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Speakers: cMBP vs rMBP

Ultra AleM

Ultra AleM

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jun 22, 2012
678
69
Italy
Hello. I read that Apple stated that rMBPs have better speakers than cMBP.

I think they are gorgeous, too, but I noticed that basses are quite completely absent.

I read that the cMBP has subwoofer. Does this mean it has better speakers?

Why did Apple claim rMBPs have better ones?

Thanks.
 
Ultra AleM said:
Hello. I read that Apple stated that rMBPs have better speakers than cMBP.

I think they are gorgeous, too, but I noticed that basses are quite completely absent.

I read that the cMBP has subwoofer. Does this mean it has better speakers?

Why did Apple claim rMBPs have better ones?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Marketing.

Honestly, I think my cMBP speakers are the best I've ever had in a laptop.
 
Hi, I don't have a retina display MBP but I do have the 2012 cmbp and the sound is perfectly fine considering that it is a laptop. Like I said, since I don't own a retina I can't compare both laptops but the cmbp is good.

The retina MBP is the flag ship in Apple's laptop so they will say anything to sell it. They are phasing out the cmbp. If the rmbp doesn't have a sub, IMO there is no way the sound is better, but it is thinner etc.. Wich one is the better laptop? A lots of threads on macrumors on this!
 
rMBP has better clarity of sound, but lacks bass.

Also you call this a subwoofer?
v3KJJuXOt1GPKlhY.huge


seems a bit small to me.
 
IlikeMacsSoMuch said:
It is small but the subwoofer that I use in my media room weights about the same as my mother in law so it does not fit in a laptop.:D
Click to expand...

Haha--yeah--I would not expect any kind of bass from the tiny little speakers in any laptop. When someone says subwoofer, this is what I think of:
 

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I've owned both and I'd certainly agree: better clarity, but less bass response.

I'd highly recommend the Twelve South BassJump 2. It's a great travel companion for the MacBook Pro with Retina display.
 
Ultra AleM said:
Hello. I read that Apple stated that rMBPs have better speakers than cMBP.

I think they are gorgeous, too, but I noticed that basses are quite completely absent.

I read that the cMBP has subwoofer. Does this mean it has better speakers?

Why did Apple claim rMBPs have better ones?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Because rMBP has 4 speakers (2 dedicated tweeters + 2 dedicated low/mid frequency speakers) instead of 2 general purpose + 1 subwoofer.

It doesn't put out as much bass, but that's because the inside of the rMBP has less space, thus sound inside doesn't reverberate and resonate as much (guess why guitars have this huge empty space inside their bodies?). It doesn't have much to do with the subwoofer.
 
xShane said:
Marketing.

Honestly, I think my cMBP speakers are the best I've ever had in a laptop.
Click to expand...

I played with both side by side at the Mac store with the same Rolling Stones video on both computers. There's just no comparison in the sound quality. The rMBP is just miles ahead of the cMBP in volume AND quality. Unbelievable, the difference. It's one of the reasons, the DEAL CLOSER, when deciding which one to buy. Anybody who says different hasn't performed this basic test.
 
The sound on my rMBP is very good...Much better then the asus Zenbook I had!

However, yes the bass on my brothers macbook pro is a little bassier I'd say.

But I'll take clarity over bass :D...Just my 2 cents though...
 
I thought the speakers on my cMB (white non-unibody, non-Pro) were good enough...until I got my Retina 15" and played music at full volume. I don't think it was a far-fetched claim when Apple said that the speakers had improved over the cMBP 15". The sound is loud and crisp - in fact, full volume is too loud, so I put it down to 3/4 of the way instead. They may lack some bass, but it's lightyears ahead of my old MacBook, which now just sounds tinny and lifeless in comparison.

I can actually listen to music from the laptop speakers instead of plugging a pair of headphones into it. Already have. It's that good.
 
I have both with me right now, and it's noticeably better on cMBP than rMBP.

rMBP have a weird sound direction that feels like the sound is trap when hearing from certain angle. The lack of bass is also another serious problem.

Overall, I really wouldn't call rMBP have better clarity. It's more sharper pitch. cMBP on the other hand sounds better in general.
 
I compared my rMBP to my friend's cMBP and iMac



iMac's speakers far supieror to rMBP and cMBP's



as between rMBP and cMBP.
I can't say which is better. They have different approach though.


cMBP = more bass, more focus sound

rMBP = better clarity, wider stereo imagine.



I personally like rMBP approach more though, they has virtually no bass at all.
no information or at least 24db per octave high pass around 600Hz.

You trade it for much better mid to high-mid clarity.
What good is that?

Skype and other voice chat application sound much clearer.
even music has more clarity and separation in rMBP speaker.
rMBP's speakers also noticeably louder.

cMBP has more low end yes. it can reproduce audible low mid down to maybe 200-300Hz but is that necessary? I don't think so.

For general use, I prefer clearer sound laptop speakers.


If I want full spectrum experience, I can always plugin in headphones.
Did I mention rMBP's headphone amp is quite capable?
I tested it can drive my 250ohms headphones fine.
Not saying it sound state of the art but nothing sort of excellent consider it's laptop built-in headphone amp.
 
darkinners said:
I personally like rMBP approach more though, they has virtually no bass at all.
no information or at least 24db per octave high pass around 600Hz.

You trade it for much better mid to high-mid clarity.
What good is that?

Skype and other voice chat application sound much clearer.
even music has more clarity and separation in rMBP speaker.
rMBP's speakers also noticeably louder.

cMBP has more low end yes. it can reproduce audible low mid down to maybe 200-300Hz but is that necessary? I don't think so.

For general use, I prefer clearer sound laptop speakers.


If I want full spectrum experience, I can always plugin in headphones.
Did I mention rMBP's headphone amp is quite capable?
I tested it can drive my 250ohms headphones fine.
Not saying it sound state of the art but nothing sort of excellent consider it's laptop built-in headphone amp.
Click to expand...

that's ******** you know that?

The rMBP speakers have a shifted frequency response that pronounces high end more, but they go well below 100hz, 70hz is still pretty audible (and nice too!). cMBP speakers didn't go as low and they sounded muddy as ****
 
Ploki said:
that's ******** you know that?

The rMBP speakers have a shifted frequency response that pronounces high end more, but they go well below 100hz, 70hz is still pretty audible (and nice too!). cMBP speakers didn't go as low and they sounded muddy as ****
Click to expand...

yeah audible when you play that frequency alone but does that mean anything to you?? or other people?


-36db is audible. tech spec wise.
But in real world you listen to that single frequency alone ?
My impression is base on full spectrum performance.


I do agree cMBP speaker sound muddy as well, that's why I prefer rMBP's
 
darkinners said:
yeah audible when you play that frequency alone but does that mean anything to you?? or other people?


-36db is audible. tech spec wise.
But in real world you listen to that single frequency alone ?
My impression is base on full spectrum performance.


I do agree cMBP speaker sound muddy as well, that's why I prefer rMBP's
Click to expand...

tech spec wise -36dB is probably referring to dBFS, which is nothing but a reference level. With enough headroom if the signal is present you can balance it. That means, even with a simple iTunes EQ you can make rMBP speakers sound more balanced albeit not as loud!

-36dB doesn't account for 24dB/8ve filter roll off @600hZ. That would place 150hz @-48dB and 75hz @ -72dB, which is (if you play 600hZ @0dBFS and 0dBFS is your reference level (that is in real world around 80dB SPL for rMBP speakers)) way below the ambient noise floor of the room.
 
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