r/HomePod • u/thilehoffer • Mar 24 '23
Why are so many people using HomePods instead of a receiver and speakers? Discussion
Wouldn't a regular receiver with 5.1 or more speakers with a dedicated sub woofer sound significantly better, have more compatibility, and less issues than a homepod set up? What am I missing? *edit Thanks for replies. Honestly if I didn’t have a PS, XB, and Switch hooked up I might do it too.
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u/Horror_Profile_4743 Mar 24 '23
My wife approved HomePods, but not huge ugly system. We also basically use appletv for everything.
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u/thilehoffer Mar 24 '23
If you don’t use and Xbox or PlayStation and you have a small room, I guess it makes sense.
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Mar 24 '23
I have my two HomePods set up to my Apple TV which plays all of my TVs audio, including from the Series X and PS5. No noticeable latency either. Sounds incredible for their size.
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u/nikC137 Mar 24 '23
Same, I love the clarity I hear from my Xbox.
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u/dougnan Mar 24 '23
Do you have the PS five directly set up to the HomePods? Just picked Mine up today will be setting it up later
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Mar 24 '23
PS5 connects to the TV via HMDI 2.1, then the TV passes that audio on via eARC to the Apple TV which then airplays to the HomePods. Sounds complicated but works flawlessly so far and sounds great!
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Mar 24 '23
As long as your TV has an HDMI port that is ARC or eARC you just plug the AppleTV into that port and then set its audio output to the homepods. Everything else will also use that audio return channel to output sound regardless of the input they are plugged in to in the TV
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u/JanoHelloReddit Mar 24 '23
Not directly. PS5 goes hdmi to TV. TV hdmi arc/cec goes to the Apple TV 4K and set up the apple TV to cec sound receiver
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u/dougnan Mar 28 '23
Hey thank you for the reply. You told me what to look for and I did, and everything sounds great now. I appreciate it!
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
Sure you’re not wrong, but you can get tiny bookshelf studio quality speakers for this price them to HomePods that will sound better. And that’s no insult to the HomePod.
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Mar 24 '23
Factoring in size, build quality, sound quality, smart functionality, and the lack of wires, I’d argue there is nothing that competes for ~£600
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
I’d say ten years ago I’d agree with you but you get VERY good studio quality speakers for a few hundred now. Yamaha, YBL etc all offer great budget speakers. But HomePods are great - I feel they’re slightly too pricey - it’ll be interesting to see how long they last - people talk about the OGs breaking often which is think is poor.
Edit : obviously, these aren’t smart speakers
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u/XtremePhotoDesign Mar 24 '23
eARC works with Apple TV to feed any TV audio to the hompods, sounding better than most sound bars.
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u/AlpsPlayful9442 Mar 24 '23
My HomePods play audio no matter the source. Nintendo Switch, audio out of HomePods. No issues there
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u/Horror_Profile_4743 Mar 24 '23
Yes we don’t have Xbox or PlayStation. We have a 20x20 ft room I think, and it sounds huge and amazing.
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Mar 24 '23
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
You can set up a hi-fi system for less than 600 these days which would sound better I’d say. More research and time though.
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Mar 24 '23
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
fair enough.
take your pick from these : https://www.whathifi.com/us/best-buys/hi-fi/best-budget-hi-fi-speakers
and these :
https://www.lifewire.com/best-stereos-under-300-3135054
far from top of the line, but they'll sound better than homepods (which still sound great)
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Mar 24 '23
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u/silentsights Mar 24 '23
Came to make the same response. Most of the speakers in that list just provided are already in the $600 range and up, and that’s without sub+receiver…..dual HomePods win in this scenario
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
dont know who downvoted you. what a wally
I had an onkyo receiver for 250 and it was amazing. like so good.
it's kinda like hoe the Japanese got really good at making scotch. ha.
I think it would sound better - speakers like these have much better 'throw' than 2 HomePods and fill the room better IMHO - I would never treat my living room for sound, im not rich!
I have no idea what a Dirac is, but my NAD amp and second hand PMC speakers sound stunning in my non-sound treated room (about 1k budget - so higher than 2 homepods).
anyway - to each their own, like I constantly said, the HomePods are great. and so simple to set up, they definitely have their place.
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Mar 24 '23
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
oh thats sounds pretty amazing ! the Dirac, pun not intended. I'd be curious to hear it in action. I've never been a fan of sub woofers - but people tend to overuse them a little. your set up sounds awesome - we have the same amp! work horse.
to be fair, 600 would be tricky, but do-able (maybe).
all good to have slightly differences of opinions, most Redditors seem to be obsessed with being totally aligned on things or its....war. ha.
thanks for the link, I'll check it
nice chatting - enjoy your sounds
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u/ermax18 Mar 25 '23
There is an open source AirPlay 2 emulator named shairport-sync which has a built in DSP that will read impulse files from the free room measuring software, REW. This open source project can also run scripts when starting/stopping and changing volume so it’s not too difficult to interface it with modern IP connected AVRs to turn them on/off and adjust the volume. So you can AirPlay enable any Hi-Fi setup which also includes room correction, all for free. You need a high quality mic for the room measurement but there are so resonantly priced mics out there specifically designed for room measurements which even come with calibration files that REW can use.
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u/gcuben81 Mar 24 '23
What are you talking about? HomePods don’t have awesome bass. They’re not comparable at all to a real setup. 600 is not a lot of money to put a system together, but I’d rather have a receiver and two speakers than a couple of HomePods. There’s nothing special about those. There just like any other Bluetooth speaker. And you don’t need Dirac to get a component system to sound a hell of a lot better than some gimmicky compact speaker.
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u/Macrike Mar 25 '23
There just like any other Bluetooth speaker.
With comments like this, you lose all credibility.
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u/gcuben81 Mar 25 '23
Please explain to me how they’re different? They certainly don’t have “tons of bass” as the commenter has suggested. THEY lose all credibility when they say that.
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u/ThePronto8 Mar 25 '23
Are you talking about the OG HomePod or HomePod 2? I have the OG and they have Ton of bass.. idk about the newer ones
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u/gcuben81 Mar 25 '23
A ton of bass? Lol… they fall off at about 70 hertz. That’s incredibly laughable that anyone thinks that’s a “ton of bass”. They’re a nice sounding sound bar or Bluetooth speaker. Not comparable to a subwoofer at all.
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u/by_jupiter Mar 25 '23
All this is true for US only. You need to consider that other countries and people exist outside of US. For people like us, HomePod is a great solution. Its readily available (unlike HiFi systems) and more importantly, everybody in the house should have a say in how the setups should look like. Homepods are a very neat setup. Takes minimal power. Please understand that power is not uninterrupted like in western societies, and I will have to run the setup on UPS to account for power cuts. Homepod HT lends itself very well in these situations. No ugly boxes on the floor, reduced dust collection on the top, no amplifier to mess with and I can go on and on. And lastly, in built room correction and 360 degree sound. No HiFi system in the world has these. Its portable too. Enough said.
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u/bottom Mar 25 '23
That’s a good point well made. Not something I would have considered.
Also I do think the homepod is a great speaker for loads of reasons. Enjoy!
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u/Unhappy-Valuable-596 Mar 25 '23
Lol. They’re all budget shit mate. You try and power those bookshelf dalis from £300 multichannel integrated it’ll sound like shit.
However, power them from something like the classic denon pms-350 and your neighbours will want to kill you if you.
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u/Unhappy-Valuable-596 Mar 25 '23
You can pickup a pms-250 from £25 on eBay, it’ll blow your mind. But I’m pretty sure you’ve not heard a stereo HomePod setup if you think any onkyo setup is half decent
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
this brand is insanely good at this price point. https://www.bestbuy.com/site/onkyo-tx-5-2-ch-with-dolby-atmos-4k-ultra-hd-hdr-compatible-a-v-home-theater-receiver-black/6333560.p?skuId=6333560&ref=212&loc=1&extStoreId=609&ref=212&loc=1&&&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlPWgBhDHARIsAH2xdNf_nC5Y9oe7ID2tUw2WTkrS7oVrp0Q1ZPSoJMjjW9uA748b9LBrc5waApi1EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
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u/Western-Addendum6258 Mar 24 '23
Just look at the back of an ordinary 5.1 receiver, and then compare that to the tech savvy of the ordinary uses and compare it with the one plug you have to plug in for a HomePod set up and you’ll have your answer.
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u/Kashawinshky Midnight Mar 24 '23
Space; wiring; convenience; expense.
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
Wiring?
Like 6 cords to plug. 😆
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u/distinctaardvark Mar 24 '23
Compared to 1...
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
That’s not surround sound though.
Imma gonna go with mine. You go with yours.
Have a good day
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u/NuncaMeBesas Mar 24 '23
Plenty more than 6 cords on a 5.1 system. From the entertainment system cord count: Optic sound cord, Power cord, 6 cords for speakers. Then from each speaker depends on how you run it will also have their cords to the mounts so 5 more cords.
Vs
1 fniiing power cord on a HomePod.
Take that funny mocking grin out of here and put it next to your cords
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23
Sure a few more. But 2 pods aren’t proper surround really. So it’s not a fair comparison
They’re ok. Good even but for 600 and a tiny amount of work you can get something better imho. I’m a musician so maybe my ears are shot. 😆 or maybe I’m used to better sound. 🦍
Take that with your salty remark
We’re still allowed different opinions aren’t we ? Sheesh.
Enjoy yourself.
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u/EvoNoize Mar 24 '23
Most people want no wires, speakers that small and fit the decor, and easy of use/setup.
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u/Belle_Requin Mar 24 '23
More compatibility with what? I only have apple devices and and a Samsung TV.
And why have a receiver I can’t ask to turn off the lights or remind me to change the load in the washer?
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u/MrCuzz Mar 24 '23
Better than TV speakers, less space than a sound bar, more separation than a sound bar.
As an added bonus in my weight room, I prefer music while my wife prefers TV. Having Homepod Minis means I don’t have the temptation to watch TV since I can play my music directly through the speakers rather than watching TV.
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u/TaurusSilver404 Mar 24 '23
I have both, I like the HomePods for casual listening and when people come over it’s easy for anyone to connect and throw their music on plus we get audio everywhere with multiple HomePods without having monitors and subs placed in every room and having to wire them through walls. Plus I think the HomePods look better than conventional speakers and we use Siri all the time. The audio quality isn’t as good as a dedicated setup so I have receiver and speakers for when I want that
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u/cawsllyffant Mar 24 '23
Everything is a trade off in multiple dimensions.
In the last decade, I've gone from a mid-range amplifier with 5.1 and wires everywhere (~1,000USD), to a 9 speaker soundbar + wireless subwoofer(~900USD used) that consumed about 3.5 feet of shelf space (plus the subwoofer) to 2 HomePods(~600USD) that take up less that 6 in of shelf space each.
Yes, at each point I've given up sound quality at least in theory. But 99.999% of the media I consume is already compressed using lossy compression, (Apple Music, streaming video services, mp3/4's, etc). Between that and my aging ears, I question how much perceptible quality I've actually lost.
It's good enough for me & spouse, we can hear tv/movies/music clearly and the sound is fairly immersive. Sure it could be more immersive if I gave up more space to audio detritus but to be honest I've gotten pretty sick of audio equipment dominating my living areas... so I'm fine with the loss. (It's the same reason my tv could be on r/TVTooHigh, it's out of my line of sight most of the time and I watch reclined.)
I use my HomePods with my switch & xbox1, btw. My appletv is hooked up to my tv's earc port and it just works.
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u/Consistent_Dig2472 Mar 25 '23
Was the soundbar you were using the JBL? I have the 5.1 model and it’s become extremely underwhelming in the new apartment with a more open plan living space. Strongly considering a HomePod setup
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u/wnbrown99 Mar 24 '23
The sound is decent, sonos is not supporting speakers I bought from them “too many” years ago, Jeff Bezos wants $14/month for my kids to use their speakers at the same time, and Apple Home uses all of my speakers at any time… without charging me more.
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Mar 24 '23
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u/biggestsinner Mar 24 '23
This is not about getting older. I’m in my 20s and having the same issue. 70% of the time, I have to disable dolby atmos and 100% of the time, I have to switch to “adaptive/voice clarity” mode on my soundbar otherwise I have to turn up to volume so high that it bothers all the neighbors and blast scenes shake my apartment just so that I can hear and understand the dialogue. TV producers think that everyone has a 18-seat movie theater in their home so all the movie is finetuned for that. It’s ridiculous. I just wanna hear what everybody is saying in the show.
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u/ADHDK Mar 24 '23
I honestly find voice clearer on DTS, and having the separation of a centre channel helps heaps too. It’s all a part of the compression and down mixing everything experiences these days. You have a mumble actor on screen and you’re mixing audio for 20+ positions, you can keep it clear. By the time that same scene is downmixed to 2.0 it’s clear as mud. Adding fake atmos crap to that 2.0 actually makes it worse.
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u/nutmac Mar 24 '23
I used to have a multi-channel speakers setup with processor, power amp -- the whole shebang.
They are great when in use, but they occupy a significant portion of the living space and clash with its overall aesthetics.
I still miss the experience from time to time, but my family isn't watching TV from the common area as much as we used to. So I much rather have more minimalist open space.
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u/pointthinker Mar 24 '23
You are correct. Full Atmos Music or video sound is only capable on an Atmos AVR with the minimum number of speakers needed. Something like 5.1.2 with 5.1.4 better for minimum.
But I play music lossless on a 2.1 system all the time to wired KEFs. It is the best sounding other than Atmos, IMO.
I use HomePod minis in the home and even in the room with the KEFs when my ears are tired of the KEFs and I just want background level music.
But the latest HomePods v2 are a quick and simple way to get really close to a full system and no need for much use of your hardware brain. AVRs and even simple stereo receivers require some basics on how to hook all of it up.
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u/Consistent_Dig2472 Mar 25 '23
Currently using the jbl 5.1 sound bar. It’s okay, but since moving into an apartment with a more open plan living space I’m constantly underwhelmed by the setup and struggle to hear dialogue all the time. Considering switching to a HomePod setup, as we already use AppleTV. You seem to know what you’re talking about so was hoping I could ask a couple of questions. 1. How do they fair without a dedicated centre channel? 2. How far apart should they be? With my current setup, the best place to put them would be on shelves either side of the TV, making them a little over 2.5m apart.
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u/tooold4urcrap Mar 24 '23
I don't have compatibility issues on any console, or media center in any room at my house... I play ps5/xbox/pc/switch just fine, with no issues.. Setup took no effort.
The only issues I have with it are Siri issues. Everything else is fine.
I have a couple of them on a batterybase (minis, not the original/large sized - not sure if they have a battery base option, I'd probably get one if they did though) - so they're wireless when I move them around whenever I want.
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u/Charblee Mar 24 '23
If you have an Apple TV, and a TV that supports eARC, all of your game consoles hooked up to the TV can also play their audio through the HomePods. Lots of people have posted their setups here showcasing just that.
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u/ReshKayden Mar 24 '23
Anything that requires me to run exposed wires to surround / rear / sub speakers is a dealbreaker for me, and if I have to run wires through my walls, that blows the price point.
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u/Manson2612 Mar 24 '23
And this is the easiest and cheapest way to get Dolby Atmos for content that supports it and they sound pretty immersive without breaking the bank
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u/volerei Mar 24 '23
I guess HomePod is wire free. I have minis in the house but have an amp hooked up to stereo and Centre speakers in the living room. There is no way dual HomePods could sound better.
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u/drinkyourwaterbitch Midnight Mar 24 '23 edited Mar 24 '23
They don’t sound better, that’s for sure, but a stereo-paired HomePod can compete with (more) expensive soundbars, or even a full home theatre setup—less cost, less the hassle of setting it up, or just having the need of a huge space.
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u/thilehoffer Mar 24 '23
But the aren’t wire free, they have a power cord. I have an OG home pod in the kitchen and a mini in all the bedrooms. They are awesome, just not a good home theater solution IMO.
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Mar 24 '23
You’re right, of course, but this won’t be popular talk around here. Any two-speaker system won’t be as good as a proper 5.1 / 7.1 / etc setup, but the gap is closing for most people to the point where it’s more than good enough. The same thing is happening with soundbars—they will never compare with a proper multi-channel setup, but given how good they’ve gotten, most people don’t care enough about the difference to spend the additional money and deal with the additional hassle. You’re in an Apple sub, people prioritize simplicity more than most, yadda yadda yadda…
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Mar 24 '23
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u/skithegreat Space Gray Mar 24 '23
I have both and I love both. It depends on your room setup as the HomePod gives you more flexibility in constrained settings with giving you full sound especially in a stereo pair.
Now when I want to go full movie mode I prefer my 7.2 setup all day. But for tv and general music my HomePods are awesome
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u/_Zero_Fux_ Mar 24 '23
Because it justifies our overspending on a voice assistant to turn our lights off.
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u/imme629 Mar 24 '23
I use the minis for regular TV and music to fall asleep to. I have a full size system for movies. I don’t game.
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u/OkAlarm283 Mar 24 '23
They are more convenient with apple user echo systems and the sound is pretty dam good.
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u/kiddredd Mar 24 '23
I've used 5.1 with high end AVR and speakers; an upper-medium range soundbar and sub. Like others on this sub, the ease of setup, fewer wires and settings, aesthetics, Apple TV integration and a very good sound stage from HP's tip the scale. We watch TV in the den, and we also have guests in the den, read in the den, play with the dog in the den, eat Doritos in the den. It's not a home theatre, and since show/movie dialogue > car wreck & spaceship SFX, the HPs are the sweet spot for us.
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u/_takeshi_ Mar 24 '23 edited Mar 24 '23
Receiver with 2 speakers and a subwoofer did sound better than a stereo pair of HomePods in our living room but it came at the cost of a lot of extra unsightly equipment, wires, etc. I'm surprised that my wife who is an interior designer allowed it to begin with. Anyway, the sound quality tradeoff was worth it to us so we got rid of the old receiver & AirPort Express and moved the subwoofer to a different room. The wires, visible wire covers/conduit, & wall mounted speakers will be removed during a remodel of the room and greatly clean up the appearance of the space.
As an added bonus, our cats no longer hang out where the (warm) receiver was. We don't have them vomiting and shedding on electronics in that spot. I no longer have to periodically clean up vomit and wonder how the receiver still works. I don't have to periodically dismantle it to vacuum out the built up cat hair to prevent a fire hazard.
Den which is intended for watching movies and shows in surround sound definitely has a receiver, amp, speakers all around & a subwoofer. The receiver and amp in this room are in a media cabinet which is why we don't have cat issues with these.
Bedroom has a soundbar only but we went with an all-in-one soundbar solution (which does offer support for a subwoofer that others certainly utilize) that we didn't think needed a subwoofer to round it out. We just don't have the space in there for a subwoofer and the better half was not going to put up with rear speakers in there. Had the 2nd gen HomePods come out earlier, I would have considered them for the bedroom but I'm very happy with the soundbar though it took some convincing with the wife as it's a very large soundbar.
Kitchen just has a single HomePod. There isn't room in there for a receiver and speakers. The single HomePod is more than enough for the space.
Different requirements & restrictions, different solutions for each of those spaces. Like the old saying goes, every problem looks like a nail when the only tool you have is a hammer but that doesn't mean that one solution is best for every situation. Sometimes aesthetics, convenience, space constraints, etc trump absolute sound quality.
...have more compatibility, and less issues than a homepod set up?
We have no need for "more compatibility" and do not have more issues where we used HomePods.
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u/Unhappy-Valuable-596 Mar 24 '23
I ditched a denon xr4800 receiver and £6000 worth of speakers over HomePods.
The atmos is very good, not even close to my old denon system for rear effects but they are vastly superior for music without getting a dedicated stereo amplifier.
Also I no longer have a room full of speakers
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u/Twovaultss White Mar 25 '23
Sounds better but HomePods are much more convenient. So I keep two HomePods for music on the fly in a living room where my home theater is.
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u/thilehoffer Mar 25 '23
I don't know. If you have an Apple TV hooked up to the receiver it is pretty simple to use it to listen to music / change music from the phone.
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u/Twovaultss White Mar 25 '23
Fair enough, I use a Roku. When I come home with my AirPods in it’s easy to change the music to my HomePods. Yes, my dedicated, more expensive home theater sounds miles better. But most times the HomePods are good enough.
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u/SupaSays Orange Mar 25 '23
I find using the AppleTV for Airplay is inferior to Airplay directly via AVR receiver. When you Airplay via receiver you gain volume control via Siri and iOS device home screen without needing to use the Apple TV, TV, or AVR remote. Via AVR you can use the shortcut " on all speakers" on HomePods for house wide music. With Apple TV you have to add a second voice command for " play this also on AppleTV" to get it included in house wide audio.
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u/SupaSays Orange Mar 25 '23
Have a Costco Onkyo NR-6050 7.2 HDMI 2.1 AVR with Airplay2 for only $400 that syncs excellent with all the HomePods around the house. It even turns on from idle and switches to Airplay automatically when you select it as a speaker.
https://www.costco.com/onkyo-tx-nr6050-7.2-channel-av-receiver.product.100804401.html
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u/thilehoffer Mar 25 '23
Cool. I didn't know receivers could have air play 2. When three comes out could it get an update? I need to research this...
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u/SupaSays Orange Mar 25 '23
I haven't heard of any news of Airplay3 in the pipeline. The jump from 1 to 2 solved most issues as Airplay2 changed the standard to allow speakers to play audio from downloaded files using coordinated time sync rather then Airplay1's relying on multicast, need for perfect networking, and not dealing with each devices unique processing delays. If there was a 3 coming it would add spacial audio, which really isn't worthwhile when doing house wide audio.
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u/thilehoffer Mar 25 '23
Thanks so much for this comment. I just updated the firmware on my four year old Yamaha Receiver and I can now air play right from phone. Awesome…
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u/SupaSays Orange Mar 25 '23
Should also work directly from HomePods when you say play "whatever" on all speakers.
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u/MN19871991 Mar 26 '23
I use mine in my semi truck. I’ve got my Apple TV hooked up to the 32 inch Samsung QLED, with the second gen homepods set as default audio for the tv. That’s really about as good of a setup as you can hope to get in this small of a space.
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u/sooperdooperdj Mar 24 '23
It may be a generational thing. For me, I’m all in Apple everything. But for some reason I’ve never even considered needing or wanting a HomePod. I already have great clear and loud speakers and a good amp. I know the HomePods supposedly sound great, but they just won’t be able to compare to my setup. Also I’m an audiophile nerd DJ. I don’t like listening to music that is transmitted through Bluetooth. Sound is noticeably less warm and lacking in fidelity. Obviously I’m not like most people. But it was odd to me at first that this would even be something people would need or want. Then learning of all the crazy automated stuff you can do makes it more appealing for sure. I think living off the grid for 5 years made me realize there are a lot of things that I just don’t need or I don’t even know most of these items even exist. Lmao but I may get one to play with. Can I run audio from my iPhone iPad and MacBook to it and have all three play back? Using the Ableton Link feature would keep each device in time even on Bluetooth. Any producer’s that use HomePod may be able to help. But yea, I can echo the sentiment of op. For different reasons maybe, but I get it, or don’t, ehhhh prob both. ;)
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u/XtremePhotoDesign Mar 24 '23
I don’t like listening to music that is transmitted through Bluetooth.
HomePods don't use any form of Bluetooth for audio, only for discoverability.
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u/sooperdooperdj Mar 24 '23
Thanks for the info, I did not know that, I admittedly know fairly little about HomePods. I assume the audio is streamed through your preferred platform? That would be a problem as far as listening to music goes. I don’t use Spotify or Apple Music. I do purchase music through Apple Store or whatever they are calling the half-assssd iTunes now. Or are there audio input jacks? I should probably go talk to google about this. You’ve peaked my interest.
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Mar 24 '23
For the Apple Tv i use the homepods. But for PS5/4 XBox 4k Player i use a Sony receiver with 7.1 sound. Homepod is easier with apple tv.
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u/kincaidinator Mar 24 '23
How is it easier? You already have an audio setup and the only step left is to plug your Apple TV into your receiver
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Mar 24 '23
I didnt want to do that. I wanted the homepods for apple tv.
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u/kincaidinator Mar 24 '23
Okay so my question is why? You already have a system that is better than HomePods in every way so why would you want the audio for your Apple TV to be of a lesser quality than everything else?
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u/pugapocalypse17 Mar 24 '23
You’re in a HomePod subreddit. Of course the majority of posts will be about dual HomePod setups.
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u/trigun74 Nov 12 '24
Too many people listen to their system rather than listening to music. The homepods allow you to not worry about how it looks or sounds and lets you concentrate on the music. Yes spending over $500 us will get you more but not much more. You need to spend a lot more to make it worthwhile.
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u/Mysterious_Control 3d ago
Yeah a proper home audio system is better regardless of what people think. It’s also universal and lasts longer. HomePods are great, but they’re not as universal and they won’t last as long due to software.
Having said that there are use cases for the HomePod and you are probably not asking in the right subreddit. I got a friend who uses HomePod minis for his TV speakers. He needs the speakers close to his ears and can’t use a sound bar. Nor can he run wires due to his situation. Other people are probably in the same situation.
But if you can, I would always recommend a proper home sound system.
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u/C_Plot Mar 24 '23 edited Mar 24 '23
To me, the more salient question is why Apple has not enhanced the HomePod system to include full Atmos hardware: subwoofer, and surround speakers galore. Instead of mere pairing for stereo, we might then group many speakers (perhaps some lacking Siri smarts to save money) to create all of the rich sound (or even richer) of other audio systems but with the convenience of Bluetooth and HomePods.
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u/yung40oz84 Mar 24 '23
This is exactly right… Even a lot of high end sound bar setups with subwoofer and rear speakers would sound significantly better. I don’t get the hype at all.
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u/greatauror28 Mar 25 '23
Idk about others but would be weird to have 100” screen, a projector and 5 homepods in my basement, don’t you think?
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Mar 24 '23
I’ve got the enclave audio 5.1 wireless setup and it is beyond fantastic, I could not recommend it enough. Way better spent money than HomePods.
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Mar 24 '23 edited Mar 24 '23
They either believe marketing. The prefer the cost. They are ignorant. They prefer the look. There’s absolutely no other reason. It’ll NEVER sound as good
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u/Paul_Thomo Mar 24 '23
Cost. Ease of setup. Less wires.
Not everyone is an audiophile who cares that much as long as they sound good.
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1
Mar 24 '23
In the past we always used our Appletv with a soundbar to play radio all day. Since a couple of weeks we use apple’s HomeKit, with a HomePod mini. The sound of the soundbar is 10x better, but for radio only, the HomePod is ok.
In addition, it saves a lot of energy, the homepod instead of the appletv
1
u/gcooldude Mar 24 '23
Better than the sound bar I had, takes up less space, and works well in the Apple ecosystem. Plus, I live in a townhouse so I can't use anything too loud that would disturb my neighbors.
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u/Tikal26 Mar 24 '23
Convenience, money and space. You can’t get a 5.1 system for $600, you can’t always run wire or install speakers or atmos in all spaces. It takes like 8 min to set up a pair of HomePods. My 5.1.2 system sound a thousand times better Thant two homepods but we don’t need to heard the news in sorrounds sound or watch every show on atmos. We have two HomePods on the regular living room upstairs that everyone likes, but you bet during movie night everyone makes their way downstairs to ge the best sound.
1
u/TARS1986 Mar 24 '23
Simplicity In terms of visual appeal and of course ease of use. Not everyone wants a big ole receiver and speakers on the floor.
It’s the same reason people like sound bars too.
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u/bottom Mar 24 '23 edited Mar 24 '23
That’s what I’ve been thinking too recently.
$600 for a pair - it isn’t cheap, and to be honest while the sound quality is good - it’s not quite $600 good. A decent, cheap amp (receiver) and studio quality speakers would provide a much better sound at this price point.
But I do get it, it’s simple it’s easy, some people think they look better than studio speakers (which I think look amazing).
I think it comes down to marketing and lack of knowledge of sound. To be fair the HomePods do sound good and it’s so easy to set up and use, but you could really get much better sound at the same price point. Of course, also goes for Sonos and other smart speakers.
I managed to get an amp and secondhand PMC speakers for this than $1000 (they’re usually $1000 each) I’ve had the system for over 8 years and it sounds amazing. (Again, not knocking HomePods)
I see the ease of set up and lack of wires to as being in advantage.
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u/mulderc Mar 24 '23
Maybe, but I already have a homebody and have had zero issues with it and my AppleTV.
1
u/FreshStartLiving Mar 24 '23
Pretty sure it just boils down to budget and simplicity. A true great 5.1 setup will cost ya. $600 min for a decent receiver. Another $1000 for decent surround sound satellite speakers then another $500 for a quality sub. This is all on the cheaper side too. You could spend a fortune with higher quality equipment. If you don't want to see speaker wire all over the place, there's the expense and time to wire everything in walls/ceilings terminating on the wall behind the AVR. A lot of people just want something better than the built-in TV speakers.
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Mar 24 '23
I was wondering the same thing although we have hardwire speakers throughout the house inside & out and boise system also but have had it long time so things have changed the boise are also small mounted speakers to the ceiling but the sound at the time wasand still is great.
1
u/KronikCity518 Mar 24 '23
The only reason I could think of is cheaper. I have a 5.1.4 Atmos setup and a Denon receiver that has AirPlay so my HomePods are used for music only in rooms other than my living room.
1
u/Firefighter-8210 Mar 24 '23
Because my living room isn’t huge and also really no easy way to run wires for surround sound without tearing a bunch of crap up just to do so. Now my basement I may end up running wires eventually, but for now my HomePods sound great in my living room.
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u/Naxthor Blue Mar 24 '23
They sound good and more compact. I have a Sonos system and love it, but HomePods don’t sound that bad either.
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u/SuspectUnclear Mar 24 '23
I get ya mate. I’ve got a nice 5.1 with full fat speakers and a beautiful subwoofer. When I see the HomePod setups I think it’s just like getting a soundbar. It’s better than TV speakers, and they’ll help with home automations.
I know it doesn’t float your boat but probably fills an audio sized hole for many. I would imagine many of these peeps would also then consider upgrading to a full “proper” system down the line too.
1
u/r0b0tvampire Mar 24 '23
Different purposes.
I have a very large home theater in our basement with 7.1 speakers and a receiver.
I have a nice soundbar with sub on my living room TV.
I have 9 HomePods scattered throughout the house. They are used for:
- whole-house audio and - soft, background music during parties
- casual music/podcast/radio listening in individual rooms by family members
- doorbell announcements
- Siri questions and timers
- issuing HomeKit commands
- intercom (calling the kid to come down)
1
u/BigOlBearCanada Mar 24 '23
A true dedicated setup is the way to go. But. If you can’t run 5.1/7.1 it’s not a terrible option. Better than many sound bars for the same price.
1
Mar 24 '23
You’re asking in the homepod Reddit? 😛 I have HomePods but don’t know anyone else with even just one to be honest. Reason for us was aesthetically pretty (nice design no cables no need for anything under the tv) and decent sound. Not great but decent.
1
u/Layered-Briefs Mar 24 '23
Yeah. I had one, though it was only Bose surround sound + receiver. Sounded great, especially for movies. I’ve moved a half dozen times, set it up every place I’ve owned or rented for more than a decade.
But I’ve got 3 kids now. We moved to a new house, I gave the whole thing away to some kid that lives on our block. It’s too much work to set it up. And then it doesn’t have Siri built in - I mean, she’s bad at answering questions right now, but she plays music even when the 4 y.o. asks. And I can use the intercom to call the kids to dinner, or tell them we’re leaving.
I mean, the OG HomePods I have sound just fine. Sure, I’m at an age now where I could finally afford some real speakers, get some Klipsh or even some electrostatic speakers. But … what a pain? And then I can’t even turn the lights on in the living room with them? I dunno. Sounds like a mechanical watch. (Yeah, mechanical watch! nice! Really appreciate the workmanship. But it doesn’t read my heart rate? Or tell me calories burned? Nah, thanks.)
1
u/clbw Mar 24 '23
Less equipment, takes up less space and the sound works well deep base. Now if I had a dedicated theater room then I would have a full blown 5.1 setup.
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u/JATO757 Mar 24 '23
I switched from a 5.1 setup to a HomePod pair. The main reason was convenience - even with HDMI control the setup felt clunky and I’d have to field calls from my wife asking how to get the sound from the Apple TV, why she’s hearing the PlayStation but not seeing it, etc. Having a bunch of independent devices that are supposed to play nice together, but don’t always do that became more of a PITA than it was worth.
With the HomePods, Apple TV, and eARC, they work flawlessly, sound amazing, and I don’t have to deal with being tech support anymore. Yeah, the sound is a little less impressive than a full 5.1 setup when watching movies, but it’s great nonetheless.
Honestly, I wouldn’t go back to a 5.1 or even 7.1 setup at this point unless I was building a dedicated home theater.
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u/Toffor Mar 24 '23
My couch is in the middle of the room. The room has hardwood floors. So no good way to mount the rear speakers behind me and no way to hide all the wires. It’s a fairly small room and the stereo pair HomePods sound awesome. Can’t imaging a full on receiver and 5.1 sounding much awesome-er and definitely not enough to deal with the suboptimal situation with wires and placement of extra speakers.
1
u/silentsights Mar 24 '23
You should watch a few YouTube videos on this subject, you’d be surprised at the results.
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u/Jubei-kiwagami Mar 24 '23
For my main movie watching, HomePods are not gonna cut it period. I have 7.3 system with an 75" screen. The OG are great, but when those 3 subs kick in when Godzilla is stomping the neighborhood, the couch, will shake like he's right there. lol
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u/ChristopherSunday Mar 24 '23
I have a receiver and home theatre setup in my lounge with an Apple TV4K, but in my kitchen I have two HomePods as the default audio for an Apple TV4K.
I have a proper setup for movies etc, but we spend quite a lot of time as a family in the kitchen and the HomePods work really well for TV/music etc.
For me personally this is the best of both worlds. We use the kitchen TV far more than the lounge and it works out really well for us, minimal fuss and space required. Good sound. Then the lounge is where we go to watch movies.
I guess some people may not have a particular interest in a dedicated home theatre setup and just enjoy the convenience of HomePods. It would never replace a dedicate home theatre setup for me personally, but I totally get why it would work as an alternative for other people.
Each to their own.
1
u/MCSSavvy Mar 24 '23
I like the small footprint the HomePod minis have. I have one set up on the nightstand on each side of the bed. Space grey matches everything so it blends in and both sync together as a speaker set providing a nice sound in a small space.
Personally, I’d rather not hunt down another remote to manage a sound bar and subwoofer. They also have a larger footprint. The amount of space I need to dedicate to a HomePod or HomePod mini is quite smaller than a home theater sound system. I live in a small flat so for me the HomePods and HomePod minis make sense. Eventually I’ll get a set of HomePods for my living room/office.
Edit: corrected a misspelling/ not quite right auto fill word
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u/FitSeeker1982 Mar 24 '23
Cheaper and easier - I’m an old separate component guy, and if anything ever happened to me, the significant other would have no idea what to do with all of the wires, components, and speakers.
1
u/ddeacon22 Mar 24 '23
Don't use PS, XB as an excuse. I just got a pair and set them as primary speakers on my AppleTV. Plugged my AppleTV into an eARC compatible HDMI port on my TV and enabled pass through audio on my Xbox and voila, my Xbox sounds comes through my HomePods.
1
u/XmasRights Mar 24 '23
Size & Spousal Approval
If you have a living room that can accommodate wired rear speakers, £600 will give you something truly magical
However, I live in a flat which rules out subwoofers, and my current family situation can't really accommodate rear speakers without things getting inconvenient or dangerous for the little ones
Enter HomePods - far nicer than something like a Sonos Beam, far smaller and more attractive than an Arc, and packs a genuinely incredible amount of boom for any movies with rumble
1
u/ADHDK Mar 24 '23
I love my receiver and speakers. They shit alllll over options like this. But, wires, large, etc, when I started that path every soundbar sucked.
If I did it all again today without having spoiled myself with the premium, I’d go Sonos. Sonos being capable of actually having surround sound and a subwoofer, while doing multiroom.
1
u/Defard2001 Mar 24 '23
Basically plug and play-ability. I had a soundbar before and got fed up of constantly having to tweak settings because of audio delay on Xbox etc. Now I have 2 AirPods hooked upto an Apple TV and have Dolby Atmos goodness with no fuss. Also i can finally hear things better due to not being drowned out by a subwoofer
1
u/Mysterious-End-441 Mar 24 '23
i’ve always had apple products so apple’s speaker tuning sounds ‘right’ to me, so to my ears homepods are the best sounding speakers
definitely not saying that they are actually the best because i know that’s not true, they just sound the best to me subjectively
1
u/RedneckChinadian Mar 24 '23
I have multiple setups for vintage/modern/atmos and basic setups but nothing rivals the convenience of a pair of HomePods. They bring a nice balance of good sound convenience and minimalist looks to almost any room. I have a $10k+ sound system that while it obviously crushes HomePod uses much much more power and doesn’t have voice control. Sometimes I just don’t need that kind of audio performance for casual listening.
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u/MindlessOwl Mar 24 '23
For me it’s the simplicity.
I don’t know anything about setting up speakers, Let alone setting up an audio system to sound anywhere close to how good the OG stereo homepods are.
I don’t have to dick about with cables and learning where everything needs to go. The hardest part setting everything up was literally plugging in a few HDMI cables 😁
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u/Disastrous_Try7713 Mar 24 '23
It’s really just convenience and ease of setup. Maybe also the minimalist look as well. I wouldn’t get rid of a good 5.1 or 7.1 setup, but my two homepods do sound better than my Sonos Beam with two Sonos Ones as surrounds.
1
u/captstarkirk Mar 24 '23
To be honest i use both HomePod in stereo and my Nad/klipsch hifi. If you want to listen to music without the housarocking or watch a bit of tv then homepods are brilliant. But if you want someoneaknockin’ and you gottaberocking then hifi’s the go.
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u/jtmonkey Mar 25 '23
Yeah I bought a Samsung 950 sound bar and it freaking blows up the room. I am Former av sales and custom a/v media room whole home audio setups, like 100k media rooms. I get that it’s not a hi-fi setup but it’s quick and easy. When it comes down to it it’s about good enough more than being the best.
Does it supply enough hookups? Using e arc I run everything to the tv and one back out to the soundbar. So yeah. Good enough. The HomePods provide good enough at easy difficulty level. Av receivers and 5.1 provide good sound if you put the money in and if you have the wiring and if you can get it setup and if you want it all to sync and if the audio delay doesn’t get jacked up and if it’s not been bumped by your dog and left on the wrong input and if your sound track isn’t accidentally set to PCM out out and on and on.
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u/Educational_Ebb_4308 Mar 25 '23
2 wires (or 4 depending on set up) for each speaker plus power cords 12+ wires for a 5.1 vs 2 power cables for home pods.
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u/mikolv2 Mar 25 '23
In addition to what everyone else already said.. price. HomePod is what, £299? If you want a new name brand 5.1 setup you’re looking at a £1000+ easy. That’s for the cheapest receiver and speakers.
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u/wiggum55555 Mar 25 '23
Simplicity & convenience. Never going to be as good as a system with a decent dedicated Sub & rears. But for many many people, in many many (most) situations & spaces.. these are more than "good enough" with zero-config, "no wires" and zero-management.
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u/mr68w Mar 25 '23
I can see that - as a apartment dweller I have powered speakers for my turntable which helps with not just space but where / how things are arranged - with that I have HomePods minis for my TV through a Apple TV that sounds great - and using a app called AirChord I can using USB from my turntable to a iPad wirelessly use my AirPods Max or my Sony XM4s or whatever device that shows a connection
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u/Schykle Mar 25 '23
Well if I can choose between one thing to set up vs two things that achieve the same goal but with less features overall, I think I'm going to pick the one.
HomePods sound great for how simple they are, but are incredibly easy to set up, create stereo pairs with, have voice control, and can control home devices. Not to mention that they've got temp and humidity sensors as well. Neat features like passing my phone over it to transfer music to the HomePod or even from the HomePod, and I can set alarms and timers on it just as well.
1
u/ThePronto8 Mar 25 '23
Easier to set up, no wires, everything easily controlled with just the Apple TV remote. I love it.
1
u/YOitsBEAT Mar 25 '23
I had an Apple TV first so HomePods were just the easiest option to get premium sound for everything I use my Apple TV for (which is basically everything but gaming). Super easy to use and having HomePod minis in other rooms to play the same audio everywhere at once requires no real work at all. Sound is great and being in the apple ecosystem rather than using third party apps makes it well worth it to me.
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u/wailana94 Mar 25 '23
For me, convenience. It was easy to set up and all my tech (iPhone, iPad, MacBook) is Apple. Easy to integrate.
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u/Startygrr Mar 25 '23
I have both setups. I wish I would have paid more for an Airplay2 capable version of my receiver…. My family has been enjoying surround sound since the quadraphonic days. Gotta say, I still find myself wishing Apple had gone ahead with the idea of linking, at least, four HomePods. The multiple direction speakers, in each pod, with calculations handled by onboard computing are an attraction. The sound, though physically, more limited than the hifi, is more than sufficient. The day, however, when Apple allows for more to be added for a greater home theater experience, will be a triumph of wireless tech.
I cannot speak to any of my hifi speakers, to ask about the weather, answer calls, send messages, set alarms, check the humidity, handoff audio, command devices connected to HomeKit, play games, crack jokes… or hear a “Your welcome”, to my “thank you”, for instance. Maybe…. More useful?
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Mar 25 '23
Easier to use my echo that my stereo. At this point I very very rarely use my stereo and I’ve for a movie.
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Mar 25 '23
Space. I used to have a 7.1 receiver with large Martin Logan speakers and a big REL Stadium subwoofer. I switched to 2 HomePod mini's. The sound is crap compared to what I had, but I got lot's of space back and can change the layout of the furniture in the living room so much easier.
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u/mjt5689 Space Gray Mar 25 '23
It would also generally be more expensive and require more knowhow to set up to go with a 5.1 setup. HomePods get the job done if you're not necessarily looking for the best.
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u/itsnottommy Mar 25 '23
Other people have already stated the technical aspects of this (including convenience, price, etc.), but I wanted to share my opinion on the aesthetic appeal of HomePods. I personally don’t like centering a living room around a TV, which is why I have a relatively small TV and a pair of white HomePods.
HomePods look clean and simple and they can be placed almost anywhere in a room without seriously compromising the sound quality. I’ve seen pretty clean 5.1 setups with discreet speakers and hidden wiring, but as a renter my options are limited to cheaper 5.1 systems that don’t look great and have lots of wires to deal with.
A 5.1 system might sound better, but sound quality isn’t my only priority when I’m looking for living room TV speakers. A pair of HomePods sound more than good enough for me while still being aesthetically appealing.
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u/blipdragon Mar 25 '23
Automation = different radio stations / playlists at different times or day….wake up/sleep to your favourite station/song/playlist…..then there’s “Silly”………………………………………
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u/calbatron Mar 25 '23
HomePods with an appleTV has been the best experience for the price point. Use a single remote. If everyone uses iOS the phone integration is great. Arc with the ps5 works great.
The receiver offers flexibility but my family never had the patience for it. It would go wrong, CEC would have its own mind of what it wants to do. Volumes between different inputs was inconsistent.
Simplicity always wins over sound quality.
1
Mar 25 '23
I have a stereo pair mounted to my headboard and they sound amazing. As a added bonus since they are so close to my head they don’t have to be super loud and bother other people.
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u/superquanganh Mar 25 '23
Depends, some people just need a speaker that can use siri with homekit, play media from iPhone to it
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u/ermax18 Mar 25 '23
Because most people aren’t concerned about sound quality. Although they will swear they can tell a difference in Apple Music lossless on devices like HomePods, AirPods or any Bluetooth device for that matter.
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u/Odd-Dog9396 Mar 25 '23
Different people have different needs. For me it's fourfold.
- Remote control nightmare, unless you want to buy an expensive programmable remote.
- The hassles of keeping various components working in a 5.1 setup, and managing cables in challenging situations. I hate visible cables.
- I am not an audiophile. Especially when watching movies.
- HomeKit. I have a large home with 80+ smart devices and 14 HomePods, so I can just summon Siri no matter where I am in the house.
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u/GarageInfinite5006 Midnight Mar 25 '23
For people who are in the Apple ecosystem and want an audio system that sounds pretty good and doesn’t take up tons of space it’s for those people. Additionally it works seamlessly with Apple services, Apple TV, and HomeKit accessories.
With that being said, If you want a PROPER home theater experience then Sonos or a 5.1 or 7.1 system will provide the best experience.
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u/ToojMajal Mar 26 '23
100% possible to get better sounding audio out of conventional amp and speaker type equipment, and you can even set it up for airplay / streaming with a Wiim or other simple streaming device.
I think the main arguments for the HomePod are the HomeKit / Siri functions and the general integration with the Apple ecosystem.
I have actual stereo systems in spots where I want to listen to music, but use a HomePod mini as a Home Kit hub and as a bathroom speaker.
1
u/Personal-Will-7077 Mar 26 '23
I'm with you... spend the money on a system that can give you surround and a dedicated subwoofer, for less money with sound quality that is nearly or every bit as good, and they work as your default speakers no problem. Modern sound systems can be controlled with one universal controller so long as you are using eARC, and they also offer AirPlay, Bluetooth, etc.
If you want to use Siri, your iPhone and Apple Watch are never far. Or just toss a HomePod mini somewhere within earshot.
1
u/Dry-Adeptness-8933 Sep 28 '23
Horses for courses…stereo HomePods cover so many bases. They may not be the ultimate home theatre solution but then if that’s what you want, dig deep into your wallet and get a dedicated setup. HP’s have so many clever applications, a Jack of all trades rather than being the master in one. Do they sometimes misbehave…yes they do but somehow that adds to their quirkiness for me. Love em !
1
u/thilehoffer Sep 28 '23
We have three minis, one in each bedroom, and an OG HomePod in the kitchen. I’m a fan, just not for my TV.
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u/0000GKP Mar 24 '23
Convenience. They are always on. They can be set as the default speakers for my AppleTV. I only need the single remote (ATV or Control Center) to turn on my TV, control the ATV, and adjust volume. I can AirPlay to them when my TV is off. I can use Siri to set reminders and control my lights.