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I am very displeased with the speaker quality of the 2012 iMac

K

Kmad86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2009
59
19
Received my 2012 iMac 27" yesterday. My old 2009 iMac would carry rich sound throughout the room. This new 27" has awful speakers. They're very muffled. Talk show radio is terrrriiiibbbllleee on it. Music is bad, but not as bad.

I hate that now I am having to clutter my desk with big speakers to get the same sound out of what I previously had in 2009. I really hate to complain, it's a quick computer and I like the anti glare display but I wish Apple didn't continuously chip away at small things to put a little extra money in their pocket.

(Did notice that I am picking up quite a few more wireless networks on the new model compared to my older one)
 
M

MeFromHere

macrumors 6502
Oct 11, 2012
468
16
Kmad86 said:
Received my 2012 iMac 27" yesterday. My old 2009 iMac would carry rich sound throughout the room. This new 27" has awful speakers. They're very muffled. Talk show radio is terrrriiiibbbllleee on it. Music is bad, but not as bad.

I hate that now I am having to clutter my desk with big speakers to get the same sound out of what I previously had in 2009. I really hate to complain, it's a quick computer and I like the anti glare display but I wish Apple didn't continuously chip away at small things to put a little extra money in their pocket.

(Did notice that I am picking up quite a few more wireless networks on the new model compared to my older one)
Click to expand...

There's a chance you got a bad one. Several people have commented that the speakers are no worse than previous iMacs, except the bass is noticeably weaker.
 
A

ashleypenny

macrumors member
Dec 8, 2012
58
2
This is my first iMac. From reviews I was expecting to need to pick up some desktop speakers, however I am surprised by the quality of the speakers. Loud enough and deep enough for me.
 
K

Kmad86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2009
59
19
ashleypenny said:
This is my first iMac. From reviews I was expecting to need to pick up some desktop speakers, however I am surprised by the quality of the speakers. Loud enough and deep enough for me.
Click to expand...

How do I really test that to confirm they're bad?
 
B

bobright

macrumors 601
Jun 29, 2010
4,813
33
Does anybody have any iTunes EQ custom adjustments they care to share? I'm sure that alone can make it sound a lot better...
 
Luap

Luap

macrumors 65816
Jul 5, 2004
1,249
743
bobright said:
Does anybody have any iTunes EQ custom adjustments they care to share? I'm sure that alone can make it sound a lot better...
Click to expand...

In my experience, all iTunes sound tweaking add-ons are best left turned well off. They all introduce less desirable side effects to some degree.
If you absolutely must use one, then maybe give the sound enhancer a go when using built in speakers. The rest I avoid.

The best sounding iMacs (and i've probably owned, or at least heard most of them) was the G3 slot loading iMacs that had the little, almost golf ball size Harmon Kardons in them. Pretty damned impressive for something so small. It all went downhill after those..
 
B

barrett14

macrumors regular
Jun 24, 2010
183
44
I thought the speakers were terrible so I went out and bought some desktop speakers.
 
K

Kmad86

macrumors member
Original poster
Sep 11, 2009
59
19
lucasfunkt said:
The speakers can't be any worse than what I'm using at the moment, my macbook pro.

Right?
Click to expand...

I sold my 27" iMac two months ago and used my 17" MBP until this new one came in. The 17" MBP sounded fine, these are clear with a muffled sound in them. Hard to explain. I don't see how it could be a defect. They would be great speakers if you listened to Muppet Soundracks often.
 
M

MetalCooper

macrumors newbie
Dec 3, 2012
16
0
The sound suffers because of design. Flat screen TV's keep getting thinner and thinner at what suffers....the sound. The speakers are decent, they lack bass but what do you expect when you take the form factor into consideration?
For everyday computing the speakers are fine but when I really want to enjoy music, a game, or a movie...I plug in my desktop speakers.

My speakers are Logitech Z5500's which are THX certified and have optical input which the new imacs can take advantage of.
 
M

metssuck

macrumors newbie
Dec 17, 2012
23
0
I watched the season finale of Dexter on my 27" iMac last night and I had no issues with the sound. In fact at one point I checked to see how loud I had the volume and was shocked that I barely had it up because it sounded full and clear. Granted, I'm no audiofile, but they worked perfectly for me and I definitely won't be adding on desktop ones.
 
L

lucasfunkt

macrumors 6502
Jun 11, 2012
315
5
Kmad86 said:
I sold my 27" iMac two months ago and used my 17" MBP until this new one came in. The 17" MBP sounded fine, these are clear with a muffled sound in them. Hard to explain. I don't see how it could be a defect. They would be great speakers if you listened to Muppet Soundracks often.
Click to expand...

I've got a 13" MBP from 2 or 3 years ago, it'll be better than that surely?


I think some people are bit critical when it comes to sound and you pay hundreds of pounds for maybe a 5% difference, not worth it in my eyes/ears.
 
A

aure28

macrumors newbie
Dec 12, 2012
24
0
Kmad86 said:
Received my 2012 iMac 27" yesterday. My old 2009 iMac would carry rich sound throughout the room. This new 27" has awful speakers. They're very muffled. Talk show radio is terrrriiiibbbllleee on it. Music is bad, but not as bad.

I hate that now I am having to clutter my desk with big speakers to get the same sound out of what I previously had in 2009. I really hate to complain, it's a quick computer and I like the anti glare display but I wish Apple didn't continuously chip away at small things to put a little extra money in their pocket.

(Did notice that I am picking up quite a few more wireless networks on the new model compared to my older one)
Click to expand...

It's the opposite for me! :eek:
I have my old late-2009 maxed out iMac next to my new maxed out 27" and the sound is way better on my new iMac!
The new 27" iMac sounds clearer, less "metallic" and the bass is about the same.
 
S

sjz88

macrumors member
Nov 30, 2012
70
0
Bass is as weak as you would it expect it from a thin machine, no surprises here. Otherwise the sound is absolutely fine and as clear as you can get on such a thing.
 
R

RG129

macrumors member
Jul 1, 2007
41
0
Luap said:
The best sounding iMacs (and i've probably owned, or at least heard most of them) was the G3 slot loading iMacs that had the little, almost golf ball size Harmon Kardons in them. Pretty damned impressive for something so small. It all went downhill after those..
Click to expand...

Those were my favorite speakers as well. If Apple didn't make them with that stupid proprietary mini-jack, I would have hooked them up to my new Mac! :D
 
A

apedance

macrumors member
Sep 1, 2012
86
0
Vienna
ashleypenny said:
This is my first iMac. From reviews I was expecting to need to pick up some desktop speakers, however I am surprised by the quality of the speakers. Loud enough and deep enough for me.
Click to expand...

imo they might be "good enough" but when you once had good external speakers you will never go back.

this epic computer deserves epic speakers.
use the toslink capabilities!
 
A

ashleypenny

macrumors member
Dec 8, 2012
58
2
apedance said:
imo they might be "good enough" but when you once had good external speakers you will never go back.

this epic computer deserves epic speakers.
use the toslink capabilities!
Click to expand...

I've got a 7.1 surround system with a big dirty amp downstairs that I warrant kicks out better sound than any desktop external speakers, so its not like I've not got anything to compare it to. However I'm not sat where my TV goes so that sound set up would be strange. Anyway - I'm not saying they will be good enough for everyone, but for me the included speakers were a pleasant surprise as both loud and deep enough for me to not even remotely consider the extra cables and wall wart that external speakers cause.
 
M

Mister Bumbo

macrumors 6502
Apr 30, 2012
391
0
Just got my 27" an hour ago, and I agree that the speakers are indeed... well... horrible for anything other than warning-beeps. Luckily I personally had no intention of using the built-in ones, instead using my external ones.
 
NVRENUF!

NVRENUF!

macrumors regular
Mar 19, 2012
181
0
PERTH, Australia
Use externals!

Doesn't matter what we pay for these systems I wouldn't expect great sound from them and of course the less space inside you can't expect to much sound to come out of there.

nothing beats a good set of externals anyway.
 
B

boy-better-know

macrumors 65816
Jun 30, 2010
1,350
137
England
Kmad86 said:
Received my 2012 iMac 27" yesterday. My old 2009 iMac would carry rich sound throughout the room. This new 27" has awful speakers. They're very muffled. Talk show radio is terrrriiiibbbllleee on it. Music is bad, but not as bad.

I hate that now I am having to clutter my desk with big speakers to get the same sound out of what I previously had in 2009. I really hate to complain, it's a quick computer and I like the anti glare display but I wish Apple didn't continuously chip away at small things to put a little extra money in their pocket.

(Did notice that I am picking up quite a few more wireless networks on the new model compared to my older one)
Click to expand...
I have been using various MacBooks for the past few years, and the speakers on the 2012 iMac blew me away. I guess the quality is completely subjective depending on what computer you were using previously. I must admit that I am not an audiophile but the bass seems to be pretty impressive for such a thin chassis.
 
boto

boto

macrumors 6502
Jun 4, 2012
437
28
In my room the sound quality is quite good, but the bass is lacking significantly. When comparing to my rMBP's speakers, the iMac seems a bit horrible in overall fidelity, although it does boast higher dynamics, which can be good or bad on certain types of music.

Nonetheless, I use headphones 99% of the time so I won't expect too much but still hope Apple will improve these speakers next year.
 
R

raymond lin

macrumors regular
May 22, 2010
176
0
I see them as emergency speakers, always have used external speakers on windows and mac so it make no difference.

Besides, have a surround sound set up in the same room so might as well...lack of bass? No problem, have a BK XLS400.
 
C

Ctrl2k

macrumors member
Oct 18, 2007
93
0
I feel the opposite. Compared to my 2011 27" iMac, the speakers definitely have more bass, and a clearer high end. However the midrange suffers a bit. It's like the speakers ran through Bose.

Still, overall an improvement.
 
A

AppleFan360

macrumors 68020
Jan 26, 2008
2,213
720
sjz88 said:
Bass is as weak as you would it expect it from a thin machine, no surprises here. Otherwise the sound is absolutely fine and as clear as you can get on such a thing.
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same thing. The sound is actually quite clear and crisp. Just weak in bass response. No biggy.
 
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