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HomePod WARNING: HomePod 11.3 significantly changes EQ, please read before updating

maflynn

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,561
43,539
Buerkletucson said:
sound preference is so drastically an objective thing.
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I think you mean subjective and I agree with out. I'm not defending apple.

Buerkletucson said:
Apple can't decide what sounds good to me or you or anyone else.
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I agree, I'm just pointing out that its apple way, and when "Apple's way or no way" is part of the very fabric of the company you can't expect them to suddenly embrace user choice.

I'll be the first to admit I'm no audiophile and the HP sounds great, Its going to do a better job at balancing the sound then I can, but I also realzie that others who want to control how the music is produced will not have that luxury, and maybe the HP is not the best speaker for thier needs.
 
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Buerkletucson

Buerkletucson

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2015
507
298
Minnesota
maflynn said:
I think you mean subjective and I agree with out. I'm not defending apple.


I agree, I'm just pointing out that its apple way, and when "Apple's way or no way" is part of the very fabric of the company you can't expect them to suddenly embrace user choice.

I'll be the first to admit I'm no audiophile and the HP sounds great, Its going to do a better job at balancing the sound then I can, but I also realzie that others who want to control how the music is produced will not have that luxury, and maybe the HP is not the best speaker for thier needs.
Click to expand...

I stand corrected......never was a grammar expert. ;)
 
Buerkletucson

Buerkletucson

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2015
507
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steve23094 said:
Ever read any audio product review? That’s the reviewer deciding.
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Absolutely.....
But a company should not sell a product then 2-months later come along and decide they want to change the music signature on your device after you purchased based on the original music signature.
Apple decided they wanted a different sound.....not me.

Completely wrong, period.
 
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Bfarmer38119

macrumors regular
May 27, 2012
114
28
Memphis
CamiMR said:
To anyone who’s updated to 11.4, is the sound back to “normal”?
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I don't know - but I have experienced some incredible stereo sound. Very clear with no distortion at all with full volume. Hip hop bass was not overpowering but was still strong. Listened to Frankenstein and Hotel California - both were good for me. With each song I play, I can tell that it is learning the room. Getting better each time.
 
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MacBird

macrumors 65816
Apr 1, 2010
1,301
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CamiMR said:
To anyone who’s updated to 11.4, is the sound back to “normal”?
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I have to test a little more, my first impression is that the sound is somewhere in-between original and 11.3 as far as bass is concerned. The midtones don't sound muddled as in the original firmware. As I said, I have to test some more.
 
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K

kmanmx

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2011
493
136
UK
I personally bet the frequency response has never changed. At worst, updating the software caused the HomePod to recalibrate and deliver a slightly different sound response because of that. But a random change sound signature by Apple ? I don't buy it at all. The HomePod has been in development for years, received rave reviews for sound quality... so why would Apple suddenly change the frequency response so soon after release when noone had even complained ?

Audio industry is renowned for these kind of things. Time after time, people claim they can hear stuff and they just can't. They'll swear blind X thing had changed the sound oh so much. And yet in A/B testing, they can't detect anything. Quite famously at an industry audio event someone changed $1000 audio cables to some car jumper cables and everyone was saying how amazing they were and had no idea they were some $5 Wal-Mart car battery cables. My guess is this is the same thing. One person reported a change in sound quality after 11.3 for whatever reason, and then it just snowballed now that people had it planted in their head that the update made a change.

Until someone comes out with a frequency response chart or Apple admit otherwise, i'm not believing it. I certainly noticed zero difference between any of the updates to my HomePod.
 
AdamA9

AdamA9

macrumors 65816
Feb 2, 2010
1,232
355
kmanmx said:
I personally bet the frequency response has never changed. At worst, updating the software caused the HomePod to recalibrate and deliver a slightly different sound response because of that. But a random change sound signature by Apple ? I don't buy it at all. The HomePod has been in development for years, received rave reviews for sound quality... so why would Apple suddenly change the frequency response so soon after release when noone had even complained ?

Audio industry is renowned for these kind of things. Time after time, people claim they can hear stuff and they just can't. They'll swear blind X thing had changed the sound oh so much. And yet in A/B testing, they can't detect anything. Quite famously at an industry audio event someone changed $1000 audio cables to some car jumper cables and everyone was saying how amazing they were and had no idea they were some $5 Wal-Mart car battery cables. My guess is this is the same thing. One person reported a change in sound quality after 11.3 for whatever reason, and then it just snowballed now that people had it planted in their head that the update made a change.

Until someone comes out with a frequency response chart or Apple admit otherwise, i'm not believing it. I certainly noticed zero difference between any of the updates to my HomePod.
Click to expand...

I came here to post about sound differences noticed in the genre of music I usually listen to. I didn't even know there had been an automatic update applied. I had noticed some of the music that had previously been used as a reference and what I would use to show off the speaker, suddenly sounded different.

I came here to post about it, and saw others complaining of the same thing. And then learned there was an automatic update applied.

Strange coincidence if there has been no change.
 
L

legacyb4

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2002
707
434
Vancouver, BC
MacBird said:
I have to test a little more, my first impression is that the sound is somewhere in-between original and 11.3 as far as bass is concerned. The midtones don't sound muddled as in the original firmware. As I said, I have to test some more.
Click to expand...

Encouraging; more bass like original firmware but with the clearer midtones like 11.3?
 
Buerkletucson

Buerkletucson

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2015
507
298
Minnesota
kmanmx said:
I personally bet the frequency response has never changed. At worst, updating the software caused the HomePod to recalibrate and deliver a slightly different sound response because of that. But a random change sound signature by Apple ? I don't buy it at all. The HomePod has been in development for years, received rave reviews for sound quality... so why would Apple suddenly change the frequency response so soon after release when noone had even complained ?

Audio industry is renowned for these kind of things. Time after time, people claim they can hear stuff and they just can't. They'll swear blind X thing had changed the sound oh so much. And yet in A/B testing, they can't detect anything. Quite famously at an industry audio event someone changed $1000 audio cables to some car jumper cables and everyone was saying how amazing they were and had no idea they were some $5 Wal-Mart car battery cables. My guess is this is the same thing. One person reported a change in sound quality after 11.3 for whatever reason, and then it just snowballed now that people had it planted in their head that the update made a change.

Until someone comes out with a frequency response chart or Apple admit otherwise, i'm not believing it. I certainly noticed zero difference between any of the updates to my HomePod.
Click to expand...


Seriously nobody really cares if you believe it or not.....
I had both my Homepods replaced by Apple and worked with their engineering team on the issue, providing videos and data to them confirming the dramatic change. They wanted both my Homepods back with firmware 11.3 to help them diagnose the sound signature change. That was 2-months ago.
They admitted issues with the sound signature on the 11.3 firmware update.

Your opinion is only that, your opinion......
 
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K

kmanmx

macrumors 6502
Feb 25, 2011
493
136
UK
Buerkletucson said:
Seriously nobody really cares if you believe it or not.....
I had both my Homepods replaced by Apple and worked with their engineering team on the issue, providing videos and data to them confirming the dramatic change. They wanted both my Homepods back with firmware 11.3 to help them diagnose the sound signature change. That was 2-months ago.
They admitted issues with the sound signature on the 11.3 firmware update.

Your opinion is only that, your opinion......
Click to expand...

Right. So why does mine sound identical on all firmware ? (and I have the frequency outputs to prove it). Whereas yours is just "your opinion", do you have frequency outputs to back it up ?

It's funny how this is apparently such a big issue and yet NOBODY can prove it. Yet it's so easy to prove, if it were true that is.

If what you are saying is true, then you are basically confirming what I actually wrote. Apple is not deliberately changing sound signatures (or why would they ask for your homepod's to diagnose ?) there is a fault somewhere, either with hardware or software. 11.2.x does not sound better than 11.3 etc, you are just experiencing an unfortunate bug, if anything.

This placebo BS has existed in the audio world since it's incarnation, and it will continue to exist forever. It's literally infamous for it.
 
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Z

Z3man

macrumors 6502a
Feb 19, 2012
781
397
UK
kmanmx said:
Right. So why does mine sound identical on all firmware ? (and I have the frequency outputs to prove it). Whereas yours is just "your opinion", do you have frequency outputs to back it up ?

It's funny how this is apparently such a big issue and yet NOBODY can prove it. Yet it's so easy to prove, if it were true that is.

If what you are saying is true, then you are basically confirming what I actually wrote. Apple is not deliberately changing sound signatures (or why would they ask for your homepod's to diagnose ?) there is a fault somewhere, either with hardware or software. 11.2.x does not sound better than 11.3 etc, you are just experiencing an unfortunate bug, if anything.
Click to expand...
11.3 was definitely better than the original, there was a definite change.
 
Buerkletucson

Buerkletucson

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2015
507
298
Minnesota
kmanmx said:
Right. So why does mine sound identical on all firmware ? (and I have the frequency outputs to prove it). Whereas yours is just "your opinion", do you have frequency outputs to back it up ?

It's funny how this is apparently such a big issue and yet NOBODY can prove it. Yet it's so easy to prove, if it were true that is.

If what you are saying is true, then you are basically confirming what I actually wrote. Apple is not deliberately changing sound signatures (or why would they ask for your homepod's to diagnose ?) there is a fault somewhere, either with hardware or software. 11.2.x does not sound better than 11.3 etc, you are just experiencing an unfortunate bug, if anything.

This placebo BS has existed in the audio world since it's incarnation, and it will continue to exist forever. It's literally infamous for it.
Click to expand...

Just got to love these big shot know it alls that come on here and think they know what everyone is experiencing and what they went through working directly with Apple engineering......how many times have you worked with or talked to Apple engineers concerning this issue?

Believe what you want.....I have no reason to waste my time proving anything to you and your incessant rant won't convince anyone else.
Apple even admitted it, so you know more than their Engineers? Funny stuff right there..... :rolleyes:

Enjoy your HomePod......
 
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Buerkletucson

Buerkletucson

macrumors 6502a
Sep 12, 2015
507
298
Minnesota
legacyb4 said:
I updated yesterday and definitely noticed a heavier bass "thump" but without the muddy mids; hopefully this is the final tweak they make!

Noticeable at lower volumes where a booming bass is really apparent... [Max Richter - Sleep]
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Same here......not as heavy bass as original but definitely better than the 11.3 firmware.
I'm happy where they have it now with 11.4....and the stereo mode is terrific, with two Homepods the sound is incredible.
 
M

MacBird

macrumors 65816
Apr 1, 2010
1,301
1,665
Buerkletucson said:
Same here......not as heavy bass as original but definitely better than the 11.3 firmware.
I'm happy where they have it now with 11.4....and the stereo mode is terrific, with two Homepods the sound is incredible.
Click to expand...

I agree that the stereo-pairing works really well on iOS devices, fingers crossed that it comes to macOS soon, too.
 
M

MacBird

macrumors 65816
Apr 1, 2010
1,301
1,665
MacBird said:
I agree that the stereo-pairing works really well on iOS devices, fingers crossed that it comes to macOS soon, too.
Click to expand...

I installed the first beta of macOS 10.13.6 on one computer and I can airplay to stereo-paired HomePods now, which is great. The only difference is that the equalizer in iTunes is grayed out, but only when the the two speakers are paired.
 
M

MacBird

macrumors 65816
Apr 1, 2010
1,301
1,665
Jesla said:
Strange.... my EQ isn't 'grayed out' and I can play stereo-paired Pods as well from my Mac Mini.

MacOS 10.13.4
Click to expand...

Same here in 10.13.4 but it is not stereo with my configuration, just double mono.
 
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