Consumer Reports: Sonos One and Google Home Max Sound Better Than Apple HomePod [Video]

Consumer Reports has published its early results for the Apple HomePod.

Their testers found that Apple's speaker delivered 'Very Good' audio performance but it wasn't the best sounding wireless speaker or even the best sounding smart speaker. Both the Sonos One and the Google Home Max also received Very Good ratings but their sound quality scores were slightly higher.


The HomePod will serve many music fans well, but CR testers did hear some flaws. The HomePod’s bass was a bit boomy and overemphasized. And the midrange tones were somewhat hazy, meaning that some of the nuance in vocals, guitars, and horns was lost: These elements of the music couldn’t be heard as distinctly as in more highly rated speakers. Treble sounds, like cymbals, were underemphasized. But the HomePod played reasonably loudly in a midsized room.

Bottom line, Consumer Reports says the HomePod sounds a bit muddy compared with the Sonos One and Google Home Max.

Have you had a chance to compared the HomePod to either of these two speakers? If so, let us know if you agree in the comments!

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