I have a pair as the Apple TV's speakers and only have two issues, otherwise, they are amazing.
One, and this is obvious, you can't use Airplay to the Apple TV and expect sound as it cuts out the Apple TV - HomePod link. So you always need to have a second audio output option if you ever want to stream to the Apple TV using Airplay.
Two, and not so obvious to figure out, Netflix is at least 50% (if not less) of the volume of all other sources and all Apple TV sources are a fraction of the volume of using my iTunes Match collection or my Mac's iTunes Library to the HomePods via WiFi. For example, playing my Eagles Live from Melbourne video from the Mac via Library sharing can be cranked up to deafening levels and watched on the TV all via the Apple TV using WiFi. So I am left assuming this is a Bluetooth issue causing other sources such as Netflix to be so quiet. Why Amazon Prime is far louder than Netflix is another question though. I wish there was an under the hood audio level setting for HomePods source by source.
If anyone else has found a solution I'd love to hear it ... loudly
p.s. I couldn't give a sh*t about HomePod's Siri abilities as we have iPhones, iPads always at hand and stopping music or the TV to ask trivia or answer a phone would be pretty stupid. I do use Siri on HomePods during the day though to listen to NPR shows or the news and check weather and that all works flawlessly.
If I had a Google, FaceBook, Amazon device in my home, I'd be wearing a large cardboard box to hide my identity!
Two years after buying an Echo it's still great and because of it I started buy SONOS speakers instead. Not regretting the much delayed HomePod. HomePod is very much an incomplete product in my book. 1) Siri is just good enough for it to be a Smart Speaker and 2) HomePod needs to have auxilary and/or optical inputs. I would be interested if they made a slightly bigger model with auxilary input or stereo line input so it could be used with other equipment.
Comments
One, and this is obvious, you can't use Airplay to the Apple TV and expect sound as it cuts out the Apple TV - HomePod link. So you always need to have a second audio output option if you ever want to stream to the Apple TV using Airplay.
Two, and not so obvious to figure out, Netflix is at least 50% (if not less) of the volume of all other sources and all Apple TV sources are a fraction of the volume of using my iTunes Match collection or my Mac's iTunes Library to the HomePods via WiFi. For example, playing my Eagles Live from Melbourne video from the Mac via Library sharing can be cranked up to deafening levels and watched on the TV all via the Apple TV using WiFi. So I am left assuming this is a Bluetooth issue causing other sources such as Netflix to be so quiet. Why Amazon Prime is far louder than Netflix is another question though. I wish there was an under the hood audio level setting for HomePods source by source.
If anyone else has found a solution I'd love to hear it ... loudly
p.s. I couldn't give a sh*t about HomePod's Siri abilities as we have iPhones, iPads always at hand and stopping music or the TV to ask trivia or answer a phone would be pretty stupid. I do use Siri on HomePods during the day though to listen to NPR shows or the news and check weather and that all works flawlessly.
HomePod is very much an incomplete product in my book.
1) Siri is just good enough for it to be a Smart Speaker and
2) HomePod needs to have auxilary and/or optical inputs. I would be interested if they made a slightly bigger model with auxilary input or stereo line input so it could be used with other equipment.