The 2nd-gen HomePod has only been on shelves for a week, but many buyers might think it’s been out for years. Even though Apple’s original full-size HomePod was discontinued in 2019, the new model is nearly identical to the old model, and it’s unclear how Apple expects the HomePod 2 to do better this time around. .
With that in mind, we put the two models head-to-head in a blind audio test. The speakers were set up close together in the same room, and the reviewer (me) sat in the sweet spot while an assistant reviewer (my wife) played a playlist of tracks matched to each speaker. To be fair, she mixed up the order and I wasn’t told which speaker was playing when until I gave my verdict.
After a first test which seemed very close to me, I could generally distinguish the two speakers quite easily. This may sound absurd – of course, the second edition of anything should be better than the first, you probably think. But based on the minimal design and spec changes between the two models, it wasn’t clear where the audio improvements would come from, and even Apple’s enthusiastic write-up on the launch didn’t provide many updates. at concrete level.
The results were surprising and surprisingly close. The new HomePod wasn’t always better to my ears, though it definitely sounded different. On some genres of tracks I’ve listened to, the new model was significantly better, but on others, especially those with a dominant bass component, the original was better.
The original HomePod was criticized for its excessive bass, but it helps create richer, deeper sound on certain tracks.
Foundry
The HomePod Challenge
Song: Horse and Me by Bat for Lashes
Favorite speaker: 2nd Generation HomePod
Comments: Rich and immersive, putting me there in the recording studio, the new HomePod knocked it out of the park on this one. I had never been unhappy with the older model, but in comparison to its successor it sounded slightly flatter. But it was a very tight test to start with. (Objectively speaking, the old HomePod isn’t flat at all, it sounds that way next to its newer sibling. I’d still recommend it if you spot a good used deal, but the newer model is better.)
Song: “The Big Concert in the Sky” by Pink Floyd
Favorite speaker: 2nd Generation HomePod
Comments: Again, and this time without hesitation, I preferred the HomePod 2. (I also correctly guessed which one was the HomePod 2, based on the results of the first test.) There’s simply more to sound: He surrounded me and drew me into the music. I felt like I was hearing details I had missed the first 20 times I heard the track. Kudos to the new model.
Song: Cerrone’s “Supernature”
Favorite speaker: 2nd Generation HomePod
Comments: On this electro track, I firmly voted for the original HomePod. The bass was hard and punchy and sounded fabulous through the old model. By comparison, the new HomePod plays it slightly cool with bass, as if afraid to overwhelm the listener. For some this will be good news, as the original HomePod was considered very bass-heavy, but for me, that was part of its charm.
Song: “Prelude & Fugue 03 in C#” by JS Bach, played by Glen Gould
Favorite speaker: 2nd Generation HomePod
Comments: The first speaker I heard offered great detail and nice, balanced sound, while the second was thinner and a bit flatter. It turned out to be another vote for the new HomePod. 3-1 to the new model.
Song: Fischerspooner’s “Emerge”
Favorite speaker: HomePod 1st Generation
Comments: This song takes a while to kick in, but once the bass kicks in, there’s no comparison between the two speakers – and after learning from Cerrone’s previous track, I could guess correctly which was which. Sure enough, the original HomePod delivers noticeably heavier, punchier bass and gets my vote as a better listening experience.
Song: “Locomotion” by John Coltrane
Favorite speaker: HomePod 1st Generation
Comments: This jazzy tune should test the speaker’s capabilities across the spectrum, but the heavier bass muscle of the original model proves essential. With more at the lower end, the original HomePod delivers a wider, deeper sound that I preferred. There’s a bit more detail up top with the new speaker, though.
Conclusion: How much bass do you want?
It’s a 3-3 draw, with preferences varying by gender. Out of classical, most pop and rock and some jazz, my preference is the second-gen HomePod with its richer, more detailed sound; but on dance/electro and bass-heavy jazz, the original HomePod wins. For most of us, this will most often mean a win for the new model. Beware, this is a matter of personal taste; some may prefer the lighter touch of the new speaker at the low end even when that element is in the foreground.
Since the announcement, it doesn’t look like Apple has changed much in the external design and internal layout of the full-size HomePod, but the company got results. There are noticeable improvements here, and the new model is a worthy (if lighter) successor to what was already a great speaker.
