Which speakers would you buy (or which are you currently using) for your home theatre setup? Let us know! Buy 2nd Gen Apple HomePods: lmg.gg/xpLKV Buy an Apple TV 4K: lmg.gg/IXT1B Buy Edifier S2000MKIII Bluetooth Bookshelf Speakers: geni.us/ATzMl4Z Buy a Fire TV Stick 4K Max: geni.us/qXJZL Buy a Belkin SoundForm Connect AirPlay 2 Adapter & Receiver: geni.us/lfqOu Buy an Echo Studio Speaker: geni.us/VOrNbaU Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.
@finepilot
Жыл бұрын
$50 dollars one
@Doug-mu2ev
Жыл бұрын
I actually did the same exact experiment as you. Tried the Homepod 2 x2 home theater, found it lacking. Then bought the Amazon Studio pair + subwoofer (still saving hundreds of $$) and I’m liking it much better (put the echo sub behind my couch for some rumbly in my bumbly). Can you test gaming audio between the two solutions? Also, how was Amazon’s Atmos in your opinion?
@mgkleym
Жыл бұрын
I run a 3.0 setup with elac debut 2.0s 6.2b bookshelf's for the main speakers and a 5.2c for the center. If I wanted active speakers I would have gone with a pair of edifiers and I have setup up family members with them in place of a speaker bar. It's been a few years but my 3 passave speakers and referb Denon receiver were in the same ballpark pricewise as the homepod setup my. The receiver has built in music streaming and home assistant integration but I just use streaming apps on the tv or Bluetooth off my phone.
@BonJoviBeatlesLedZep
Жыл бұрын
Sound bar probably
@devlatyan1312
Жыл бұрын
I have the Amazon setup and I am pretty satisfied with it. I would suggest it to anyone who can deal with software and technical stuff.
@andrewm6716
Жыл бұрын
Using multidirectional speakers for traditionally fixed use cases is likely the major issue here. No amount of smart wall bouncing can outdo purposely facing the driver at you.
@per-olamjomark7452
Жыл бұрын
Mac Address just addressed this issue in the comments. A large space would be detrimental to simulating spatial audio. But the "living room" they shot in is just a set; the actual use of the speakers was done in several different rooms of varying sizes, from a small bedroom-like setting, to a wide open living space.
@AaronShenghao
Жыл бұрын
@@per-olamjomark7452let's be realistic, apple products target people who have large spaces... Otherwise you can't afford them...
@CarlosKTCosta
Жыл бұрын
If you are going to spend money on sound just go all out and get those sound panels that come with art printed on them and treat your room for sound
@bigcwastaken2112
Жыл бұрын
And one of those weird minimalist people doesn’t know this so they waste their money
@michaelmaasen872
Жыл бұрын
Correct
@GrandpaJeffrey
Жыл бұрын
I live in an apartment, and use two apple home pods with my 4K Apple TV. It works really well and doesn’t bother my neighbours. I have listened to a lot of speaker “experts” on KZitem and find that so many of the audiophiles who do this type of analysis often miss the point of this type of speaker. 1. They do “just work” and 2. For movies they really do sound excellent, you basically said so your self in this video. 3. I generally do not “crank” it up very loud in any circumstance. I am living my life, cooking, cleaning, crafting, reading with the kids, while the speakers play our favourite songs and the music seems to come from everywhere all at once. I have no problem with you making a value proposition/comparison, but with the speakers being a one wire connection means I don’t have ugly wires running all over the place, and that makes them worth much more than audiophile speakers you show in this video. I can add a mini in an adjacent room and still enjoy the bass from the bigger home HomePods in the living room. (Tried it, love it) It really is a wonderful system. I don’t do the audiophile thing, where I sit and hold my chin trying to figure out if the orchestra is really in my pants. I listen to my music from odd angles, not centered in front of the tv or speakers, and from this perspective they sound even better than the audiophile system. -my opinion. Thanks
@wakeupcall2665
4 ай бұрын
I totally agree! The simplistic of the set up and what you get is excellent.
@mileshoogwerf3345
Ай бұрын
Brilliantly articulated.
@ejakaegypt
Күн бұрын
I like mine too
@devlatyan1312
Жыл бұрын
One thing is, Amazon recommends that the echo studio should be placed at least 6 feet from the wall. I’ve placed both my studios on each side of my couch. It really makes a difference as no speaker is being blocked.
@DasDoeni
Жыл бұрын
It’s not really just speakers being blocked, but the reflections of the wall interfering with the sound. You shouldn’t place any speaker to close to a wall, especially not a 360 degree one. But even with classical speakers it can make a difference, especially with walls next to it
@woodylog5555
Жыл бұрын
another thing to add to the amazon bit is the fact, at least in the UK, we have the "FIRE TV CUBE" which has an HDMI in etc, e-arc support just like the apple tv...
@jamesorrell7462
Жыл бұрын
I think that's kind of a downside on Amazon's behalf. If I placed the echo studio 6 feet away from the wall, it would only be 5 feet away from the opposing wall
@4879daniel
Жыл бұрын
None of my furnitre is 6ft from the wall. May as well just get proper speakers on proper stands if they're that fussy.
@JB-fh1bb
Жыл бұрын
Huh. I’m apparently so deeply conditioned by “classic home theatre” that I never even considered putting the 360 speakers close to the seats. Makes a lot of sense actually.
@arondyte318
Жыл бұрын
I just grabbed my first HomePod 2 a few weeks ago and I was honestly blown away by the sound so I’m planning on grabbing a 2nd one a few months down the road along with an Apple TV 4K. I never really owned one of the OG ones so I don’t have really have the problem of nitpicking between the 2. I also prefer a speaker that can do double duty of being moved around the house instead of just being anchored to a stationary TV sound system set-up.
@marcusborderlands6177
Жыл бұрын
@@wisdomyaw03 i think you missed like, 1/3rd of the video lol. the processing is way better yes, but the hardware has weird bumps
@bencecsik8758
Жыл бұрын
I think for a full picture you should’ve compared against sonos as well. They support AirPlay and their room tuning is said to be really good
@Pockyball
Жыл бұрын
The only issue is Sonos doesn’t advertise their price competitor (Sonos One) when talking about the full “ home theater experience”
But the one can’t be connected to the tv by themselves.
@mikefung9145
Жыл бұрын
@@Pockyball They certainly do when advertising the surround pairing
@DrAnimePhD
Жыл бұрын
You can already tell it's gonna be a really good video if the thumbnail has Jonathan giving his "I am dead inside" face that he had in the refurbished iMac vid.
@adamr4198
Жыл бұрын
Apple’s AirPort Express can be found for $50 or less and supports Airplay 2. You can use it to either connect non-Apple speakers or use it to connect a subwoofer with a pair of HomePod (minis) for a fuller sound experience.
@rtk05
Жыл бұрын
I've found that the best setup for me is a traditional AVR and speakers. If you primarily use an apple TV, you can use a homepod mini to control the whole thing as long as you specify to do it on the TV (Hey siri, play this song on the apple TV). You get all the sound of good speakers and a fair bit of the smarts from a smart speaker.
@hammereddulcimer
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, AVR + speakers all the way. 🙂 I just bought an Apple TV in an attempt to get away from my Nvidia Shield. It's lovely, but it doesn't support lossless Atmos playback, which is an absolute deal-breaker for me. In every other aspect, it's great though. Hopefully Apple will address this in an update or revision.
@radugrigoras
Жыл бұрын
Why do you need a HomePod Mini if you already have an AppleTV and presumably an IPhone? Just so you don’t have to pull out your phone or grab the Apple Remote?
@spooforbrains
Жыл бұрын
This is the setup I have but with a Fire TV Cube. Works fine for me
@TheJohn8765
Жыл бұрын
I've had various traditional surround systems since the mid 90's and they absolutely curb stomp any smart speaker setups I've heard. I can see the appeal of the simple setup of these systems but a dedicated surround system is popular amongst high end audio people for a reason-- audio performance.
@zybch
Жыл бұрын
Having an AVR and speaker sis the best solution for 99% of people. Apple pushing their inferior products based on looks alone only appeals to people that are so easily led they'll believe whatever a company says and base purchases off that (ahem BOSE).
@KC-bi9jw
Жыл бұрын
10:33 I have that Belkin Airplay device. I got it hooked up to my 90's era stereo stack. The biggest complaint I have is that it adds a fade in at the start of every audio, if they could fix that, this thing would be a hit.
@gupdaddy
Жыл бұрын
Buy a wiim instead
@michaelbabiuk8758
Жыл бұрын
I have the original HomePod speakers and have been using them as a stereo pair in an Apple TV 4K home theater arrangement since "day one". However, I noticed that when I placed them on free standing speaker pedestals that the sound scape improved dramatically as opposed to the way they were placed on a shelf away from the wall mounted HDTV as shown in the video. (An arrangement that was very similar to the way I initially installed and placed my HomePods. I don't know why that would make a sound difference - but it did.
@adamfrisk956
Жыл бұрын
The wall proximity stayed the same?
@michaelbabiuk8758
Жыл бұрын
@@adamfrisk956 Hello Adam. This is one time that I wish KZitem would allow attaching a photo since a picture would illustrate far better than these words alone. But, here goes. My original HomePod speaker placements were directly in front of my large screen HDTV (which was placed on a glass topped TV console stand. There was only about 7" of clearance between the HomePod speaker and the front edge of the HDTV. Also, since the HomePods were placed on top of the glass HDTV stand-as the HDTV was-it would be as if the HomePods were placed "on the floor" in a way. Now the HomePods are placed on slim speaker stands where the top of the speaker stands are actually slightly smaller than the base of the HomePod. And the HomePods are spaced further apart from each other.by about two feet then they were before and they are away from a back wall by about 18" - as opposed to about 7" away from the HDTV as previously stated. Finally,, since the HomePods are now on speaker stands, they are about 7" higher from my living room floor than they were placed on that HDTV glass console top and the effect is if HomePods are "floating in air" rather than sitting on top of a surface. Even though the HomePods have an omnidirectional speaker arrangement design, perhaps in the original placement on top of that HDTV glass console top, they now have more "free space" for their sound to propagate throughout the room now that they have been placed on speaker stands away from any other living room element which seems to result in a better overall "soundscape".
@DavidMalcolm
Жыл бұрын
I think it's worth noting that the environment you were listening to them in probably didn't help. It looked like there was a big open space behind you, which would explain why you didn't feel like you were getting a sense of spacial audio since there wasn't enough nearby walls for it to feel like the sound was reflecting back on you. I don't have the HomePods second gen, just the OG but I'm often surprised by how strong the spacial effect can feel in my apartment. I also suspect one of the reasons you like the echos more for music is because the HomePods made the 'bold' choice to go with force-cancelling woofers. Basically if you live in an apartment, your neighbours won't hate you because your bass isn't shaking the whole building, at the same time because your spleen isn't shaking the same way it is when you get in your buddy Skooter's Camero and he blasts Katy Perry's 'I Kissed a Girl' like back in the day, you may be inclined to think that they don't sound as good because you're not feeling it in your bones. Interestingly though, if you wanted to use the dumb speakers with AirPlay you didn't even need an adapter if you've got them hooked up to the Apple TV, granted it'll turn on the TV if the audio is going out of a TV, but I used to have my gen 3 Apple TV connected to a Onkyo reciever and it'd do just audio when I AirPlayed, so if you did get a receiver you could do that. (Though realistically if you're gonna get a receiver these days there's a good chance it'll have AirPlay built in.) Anyway, I love my OG HomePods, don't have cash to kill on a second gen, but I suspect they still sound pretty good in an ideal environment. Also for a listening test, you might want to try having somebody pick out songs you haven't heard before for the tests so that you don't have the bias of, 'how close is this to what I expect' vs 'does this sound good'.
@SquintyGears
Жыл бұрын
The space where they film the shots isn't where the testing happens... They don't shoot a video and it goes straight to KZitem all in a day's work. The last video was 2 weeks ago.
@macaddress
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for the comment, because you're entirely correct! A large space would be detrimental to simulating spatial audio. For clarity though, the "living room" we shot in is just a set; our actual use of the speakers was done in several different rooms of varying sizes, from a small bedroom-like setting, to a wide open living space.
@jackdominiak445
Жыл бұрын
@@macaddress In other words, u spin it, into whatever u want it to be 😏
@DavidMalcolm
Жыл бұрын
@@macaddress Dude, how am I supposed to schill for Apple if you respond in a reasonable manner? How dare you! Seriously though, that sucks that you have to be so close to hear it. In my living room (apartment sized, shaped like an L with door ways open to a hallway and a kitchen) when I'm between the HomePods but back against a wall in my recliner it really feels like I'm enveloped in sound. But again I do have the OG HomePods... this conversation makes me almost want to blow a ton of money on new homepods just to see if they're worse than what I have :P
@TJWasiuk
Жыл бұрын
I always get compliments from guests when they come over and I have music playing or a movie going on my dual OG HomePods. I also have mine more spaced out and not sitting in front of the TV. I find that it works better for the room I have them in.
@jackdominiak445
Жыл бұрын
I get the same with my Home Pod 2 😊
@TJWasiuk
Жыл бұрын
@@jackdominiak445 heck yeah!
@maduroheintz8640
Жыл бұрын
Yes, i changed my Teufel 5.1 to two HP2 - and the only thing i am missing is the surround behind me. But thats ok. if i look a movie, besides the phenomenal music sound, i missing nothing. Only to turn the bass a little bit down ;) For those who have problems or think two connected with a apple tv 4k with ARC does not sound correct, try to move the speakers where they stand left/right or more front or back. Mine are on two cupboards left and right of my tv and are ca. 1,2 meters from the TV away to fill the room and the point where i am sitting. And after experiment with the placement on the boards, one is more to wall as the other, i have a perfect center sound at speech and the effects or music on movies are nearly perfect half surround. So after 10 years with 5.1 i am happy so far and so is my wife, cause all the speakers, 10 meters of cable and the big Dolby Receiver is gone from cupboard where the TV stands. ;))) And remember measure is one thing, but everybody hears differently and i dont give a thing on measurements. I only decide what i like and hear in my ears! And if Apple in the future get the ass up and do expand Airplay to connect two HPMinis as Surround Speakers and maybe one as real center, that would be perfect :)))
@soyluismanueltea
Жыл бұрын
Stop inviting them. They are guests and they are complaining at YOUR home? Not nice.
@AdamsBrew78
Жыл бұрын
@@jackdominiak445 same here. HP 2 stereo pair have been phenomenal.
@jorgelozadamusic
Жыл бұрын
I actually like the look of the boxy speakers! Gives the setup more character!
@HearMeLearn
Жыл бұрын
Yeah I like how he kept saying the HomePods looked better but honestly the normal speakers looked way better. They give you an actual home movie theater look
@blackfalcon1324
9 ай бұрын
It just depends on what you want. Apple is all about minimalism. Its like tesla, some think it looks modern but they can also look bland.
@TheJ_G
Жыл бұрын
I have the first gen dual HomePod setup, and it’s amazing for home theater application. Way better sounding than anything at comparable price. Punching way above its price. I also think it takes little time for it to adjust to different rooms.
@Carolyne_games
Жыл бұрын
I live in a small apartment and a HomePod mini really gets the job done most of the time. I think the way HomePods are designed make them a really good “single-speaker” option, but for more complicated multi-speaker setups they don’t seem quite there yet 🧐
@Errcyco
7 ай бұрын
Seriously. That’s what I had and people even mentioned the sound was amazing and that they wanted one. And it was a bigger apartment. It worked crazy good for the size. But I use an iPhone and MacBook and AirPods.. so it made sense.
@Pastronomer69
Жыл бұрын
I'd love a proper home theatre setup, but for my little rented apartment, a Sonos Beam, two Ones and the Sub Mini is a fantastic setup
@jackdominiak445
Жыл бұрын
Get a Sony A90J Bravia or later, you won't need a sound bar 😊
@Hypnodog_
Жыл бұрын
@@jackdominiak445 I have an A90K and while it's better than most TVs of similar thinness, my Sonos Beam completely decimates it and I consider it a must have. My cheap 10 yr old LG CS560 had better speakers than the A90K tbh.
@thenullco
Жыл бұрын
Sonos Ones are very good for TV. Front firing rather than multidirectional like the Homepod.
@AdamMckeithan
Жыл бұрын
I pick up two OG home pods for $150 each a few years back. Use them as my living room tv speakers. Still haven’t heard a system that sounds better for total of 300.
@hyranity8040
Жыл бұрын
Watching Mac Address is like watching a drama on tech.
@tronam
Жыл бұрын
Funny, I always found the original HomePod to sound a bit boomy and muddy, so I prefer the clearer upper midrange of the 2nd gen. It's totally subjective of course, but I quite like a bit of a "smile" curve that emphasizes bass and treble over the lower mids. It's pretty much what the loudness button used to do on old hi-fi receivers.
@wisdomyaw03
Жыл бұрын
Exactly my experience as well as other audiophile reviewers. The 2nd Gen sounds more spacious. It's subjective indeed.
@ctyoung0271
Жыл бұрын
V shape enjoyer
@rssimmons
Жыл бұрын
I wish I could hear the stereo pair HP2 in my room for myself before I buy.
@tronam
Жыл бұрын
@@rssimmons Buy a pair from Apple and try them for 2 weeks, then return if unappealing.
@folteaiustindaniel4099
Жыл бұрын
The dolby atmos is something that works differently for most audio devices. For some it does make the vocals distant, leaving a hole in the mids, for some it keeps the voice in the centre while expanding everything else. And OF COURSE that you'll get the sound to float around you only in between the homepods, but it's normal. Every 2.0 or 2.1 system is lile that.
@jayreid1780
Жыл бұрын
You left your apple id in the last minute. Not sure if you're interested in taking that out (given recent events) but just wanted to give a heads-up.
@macaddress
Жыл бұрын
Have you considered a career in baseball? Cause that was a good catch. Blurred now, thanks!
@guyjordan8201
Жыл бұрын
Clickbait title… it wasn’t bad. HomePods as a mono speaker is fine, but not for stereo or surround. I also disagree with the decor issue, while it’s subjective… any speaker we can see will stand out if you’re looking for it. I’ve seen no reason to replace my old component stereo system, but for convenience at a TV, a sound bar really can’t be beat.
@markaceto
Жыл бұрын
Just connect the dumb speakers to the TV, and then use the ATV for all wireless / smart features. Best of both worlds.
@schmoogen
Жыл бұрын
It’s videos like this that make me wonder why lmg didn’t just make an ecosystem channel with different flavors of video. Because I’d love to see this with the nest speakers and googletv, or Samsungs connectivity in smartthings to phones etc. Like videos for apple, Samsung, google, etc with specific hosts, but each getting the focused treatment on nuances and deficits of each hardware stack.
@ej_tech
Жыл бұрын
There are smaller and cleaner looking bookshelf speakers available. My R1280T is only a bit bigger than one HomePod.
@ItsGerYT
Жыл бұрын
I won’t lie as someone who has been using the homepod 1st gen for over 4 years now as my main tv speakers they have been great! I love the sound that comes out of them and how small they are! I was looking into maybe getting a sonos arc but seeing how big it is i just can’t find a spot for it, so riding my HomePod till they die🫡
@1_ekul
Жыл бұрын
On my tv, I have 2 HomePod minis in a stereo pair and they sound really good imo. They look great, sound great, and we’re easy to set up. I use all apple (when I have the choice) so they fit in great
@Simalacrum
Жыл бұрын
Quick feedback regarding the graphs comparing Homepods 1 + 2, the red and green lines are VERY hard to see on a mobile screen - maybe make them thicker or brighter?
@jameslees7103
Жыл бұрын
Side note have you ever been tested for colour blindness? I’m watching on a phone and the lines were clear as day to me
@technerd5489
6 ай бұрын
He’s not being negative lately, he’s being honest.
@Kyuukai
Жыл бұрын
I got the Edifier S2000MKIII in 2020 for $319 on an early black friday deal and couldn't be happier. The sound quality is spectacular and sounds very full for my theatre setup and has enough inputs and bluetooth connectivity that I never felt I needed them to be smarter. Although, I also have a Google Home Max that I got before they discontinued it for $150 and that fills all of my normal music and smart speaker needs. I do turn on the Edifiers for music if I want a little bigger or more room filling sound though.
@TheBikemaster94
5 ай бұрын
I'm your distant relative😅 I use a google nest speaker that I paid $35 for and an Insignia 5.1 W/8" sub when watching blurays or when I really want a party in my room with sound I can feel 😊
@dukejukem8843
Жыл бұрын
If you're saying a small bump in mid bass and the highs sounds worse idk how your ears can truly appreciate sound. Sounded fine through my headphone. Mostly better imo but they didn't need to tone the sub bass down on the 2nd gen.
@wisdomyaw03
Жыл бұрын
Sound they say is subject indeed. Other audiophile reviewers said the 2nd Gen HomePod is better in sound compared to the 1st Gen. And from what I've heard myself, the 2nd Gen sounds more spacious and clearer.
@kevinblah6877
9 ай бұрын
I have a 4 HomePod speaker setup. 2 HomePod 2’s paired in living room and then paired 2 HomePod minis and labeled them “Living Room Rear”. And when you tap the power button on the remote once a menu appears that will let you select audio menu. From there I checkmark both pairs of HomePods (2 and minis) Andjust the core volume I want them to be separate from each other then back out of that menu. TIP - set the minis volume a little higher to better match the larger HomePods. From there the regular volume control adjusts like normal for both sets. Then boom I have 4 speakers booming Apple Music in my living room space. Be sure to reverse the left and right rear speakers though to match the front speakers so the left and right audio matches. Of course, this isn’t true surround sound from Apple, but it is the best option to fill a room with music or movie audio until Apple gives us an update to allow 4 speakers for a real surround sound experience. One more thing to note is when you select to add on the rear speakers it is just temporary until you turn off the Apple TV after you turn off the TV and turn it back on you will have to re-select the additional speakers again. Not a big deal though, as it’s pretty easy to do, and only takes secaonds. It would be nice if somebody showed this set up in a video as I can’t find any videos, showing this set up.
@JamesTKelly
Жыл бұрын
We’ve got a 1st gen HomePod pair and an Apple TV 4K. It definitely has its limitations, but it really is the simplest solution for a small space. We want hands-free control of Apple Music and we want decent sound for our TV. There are undoubtedly better solutions for both, but I would have to spend more and have more devices cluttering my surfaces. The compromise of using HomePods for home theatre isn’t really that painful for us.
@arjunt973
Жыл бұрын
same i’m 19 in a small room and my grandmas in the room next to me. i have atv 4k 3rd gen and homepods were a no brained for me. sound great for me plus i use apple music heavily and the seamlessness is amazing
@breaky73
Жыл бұрын
And that is why I have a dumb TV, edifier speakers and a Xiaomi box s with official Google Chromecast since 2019. Still works like a charm.
@cinobro6393
Жыл бұрын
Was great seeing Sam from the labs, I know this is edited very differently from LTT videos and it probably won't be possible every time but it would be great to see more people from the labs talking about their data and not just showing the graphs with someone else's narration.
@eraldway
Жыл бұрын
Mine works pretty good. Im shocked at how good they sound with my TV. There is no delay even when watching over the air TV.
@iamcbride
Жыл бұрын
Speaker wire/amplifier really isn’t so bad. Someday speakers like this will catch up but not yet.
@dexopaw
Жыл бұрын
Speaker wire + amp is a significantly less attractive setup to me, having an extra box and wires everywhere is not appealing.
@RaiseDennis
Жыл бұрын
@@dexopaw and it’s way more expensive
@lonster3000
Жыл бұрын
I really wish Apple would come out with a sound bar with an Apple TV built in, and that you could then pair with a couple HomePods or Homepod minis. Or better yet an actual TV running TVOS, either their own brand or team up with Samsung or LG.
@Pyroja
Жыл бұрын
Is it weird that I think regular speakers are more aesthetically pleasing than smart speakers? Those Edifiers don’t look “blocky” or “boring” to me, they look purposeful and timeless. The smart speakers look like amorphous blobs that don’t belong wherever they are.
@damienlobb85
Жыл бұрын
It's refreshing to see an honest review from a genuine Apple fan.
@choahjinhuay
Жыл бұрын
This is why MacAddress is great. He’s no biased like other Apple FanBois
@jackdominiak445
Жыл бұрын
Home Pod 2 is not designed to be a home theatre, although it can do it reasonably well, it's designed to be a smart music speaker and for that it is excellent, especially for an Apple user! I've got a Sony A90J, you simply don't need external speakers on it 😊 I've got a Home Pod2....you're talking rubbish about its sound quality 😏 The only down side, is that Siri will only play music from your library that you've either purchased from Apple or if you subscribe to Apple Music, Siri will not play your own private tracks....but other than that, which is easily gotten round by the hand off feature.....The Home Pod 2 is BRILLIANT 😊
@neethology
Жыл бұрын
the background music.... i feel like i'm watching Sims doing a youtube video
@FlameForgedSoul
Жыл бұрын
"I don't trust Amazon" Oh Dearest Heart, you can't trust *any* of them.
@kane3681
Жыл бұрын
You can put HomePod in any other places other than below your TV. I have seen people putting them on the sides of their couch ( in like a coffee table setup) where they can play music by handoff through iPhone, Tv sounds much closer to them.. You may want to try that as the sound profile would be better that way and you can’t do that with those chunky classic home theatre setups.
@loonylauren90
Жыл бұрын
We went with an LG Soundbar with eARC (that also happens to have Bluetooth capabilities) and it’s been working well. With having it attached to an LG Smart TV with Magic Remote, we do still have assistant functionality if we want it, but don’t really ever use it. 🤷🏼♀️
@nestornieves23
Жыл бұрын
I've been considering the Amazon speakers. Wish you would've used the accompanying subwoofers they sell for em. I've read decent things online for it
@avenged110
Жыл бұрын
Having experienced a real one, calling anything even remotely like this a "home theater" just feels insulting. Foregoing a proper 5.x.x/7.x.x speaker setup with AV processor+amp for a home theater is something you only do out of necessity or because you don't really care about quality.
@krystofpavlis4407
Жыл бұрын
I think a comparison with some of Sonos' solutions would have fit in - they fill that space of apple-like designed, high quality speakers, and integrate well into the whole ecosystem.
@joey_here
Жыл бұрын
“The first unwelcome surprise with these is that they don’t sound as good as I was expecting, now they do far better in certain scenarios, like movies” one of the weirdest / poorly thought through lines for a review of a home cinema audio system. “They’re bad except for the thing you’d be using them for” 🙄
@bedast
Жыл бұрын
I would have loved a comparison with the Homepod Mini in a stereo pair. I know it’s not going to be better and will actually be worse, but this is something that I use currently because it’s actually better than my cheap soundbar. I’ve been considering upgrading to the 2nd gen Homepods but before I drop $600 on a pair I want to know what kind of upgrade it wold be. As of now, I’m still on the fence and probably just going to go for an Atmos sondbar or speaker arrangement.
@bedast
Жыл бұрын
@@Moody_Blues_ This is actually really good feedback. I like that you note the 500 euro sweet spot for “good enough”. I’ve seen a few “just sound bars” around this (ie: Bose) but they tend to be noted as having weak bass so I’ve been looking around for something that includes a sub, at this point. Polk has a setup that I’m eyeing that’s just south of $500 that seems well reviewed. I might just go with this until and unless I want significantly more and have the bigger budget for it.
@hummadsyed1499
Жыл бұрын
Homepods are a extremely good all around smart home speaker that just works! Watching TV - Boom. Listening to Music - Boom. Using airplay - Boom. Using intercom - Boom. Using Siri - Boom. New Apple updates - Boom. It literally just works. And works extremely well. Unless you're an audiophile, the differnce won't even matter. As for the cost - it makes you for it in the additional benefits. And if you don't care for the additional benefits, well it's the Apple Tax.
@Dreadpirateflappy
Жыл бұрын
boom is right, no clarity... just boomy noise.
@hummadsyed1499
Жыл бұрын
@@Dreadpirateflappy if you're an audiophile just say that lol generally speaking - most people arnt and its a great solution. If you're an audiphile go get a proper set up
@hugoknapp
Жыл бұрын
Instead of the Belkin you can use an old Apple AirPort Express router instead - £12
@brianmiller1077
Жыл бұрын
OMG I forgot I have one of those
@forwhatitsworth4621
Жыл бұрын
I don’t want a speaker with a microphone in my house whatsoever.
Жыл бұрын
This was excellent. I would love to see similar for a Sonos vs traditional 5.1 hometheater. Why from MA, you ask? Because Jonathan seems to have solved the form / functionality balance equation.
@amd2800barton
Жыл бұрын
Currently using 2x Homepod Minis because my tower speakers, sattelite surrounds, sub, and receiver are all still in storage after moving. The minis work surprisingly well - refurbished they were $60, and they manage to sound clear and loud enough in my 22x24 foot bonus room that will be the home theater. They're at least on par with soundbars that cost a similar price. Once I unpack the home theater for this room, I'll probably keep the homepod minis around for the downstairs TV which only gets used for casual content watching cooking / eating. I already had the AppleTV 4K, and was going to put a HomePod mini in the room anyway so the only cost to me was a second homepod mini (so $60) for that room.
@dondauphinee
Жыл бұрын
Same here! I’m really loving the sound and small footprint of the two minis. And the blue looks pretty cool on my stand
@avgeekguy
Жыл бұрын
Probably if you put two more speakers in the back of the room, it probably would sound better or placed the two speakers in the center of the room. I’m guessing might make a sound a little bit better if you want to keep using that as your normal set up!
@normyd
Жыл бұрын
Yeah, when apple figures out how to do that.
@B13ro
Жыл бұрын
Personally I think the edifier speakers look better than either smart speaker option. They're nice-looking speakers and they don't look out of place sitting on either side of a TV.
@Neoxon619
Жыл бұрын
I’m actually surprised that Apple wasn’t capping I thought the sound quality being about the same despite the cutbacks.
@jamesthompson3099
Жыл бұрын
I use a pair of 20+ year old Pioneer speakers. 12" woofer, 4.5" Mid-range, 2.5" tweeter and an acoustic port. They sound phenomenal and I have gotten a lot of compliments from guests. I have them coupled to a rather low wattage Sony receiver/amp. It works just great! It is a dumb system but it was inexpensive and really gets the job done. I do use the AppleTV 4K box for the TV part, though.
@_Just_Some1
Жыл бұрын
Hi James, do you have your setup connected to the Apple tv? What cable did you use? Thanks
@jamesthompson3099
Жыл бұрын
@@_Just_Some1 The Apple TV supplies picture and sound to the TV via an HDMI cable that came with it. From there I use standard audio cables with RCA plugs to route the sound from TV audio out jacks to the receivers audio in jacks. That's it. It works beautifully.
@_Just_Some1
Жыл бұрын
@@jamesthompson3099 thank you!!
@jellyg0at9
Жыл бұрын
I can't believe you genuinely like the look of any of those smart home speakers over the traditional speakers. The actual speakers look way more attractive, although they are larger. I don't understand why "gray blobs" are the aesthetic so many companies are aiming for now. If you place them where they make sense, real speakers look great.
@palles1972
Жыл бұрын
AirPort Express 802.11n (2nd Generation) Adding the AirPort Express Base Station A1392 model to your network is super easy, and allows you to use AirPlay 2 with anything plugged into its headphone port. It's pretty dang good at driving a line level sound source as well,
@bigbadslimee
Жыл бұрын
Great to see LTT labs being put to use for once
@theglowcloud2215
Жыл бұрын
"The only thing you're missing is Siri" lmao no one misses Siri
@auspiex
Жыл бұрын
I use similar edifier speakers on my pc, but it also has a sub. Living room I got a sonos arc, sub and 2 300s
@tralala8980
Жыл бұрын
After doing a home theater setup myself, the best option long term: Get good sounding speakers not smart one. "Smart" standards change minimum all 10 years. A good speaker can last longer. Work with dongles to get the latest connectivity. Work with traditional speaker to keep your good sound. Go to a shop where you can compare speakers. You can recognize the quality differences . This makes the decision to go with good dumb speakers much easier. By the way comparing directional speaker to round one as they did here, is a generally bad idea.
@vizender
Жыл бұрын
My parents have a setup with 2 1st gen speakers under their TVs. I’ve tried adding 2 of my HomePods mini on each sides of the couch when I went to their house during a vacation. And that makes a huge difference by having those small speakers bringing back the higher end noises that are sometimes lost in the bases of the HomePods (especially when someone is talking and the microphone they used is subpar)
@hidingmyrealname
Жыл бұрын
Holy shit yall apple guys do too much instead of just buying non apple speakers.
@vizender
Жыл бұрын
@@hidingmyrealname i mean that just somewhat replicate a real surround sound system
@kamilzawadzki4971
Жыл бұрын
@@vizender how is it possible? If you have to homepods OG, paired as stereo to your Apple TV and then you will just add homepod minis in the back duplicating the original sound from TV, then you won't have surround. Minis will play everything, not only sounds that should come from back... If you will have 5 speakers and 1 sub all playing the same sound in the same time independently it won't be 5.1 system...
@vizender
Жыл бұрын
@@kamilzawadzki4971 yes, but because the are much smaller, they bring back up slightly the high to mid that can be lost in the bass of the larger HomePods. That’s exactly why did not say it’s a surround. But the 2 larger HomePods still make the majority of the sound and they are the one making the heavy lifting for the stereo
@samuelarc
Жыл бұрын
All you need is a 2.1 setup like the Edifier s360db, it's cheaper, speakers are smaller but you get a great wireless subwoofer and yes, it makes a HUGE difference. Also, please, remember you can only get so far with your sound quality if you're streaming the signal. The Edifier s360db sound quality is great, way better than HomePods quality and you don't need better quality than that because you're not going to notice the difference if you're streaming the audio signal and your livingroom is not studio level soundproofed. If you don't have the space for the subwoofer or don't need that much bass, go for the s1000w, with those you'll get wifi and alexa as well.
@SaveMeAzathoth
Жыл бұрын
It was strange to hear the appearance of the traditional speakers given as their primary downside. I'd say that they look a lot better than either of the smart speakers in this video. "They look like speakers." Yes! Good!
@serqetry
Жыл бұрын
People are weird these days. I like real speakers that look like speakers, none of this smart speaker or soundbar crap. I only wish I had a way to talk to Siri on my AppleTV without needing my TV on and my Siri remote. If Apple put a line out jack on the Homepod so I could use real speakers, I might have bought one.
@NeonAtari
Жыл бұрын
I don't want more smart devices in my house. I have phone and computer that's smart enough for me.
@randomchullz7548
Жыл бұрын
4:05 When it comes to music in Dolby Atmos , it’s not so much that the HomePod doesn’t do a good job of playing it, but it’s more that Dolby mixes are not quite there yet. I use AirPods Pro and the dolby mix of any record sounds dull or to spacy. Some instruments sound louder or quieter than others. When you change it to Stereo (Dolby off) like in the video, it sounds way way better.
@EddyGraphic
Жыл бұрын
The best option is dumb speakers, I have a 2021 Apple TV 4K connected to a 65 inch LG OLED and a pair of Kanto TUK speakers, they’re a little pricey (if you can’t get them discounted like I did) but the sound quality is insane, the design is futuristic and they have every connection you can think of, RCA, Bluetooth, USB port for digital audio with a PC, optical, phono to connect vinyl players if you’re into that.
@bene_eins1308
Жыл бұрын
I use a kinda dual speaker setup. For music from Vinyl I only use my shelf speakers. For movies I also activate my Towers. They get much deeper while the shelf speakers are more pronounced overall.
@omc
Жыл бұрын
Smart things die. Dumb things are forever!
@jt5029
Жыл бұрын
I have them and honestly i was dissaointed a little. It doesnt feed as loud as a home theatre could be, and there’s a lack of bass without a subwoofer. I think if i could attach a subwoofer, it would be much better
@niko1even
Жыл бұрын
It's kind of expected. Even a really good pair of speakers still needs a subwoofer. The drivers are simply not designed to produce that much subbass.
@jt5029
Жыл бұрын
@@niko1even returning to this to say since ive had the speakers a while, the bass is okay. it can be loud sometimes, i was actually surprised when i was in the other room and i could hear it bumping through the walls. its hard to say theyre really good or worth the money, but there have been some instances where they have really impressed me. for instance, i was sleeping in the other room and i was listening to music while i fell asleep and it literally sounded like someone was sitting in the other room playing the piano in real life. the audio quality seems to be very very good, albiet not the best bass. sometimes i feel like they dont get loud enough but ive found it entirely depends on the quality of the audio of the video/music im consuming. some movies and shows its very loud, other shows i have to turn them all the way up to hear the dialogue. overall i would reccommend these for a small living room or the master bed, if you have a very big living room dont even bother.
@michaelsurratt9593
Жыл бұрын
Do you ever have anything positive to say about Apple?
@BKnight7z
Жыл бұрын
There’s no way you didn’t mention Sonos in this video lol. Great audio, ease of setup for an apple user and play1s are like the same price as the HomePod
@evildude109
Жыл бұрын
Sonos is in the business of selling you a hardware subscription, soon whatever you have from them will be bricked and you won't even be able to use it as a dumb speaker. Garbage company.
@BKnight7z
Жыл бұрын
@@evildude109 talking about hardware subscriptions on an apple HomePod for surround sound video on a mac channel lol come on now man. Obviously so is isn’t the best solution but Sonos might seriously fit this market for the type of person who would want 2 home pods as tv speakers lol think about it. 2 good sounding speakers that are easy to setup and also function as a smart speaker (w google assistant that we all know is miles better than Siri or Alexa)
@evildude109
Жыл бұрын
@@BKnight7z The difference is that Apple has a history of supporting their products a long damn time, Sonos less so. I dislike Apple's behavior as much as the next guy but Sonos is a different tier of insane.
@BKnight7z
Жыл бұрын
@@evildude109 while I agree with you I think if anyone would be interested in Sonos given all their pitfalls it would be the person who would want to buy 2 HomePods as speakers. Also including it in the video would be a good opportunity to talk about the pitfalls w the company and help people decide if Sonos would be worth it for them or not. Even if it wasn’t the recommended alternative option at the end
@Galgomite
Жыл бұрын
My living room setup is the Belkin device connected to my stereo plus a HomePod to control it. If I were to do it over again, I would get a HomePod mini instead. You then place both your stereo and HomePod in one room in the home app and you can control your stereo that way. (I rarely use this setup for TV, though- I’m actually fine with my TV’s speakers most of the time 😂)
@TMM6900
Жыл бұрын
I wouldn't sub to any channel dedicated to apple products. But i broke the rule because Jon is so good
@jackdominiak445
Жыл бұрын
This is an anti Apple dedicated Chanel 🤣
@seapanda-117
Жыл бұрын
We really enjoy our tv with OG HomePods.
@Gunner7674
Жыл бұрын
Sony tv is the best
@yypsamc5
Жыл бұрын
No Samsung is the best
@Sachygraal
Жыл бұрын
hell nah
@niko1even
Жыл бұрын
Lol LG makes OLED panels for Sony and other companies like samsung. LG OLED TVs rule.
@warw
Жыл бұрын
Bruh just buy whatever rtings says
@terronmclaren8367
Жыл бұрын
@@niko1even I don’t know about LG tvs though. Every LG product I’ve ever owned (especially the TVs) ended breaking down or overall sucking. I usually go for Samsung or Sony. Maybe that’s just me.
@Streamlined955
Жыл бұрын
I program my HomePods to play soft music when I get up in the morning to drink my coffee. Can’t do that kind of stuff with dumb speakers.
@jackdominiak445
Жыл бұрын
I just tell Siri to play me some music on Home Pod 2 and it's done 😊
@ryanjohnson3881
Жыл бұрын
I own a full Sonos set up and there is no shot this is a better idea than a mid range Sonos bar. Their airplay works perfectly
@jasonsturek6510
Жыл бұрын
Nothing beats an amplifier and multiple speakers . . . the technology hasn't improved sound, just made it more convenient. And often I take that compromise but not with movies. My original HomePod sounds great and I often take it on vacations because it travels well in a checked bag and can seriously transform a pool area or living room so long as you've got an outlet and wifi nearby.
@fredbrea7367
Жыл бұрын
I’ve been using two OG HomePods and a Apple TV set up for a little over 3 years now. For the size of living room I have is great. I bought my HomePods used though, I paid $200 for one and $150 for the other.
@sparkplugbarrens
Жыл бұрын
Why didn't you show any soundtests with the edifiers?
@Seriengriller
Жыл бұрын
I simply have a 300€ Denon AVR, which does Spotify Connect, has Bluetooth, Airplay2 and I can hook ANY speaker up to it. Total cost with low-midrange tower speakers, which blow any smart speaker away: 550€ + 30€ for an old chromecast Bought 2 more denon HEOS speakers for about 220€ each for multiroom audio. Now pretty much my whole flat can be covered with music and its great and cheap. Also: No listening microphones :)
@ok_schlatter
Жыл бұрын
Mac Address and Snazzy Labs should do a collab sometime
@wisdomyaw03
Жыл бұрын
Snazzy will certainly disagree with this take!
@Razor2048
Жыл бұрын
Why not just buy one of those cheap 5.1 Vizio or Samsung sound bar kits, which typically sell for around $150? They are often quite easy to set up with a sound bar in the front, a dedicated subwoofer, and 2 rear speakers. If keeping stereo, nearly all of the modern kits offer a stereo mode where all of the speakers are placed in front and the 2 satellite speakers are used to further expand the sound stage.
@anchordrop1476
Жыл бұрын
I appreciate that you took the time to do frequency measurements. However, you NEED to do off axis and transient response (how long it takes for a frequency to decay after it’s played) measurements. As you have a multi directional speaker these two measurements will paint a much clear picture of what’s going on. I know this isn’t a speaker review channel - but that 3-4dB delta measurement means a lot less then you think it does.
@Ozzymandius1
Жыл бұрын
I use two HomePod minis and an Apple TV in my bedroom. When I’m watching movies, sometimes I turn on my television’s speakers to act as a central channel, and it fills out what I usually feel is lacking. It does help that I’m not in a particularly large room and it’s all set up in somewhat of an alcove that directs all sound back toward me and helps with how much the HomePod likes to create soundstage where nobody asked.
@tomwalshaw1881
Жыл бұрын
I'm no audiophile so take what I say with a pinch of salt. I have two gen 1 Homepods I bought used for ~$120 each connected to my TV through an Apple TV 2021. They sound great I am very pleased with them both for music and movies. They aren't for everyone, but I am very satisfied with this setup and everyone I have shown it to (even my audiophile friends) have been impressed by how they sound.
@timtim2949
Жыл бұрын
Ever since Sonos decided that certain older speaker models “were not supported anymore”, I knew I was never going to buy a smart speaker. Fast forward: I now have a completely dumb home cinema set with a Marantz receiver at the heart and my Apple TV as the brains, and wouldn’t have it any other way. The sound quality is superb, I can switch out the “brains” while keeping the rest of my setup, and even when support drops, the audio setup is still functional. My two cents: don’t buy smart speakers. Buy dumb speakers and buy a separate device for the “smart” stuff.
@skirwan78
Жыл бұрын
do you guys ever make any apple videos where you're happy and excited about their products?
@pankil82
10 ай бұрын
macaddress thank you for providing a non tech alternative. Here are my thoughts for simplicity. This is not for DIYers or Audio/Cine Philes If somebody is buying a new TV : 1. for apple ecoystem: Get dumb TV [Dumb is not available then go with Roku/Google TV] + Add 2 HomePods + Apple TV [Expensive] 2. for non-apple ecoystem #1: Get Roku TV + roku streambar pro 3. for non-apple ecoystem #2: Get Google TV + Roku/Yamaha/JBL Soundbar Setup [Speakers
@iatia88
10 ай бұрын
Place new HomePods where viewers view L/R sides, or on back wall, rather than having them near the Telly. Go for where they will be most immersive 💥 📦 😅 Thanks for the Vids. Sometimes Basic is better
@pankil82
10 ай бұрын
@@iatia88 that depends on how much space you have. All the demos show a room where you have lot of space behind but thats not how most houses are constructed. Nonetheless its a good idea.
@Sebazy
Жыл бұрын
I've always sung the praises of the original HomePod in a stereo pair, they have a few quirks such as needing to power cycle them every month or 2 to stop them getting unbearably slow, but the sound and convenience is well worth it.
@jackdominiak445
Жыл бұрын
Home Pod 2 is just as good for sound quality, without the quirks
@RenatoG1848
Жыл бұрын
Are we honestly labeling Siri as a “smart” assistant?
@cheapme1850
Жыл бұрын
I had a similar experience but on a different scale. I'm an Apple diehard and wanted to use my HomePod Minis as speakers for my MacBook and external monitor. Turns out it was much cheaper, easier and it sounded better by just getting a Bluetooth sound bar.
@NickGapp
Жыл бұрын
Your comedy style is on point and perfect for the theme of this channel. Bravo!
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