooth 5.0, Thread, UWB, 4x microphones
• Controls: Capacitive touch buttons on the top
• Speakers: 4-inch woofer, five-tweeter array

Audio, films, and spatial sound

The HomePod’s sound quality is notably influenced by your room’s shape and your listening position, more so than any other speaker I’ve tested. In a spacious, open-plan setting like a kitchen island, it delivers an impressive audio experience.

Characterized by well-controlled bass, detailed highs, and commendable mids, the HomePod exhibits excellent tonal separation. It performs admirably with both regular and spatial audio tracks, although some may find its sound slightly clean and clinical.

Pairing two HomePods enhances the audio field even further. Spatial audio tracks shine when the recording is well-produced, although most songs tend to sound better in stereo.

However, when placed in a smaller living room measuring four meters square, with the speaker positioned on one side near the TV and the sofa directly facing it against the wall, the dynamics change. Seated on the sofa, the predominant experience is loud, booming, and uncontrolled bass that overwhelms the sound. Yet, standing up or sitting on the floor in the room’s center restores the sound to its normal balance.

This issue becomes more pronounced when using a pair for stereo and spatial audio from Apple Music, Spotify tracks, or movie soundtracks via an Apple TV. Adjusting the speakers’ position or distance from the wall yields negligible results. Similar challenges were encountered in two other rooms with different dimensions but similar layouts.

While the bass reduction toggle in the Home app can alleviate the overwhelming bass, it comes at the cost of reducing the fullness of the rest of the audio. The ultimate remedy would be to move the sofa further into the room, but this may not be a practical solution for everyone.

Sustainability

The HomePod incorporates a variety of recycled materials, including gold, plastic, rare earth elements, and tin. Its repairability is notable, with an out-of-warranty service priced at £239, and it boasts a more accessible design compared to its predecessor. In terms of energy consumption, it draws less than 0.5W when idle, up to 9W at 50% volume, and reaches a maximum of 36W at 100% volume.

Apple provides trade-in and complimentary recycling programs, extending their services to include non-Apple products as well.

Price

The price of the Apple HomePod second generation is £299 ($299/A$479).

In comparison, the HomePod mini is priced at £99, the Amazon Echo at £110, the Google Nest Audio at £90, the Sonos One at £199, and the Era 100 at £249.

Conclusion

The second-generation HomePod exhibits significant inconsistency in its performance, standing out as one of the most unpredictable speakers I’ve tested. While it excels in large open-plan spaces, its audio quality can be disappointing in specific scenarios, such as when placed in a medium-sized living room with a sofa directly facing a wall, resulting in overly dominant and booming bass—a letdown for a speaker priced at £299.

Compatibility is limited, as native music playback is restricted to Apple devices, making it suitable primarily for all-Apple households with an Apple Music subscription. Nevertheless, in environments with the right room configuration, the HomePod boasts noteworthy features and seamlessly integrates with Apple TV. Siri’s responsiveness is impressive, efficiently handling most basic smart speaker functions.

However, for the majority of users, alternative options from competitors like Sonos, Bose, and Amazon offer more appealing choices at similar or lower price points.

Pros: Notable features include spatial and lossless audio, use of recycled materials, improved Siri functionality, AirPlay 2 support, stereo pairing capabilities for Apple TV use, and commendable performance in spacious environments.

Cons: Sound quality is highly contingent on room geometry, lacks native support for Spotify or BBC radio, optimal performance requires an Apple Music subscription, lacks Bluetooth streaming and line-in capabilities, relatively expensive, and limited cross-platform compatibility.