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.
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.
Just set up my 27" 2012 iMac yesterday, and the sound quality has so obviously decreased over my late-2009 27" iMac it's not even funny. Sound is thinner with far more treble than my old system. Bass is.. well... it's there - but that's not saying all that much. It's definitely a system that's catering to the higher-end of those ranges.
Now don't get me wrong. The sound is "fine" for most people. But I can't imagine it satisfying the audiophiles among you. I don't even consider myself one of that group, but even I'm a tad saddened by the direction the iMac is going:
Thinner (at the sides) for no reason, losing the VESA mount, inferior speakers (for no reason if we discount due the thinness change) among other things...
*sigh*
So it goes with Apple. It's hard to not become just a little disenchanted with them...
Just set up my 27" 2012 iMac yesterday, and the sound quality has so obviously decreased over my late-2009 27" iMac it's not even funny. Sound is thinner with far more treble than my old system. Bass is.. well... it's there - but that's not saying all that much. It's definitely a system that's catering to the higher-end of those ranges.
Go get a the small Jambox Airplay/Bluetooth speaker. For around $180 you're getting a speaker with a (extremely) small footprint but one that plays loud and best of all completely wireless. If you want even louder and bass-ier speaker, the Big Jambox can do that for another $200.
I actually think the sound clarity for the 27"imac(haven't heard the 21"speakers) are exceptionally good.....my issue is that they aren't as loud as I need them to be so bought the bose companion 5's.
Will try to be as impartial as possible when I review them.
If you are unhappy with a product, be it an iMac or anything else, return it. It's an AIO computer, you are not going to get studio quality sound out of it. BTW, I love the sound out of my new 27"... mostly because I was not expecting it to be something it's not.
I had an amazing idea for a clip mounted speaker for the imacs that sits right under the bottom of the machine, and uses magnets to hold it to the monitor, kind of like what dell does with their speakers but magnets instead of clips.
I had an amazing idea for a clip mounted speaker for the imacs that sits right under the bottom of the machine, and uses magnets to hold it to the monitor, kind of like what dell does with their speakers but magnets instead of clips.
The sound is "fine" for most people. But I can't imagine it satisfying the audiophiles among you.
I just would hate for Apple to continue on a path of cost cutting for profit margin increases.
I made this thread to state my opinion of the speakers. It wasn't a selling point for me that the speakers worsened, just a disappointment. I was simply expecting the same quality that I had. Didn't ruin my day, I just would hate for Apple to continue on a path of cost cutting for profit margin increases.