Will HomePod 'kill' BeoPlay?

213 replies
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The aesthetic, sound and build quality of the HomePod will never match the A6, A9, BeoSound 1 and 2. What will be interesting is how this impacts the M3 and M5 B&O range. I haven't heard the HomePod but have the expectation that it will be better than the M3, and the M5 is £200 more expensive. Would two HomePods in stereo outperform an M5 - maybe...

Am i the only one that isn’t that fond of a microfoon that listens all the time in your private space?

Very true about the microphone element!

Think I feel more comfortable with it in an Apple product rather than Amazon or Google though...

NickPG wrote:

The aesthetic, sound and build quality of the HomePod will never match the A6, A9, BeoSound 1 and 2.

Well see. I own the A9 (best speaker I've owned), the A6 (mediocre compared to the A9) and BeoSound 1 (sold it!), I wasn't overly impressed with the latter two. The BeoSound 2 is another step up though, but it's £1500.

A lot of people will buy the HomePod simply as it's from Apple. People are like sheep in this respect, sadly.

NickPG wrote:

Very true about the microphone element!

Think I feel more comfortable with it in an Apple product rather than Amazon or Google though...

Im amused that you thunk they're different,  let alone better!

 

NickPG wrote:
I haven't heard the HomePod but have the expectation that it will be better than the M3, and the M5 is £200 more expensive. Would two HomePods in stereo outperform an M5 - maybe..

My expectations will be that one HomePod will be about the same as the M5, and two HomePod's in stereo should out perform the A6.  The DSP on the HomePod seems to do some interesting things.  We will have to see if this extends beyond Apple Music, and what it does when stereo paired.  I will order 2 on Friday, but I will have to wait a while to hear it in stereo.  I can compare it to the A6 but not the M5.  I can report back if anyone is interested.

 

Mark-N wrote:

NickPG wrote:
I haven't heard the HomePod but have the expectation that it will be better than the M3, and the M5 is £200 more expensive. Would two HomePods in stereo outperform an M5 - maybe..

My expectations will be that one HomePod will be about the same as the M5, and two HomePod's in stereo should out perform the A6.  The DSP on the HomePod seems to do some interesting things.  We will have to see if this extends beyond Apple Music, and what it does when stereo paired.  I will order 2 on Friday, but I will have to wait a while to hear it in stereo.  I can compare it to the A6 but not the M5.  I can report back if anyone is interested.

 

Surely two decent speakers will always outperform a single at stereo given the fact that they can actually be separated and thus have at least half a chance of reproducing a "real" stereo image! Single speakers are OK for background listening but are no good for creating that (maybe 70's) experience of (possibly darkened rooms with) "closed eyed pretend you're there" listening!😮

On the other hand lets all walk around in public  and get the tube listening to sh1t MP3's!😁

moxxey wrote:
A lot of people will buy the HomePod simply as it's from Apple. People are like sheep in this respect, sadly.

A lot of people won't buy the HomePod simply because it's from Apple. To each their own.

People who find value in it will buy it, and those who don't won't.

Sal wrote:
People who find value in it will buy it, and those who don't won't.

Well,  for record, I will be buying HomePod. Just looking at the tech speck , I think it will be a great little speakers and it may be best sounding in that price range.

For real music listening, I only listen to real speakers (BL 5, BL 50) and the little speakers are just for fun and Siri integration. At $ 350 , HomePoD is cheap enough to be lots of fun and not expensive enough for a serious Apple vs. B&O shoot out...

 

svinaik wrote:
Well,  for record, I will be buying HomePod. Just looking at the tech speck , I think it will be a great little speakers and it may be best sounding in that price range.

As will I, but later this year. My aim is to compare HomePod with comparable Sonos offerings. I'll buy only after Apple implements stereo pairing and multi-room, and only after Sonos implements Airplay 2. My comparison will help me decide which I'll go with for casual listening. That being said, the sound from HomePod would have to really wow me in order to overcome the amazing Sonos software. 

I just re-read what I wrote, and realized a BeoPlay product is/wasn't even in the running. I've been so underwhelmed with the B&O software as the gateway to my music that BeoPlay isn't worth the price of admission.

Software is what's ailing B&O / BeoPlay. But we all know that. 

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