Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MBPr 13 Speakers

N

nmeed

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 1, 2014
546
215
Quick question guys...
How are the speakers on the MacBook Pro 13 Retina? I saw an audio comparison between it and that Dell with the really thin bezel and I was pretty disappointed with the Mac's speakers. It got me thinking of buying one of those tiny Bluetooth speakers. Then again I figured I would ask here first. What are your opinions on the speakers? I know th they aren't going to blast the room away, but are they...passable?
 
It really depends on what you are listening to and ambient noise. Yesterday I was watching a few Youtube and iMessage videos on my 13 rMBP and they sounded just fine. There was no noise (kids screaming, people talking, phones ringing) so it was an ideal environment for this application. Trying it at a busy café or airport might be a different story.

If you plan on watching a movie or listening to music, you will probably be better off with headphones or separate speakers. Those tiny Bluetooth speakers you speak of can vary widely in terms of power and quality, so I'd do my homework on those before getting one.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nmeed
The sound is pretty much ok for a laptop. Good enough for a movie or your favorite show. Carrying another piece of electronics and worrying about charging it? Not worth it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nmeed
nmeed said:
Quick question guys...
How are the speakers on the MacBook Pro 13 Retina? I saw an audio comparison between it and that Dell with the really thin bezel and I was pretty disappointed with the Mac's speakers. It got me thinking of buying one of those tiny Bluetooth speakers. Then again I figured I would ask here first. What are your opinions on the speakers? I know th they aren't going to blast the room away, but are they...passable?
Click to expand...
Define passable?

I usually listen to music on a 2.0 setup worth about $8K. Passable to me isn't the same as passable to you.
 
nmeed said:
Quick question guys...
How are the speakers on the MacBook Pro 13 Retina? I saw an audio comparison between it and that Dell with the really thin bezel and I was pretty disappointed with the Mac's speakers. It got me thinking of buying one of those tiny Bluetooth speakers. Then again I figured I would ask here first. What are your opinions on the speakers? I know th they aren't going to blast the room away, but are they...passable?
Click to expand...

I find the speakers on my 2015 13" rMBP to be significantly better than the speakers on my 2012 13" cMBP. Big difference in clarity and roundness to me. I do also complement the speakers with Boom 2 for the Mac which happily enhances the sound further. At one point, I was considering purchasing an HP Spectre X360 2 in 1, but the speakers actually turned me off when I compared them to those on the rMBP. Suffice it to say, I got the MBP. Of course if you add an external bluetooth speaker like the Bose mini to the mix, there is no speaker question or issue at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CoastalOR and nmeed
Thanks for the replies! It's reassuring to hear that. I was pretty bummed when I heard that Dell having better speakers which is what got me thinking about buying a Bluetooth speaker. If only the Boom 2 was over Bluetooth, I'd get it in a heartbeat.
 
nmeed said:
Thanks for the replies! It's reassuring to hear that. I was pretty bummed when I heard that Dell having better speakers which is what got me thinking about buying a Bluetooth speaker. If only the Boom 2 was over Bluetooth, I'd get it in a heartbeat.
Click to expand...

I don't know about others but, far as I can say, I've had no trouble using Boom 2 with a bluetooth speaker. I mean I've left Boom 2 on with the speaker on with no issues.
 
Tenashus1 said:
I don't know about others but, far as I can say, I've had no trouble using Boom 2 with a bluetooth speaker. I mean I've left Boom 2 on with the speaker on with no issues.
Click to expand...

I meant that I wish the Boom would connect to the MacBook via Bluetooth instead of through USB...
 
nmeed said:
Oh my bad....I thought you were talking about the following:
https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/bassjump-2-for-macbook
I just looked into Boom 2. Does it really make a difference to the sound quality, $15 worth? Is it in the Macstore?
Click to expand...
Does it really make a difference to the sound quality? Yes, but you should judge for yourself what it sounds like to you.

$15 worth? Again your call. How much is $15 worth to you?

Is it in the Macstore? Yes it is 4+ star rated. The Boom 2 web site has a 7 day free trial so you can evaluate for yourself. The Mac App Store does not have a trial version, only Buy.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nmeed
nmeed said:
Oh my bad....I thought you were talking about the following:
https://www.twelvesouth.com/product/bassjump-2-for-macbook

I just looked into Boom 2. Does it really make a difference to the sound quality, $15 worth? Is it in the Macstore?
Click to expand...

If you've got $15 for it, yes, it's absolutely worth it. I'd buy it through the website- Globaldelight.com. I'm not affiliated with them. I'm just a satisfied customer.
 
  • Like
Reactions: nmeed
Had 2014 13" mba. Sold it and got 2015 13" mbp. I didn't go listening for a change in audio quality, I just noticed it. As soon as I booted the mbp I was like, wha...?! That start-up tone sounded really lame/weak compared to my mba. Not weak, as in volume. Weak as in it had no bass. Very tinny. I then went on to listen to other things...iTunes, YouTube, etc. The 2015 13" mbp built in speakers sound awful. Dreadful. I had no issues with the mba speakers. They had the right balance for what they were (tiny laptop speakers) . The mbp speakers are a big step down.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back