HomePod 2 still leaves a lasting impression on wood surfaces, but power cable easily swappable

Reviews have landed for HomePod 2 ahead of the refreshed smart speaker arriving on Friday, February 3 to customers. Among the interesting details is HomePod 2 ring stain is an issue on wood surfaces, meanwhile, the power cable has been updated with a removable design.

Shortly after the original HomePod arrived, some customers started noticing a ring stain on wooden tops caused by the base of the speaker. Apple ended up officially making a statement and sharing in a support document that it indeed can leave marks on “some wooden surfaces.”

The company says the issue is “caused by oils diffusing between the silicone base and the table surface” and after removing HomePod the marks may go away – but they also may not. For those concerned, Apple recommends “placing your HomePod on a different surface.”

HomePod 2 ring stain

With that in mind, MKBHD tested out the HomePod 2 against the original for ring stain on wood surfaces. It looks like Apple has improved the base so it doesn’t leave such a bold mark, but HomePod 2 still leaves a ring stain, with a more intermittent pattern.

MKBHD says it also takes a bit longer for HomePod 2 to leave a stain ring. Here’s how they compare:

Something to keep in mind, it’s not just Apple’s HomePod that has issues with this. Back in 2018 when the issue popped up with the original HomePod, it was discovered that other speakers like Sonos and Amazon’s Echo speakers suffer from the same issue.

Removable power cable

One headache with the original HomePod was a fixed power cord that made it harder to set up for those trying to do cable management. It was also a bummer if your cord was damaged by a pet or some other situation.

HomePod 2 solves that by using a removable power cable and it’s easy to get a replacement anywhere as it works with a universal figure 8-style cord.

For a closer look at all the differences between the HomePod 2 and the original, check out our full comparison and review round-up:

• Here’s how HomePod 2 compares to the original and HomePod mini
• HomePod 2 reviews: A successful ‘do-over’ with excellent sound quality, better smart home features