sound will certainly not be an issue no matter the spec differences. im sure there will be plenty of side by side tests to come in the coming week or weeks.
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Old vs. New HomePod Buyer's Guide
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Serious question for all of you folks more knowledgeable than me. We use two HomePod minis in our living room for background music. We don't consider it hi-fi we consider it convenient. I'm thinking about adding a single HomePod generation two to the mix to add depth and a little more base. Do you think this would be a significant improvement to the sound? I realize I haven't given you any information about the size of our living room, but I'm speaking just in general terms.
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
Adding a full sized HomePod will absolutely make a positive difference. Definitely get a gen2. I’ve got 2 OG’s and I move them throughout the house/garage as needed. I rarely actually pair them (left/right) as I already have a new 2021 home theatre 5.1 system. The best thing of course is buying new gen2, you can return it if it doesn’t work out for you. But I think you’ll be happy
Sure, I think about it too since it went bonkers, but not in the sense where I compare prices between different years to see if things are still priced equivalently. When you go shopping for something, do you compare its price to 2018 prices to see if you should get it or not? The money in our bank accounts didn't get inflated. Always have to live in the present and determine whether you can afford it and if it's worth the current cost.
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What's the use case for the "Temperature and humidity sensor"?
I can't see it replacing the thermostat any time soon.
I can't see it replacing the thermostat any time soon.
The other thought is will you care and will anyone else care.
I mean I love my OG HomePods as tv speakers.
But if I threw a pair on my wife's tv I doubt she would notice or appreciate them. So it would be a waste of money most likely . Even though they obviously are better sound than the tv's speakers.
For similar reasons, I don't have a 5.1 sound setup with a big nice receiver and speakers. Might be better sound than my HomePods but less convenient and flexible and I (am) not sure I would appreciate the additional sound enhancement enough on a regular basis.
So much of it is in the "ear" of the beholder.
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well for me no use case. A regular cheap programmable thermostat does the job and does it well for me.
Good question tho. I think the idea is your HomePod could be used as the sensor for a compatible smart thermostat, smart heater or smart humidifier/dehumidfier.
It's been discussed in other threads, but here are a few examples.
Lots of people's thermostat is on a wall in only one part of the house and therefore is only really controlling that area. The HomePod could be in a room that gets colder quicker and used to call for heat, or to turn on some heaters.
You could have an automation to close your blinds when it starts getting warm in that room, or to turn on some fans to move the air around if it gets warm and/or humid.
Can use it to check on the temperature in different areas of your house while you're away on vacation, to make sure your pipes aren't going freeze. It eliminates having someone to physically check for you.
Perhaps someone wants to turn on/off some lights when it gets to a certain temperature for whatever reason. The options are endless, it's not necessarily intended to be used as a thermostat for your HVAC unit.
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We think the Mini's sound decent for Sat/Sun coffee drinking music. We think they are fine when friends are over and we want background music.
Thinking the new larger HP will add some depth and a little richness the Mini's lack. If yes, the three of them will get even more use. If not, as @trip1ex said above: 14 day return policy.
Delivery dates are pushed out to Feb 14 for me here in MI so I will show up Feb 2 at the local Apple Store and grab one.
Will let you know in case anyone else is interested in the HP2 for the same reasons as me.
So pl
Following Apple's reintroduction of the full-size HomePod, how does the new model compare to the divisive original model that the company introduced in 2017 and discontinued in 2021?
The new HomePod is priced at $299. The original model debuted at a $349 price point, before being dropped to $299 in 2019. Following a period of appreciation last year, prices for the original HomePod on sites like eBay are now falling and it may still be possible to pick up a unit at a price well below $299.
First-time HomePod customers, those considering upgrading from the original, or anyone considering adding another HomePod to their setup to create a stereo pair may be wondering whether it is worth buying an original model or the new one, so it is important to weigh up exactly what was added with the reintroduced HomePod.
See the detailed breakdown below for each new feature, change, and improvement that was added with the new HomePod compared to the original model:
New HomePod
- Refined design with acoustically transparent mesh fabric
- Larger backlit touch surface that illuminates from edge to edge, matching HomePod mini
- S7 chip from 2021's Apple Watch Series 7
- U1 ultra wideband chip
- Five horn-loaded tweeters
- Four far-field beamforming microphones
- 6.6 inches tall
- Weighs 5.16 pounds
- Removable power cable
- Wi-Fi 4 connectivity (802.11n)
- Thread support
- Temperature and humidity sensor
- Available in White and Midnight
Original HomePod
- Design with acoustically transparent mesh fabric
- Backlit touch surface
- A8 chip from 2013's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus
- Seven horn-loaded tweeters
- Six far-field beamforming microphones
- 6.8 inches tall
- Weighs 5.5 pounds
- Wi-Fi 5 connectivity (802.11ac)
- Fixed power cable
- Available in White and Space Gray
Final Thoughts
If you already have an original HomePod, most users will not gain much by replacing it with a new model. In fact, in some senses, the new HomePod is a step back from the original, with fewer tweeters, microphones, and downgraded support for Wi-Fi 4. The original HomePod still receives software updates with new features and improvements, and the new model is unlikely to sound better owing to its scaled down audio hardware, so you may be better off waiting for your current HomePod to reach the end of its usable life before upgrading to a future HomePod model that has more to offer.
A minority of users who specifically want a better handoff experience with the U1 chip, the temperature and humidity sensor for smart home automations, Thread support, and perhaps even the new Midnight color option and tweaked aesthetic may have justifiable reasons to upgrade – but this certainly won't be the case for most existing HomePod owners.
- Original HomePod user: Don't upgrade to new HomePod unless you want specific new features
- Original HomePod user looking to create stereo pair: Get discounted original model or buy two new models
- Prospective HomePod customer: Buy new HomePod, don't buy discounted original model
The new HomePod cannot be stereo-paired with the original model, so if your intention in buying another HomePod is to create one, you will need to track down another original model. If you can afford it, it may be easier to simply replace your original HomePod with a new one and create a whole new stereo pair with two of the reintroduced models.
If you are simply looking to add a HomePod to your smart home and audio setup, it will be much better to get the new model over the original. The new model offers improved performance, a significantly better handoff experience, a more modern design, is unlikely to sound much different from the original model, and should have much better longevity.
Article Link: Old vs. New HomePod Buyer's Guide
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So pleased I bought Homepod 1 x2 discounted to £250 each about 6 months before it was discontinued as it looks to be a much better deal. Sound quality is the best I have ever heard. I can live without temperature and humidity
Even if it wasn't buffered, WiFi 4 has enough bandwidth to support any of the highest quality lossless multi-channel audio out there today. Pretty much any type of audio is going to be under 50Mb/s. Even 802.11g (WiFi 3) could do it with the bitrates from Apple Music. Wired audio setups don't use WiFi 6 level bandwidths so why should wireless? Compressed Atmos over HDMI-ARC works while limited to just 1Mb/s and even the newest HDMI-eARC tops out at just 37Mb/s.
People seem to be overreacting about this. WiFi 4 is not going anywhere. So many of your smart devices already in your home use it and probably only on 2.4GHz while the HomePod can do 5GHz. Nobody has issues with the HomePod mini running on WiFi 4.
yeah, itʻs a weird move...but i suppose all their test homepods had various wifi chips installed and iʻm sure they saw little or no deficiency with the wifi4 chip in there. so, might as well save a buck on each unit.
You don't need speed, older Wi-Fi has better range and resistance to interference and walls.
You don't need super speed for music, older Wi-Fi has better range and resistance to interference and walls.
Sadly this is my thought too, since adding a smart thermostat I have all the temp/humidty data to trigger automations. Surely most people with ‘smart homes’ are at this point too?
I feel like this homepod should have come first then the OG second as more of a ‘pro’ (with more reliable chips) 😂
Just cause it’s based off it doesn’t make it better. You can base a motorcycle engine off a brand new corvette engine and it’s not gana beat a Honda car from 1990 in power. The amount of silicon on the chips is non comparable and they are clocked differently. Just look at the wifi modules, perfect example of newer not meaning better
I guess it’s because that’s the same part they use for the wifi as in the Apple Watch with the same processor? I honestly can’t think of any other reasoning.
Does your build come with a temperature sensor in every room? For those that don’t, this can double as one.
I don’t think the point is that it replaces anything, it just offers additional data points for those that need them. For those with temp sensors already in rooms, it duplicates something they already have, but it’s not like they’re paying extra for it.
Wonder if/when we’ll see HomePod Mini upgraded on the back of this?
Having owned both I much prefer the footprint of the Mini compared to the OG HomePod and for my usage case it’s more of a “no-brainer” (not that bothered about the lack of things like Dolby Atmos).
Having owned both I much prefer the footprint of the Mini compared to the OG HomePod and for my usage case it’s more of a “no-brainer” (not that bothered about the lack of things like Dolby Atmos).
got an OG last year and have 1 year warranty left - already ordered a new and will try to return the old one ..
i can't believe that the quality will get worse after the years and sadly, that you can't create a Stereo pair with the OG, the upgrade is somehow needed for a future setup/design 🤷🏻♂️ .. and no - i wouldn't buy a used OG because of the plop gate (no one will tell you in case of)
as long as the bass setup/frequence is the same
and my neighbours will love me, i'll be happy with the new one because from that point, everyone was standing in front of the OG and was saying wow 😅👌🏻
i can't believe that the quality will get worse after the years and sadly, that you can't create a Stereo pair with the OG, the upgrade is somehow needed for a future setup/design 🤷🏻♂️ .. and no - i wouldn't buy a used OG because of the plop gate (no one will tell you in case of)
as long as the bass setup/frequence is the same
and my neighbours will love me, i'll be happy with the new one because from that point, everyone was standing in front of the OG and was saying wow 😅👌🏻
Happy with the addition of temperature and humidity sensor on the new HomePod.