Apple HomePod

TridentTested

Member
Messages
1,819
Negatives...well I am feeling Apple has pushed the closed Eco system too far this time.

I hear you.

I've been an Apple fanboi since 1990, happily paid the 'Apple tax' to use products I've always felt are better, have a bit more soul. A bit like buying a Maserati really, when other boxes with four wheels and an engine exist.

I haven't heard one of these in the flesh, all the reviews are super enthusiastic about the audio quality but I won't be buying one so long as it's chained to Apple Music. I have thirty years' worth of CDs ripped to disc which is my music and I've no desire to pay a subscription to get Apple's curated versions of it.

Also Siri is pants. When it came out I was impressed I could see the potential and was looking forward to it being developed but recently I find it beyond pointless, getting so many simple requests wrong, simple stuff it could do a few years ago. Instead of learning on the job I find it's going backwards. Hello Google is streets ahead; right nearly all of the time.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
I feel your quite right. Myself, bought my first Mac in 92 and been using them ever since.

TBF, Apple have done quite well since their loss of their leader, but feel that they have peaked. They've had a blooming good run though.
 

Panicracing

Junior Member
Messages
376
Keep it simple, Rega turntable, Arcam AV amp and monitor audio speakers. Can't beat vinyl.

Sent from my LG-H850 using Tapatalk
 

Heavenly

Member
Messages
164
I sell Homepod and to be honest its an amazing piece of kit, however I havent purchased one as yet but I stream Tidal which blows spotify away on Master Hifi quality. I didint realise how much until I back to backed them at home and to be quite blunt, Spotify sounds awful to me now compared to Tidal. Homepod is Tier1 release so in our stores in the Uk but our Apple stores in Ireland have missed out due to territory of release from Cupertino. I genuinely think its a great product but awaiting ios for linkage. Im working from our Flagship B&O store in London this week so am going to back to back the Homepod to some of our B&O play range to see how it compares also. It is alot smaller than people think but I think it pips my B&W Zeppelin on sound stage.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
I have the BW Zep too and that is a stunning bit of kit. It’s the series one with the 30 pin adapter can you recommend a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the 30 pin so I can AirPlay?
 

outrun

Member
Messages
5,017
I sell Homepod and to be honest its an amazing piece of kit, however I havent purchased one as yet but I stream Tidal which blows spotify away on Master Hifi quality. I didint realise how much until I back to backed them at home and to be quite blunt, Spotify sounds awful to me now compared to Tidal. Homepod is Tier1 release so in our stores in the Uk but our Apple stores in Ireland have missed out due to territory of release from Cupertino. I genuinely think its a great product but awaiting ios for linkage. Im working from our Flagship B&O store in London this week so am going to back to back the Homepod to some of our B&O play range to see how it compares also. It is alot smaller than people think but I think it pips my B&W Zeppelin on sound stage.

I use Tidal as well although we also have Spotify which the family shares. When I really want to listen I use Tidal through Audio Technica reference headphones and a dragonfly dac. It’s tremendous. I have some nice Acoustic Energy floorstanders in my cinema room which also enjoy some Tidal but as the kids are young, I can’t pump up the volume after hours hence the headphones get a lot of use.
 

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
20,756
Love Tidal and use it for my personal streaming but Spotify is better for the children especially with the family share
 

TridentTested

Member
Messages
1,819
Like the Spendor S5, a really nice speaker. :)

I know, I've often had the itch to look for an upgrade but not only do they sound nice but their footprint in the room is remarkably small. Anything which might be considered an improvement would take up a lot more real estate and need careful selling to SWMBO.
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
I have the BW Zep too and that is a stunning bit of kit. It's the series one with the 30 pin adapter can you recommend a Bluetooth adapter that plugs into the 30 pin so I can AirPlay?

Sorry missed that

I've got a Layen iSync on mine, works perfectly

I spent the morning at an auction last week , one of the items up for auction was an immaculate Sonab 4000 Mk3 amp

never heard of it so I looked it up , it was £229 in 1970 which today is £2500 so I stuck a bid in , thought it was worth a punt up to £100

Nobody else had heard of it either because I won it for £48

It's got 5 pin din sockets and speaker plugs so I had to order them from ebay, came today and it sounds as good as it looks apart from it's too much for the monitor audio bronze speakers I have , OK up to four but this one's not going to eleven so an upgrade is required

Time to hit ebay to see what's about in the £300 range , Ideally i'd like 2k worth for the £300 :D so used is probably where i'll be looking
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
Not a very good picture, I've just looked on eBay, I'm really surprised the 30 pin zeppelin only makes around £100 considering you can upgrade it to Bluetooth for £20

A bargain
 

TridentTested

Member
Messages
1,819
If you want a bargain wireless speaker, I bought one of these for my daughter at Christmas (it was £26 then - you can see I spoil her).

https://www.appliancesdirect.co.uk/...ALk0A1ejg3NJ5Tj8800gceg_26cp8gdxoC-sMQAvD_BwE

They were originally built for Rdio at £300 each but since that service closed they've had their firmware changed and sold as a job lot to Appliances Direct (and a few others).

It works a treat and does feel like a £300 product.

aether-black-speakera.jpg
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
Well I've had my eyes opened , this £2500 in 1970 Sonab R4000-3 amp I bought for £48 didn't sound great with the monitor audio bronze bookshelf speakers I had so I've spent a few days trawling eBay for replacements .

Just had a trip to Blackpool and handed over £400 for a pair of Spendor S6e Floorstanders

Never heard of them but they had good reviews and cost £1600 New, got them home not even set them up properly yet and they sound utterly fantastic , makes this B&W Zeppelin sound like a 70s alba from woolies

Catman was right no mp3 dock will ever sound like a proper HiFi

The guy that sold me the speakers had leak valve amps and £1000 cables so I might be starting on a slippery slope
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Oh you're in trouble now ;)

Well done sir. Spendors have a great reputation, although I've never owned any.

Now, the problem that you're going to have is that a modern amp will blow your 1970s amp into the weeds. Sure, you're going to pay more than £48 but you should probably stop :)

Enjoy! (which is the really important thing! )

BTW what are you using as a source?

C
 

Wack61

Member
Messages
8,764
Arcam CD player at the moment though I've been reading up on DACs and Spotify, I have a Bluetooth adapter somewhere so I'm going to see how that sounds through my phone

I've got a Marantz PM7200 I was using before the Sonab so I might give that a go , I've also got a 70s tuner amp that makes £300 On eBay but I've forgotten what it is

Edit Calling CatmanV2

Just spent an hour having my mind boggled looking at DACs on eBay , I have Spotify premium , I have a i7 laptop with Spotify or Samsung S8 with Spotify and an amp with analogue inputs

What's the best sound I can get connecting all that together for £200ish , I have a lot of CDs but I really like the way Spotify introduces me to new music.

I haven't been this excited about listening to music in years
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
:)

Cyrus Soundkey might well be a good place to start, although it's really a headphone driver.

I'll have a look for you

C