(UPDATE: Confirmed) Stereo Speakers on iPad Mini?

SR71 · 12:49 PM

So, from the looks of it, it appears that the iPad Mini has stereo speakers, while the iPad 4 does not. I wonder why they added it to the iPad Mini, but not the iPad 4... I mean, it can easily fit it, and it'd probably make the sound much better. Personally, I think this is going to be great for when I watch movies or videos, or listen to music on my iPad Mini.

Anyone else glad to see this?

Intell · Oct 27, 2012, 10:48 PM

Technically the iPad 4, as well as all other iPads, have stereo speakers. They have a left and right channel speaker on the inside, but only one external sound baffle.

NT1440 · Oct 27, 2012, 10:48 PM

It's got a mono speaker, and a microphone, just like every iphone since the iphone 4.

It'd be cool for stereo, but thats not what it is.

Buckeyestar · Oct 27, 2012, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SR71

So, from the looks of it, it appears that the iPad Mini has stereo speakers, while the iPad 4 does not. I wonder why they added it to the iPad Mini, but not the iPad 4... I mean, it can easily fit it, and it'd probably make the sound much better. Personally, I think this is going to be great for when I watch movies or videos, or listen to music on my iPad Mini.

Anyone else glad to see this?

I don't think it has stereo speakers.

onthecouchagain · Oct 27, 2012, 10:57 PM

The Nexus 7 does. I don't think many people know that.

ANMA dojo · Oct 27, 2012, 11:13 PM

considering the speakers aren't projecting sound out to the sides, does it matter?

SR71 · Oct 28, 2012, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NT1440

It's got a mono speaker, and a microphone, just like every iphone since the iphone 4.

It'd be cool for stereo, but thats not what it is.

Don't know what the iPhone has to do with this, but there seems to be two speaker grille cutouts on the back of the iPad Mini. What leads me to believe that these are both speakers, and not a speaker and a microphone, is the fact that the iPad Mini has microphone cutout on the top of the device.

So, let me rephrase my original question: Does the iPad Mini have two speakers instead of one single speaker like the iPad 4?

----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buckeyestar

I don't think it has stereo speakers.

What makes you think it doesn't have stereo speakers?

HazyCloud · Oct 28, 2012, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SR71

Don't know what the iPhone has to do with this, but there seems to be two speaker grille cutouts on the back of the iPad Mini. What leads me to believe that these are both speakers, and not a speaker and a microphone, is the fact that the iPad Mini has microphone cutout on the top of the device.

So, let me rephrase my original question: Does the iPad Mini have two speakers instead of one single speaker like the iPad 4?

----------

What makes you think it doesn't have stereo speakers?

Apple only points to one grill on their site as a speaker.

http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/

SR71 · Oct 28, 2012, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HazyCloud

Apple only points to one grill on their site as a speaker.

http://www.apple.com/ipad-mini/specs/

I noticed that as well. I really do wonder what that second grille is for, then, if the iPad Mini does only have one speaker. Any guesses?

macingman · Oct 28, 2012, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SR71

I noticed that as well. I really do wonder what that second grille is for, then, if the iPad Mini does only have one speaker. Any guesses?

It's possible both grills are speakers just for the sake of keeping the website looking clean they only pointed to one. The left one looks like a speaker to me, or it may just be there for the sake of keeping the iPad looking symmetrical and clean instead of having on grill on one side..

SR71 · Oct 28, 2012, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macingman

It's possible both grills are speakers just for the sake of keeping the website looking clean they only pointed to one. The left one looks like a speaker to me, or it may just be there for the sake of keeping the iPad looking symmetrical and clean instead of having on grill on one side..

It most likely is another speaker, but it's definitely not a stretch to think that Apple might've done this to make it look more symmetrical, I mean they do take design very seriously, however this does beg the question: why doesn't the iPad 4 have the same two grilles if Apple did indeed put the second grille there just for the sake of making it symmetrical like they did with the iPad Mini?

Che Castro · Oct 28, 2012, 12:28 AM

Speakergate

PDFierro · Oct 28, 2012, 12:33 AM

I've been wondering about this as well because of the two speaker grills. Even if they aren't stereo speakers, perhaps the sound is better than a regular iPhone or iPad. Guess we will find out.

SR71 · Oct 28, 2012, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Che Castro

Speakergate

Nailed it. :P

HazyCloud · Oct 28, 2012, 12:35 AM

I'd assume that if the second grill was a speaker, it would have been a bullet point during the keynote. It seems that it would be a big deal.

RTbar · Oct 28, 2012, 12:42 AM

it would be really lame if the other grill was just a dummy

Che Castro · Oct 28, 2012, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RTbar

it would be really lame if the other grill was just a dummy

Lol

Ladybug · Oct 28, 2012, 12:47 AM

One is for bar-b-que silly.

I hope it's a speaker personally.

AFDoc · Oct 28, 2012, 12:57 AM

OMG some of you are dim. It's not a second speaker it's a mic ffs. Look at your iPhone, see it has 2 "grills" on the bottom. Speaker and mic.

HazyCloud · Oct 28, 2012, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFDoc

OMG some of you are dim. It's not a second speaker it's a mic ffs. Look at your iPhone, see it has 2 "grills" on the bottom. Speaker and mic.

Post #3 already said that and I'd assume most of us know how the iPhone works. What's strange is that this is the first iPad with 2 grills.

ReValveiT · Oct 28, 2012, 06:06 AM

You think you'd get the stereo effect from speakers that close together? You wouldn't. And what about landscape use?

Also, two tiny, tinny speakers would not sound better than one tiny, tinny speaker.

SR71 · Oct 28, 2012, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFDoc

OMG some of you are dim. It's not a second speaker it's a mic ffs. Look at your iPhone, see it has 2 "grills" on the bottom. Speaker and mic.

If you had read the thread you would've seen that someone already suggested that, and it was proven incorrect by me. Here's my response: Don't know what the iPhone has to do with this, but there seems to be two speaker grille cutouts on the back of the iPad Mini. What leads me to believe that these are both speakers, and not a speaker and a microphone, is the fact that the iPad Mini has microphone cutout on the top of the device.

So, let me rephrase my original question: Does the iPad Mini have two speakers instead of one single speaker like the iPad 4?

3rd Rock · 07:51 AM

Stereo speaker jack as shown

Speaker pointer as shown does not say stereo

The diagram does not say stereo for the speaker at the bottom. If it were Stereo, it would have been announced, pointed to and raved about by Apple.

http://www.techlicious.com/blog/appl...-is-less-more/

"The specifications may tell a different tale. Both the Nook HD ($199 on barnesandnoble.com) and Kindle Fire HD ($199 on amazon.com) have better resolution displays than the iPad mini: 1440 x 900 pixels and 1280 x 800 pixels respectively. Furthermore, while the Nook HD offers half the storage capacity of the least capacious iPad mini and of the Kindle Fire HD (16 GB), it is expandable via a built-in microSD card slot, while the iPad mini (like all iPads) and the Kindle Fire HD are not. The Kindle Fire HD also features stereo speakers, whereas the iPad mini (like all iPads) has a single speaker."

However, since the Mini has a microphone already as shown in top photo, the second picture shows two sets of holes and that leads us to wonder if its two speakers, just not stereo. However, again why did Apple not show two arrows pointing to both sides, not just one pointer to the right side speaker ?

mousouchop · Oct 28, 2012, 07:55 AM

I assume an iFixIt tear-down will resolve this debate. Though, I'd imagine Apple would be boasting about this feature somewhere on the page if it were the case.

SR71 · Oct 28, 2012, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3rd Rock

Stereo speaker jack as shown

Speaker pointer as shown does not say stereo

The diagram does not say stereo for the speaker at the bottom. If it were Stereo, it would have been announced, pointed to and raved about by Apple.

http://www.techlicious.com/blog/appl...-is-less-more/

"The specifications may tell a different tale. Both the Nook HD ($199 on barnesandnoble.com) and Kindle Fire HD ($199 on amazon.com) have better resolution displays than the iPad mini: 1440 x 900 pixels and 1280 x 800 pixels respectively. Furthermore, while the Nook HD offers half the storage capacity of the least capacious iPad mini and of the Kindle Fire HD (16 GB), it is expandable via a built-in microSD card slot, while the iPad mini (like all iPads) and the Kindle Fire HD are not. The Kindle Fire HD also features stereo speakers, whereas the iPad mini (like all iPads) has a single speaker."

However, since the Mini has a microphone already as shown in top photo, the second picture shows two sets of holes and that leads us to wonder if its two speakers, just not stereo. However, again why did Apple not show two arrows pointing to both sides, not just one pointer to the right side speaker ?

That pretty much sums up the confusion over it having one or two speakers.

Oct 27, 2012, 10:46 PM	#1
SR71 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jan 2011	(UPDATE: Confirmed) Stereo Speakers on iPad Mini? So, from the looks of it, it appears that the iPad Mini has stereo speakers, while the iPad 4 does not. I wonder why they added it to the iPad Mini, but not the iPad 4... I mean, it can easily fit it, and it'd probably make the sound much better. Personally, I think this is going to be great for when I watch movies or videos, or listen to music on my iPad Mini. Anyone else glad to see this? __________________ -Mid-2012 13" MacBook Pro -Black/Slate iPhone 5 32GB Last edited by SR71; Oct 31, 2012 at 12:49 PM.
	1

Oct 27, 2012, 10:48 PM	#2
Intell macrumors G4 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Inside	Technically the iPad 4, as well as all other iPads, have stereo speakers. They have a left and right channel speaker on the inside, but only one external sound baffle. __________________ Last edited by Intell; Yesterday at 11:50 AM.
	1

Oct 28, 2012, 12:35 AM	#15
HazyCloud macrumors 68030 Join Date: Jun 2010	I'd assume that if the second grill was a speaker, it would have been a bullet point during the keynote. It seems that it would be a big deal. __________________ If you have a question about my post, quote me so I am notified and can easily reply to you.
	0

Oct 28, 2012, 07:41 AM	#23
3rd Rock macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Over here	Stereo speaker jack as shown Speaker pointer as shown does not say stereo The diagram does not say stereo for the speaker at the bottom. If it were Stereo, it would have been announced, pointed to and raved about by Apple. http://www.techlicious.com/blog/appl...-is-less-more/ "The specifications may tell a different tale. Both the Nook HD ($199 on barnesandnoble.com) and Kindle Fire HD ($199 on amazon.com) have better resolution displays than the iPad mini: 1440 x 900 pixels and 1280 x 800 pixels respectively. Furthermore, while the Nook HD offers half the storage capacity of the least capacious iPad mini and of the Kindle Fire HD (16 GB), it is expandable via a built-in microSD card slot, while the iPad mini (like all iPads) and the Kindle Fire HD are not. The Kindle Fire HD also features stereo speakers, whereas the iPad mini (like all iPads) has a single speaker." However, since the Mini has a microphone already as shown in top photo, the second picture shows two sets of holes and that leads us to wonder if its two speakers, just not stereo. However, again why did Apple not show two arrows pointing to both sides, not just one pointer to the right side speaker ? Attached Thumbnails Last edited by 3rd Rock; Oct 28, 2012 at 07:51 AM.
	1

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Oct 27, 2012, 10:48 PM	#3
NT1440 macrumors G3 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Hartford, CT	It's got a mono speaker, and a microphone, just like every iphone since the iphone 4. It'd be cool for stereo, but thats not what it is.
	2

Oct 27, 2012, 10:57 PM	#5
onthecouchagain macrumors 603 Join Date: Mar 2011	The Nexus 7 does. I don't think many people know that.
	3

Oct 27, 2012, 11:13 PM	#6
ANMA dojo macrumors regular Join Date: Mar 2010	considering the speakers aren't projecting sound out to the sides, does it matter?
	1

Oct 28, 2012, 12:28 AM	#12
Che Castro macrumors 68040 Join Date: May 2009	Speakergate
	2

Oct 28, 2012, 12:33 AM	#13
PDFierro macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2009	I've been wondering about this as well because of the two speaker grills. Even if they aren't stereo speakers, perhaps the sound is better than a regular iPhone or iPad. Guess we will find out.
	0

Oct 28, 2012, 12:42 AM	#16
RTbar macrumors member Join Date: Nov 2011	it would be really lame if the other grill was just a dummy
	1

Oct 28, 2012, 12:47 AM	#18
Ladybug macrumors 6502a Join Date: Apr 2006	One is for bar-b-que silly. I hope it's a speaker personally.
	0

Oct 28, 2012, 12:57 AM	#19
AFDoc macrumors 65816 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Colorado Springs USA for now	OMG some of you are dim. It's not a second speaker it's a mic ffs. Look at your iPhone, see it has 2 "grills" on the bottom. Speaker and mic.
	1

Oct 28, 2012, 06:06 AM	#21
ReValveiT macrumors regular Join Date: Sep 2012	You think you'd get the stereo effect from speakers that close together? You wouldn't. And what about landscape use? Also, two tiny, tinny speakers would not sound better than one tiny, tinny speaker.
	2

Oct 28, 2012, 07:55 AM	#24
mousouchop macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: New York	I assume an iFixIt tear-down will resolve this debate. Though, I'd imagine Apple would be boasting about this feature somewhere on the page if it were the case.
	0