Apple Cinema Display speakers not very loud

ajbrehm · Jun 24, 2009

My Apple Cinema Display's speakers don't seem to be very loud, not even as loud as my iMac's speakers.

Is there any way this can be tuned?

It would feel ridiculous to have to add external speakers just because my expensive 850 euro super display doesn't have decent speakers...

edesignuk · Jun 24, 2009

What Cinema Display? Model?

I'd never expect speakers in a monitor to make up for even average, but proper stand alone speakers.

ajbrehm · Jun 24, 2009

edesignuk said:
What Cinema Display? Model?

I'd never expect speakers in a monitor to make up for even average, but proper stand alone speakers.

It's the current 24" model.

I did expect the speakers in the monitor to be at least as good as those in the cheap iMac I used to have (2007 Core 2 Duo).

pooryou · Jun 24, 2009

ajbrehm said:
My Apple Cinema Display's speakers don't seem to be very loud, not even as loud as my iMac's speakers.

Is there any way this can be tuned?

It would feel ridiculous to have to add external speakers just because my expensive 850 euro super display doesn't have decent speakers...

Cinema Display speakers?

I have no idea why a display would have speakers, and if it did why you would try to use them.

jaw04005 · Jun 24, 2009

Why did you post this in the Apple TV and Home Theater forum? It belongs in the peripheral forum.

Have you made sure output volume in the Sound system preference is turned up? Also, check your USB connection from the monitor to the Mac.

The 24" Cinema Displays I've used have been just as loud as the iMac line. If changing the volume output doesn't work, I would contact Apple for service.

ajbrehm · Jun 25, 2009

jaw04005 said:
Why did you post this in the Apple TV and Home Theater forum? It belongs in the peripheral forum.

I posted it here because it's a "home theater" problem.

Have you made sure output volume in the Sound system preference is turned up? Also, check your USB connection from the monitor to the Mac.

All that is fine. Output volume is also turned up.

The 24" Cinema Displays I've used have been just as loud as the iMac line. If changing the volume output doesn't work, I would contact Apple for service.

So it should be louder than it appears to be now?

There is no way to make it simply louder from the Mac side?

ajbrehm · Jun 25, 2009

pooryou said:
Cinema Display speakers?

I have no idea why a display would have speakers, and if it did why you would try to use them.

Why wouldn't a display have speakers? I thought that was normal these days. iMacs have speakers too.

And why would I try to use them? Because they are there, they were advertised, and I paid for them.

"Built-in iSight, mic, and speakers"

I use the camera and microphone too. (And I have an idea why a display would have a camera, microphone, and speakers. It's convenient and looks better than the typical PC setup with a Web cam glued to the top of the screen and the user looking for his headset when Skype rings.)

uaaerospace · Jun 25, 2009

pooryou said:
Cinema Display speakers?

I have no idea why a display would have speakers, and if it did why you would try to use them.

Such an intelligent and helpful comment you've made...please troll in another forum.

As far as the OP's problem: I just got a 24" Cinema Display at work earlier this week. I have been using headphones with it, but I'll check today to see how loud the speakers are. I've tried to watch DVD's on my Macbook before with my family (when at our cabin away from all hints of civilization), and the built in speakers are really quiet even with the volume up to max. I wonder if the same speakers are used...

jaw04005 · Jun 25, 2009

ajbrehm said:
I posted it here because it's a "home theater" problem.

It's sound to me like it's a problem with your display.

ajbrehm said:
So it should be louder than it appears to be now?

The 24" Apple Cinema Display is essentially an iMac shell without the iMac parts. The speakers and ports should be the same parts as used in the iMac. Therefore, your Cinema Display should be just as loud as any 24" iMac.

I have not done side by side tests, but every 24" Cinema Display I've used has seemed just as loud as the 24" iMac.

ajbrehm said:
There is no way to make it simply louder from the Mac side?

Other than changing the output/speaker volume (which you have already done), there's nothing that can be done on the O/S side to increase the volume.

There is no system-wide EQ settings if that's what you're looking for. Each program (DVD Player, iTunes and QuickTime) has it's own individual volume settings --- you could adjust those.

If you're using iTunes, you may wish to open the EQ settings and pump up the pre-amp settings too.

pooryou · Jun 25, 2009

Actually I stand by my comments, despite the attacks above.

Displays should not have speakers, it just doesn't make sense.
If you have a permanent installation, you need some real speakers.
You need a certain amount of size/space to generate audio waveforms....period.

uaaerospace · Jul 1, 2009

uaaerospace said:
As far as the OP's problem: I just got a 24" Cinema Display at work earlier this week. I have been using headphones with it, but I'll check today to see how loud the speakers are. I've tried to watch DVD's on my Macbook before with my family (when at our cabin away from all hints of civilization), and the built in speakers are really quiet even with the volume up to max. I wonder if the same speakers are used...

Sorry for my slow response. The speakers in my display are noticeably quieter than the ones in the iMac. They were plenty loud for general desk use, but the ones built into the iMac were capable of a much louder output.

tanousjm · Jul 5, 2009

I have found my LED Cinema Display speakers to be about as loud as my late 2007 iMac, but they are definitely geared towards the high frequency range, making it difficult to hear much bass.

If you are having problems with audio output, I have found success using Rogue Amoeba's Audio Hijack Pro. Besides recording program-specific audio output, it allows you to "hijack" an app (iTunes, DVD Player, Plex, etc) and apply audio effects to that output. One of them is some serious gain that greatly increases the output of any speaker. It definitely distorts the audio a bit, but I use it on my MacBooks when I need more volume.

But again, I have found the Cinema Display to be plenty loud, both connected to the iMac and to a 2009 Mac Pro. If you are having serious volume issues, your display may be faulty.

thegoldenmackid · Jul 5, 2009

iThought it was fairly known that the speakers in the display are not so loud?

ajbrehm · Jul 6, 2009

thegoldenmackid said:
iThought it was fairly known that the speakers in the display are not so loud?

No, it wasn't.

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