I've done that after installing 11.4 on iOS devices and HomePods but that is not what I mean. In 10.13.4 in iTunes I can select both HomePods and they both work but there is no stereo separation, above the music I'm listening to, it says Living Room + Living Room (2). In 10.13.6, it only says Living Room and there is stereo separation. My best guess is that 10.13.5 or .6 are required for real stereo-pairing. In iOS 11.4 stereo-pairing works seemlessly.
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HomePod WARNING: HomePod 11.3 significantly changes EQ, please read before updating
- Thread starter canyonblue737
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I've done that after installing 11.4 on iOS devices and HomePods but that is not what I mean. In 10.13.4 in iTunes I can select both HomePods and they both work but there is no stereo separation, above the music I'm listening to, it says Living Room + Living Room (2). In 10.13.6, it only says Living Room and there is stereo separation. My best guess is that 10.13.5 or .6 are required for real stereo-pairing. In iOS 11.4 stereo-pairing works seemlessly.
Very odd. Was working for me the other day but not today. The name even disappears and reappears in the airplay menu sporadically with the one that isn't playing.
Now with stereo on HomePod, how can my OS X mac also drive stereo? Seems the mac only does one HomePod at a time.
It works with the 10.13.6 beta, and hopefully with 10.13.5 once it will be released.
10.13.5 fixed the issue and stereo-pairing works in iTunes now, the equalizer is grayed out, though, as in the .6 beta.
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Whats the deal with this? I feel this thread should be stickied. this is craziness!
is 12.1.1 restored to 11.2.x EQ/sound quality or was this thing just a bug or what was the deal ?
interesting find
edit- seems like some of the energy of this speaker got partially sucked out of a vat, not just placebo, two days after owning the HomePod. wish I followed my own paranoid advice to not update generally speaking, carefully but I'll explain why I thought it'd be fine. But I discovered this thread late.
The best way I can describe it is sounds like less amped, and like from being a speaker thats overdriven power wise but without clipping or negative side effects, to a speaker that just sounds adequately powered and certainly more neutral. Do you want a beats-ish signature without going overboard and sounding nasty at high volumes, or one thats more analytical and vocal centric (even though vocals sounded very good on 11.2.5 to my ears, too, just better on later versions) but bass anemic comparatively, like you have to 'analyze' for the bass vs it being there? Its almost like the Beats team, and AirPod teams bucked heads working on this project and one got their way in the end lol and most people don't notice or care or update out of the box and never have any other reference point
Is this 'silent' part of the update just to appease the two reviewers that found HomePods too bass heavy? one titled 'only Siri fans should consider this bass bomb' :
https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/12/...nly-siri-fans-should-consider-this-bass-bomb/
No it was probably this actually... The Sonos CEO calling HomePod 'a little heavy of the bass' which he suggests is cause of Jimmy Iovine haha
![hWWReA8.png]()
by the way, price is the issue not necessarily the product and certainly not the sound signature — market share wise
swapped it and got another with 11.2.5, same DL factory, Dec2017 build instead of Jan2018 on previous (which sounded great and punchy too before the software update) which was DL too
((use chipmunk.nl to make sure you don't get one that is >=11.3))
(((The upside is most inventory is probably pre 11.3 which came out march 28)))
Turned off software update, or rather, made sure it was still off
night and day difference, its a matter of preference but two completely different signatures! how they can sell It with one signature/presentation/set of reviews, and change it not long after, and not give the user a switch or option is beyond me and utterly baffling! I like to hear some thump on my kitchen counter personally
The Best Buy customer service lady also looked at me like I was a crazy person explaining the situation for a second, then she proceeded to walk over, grab another HomePod, and swap 'er out. I wonder if it would've been met with open arms had I had bought it at Apple Store, and gone for a swap? Probably would be some defensive-ness/its placebo/its you the user.
Note-
the mid-range was a bit better on updated speaker in my limited testing, but I prefer some punch and fun for as small as this thing is !
especially listening to electronic music, I don't need accuracy at all. This could easily be a set up step ' do you want part large room sound or analytical ' with Siri in the beginning and mitigate all the skepticism, distaste, and returns/exchanges from others.
I'll bet they have a backlog of old manufactured units that don't have at least this version since it hasn’t sold well / no point to keep producing overstock
I would've expected updates to just cover Siri functionality, not other things! sound preferences don't change that quickly after YEARS of testing (since 2012 if I read/remember right) and this thing being in development. Its not that it sounded horrible, still a good speaker, but I love the fun factor of this one on 11.2.5. Almost defies physics. Shame too considering the main draw for this was sound for me, not functionality. Considering it costs like $216 to manufacture supposedly and regular sales are $249, the homePod is in trouble sorta as a product line and something that I could see fizzling if not adjusted properly as a failed way to anchor people in the Apple ecosystem. I love the sound of it though and wanted an airplay speaker and getting a $200 PM sealed it for me so I'm good now and quite satisfied, despite the hurdle. I think it looks nice too design wise! Wasn't going to buy a second one anyways, one in the center of my small apartment is perfect so being on 11.2.5 should be fine. it blows my mind... even playing talk radio voices sounded thinned out bass wise and fullness wise vs the update. Same with siri’s Voice
What’s crazy is the draw to HomePod was the punchy fun sound signature. Vs flatter sounding smart speaker systems for all the rest. I guess they wanna blend in More / usher in a gen2 that has it somewhat restored? I dunno. Feels like a betrayal for early adopters of hardware that are also early adopters of software with the previous reference point
maybe this thing can be jailbroken one day and used as a regular bluetooth speaker for non apple devices too, who knows
is 12.1.1 restored to 11.2.x EQ/sound quality or was this thing just a bug or what was the deal ?
interesting find
edit- seems like some of the energy of this speaker got partially sucked out of a vat, not just placebo, two days after owning the HomePod. wish I followed my own paranoid advice to not update generally speaking, carefully but I'll explain why I thought it'd be fine. But I discovered this thread late.
The best way I can describe it is sounds like less amped, and like from being a speaker thats overdriven power wise but without clipping or negative side effects, to a speaker that just sounds adequately powered and certainly more neutral. Do you want a beats-ish signature without going overboard and sounding nasty at high volumes, or one thats more analytical and vocal centric (even though vocals sounded very good on 11.2.5 to my ears, too, just better on later versions) but bass anemic comparatively, like you have to 'analyze' for the bass vs it being there? Its almost like the Beats team, and AirPod teams bucked heads working on this project and one got their way in the end lol and most people don't notice or care or update out of the box and never have any other reference point
Is this 'silent' part of the update just to appease the two reviewers that found HomePods too bass heavy? one titled 'only Siri fans should consider this bass bomb' :
https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/12/...nly-siri-fans-should-consider-this-bass-bomb/
No it was probably this actually... The Sonos CEO calling HomePod 'a little heavy of the bass' which he suggests is cause of Jimmy Iovine haha
by the way, price is the issue not necessarily the product and certainly not the sound signature — market share wise
swapped it and got another with 11.2.5, same DL factory, Dec2017 build instead of Jan2018 on previous (which sounded great and punchy too before the software update) which was DL too
((use chipmunk.nl to make sure you don't get one that is >=11.3))
(((The upside is most inventory is probably pre 11.3 which came out march 28)))
Turned off software update, or rather, made sure it was still off
night and day difference, its a matter of preference but two completely different signatures! how they can sell It with one signature/presentation/set of reviews, and change it not long after, and not give the user a switch or option is beyond me and utterly baffling! I like to hear some thump on my kitchen counter personally
The Best Buy customer service lady also looked at me like I was a crazy person explaining the situation for a second, then she proceeded to walk over, grab another HomePod, and swap 'er out. I wonder if it would've been met with open arms had I had bought it at Apple Store, and gone for a swap? Probably would be some defensive-ness/its placebo/its you the user.
Note-
the mid-range was a bit better on updated speaker in my limited testing, but I prefer some punch and fun for as small as this thing is !
especially listening to electronic music, I don't need accuracy at all. This could easily be a set up step ' do you want part large room sound or analytical ' with Siri in the beginning and mitigate all the skepticism, distaste, and returns/exchanges from others.
I'll bet they have a backlog of old manufactured units that don't have at least this version since it hasn’t sold well / no point to keep producing overstock
I would've expected updates to just cover Siri functionality, not other things! sound preferences don't change that quickly after YEARS of testing (since 2012 if I read/remember right) and this thing being in development. Its not that it sounded horrible, still a good speaker, but I love the fun factor of this one on 11.2.5. Almost defies physics. Shame too considering the main draw for this was sound for me, not functionality. Considering it costs like $216 to manufacture supposedly and regular sales are $249, the homePod is in trouble sorta as a product line and something that I could see fizzling if not adjusted properly as a failed way to anchor people in the Apple ecosystem. I love the sound of it though and wanted an airplay speaker and getting a $200 PM sealed it for me so I'm good now and quite satisfied, despite the hurdle. I think it looks nice too design wise! Wasn't going to buy a second one anyways, one in the center of my small apartment is perfect so being on 11.2.5 should be fine. it blows my mind... even playing talk radio voices sounded thinned out bass wise and fullness wise vs the update. Same with siri’s Voice
What’s crazy is the draw to HomePod was the punchy fun sound signature. Vs flatter sounding smart speaker systems for all the rest. I guess they wanna blend in More / usher in a gen2 that has it somewhat restored? I dunno. Feels like a betrayal for early adopters of hardware that are also early adopters of software with the previous reference point
maybe this thing can be jailbroken one day and used as a regular bluetooth speaker for non apple devices too, who knows
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Wow, you’re lucky. I would’ve loved to have the old sound signature back. You should do a video comparison, I feel like there are many people out there that believe this was never the case and was just a placebo effect.Whats the deal with this? I feel this thread should be stickied. this is craziness!
is 12.1.1 restored to 11.2.x EQ/sound quality or was this thing just a bug or what was the deal ?
interesting find
edit- seems like some of the energy of this speaker got partially sucked out of a vat, not just placebo, two days after owning the HomePod. wish I followed my own paranoid advice to not update generally speaking, carefully but I'll explain why I thought it'd be fine. But I discovered this thread late.
The best way I can describe it is sounds like less amped, and like from being a speaker thats overdriven power wise but without clipping or negative side effects, to a speaker that just sounds adequately powered and certainly more neutral. Do you want a beats-ish signature without going overboard and sounding nasty at high volumes, or one thats more analytical and vocal centric (even though vocals sounded very good on 11.2.5 to my ears, too, just better on later versions) but bass anemic comparatively, like you have to 'analyze' for the bass vs it being there? Its almost like the Beats team, and AirPod teams bucked heads working on this project and one got their way in the end lol and most people don't notice or care or update out of the box and never have any other reference point
Is this 'silent' part of the update just to appease the two reviewers that found HomePods too bass heavy? one titled 'only Siri fans should consider this bass bomb' :
https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/12/...nly-siri-fans-should-consider-this-bass-bomb/
No it was probably this actually... The Sonos CEO calling HomePod 'a little heavy of the bass' which he suggests is cause of Jimmy Iovine haha
![hWWReA8.png]()
by the way, price is the issue not necessarily the product and certainly not the sound signature — market share wise
swapped it and got another with 11.2.5, same DL factory, Dec2017 build instead of Jan2018 on previous (which sounded great and punchy too before the software update) which was DL too
((use chipmunk.nl to make sure you don't get one that is >=11.3))
(((The upside is most inventory is probably pre 11.3 which came out march 28)))
Turned off software update, or rather, made sure it was still off
night and day difference, its a matter of preference but two completely different signatures! how they can sell It with one signature/presentation/set of reviews, and change it not long after, and not give the user a switch or option is beyond me and utterly baffling! I like to hear some thump on my kitchen counter personally
The Best Buy customer service lady also looked at me like I was a crazy person explaining the situation for a second, then she proceeded to walk over, grab another HomePod, and swap 'er out. I wonder if it would've been met with open arms had I had bought it at Apple Store, and gone for a swap? Probably would be some defensive-ness/its placebo/its you the user.
Note-
the mid-range was a bit better on updated speaker in my limited testing, but I prefer some punch and fun for as small as this thing is !
especially listening to electronic music, I don't need accuracy at all. This could easily be a set up step ' do you want part large room sound or analytical ' with Siri in the beginning and mitigate all the skepticism, distaste, and returns/exchanges from others.
I'll bet they have a backlog of old manufactured units that don't have at least this version since it hasn’t sold well / no point to keep producing overstock
I would've expected updates to just cover Siri functionality, not other things! sound preferences don't change that quickly after YEARS of testing (since 2012 if I read/remember right) and this thing being in development. Its not that it sounded horrible, still a good speaker, but I love the fun factor of this one on 11.2.5. Almost defies physics. Shame too considering the main draw for this was sound for me, not functionality. Considering it costs like $216 to manufacture supposedly and regular sales are $249, the homePod is in trouble sorta as a product line and something that I could see fizzling if not adjusted properly as a failed way to anchor people in the Apple ecosystem. I love the sound of it though and wanted an airplay speaker and getting a $200 PM sealed it for me so I'm good now and quite satisfied, despite the hurdle. I think it looks nice too design wise! Wasn't going to buy a second one anyways, one in the center of my small apartment is perfect so being on 11.2.5 should be fine. it blows my mind... even playing talk radio voices sounded thinned out bass wise and fullness wise vs the update. Same with siri’s Voice
What’s crazy is the draw to HomePod was the punchy fun sound signature. Vs flatter sounding smart speaker systems for all the rest. I guess they wanna blend in More / usher in a gen2 that has it somewhat restored? I dunno. Feels like a betrayal for early adopters of hardware that are also early adopters of software with the previous reference point
maybe this thing can be jailbroken one day and used as a regular bluetooth speaker for non apple devices too, who knows
From what I recall, the bass had an amazing aura prior to the update, it wasn’t the same experience by cranking up the bass.
I think there are comparison videos on youtube, but I heard it myself immediately enough to warrant a trip out to best buy
And I didnt have the two units side by side, bc I did a direct exchange for another HomePod that was 'old' inventory and restored the sound I appreciated
Really quite ridiculous software update that came out a month after launch of HomePod, changed the signature noticeably.
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Well, glad you got in the before and after window at least, to decide it wasnt for you
I think the sound is about as good as you can get without being able to defy physics for as small as it is relatively speaking
the 360 degree projection sold me, in the dead center of my apt it works great!
Didn’t know about this and mine updated last week. I’ve been thinking I was crazy the last week but yea the HomePod is basically a pale version of what it uses to be now. Any solutions to this yet? I want the bass back.
Whats the deal with this? I feel this thread should be stickied. this is craziness!
is 12.1.1 restored to 11.2.x EQ/sound quality or was this thing just a bug or what was the deal ?
interesting find
edit- seems like some of the energy of this speaker got partially sucked out of a vat, not just placebo, two days after owning the HomePod. wish I followed my own paranoid advice to not update generally speaking, carefully but I'll explain why I thought it'd be fine. But I discovered this thread late.
The best way I can describe it is sounds like less amped, and like from being a speaker thats overdriven power wise but without clipping or negative side effects, to a speaker that just sounds adequately powered and certainly more neutral. Do you want a beats-ish signature without going overboard and sounding nasty at high volumes, or one thats more analytical and vocal centric (even though vocals sounded very good on 11.2.5 to my ears, too, just better on later versions) but bass anemic comparatively, like you have to 'analyze' for the bass vs it being there? Its almost like the Beats team, and AirPod teams bucked heads working on this project and one got their way in the end lol and most people don't notice or care or update out of the box and never have any other reference point
Is this 'silent' part of the update just to appease the two reviewers that found HomePods too bass heavy? one titled 'only Siri fans should consider this bass bomb' :
https://venturebeat.com/2018/02/12/...nly-siri-fans-should-consider-this-bass-bomb/
No it was probably this actually... The Sonos CEO calling HomePod 'a little heavy of the bass' which he suggests is cause of Jimmy Iovine haha
![hWWReA8.png]()
by the way, price is the issue not necessarily the product and certainly not the sound signature — market share wise
swapped it and got another with 11.2.5, same DL factory, Dec2017 build instead of Jan2018 on previous (which sounded great and punchy too before the software update) which was DL too
((use chipmunk.nl to make sure you don't get one that is >=11.3))
(((The upside is most inventory is probably pre 11.3 which came out march 28)))
Turned off software update, or rather, made sure it was still off
night and day difference, its a matter of preference but two completely different signatures! how they can sell It with one signature/presentation/set of reviews, and change it not long after, and not give the user a switch or option is beyond me and utterly baffling! I like to hear some thump on my kitchen counter personally
The Best Buy customer service lady also looked at me like I was a crazy person explaining the situation for a second, then she proceeded to walk over, grab another HomePod, and swap 'er out. I wonder if it would've been met with open arms had I had bought it at Apple Store, and gone for a swap? Probably would be some defensive-ness/its placebo/its you the user.
Note-
the mid-range was a bit better on updated speaker in my limited testing, but I prefer some punch and fun for as small as this thing is !
especially listening to electronic music, I don't need accuracy at all. This could easily be a set up step ' do you want part large room sound or analytical ' with Siri in the beginning and mitigate all the skepticism, distaste, and returns/exchanges from others.
I'll bet they have a backlog of old manufactured units that don't have at least this version since it hasn’t sold well / no point to keep producing overstock
I would've expected updates to just cover Siri functionality, not other things! sound preferences don't change that quickly after YEARS of testing (since 2012 if I read/remember right) and this thing being in development. Its not that it sounded horrible, still a good speaker, but I love the fun factor of this one on 11.2.5. Almost defies physics. Shame too considering the main draw for this was sound for me, not functionality. Considering it costs like $216 to manufacture supposedly and regular sales are $249, the homePod is in trouble sorta as a product line and something that I could see fizzling if not adjusted properly as a failed way to anchor people in the Apple ecosystem. I love the sound of it though and wanted an airplay speaker and getting a $200 PM sealed it for me so I'm good now and quite satisfied, despite the hurdle. I think it looks nice too design wise! Wasn't going to buy a second one anyways, one in the center of my small apartment is perfect so being on 11.2.5 should be fine. it blows my mind... even playing talk radio voices sounded thinned out bass wise and fullness wise vs the update. Same with siri’s Voice
What’s crazy is the draw to HomePod was the punchy fun sound signature. Vs flatter sounding smart speaker systems for all the rest. I guess they wanna blend in More / usher in a gen2 that has it somewhat restored? I dunno. Feels like a betrayal for early adopters of hardware that are also early adopters of software with the previous reference point
maybe this thing can be jailbroken one day and used as a regular bluetooth speaker for non apple devices too, who knows
Haven’t kept up so I’ll defer it to other people but I don’t think so unfortunately
This whole thread is hilarious. Just got a HomePod and have used it in the office during the week and must say I have suffered quite a bit from the insane bass levels nowhere near a neutral sound. I kind of expected this, but not to this extent.
Reading this thread gave me hope. Maybe my HomePod is on an earlier version and after update it will sound reasonable. Today I checked and it is on 12.3 or something like that. ?
It must be crazy with the bass levels prior to this. Oh each to their own. Still funny when I see people complain they feel their got broken in the update discussed in this thread.
Reading this thread gave me hope. Maybe my HomePod is on an earlier version and after update it will sound reasonable. Today I checked and it is on 12.3 or something like that. ?
It must be crazy with the bass levels prior to this. Oh each to their own. Still funny when I see people complain they feel their got broken in the update discussed in this thread.
It’s a matter of personal preference
im still insanely happy with my shipping OS HomePod
Neutral isn’t fun or big speaker sound to me,
I dont want an analytical listening session when I listen over a single (multi smaller speaker) speaker, there are neutral cans out there for that
im still insanely happy with my shipping OS HomePod
Neutral isn’t fun or big speaker sound to me,
I dont want an analytical listening session when I listen over a single (multi smaller speaker) speaker, there are neutral cans out there for that
I would say a personal choice what one likes and enjoys. There is no question about the HomePod having an insane bass boost, being far way from neutral.
This coming from someone with a fairly insane Hifi setup, capable of producing sound way below 10 Hz at high sound pressure levels.
I still like the HomePod so far, I am not unhappy with the purchase. Quite the opposite! Still find this thread funny.
This coming from someone with a fairly insane Hifi setup, capable of producing sound way below 10 Hz at high sound pressure levels.
I still like the HomePod so far, I am not unhappy with the purchase. Quite the opposite! Still find this thread funny.
To be fair, this thread has been dead for a while you’ve revived it
I’m assuming either very few people care, or even had the original firmware as a reference point.. since HomePod has been out for a long while now
I just wish apple had a toggle-able setting to switch between the original ‘Beats’ like sound signature, and the more neutral one. The more neutral one isn’t all bad, bass anemic-ness aside, I think the vocals were a little less sibilance-y, but not a deal breaking amount between the two
I’m assuming either very few people care, or even had the original firmware as a reference point.. since HomePod has been out for a long while now
I just wish apple had a toggle-able setting to switch between the original ‘Beats’ like sound signature, and the more neutral one. The more neutral one isn’t all bad, bass anemic-ness aside, I think the vocals were a little less sibilance-y, but not a deal breaking amount between the two
I know it is an old thread, many new iterations of the software has been released since. But some discussion and reflections on new and old threads should be welcomed, to keep it an healthy forum.
Toggle or EQ, I’d welcome both.
Toggle or EQ, I’d welcome both.
I didn't own HomePod at iOS11 so I never experienced this hyper-bass sound that is being referred to. What I can tell you as an iOS12 and 13 owner is that the sound quality of the HomePod is fantastic and I couldn't be happier with the performance. It's the only audiophile-caliber bookshelf smart speaker on the market and streaming Apple Music on them is just one of the highlights of my day.
Anyone updated to latest homePod OS (iOS 14 equivalent) to see if the sound is punchy again?
Im still on stock, launch fw haha
Im still on stock, launch fw haha
Hey Doggfather, great to see you again.
I've been on 14 for months and just got pushed the update tonight. I'll give a listen and let you know.
Do you have a keen ear for this kinda thing? the punchiness as it used to be vs. more neutral that came with the update?
--
on a related note, I wonder if the HomePod mini's will pack a punch sound signature wise or not. That $99 price point rocks for getting more of the market of smart speakers
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Okay, good news, yes, it's much more punchy. I'm quite happy. These are my go-to test tracks, I always listen to these to validate the bass, mids, highs, dynamic range, etc. so I can tell the nuances over time:
Billy Jean, Nuttin' But A G Thang (Dre), She's Leaving Home, New Frontier (Donald Fagen). The bass is really ground-shaking again. I like it that way, I really like the bass deep and distinctive as my master bathroom and kitchen are echo chambers. Mids and highs still separate and sound crisp. Very pleased. 14.1 downloaded just a few minutes ago. Update yours and let me know what you think.
And you came from the original firmware or a previous 14.0 build or late 13 one?
Man, I wonder if my HomePod can even handle original fw to current. Such a leap in time, software development wise.
Oh I saw your post above you were never on 11.
Hmmm
I appreciate your feedback but I'm still really paranoid haha cause if its not to my liking, once its gone its gone.
and people complained on iOS 12 HomePod.
So I didn't have HomePod for the first year it came out, so I joined at iOS 13 or earlier, I can't remember. What I can tell you is that when I first got HomePod in early 2019 it was really bassy, in the year since updates over time neutered that bass feeling, and now 14.1 has brought it back.
I like it when the floor drops and you can feel the bass. It's back to that now. Mind you, it was never bad, just was less bassy. That's just returned.
ah ok! so you have some reference of the anemic-ness the picky people here have experienced as well
good to know
I appreciate your data point
maybe I'll research what I can gain from the newest software feature wise, for my use cases, before maybe rolling the dice.
if nothing, I still may just keep it. Seems to still work fine beaming audio to it from my brand new 12 Pro