Speaker Mods?

[shawndoc]

After spending 24 hours with my iPad 2, I think my biggest complaint is the built-in speaker.

For many apps I have to turn the volume all the way up in order to be able to hear anything when holding the iPad normally. I don't know what they were thinking pointing the speaker directly behind the iPad. The person using the iPad needs to hear what is going on, not the person sitting on the other side of the room. Even before with the speakers pointing towards the bottom worked better than this current design. I worry about keeping the volume so high will cause damage to the speakers.

I've found that simply cupping my hand behind the speaker dramatically raises the volume.

Are there any easy mods, or cases that are designed to help redirect the sound towards the user so you don't need to max to volume to hear anything?

 

[saving107]

given the current design of the iPad 2, in what other direction could they have pointed the speakers?

I have found that using the Smart Cover folded all the way back helps re-direct some of the sound forward.

 

[shawndoc]

Ideally, forward. If they can punch a hole in the bezel to fit the home button, they should have room to put a speaker there.

Otherwise just pointing down like on the iPad 1 would give better volume. I'd much rather have sound I can hear, vs slightly better quality sound I can't hear (but the guy sitting at the next table can hear loud and clear).