iPad iPad Air 2 sound vibrating!

[Traverse]

Well, I'll be honest to everyone here. After returning my first Air 2 (and two weeks of deliberation) I decided that I would live with the vibration. Though, I listen to a lot of instrumental music so I don't know what would have happened.

I opened it in store and it had a major screen defect, they offered to get me another and I just told them to return it. I tried, but between the vibration and screen issues I'm tired. I'll wait and see what happens next year.

______

Oh! While I was testing a display unit an Apple store employee asked me if I had any questions and I told them I was trying to decide if I wanted this iPad despite the vibrations and he gave me this really puzzled look. I explained the issue and he said "Well, um, this is the first time I'm hearing of this. Well, it surely wouldn't affect usability or performance."

I think the screen issue was for the best. While I believe you, Petvas, that your hands when numb after extended use I do not believe mine would have gotten numb, but I would have been annoyed. I stood there and used the display unit for 30 minutes while YouTubing some of my favorite instrumental music* and while it didn't bother me to hold it, I did get annoyed when I practiced typing on the screen. I think I could have lived with it and been happy, but when I pay $1,000** for something like this I don't want to be happy, I want to be in love.

Hope this helps someone.

This was the main song I used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7NU9jBNbjw

**128GB iPad Wifi - Smart Cover - Apple Care - Logitech ultrathin keyboard cover.

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I agree that the sound is much better than before, but the extreme air vibration is a design flaw.

I am unsure of this. I mean, I completely agree with you about it being annoying and just like you, I returned mine, but I'm not sure Apple see's this as a flaw.

I could be (and hope I am) wrong but I kind of picture this:

Apple tests various speakers and finds one with a good size/depth to sound ratio. Amplifies sound using the device's chassis as a kind of subwoofer and finalizes it on the assumption that consumers make limited use of the speaker. Additionally, almost everyone (not me) that I know has there iPad in some kind of thick annoying case. Surely they did know it does vibrate more than the others (they had to play sound and touch it once), but I don't think it was a flaw as much as a choice.

Still, I hope I'm wrong. If they made that assumption I would think they would include a pair of EarPods which they don't. I will still argue that it's a flaw vs a choice, I just hope they change their decision with the next gen.

I don't use my speakers a ton, but I do often play games with them (they are sufficient for sound affects) and I would occasionally browse the web with light music on as I didn't want to wear ear buds all the time. I'd say about 20% of my usage gets speakers.

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No.

How's the sound quality on it? I ask because I don't own one and am genuinely curious if the resonance makes any difference in sound quality.

 

[s2mikey]

It's not the speakers, but the design. The speakers are much louder (which is good) and at the same time the device got thinner. Apparently Apple didn't do anything to stop the sound from resonating inside the device.

Correct. The Air 2 is simply too damned thin for such powerful speakers. Just like those little Hondas are too small of a car for the 75" subwoofers that those clowns stuff in the rear seats. Those cars vibrate like crazy too. I wonder why?

 

[Scott6666]

I hear that some analyst predicted that sales would be dropping 50% over the next few quarters. Solely because of this vibration issue.

They have to fix it!!

 

[Charliebird]

I hear that some analyst predicted that sales would be dropping 50% over the next few quarters. Solely because of this vibration issue.

They have to fix it!!

This is laughable.

 

[NorthSeaBeach]

Does the Tab S vibrate?

I don't know. Either that or the sound of it is not on par with the Air 2. But I'm not interested in buying a Tab S, so that doesn't bug me.
It's this silly 'who's got the thinnest' contest, and the issues that it creates that put me of an otherwise excellent product. But ofcourse that's just me. If others don't mind those those things, I'm happy for them.

 

[MMcCraryNJ]

You basically admit it's a design flaw. Instead of compromising their choice of design, they chose to compromise the functioning of the ipad. If they are not able to design a non vibrating ipad this thin, they shouldn't make it this thin. It's a choice, but a bad one imo. The Air 1 was thin enough and sounded good enough and didn't show this problem. But with the Tab S out, Apple had to have the thinnest. For me, it's a no go because of this. Sure hope they fix it with the next release, because I don't know what to do if they don't.

No. What I was getting at was that there is a difference between a "flaw" and a "compromise". Namely that a "flaw" is something unintended that was missed, and a "compromise" is an intended operation, whether that's a positive or negative operation, as a result of it being simply impossible to design and build the "perfect" device.

Notable device flaws: Light bleed on the Nexus 9, GPS antenna not correctly soldered on the original Galaxy S, LCD Contamination on the iMac, the freaking trackball popping out on the HTC Dream/T-Mobile G1, left handed people not being able to use the iPhone 4 due to reception issues. These are all unintended failures or overlooked flaws in the design and build of these devices.

Notable device compromises: The "flat tire" (missing bottom notch of screen) of the Moto 360, the HTC logo bar on the One M8, the heating up of the Nexus 9, the noisier-than-most-would-have-liked fan of the Playstation 4, and the vibrating speakers of the iPad Air 2.

Simply put, there is nothing wrong with this tablet. It is working as intended. This isn't a "flaw". It was a "choice". They wanted to make it thinner and lighter but not skimp on the speaker quality. As a result, the tablet is going to vibrate some because of the speakers. This is the definition of "compromise". Motorola wanted to make a very thin, attractive, and non-clunky looking smartwatch, so all of the sensors and display cables got tucked into the "flat tire" area, rather than them making the watch thicker and less attractive. The HTC logo bar serves the same purpose.

In essence, nothing is "wrong" with the Air 2. Nobody has a defect or a lemon and needs a replacement device. It's just how it is. Like anything else, if it's a complete deal breaker to some people personally, then they should return it and get something they'd be happier with. I personally feel it's a silly thing to be up in arms about, but that's the great thing about having choices, my opinion doesn't need to match yours and a different device might make you happier than it would make me. The whole thing might not be completely ideal, but it's the result of Apple making a compromise. But also, that doesn't mean it's a "design flaw".

 

[NorthSeaBeach]

No. What I was getting at was that there is a difference between a "flaw" and a "compromise". The whole thing might not be completely ideal, but it's the result of Apple making a compromise. But also, that doesn't mean it's a "design flaw".

You are right. As a Dutchie and non native speaker of the language, these nuances sometimes are too much for me. No offence intended.

We agree that it is a choice, maybe where we disagree is whether it's a good choice.

 

[Simacca]

Well, I'll be honest to everyone here. After returning my first Air 2 (and two weeks of deliberation) I decided that I would live with the vibration. Though, I listen to a lot of instrumental music so I don't know what would have happened.



I opened it in store and it had a major screen defect, they offered to get me another and I just told them to return it. I tried, but between the vibration and screen issues I'm tired. I'll wait and see what happens next year.



______



Oh! While I was testing a display unit an Apple store employee asked me if I had any questions and I told them I was trying to decide if I wanted this iPad despite the vibrations and he gave me this really puzzled look. I explained the issue and he said "Well, um, this is the first time I'm hearing of this. Well, it surely wouldn't affect usability or performance."



I think the screen issue was for the best. While I believe you, Petvas, that your hands when numb after extended use I do not believe mine would have gotten numb, but I would have been annoyed. I stood there and used the display unit for 30 minutes while YouTubing some of my favorite instrumental music* and while it didn't bother me to hold it, I did get annoyed when I practiced typing on the screen. I think I could have lived with it and been happy, but when I pay $1,000** for something like this I don't want to be happy, I want to be in love.



Hope this helps someone.



This was the main song I used: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7NU9jBNbjw



**128GB iPad Wifi - Smart Cover - Apple Care - Logitech ultrathin keyboard cover.

----------





I am unsure of this. I mean, I completely agree with you about it being annoying and just like you, I returned mine, but I'm not sure Apple see's this as a flaw.



I could be (and hope I am) wrong but I kind of picture this:



Apple tests various speakers and finds one with a good size/depth to sound ratio. Amplifies sound using the device's chassis as a kind of subwoofer and finalizes it on the assumption that consumers make limited use of the speaker. Additionally, almost everyone (not me) that I know has there iPad in some kind of thick annoying case. Surely they did know it does vibrate more than the others (they had to play sound and touch it once), but I don't think it was a flaw as much as a choice.



Still, I hope I'm wrong. If they made that assumption I would think they would include a pair of EarPods which they don't. I will still argue that it's a flaw vs a choice, I just hope they change their decision with the next gen.



I don't use my speakers a ton, but I do often play games with them (they are sufficient for sound affects) and I would occasionally browse the web with light music on as I didn't want to wear ear buds all the time. I'd say about 20% of my usage gets speakers.

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How's the sound quality on it? I ask because I don't own one and am genuinely curious if the resonance makes any difference in sound quality.

The sound quality is really good. I have the 8.4 inch model which is supposed have slightly better sound that it's larger counterpart. The air 2 has a fuller sound though.

 

[Charliebird]

You are right. As a Dutchie and non native speaker of the language, these nuances sometimes are too much for me. No offence intended.

We agree that it is a choice, maybe where we disagree is whether it's a good choice.

Their are plenty native English speakers who struggle with this nuance and they claim everything is a design flaw.

 

[asleep]

I hear that some analyst predicted that sales would be dropping 50% over the next few quarters. Solely because of this vibration issue.

They have to fix it!!

Not quite...

Kuo's report also focuses on forecasting iPad shipments, which he believes will fall 54.5 percent quarter over quarter to just 9.8 million units during the first calendar quarter of 2015. He points towards the lack of new applications and a saturation of the tablet market as the basis for his prediction.

We believe that, in a major shift, while Apple (US) used to be able to use new form factor designs to boost demand, it has failed to do so this time around. The lighter and thinner iPad Air 2 will face strong headwinds in increasing sales in 1Q15, we believe; we also hold that this means that iPad, along with the entire tablet market, is faced with structural challenges characterized by a lack of new applications and market saturation. We don't think these challenges will be easily overcome by upgraded specs, new form factor designs or lower prices.

...
According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the drop in iPad sales is just a "speed bump" that the company will overcome...

Fixing the screen vibration is peanuts compared to the bigger issues Apple is facing with the iPad.

 

[Scott6666]

Fixing the screen vibration is peanuts compared to the bigger issues Apple is facing with the iPad.

Not so. It's the sole reason sales are falling and projected to fall further still. The single root cause.

 

[Morac]

Not so. It's the sole reason sales are falling and projected to fall further still. The single root cause.

Source?

Considering this forum is pretty much the only place I've seen the issue mentioned, I highly doubt that.

Competition and the fact that most people already have an iPad is more likely.

 

[crashoverride77]

Yet another corporate apologist attempting to gloss over an issue by mis-stating it. The Air 2 vibrates at 3 bars. Nowhere near full volume. That is why it's a problem.

BS.
Mine doesn't vibrate on 3 bars. On full volume I can only feel the bass (which is much better than before) at the back of the iPad. Bass does NOT mean it's vibrating.
On full or near full volume I do feel the screen vibrate near the home button but it's so minimal it's not even worth mentioning.
Please let me know what song makes you iPad vibrate on 3 bars. I'm just blasting house music with heavy bass on full volume and have hardly any screen vibrations and no back vibrations, just the bass kicking in.

 

[majkom]

BS.
Mine doesn't vibrate on 3 bars. Even on full volume I can only feel the bass at the back of the iPad. Bass does NOT mean it's vibrating.
On full volume I can fell the screen vibrate near the home button but it's so minimal it's not even worth mentioning.
Please let me know what song makes you iPad vibrate on 3 bars. I'm just blasting house music with heavy bass on full volume and have hardly any screen vibrations.

then you have a magic unit

 

[crashoverride77]

then you have a magic unit

Okay.
I must do, as do all reviewers apparently but sure the few guys in this thread tell the truth and everyone else is lying or payed off. If the new iPad air 2 has such a bad vibration design flaw than surely someone must have mentioned it, especially these days when BS like bendgate spreads around like the plague. Im sure you gonna tell me now that bendgate is also real and a design flaw, right?
Don't get me wrong I'm by no means saying that Apple is perfect or that all iPad air 2s are perfect since I had to actually exchange two myself. First one had a raised home button and second one had bad backlight bleeding. Apples costumer service was perfect tho, as usual.

This thread emplifies the Mac rumors way these days, very sad.

 

[Charliebird]

This thread is getting good. Please continue!

 

[s2mikey]

Source?

Considering this forum is pretty much the only place I've seen the issue mentioned, I highly doubt that.

Competition and the fact that most people already have an iPad is more likely.

huh? Google it. There are a plethora of forums and websites mentioning the same problem. Im not saying it bothers everyone equally but it is incorrect to state that MacRumors is the only place this is being discussed. Not even close. There are quite a few large threads on the Apple support forums too.

Not so. It's the sole reason sales are falling and projected to fall further still. The single root cause.

I wouldnt say its the sole reason but I was 100% set/committed to do the Best Buy trade-in program with my Air even though I dont usually update my iPad every year. But, with the trade in value and nice Air 2 specs I was going to go against my own "grain" and trade up. Then, I read about the vibration and screen distortion issues. Of course I chalked them up to "the usual macrumors whining" but still went to Best Buy to see for myself.

The screen distortion thing wasnt really that bad on their display model and it took some good pressure to make it happen regularly. So that didnt bother me too much.

The vibration though? Holy fogging crap.... I could feel it really badly on about half volume on the back of the device but the real deal-killer is how bad it is on the screen itself! I aint typing on my iPad while the screen feels like that old electric football game with the magnetized figurine players and the vibrating field thingie. No way. I listen to music all the time while working and surfing and I dont like headphones so this issue hits home really bad for me. Plus, I even felt it while trying a game that was loaded on the device and turned the sound up to about 1/3 volume and felt it in my fingers.

100%, no-arguments DEAL KILLER. End of Story.

 

[Charliebird]

Someone makes this huge claim with no evidence.

I hear that some analyst predicted that sales would be dropping 50% over the next few quarters. Solely because of this vibration issue.

They have to fix it!!

And this is your reply.

huh? Google it. \.

Well, I hear the earth is flat. Don't believe me just google it.

 

[Morac]

huh? Google it. There are a plethora of forums and websites mentioning the same problem. Im not saying it bothers everyone equally but it is incorrect to state that MacRumors is the only place this is being discussed. Not even close. There are quite a few large threads on the Apple support forums too.

I'm not saying the vibration doesn't exist, I'm saying that there are no en-mass complaints about it except here and a few discussions on Apple's official forums.

Though when I said "Source", I was referring to your statement, that iPad Air 2 sales will decline more than 50% solely because of the vibrations. I see no evidence of that at all. Sources mention normal seasonal decline in sales from 4Q to 1Q as well as market saturation. Even still, it's the Air 2 is still predicted to outsell all other currently available iPad models combined. Also this is one person's prediction, which may or may not be accurate.

http://appleinsider.com/articles/14...015-current-models-to-see-steep-sales-decline

Kuo believes Apple has failed to boost demand with its new iPad Air 2 form factor, a major shift from previous generations that saw increased consumer interest with each successive design iteration. With proliferation in the marketplace, tablet makers could be facing an uphill battle that may not be easily surmounted with simple spec bumps, new form factors or price cuts.

Also Best Buy is cutting the price of the iPad Air 2 by $100 for Black Friday, if the vibration "issue" is really causing that few sales, I would expect Best Buy to sell very few of these. I doubt that will be the case.

 

[Scott6666]

Source?

Considering this forum is pretty much the only place I've seen the issue mentioned, I highly doubt that.

Competition and the fact that most people already have an iPad is more likely.

I made it up - deciding it was so based solely on my own personal experience and that of my close friends.

Essentially the same way strategy consultants and wall street analysts come to their conclusions.

Uh, and most of the forum posters on MR as well.

 

[asleep]

Not so. It's the sole reason sales are falling and projected to fall further still. The single root cause.

You are uninformed. Most haven't heard of the Air2 vibrating.

iPad is losing ground because it has become unoriginal.

 

[Mackinjosh]

Their are plenty native English speakers who struggle with this nuance and they claim everything is a design flaw.

And there are more than a few Apple apologists that confuse design flaws with MAGIC.

 

[AndyAnt]

ipad air 2 sound vibrating

bought today ipad air 2.
Design is nice but sound made me sad.
1. vibration (looks like apple added bass a little)
2. worse is that i feel like uncomfortable for my ears when i watch netflix etc. It seems that they are trying to make 3d sound.
Does anybody feels something like that?

Unfortunately Steve Jobs is not alive , otherwise he would not make happens some problem in apple devices and iOS. I also afraid that apple gadget design after years become worse and worse or who knows.

 

[cababah]

Unfortunately Steve Jobs is not alive , otherwise he would not make happens some problem in apple devices and iOS. I also afraid that apple gadget design after years become worse and worse or who knows.

I hate hearing this statement. Plenty of product issues under Jobs' watch...iPhone 4 antennagate ring a bell? He was even worse in some ways because he would arrogantly blame the issues on the customer and not take responsibility.

 

[AndyAnt]

I hate hearing this statement. Plenty of product issues under Jobs' watch...iPhone 4 antennagate ring a bell? He was even worse in some ways because he would arrogantly blame the issues on the customer and not take responsibility.

you hate the statement but each device he created was his idea. For nowadays Apple lack of ideas, innovations !!!!
plus see how some futures from ios on is not useful at all, they just repeating android, what is sad , some app become not convenience in use.
Call to customer service (have you notice how it become low of quality. Have you spoke before to them. If yes, you can see the difference.
Apple made not narrow direction speaker inside and now we feel vibration, that is not normal thinks to an apple. Unfortunately not everyone understand that main person gone and apple will not be anymore quality apple. (probably, for my opinion)