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iPad3: Stereo Speakers

V

VitaminD

macrumors regular
Original poster
I hope Apple decides to put stereo speakers on the next iteration of the iPad. Having bought a firesale HP TouchPad which has stereo speakers, it will be hard to buy a tablet without them. It would be a compromise.

The iPad being a superior product, is lacking in this regard. Even the Samsung Galaxy Tab has stereo speakers.

Imagine an iPad3 with Retina display and stereo speakers? That would be awesome. 😀
 
The iPad has a single stereo speaker. Even if the iPad gets two speakers, depending on the devices orientation you won't get a stereo effect.

That being said, a better speaker would be much appreciated.
 
Agreed, better speakers would be a welcome addition.

I get a stereo effect with the TouchPad in landscape mode just like the other Android tablets. For most games, movies, etc, most would hold or mount the iPad in landscape orientation which would benefit from stereo separation.

Apple would simply need to mount the speakers at opposite ends of the iPad.
 
Easy answer.

Fit 3 mono speakers, then depending on the orientation you turn one off, so no matter which way round you hold it you always get stereo. Sorted 😀
 
It's funny how features I would not pay a single cent for ('speakers' on mobile devices) are so important to other people.

What I'm trying to say is - everybody's different, needs vary wildly, and it's hard to make a product that everybody likes. I don't know if Apple will put stereo speakers in there - they could, obviously, but that's not always a factor in these things - but it's astonishing how different people's desires are 🙂.
 
no thanks. the speakers are fine as they are.

if i want stereo i will plug in my headphones or use any of the wonderful bluetooth speakers available out there. i want the ipad 3 to be even lighter with a better display. if apple can do that, i'll be more than happy to line up and buy it. better speakers wouldn't factor into my decision at all.
 
Piggie said:
Easy answer.

Fit 3 mono speakers, then depending on the orientation you turn one off, so no matter which way round you hold it you always get stereo. Sorted 😀
Click to expand...

It would be kinda of weird with 3 speakers they should just put 2 speakers and its good. If you really need good speakers hook it up to a stereo system.
 
palpatine said:
no thanks. the speakers are fine as they are.
Click to expand...

Makes me laugh.

It's almost 2012 and yes 1 tiny mono speaker is as good as it should be.
Any better would be wrong 😀

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Thetonyk123 said:
It would be kinda of weird with 3 speakers they should just put 2 speakers and its good. If you really need good speakers hook it up to a stereo system.
Click to expand...

To be honest, I'd be happy with a speaker opposite the current speaker.

Let's be truthful here, the vast majority of games and of course all movies are viewed in Landscape mode, so this would be fine.

For watching movies and games two speakers that gave stereo in Landscape mode would be fine most of the time.
 
Piggie said:
Makes me laugh.

It's almost 2012 and yes 1 tiny mono speaker is as good as it should be.
Any better would be wrong 😀

----------



To be honest, I'd be happy with a speaker opposite the current speaker.

Let's be truthful here, the vast majority of games and of course all movies are viewed in Landscape mode, so this would be fine.

For watching movies and games two speakers that gave stereo in Landscape

mode would be fine most of the time.
Click to expand...


Seriously, this isn't the iPhone we don't need the other side to be used for a noise canceling mic put a dang on second speaker in there somewhere
 
Piggie said:
Makes me laugh.

It's almost 2012 and yes 1 tiny mono speaker is as good as it should be.
Any better would be wrong 😀
Click to expand...


It's not about what's better or not, it's about priorities. I think the speakers are going to sound like crap no matter what they are, because the device is thin and small. Instead of wasting money on developing the best crappy speakers on the market, I'd like to see them trim off some more thickness.

Let's be truthful here, the vast majority of games and of course all movies are viewed in Landscape mode, so this would be fine.
Click to expand...
You don't use headphones? Bluetooth speakers?
 
darngooddesign said:
Its a stereo speaker, not a mono speaker.

However, the speaker could be better.
Click to expand...

True, indeed.
However listening to stereo speakers where the sound comes out of only one hole is no really different that a mono speaker that's being fed with both left and right channels.

Actually, whilst I agree the speaker is poor during the day, if you listen to it at night time in a dead silent room, it can actually sound pretty good with a good volume level.
For some games and movies, even with small speakers I'm sure it would be quite a dramatic improvement to hear sound coming from both sides of the device as opposed to just coming from one side only.

As I have said about others changes. I'm 100% sure if Apple make a model as they do now, and another optional model with a speaker opposite the current location so you could have stereo in landscape mode (mainly games and movies) then the majority of people would choose the twin speaker model.
 
darngooddesign said:
Its a stereo speaker, not a mono speaker.

However, the speaker could be better.
Click to expand...

Not to get too picky but there is no such thing as a stereo speaker since it takes a minimum of 2 speakers with proper placement to reproduce a stereo effect. Stereo is about reproducing a realistic and large sound field (not just offering a L&R channel) with precludes the iPad's internal speakers. Also the iPad has 2 speakers (L&R channel) located next to each other and not just 1 speaker.

So the iPad has L&R speakers that reproduce a mono sound since it comes and is perceived as one point with no stereo dimensions.
 
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the speaker is inconsequential. of course we'd all like a mini bose wave inside our ipad, but practically speaking, it is a nice extra, and nothing more.

i use my ipad every day, and i see lots of people all over campus using it, but i have honestly never heard sound coming out of them. i think the reason is that most of us are in public during the day, and if we want to listen to something we put on our headphones.

at home, of course, we might use the speakers (i have), but again, an inexpensive bluetooth speaker will deliver far superior performance (this is what i usually do). rather than wasting time, energy, and money bundling the best of the crappy speakers into our ipads (there is a limit to what a tiny speaker can do), i sincerely hope apple is focusing on the big stuff.

apple has to get the screen right. people don't buy the ipads because of its speakers, but because of its screen. if they don't come out with something that makes us say "wow" the speakers won't matter.
 
takeshi74 said:
If stereo is a must have for you then how is the iPad "superior"? Or are you exaggerating its importance?
Click to expand...

The conclusions some draw on this site. 🙄

Anyway, for those who think the sound on a mobile device can't be all that good, you might need to listen to a few other tablets. Some have very nice stereo sound. I would dare say HP's defunct Touchpad sounds better than the majority of notebook speakers. Great for games and movies. Nothing like playing a racing game and feeling the rumble of the engine in your hands. And the stereo separation of a cop car's siren on your left swerving behind you to the right.

Is it going to sound like a hifi audiophile system? No. But that doesn't preclude even trying to up the sound quality.

There's nothing materially stopping Apple from putting stereo speakers in the iPad. I sincerely hope they do.
 
VitaminD said:
The conclusions some draw on this site. 🙄

Anyway, for those who think the sound on a mobile device can't be all that good, you might need to listen to a few other tablets. Some have very nice stereo sound. I would dare say HP's defunct Touchpad sounds better than the majority of notebook speakers. Great for games and movies. Nothing like playing a racing game and feeling the rumble of the engine in your hands. And the stereo separation of a cop car's siren on your left swerving behind you to the right.

Is it going to sound like a hifi audiophile system? No. But that doesn't preclude even trying to up the sound quality.

There's nothing materially stopping Apple from putting stereo speakers in the iPad. I sincerely hope they do.
Click to expand...

I've heard them. They are good. And, I certainly don't think the iPad's speakers are too great. If they put better ones in the iPad 3 I won't complain, but I am most concerned about the screen. The processor is a close second.
 
palpatine said:
I've heard them. They are good. And, I certainly don't think the iPad's speakers are too great. If they put better ones in the iPad 3 I won't complain, but I am most concerned about the screen. The processor is a close second.
Click to expand...

Agreed. I held off buying the iPad 2 in hopes that the iPad 3 will have "Retina" display and the A6 processor. It seems likely that it will.

Stereo speakers is a wish fulfilling bonus, not a deal breaker.
 
VitaminD said:
Agreed. I held off buying the iPad 2 in hopes that the iPad 3 will have "Retina" display and the A6 processor. It seems likely that it will.

Stereo speakers is a wish fulfilling bonus, not a deal breaker.
Click to expand...

Just think what will happen if that retina screen doesn't appear. I will be so disappointed. At least Samsung is bringing up its game, and Apple might at least be feeling some pressure.
 
The Vizio tablet has three speakers arranged so that you always have stereo no matter the screen orientation. All of my tablets with stereo speakers sound better with stereo content than my iPad2 does. Those of you content with one are in denial. They'll put two in the iPad 3 and you'll swear it's the best sounding iPad ever.
 
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