Studio Display's speakers mediocre quality (compared to a 2012 iMac)

[RobertoDLV]

Hello everybody, hope someone can help me and guide me through some worries I have.

I’ve just received a Studio Display from apple’s refurb store.
First thing I noticed when plugged in, the sound quality is quite… underwhelming.

I have an old iMac 27 (the 2012 one) which served me well for 12 years. The Studio Display is replacing its screen (coupled with recent apple devices like iPad, Mac Studio...), and I can't help but noticing that every time I'm using the speakers on the Studio Display, the sound is not as good as the one from my old iMac, and that’s something I’m quite concerned about as it’s an expensive (and newer) device. I'm also surprised as almost everyone was praying the good audio quality.

The sound on my Studio Display is very muffled, everything is blending together, there is no layers, no depth at all, it sounds quite like a random tiny no name speaker. Everything sounds compressed and quite LQ.
On the other hand my 2012 iMac is delivering a clear sound, layered, yes colder but at the same time much more defined and closer to what music or else (sounds, voices etc) « naturally » sound.
The difference is very striking to be honest. Be aware I’m no professional, but I think I also can trust my ears.

So is this something other users noticed compared to older intel iMacs? Should I be concerned about the particular one I received, or is this something totally (and unfortunately) normal?
It’s a refurbed machine by apple, it should have passed a bunch of tests and have no serious and obvious issues like that out of the box, logically. The speakers may not be that good after all, and even worse than the ones of a thirteen years old iMac maybe?

Thank you everyone for your kind help ; )

 

[Bigwaff]

I would be concerned. I have Studio Display and Apple Thunderbolt Display side-by-side and there is definite quality difference between the ASD and the TBD speakers (thinking TBD speakers similar to your iMac). The ASD speakers are awesome for display speakers.

 

[colodane]

No first-hand experience here, but have done extensive reading about the ASD and its sound quality (considering possible purchase). Everything I've seen to date indicates that the ASD should have superior sound quality to iMacs.

In your situation the bad news is that this is a subjective thing. What is the return policy at the refurb store? If you have a "no questions asked" return window still open you could send it back and get a different one?

The good news is that for less than $200 you could find external speakers that are more to your liking and still enjoy your ASD.

 

[kasakka]

Could it be that you are just used to your previous display's sound.

My take is that built-in speakers on displays and TVs are a pile of crap by default and some cheap hifi system from the 1970s will surpass it for next to no money. Life is too short for subpar audio.

 

[UnbreakableAlex]

I swear, it happened to me too. My 2020 intel 27" iMac sounds like you described your sound. My late 2013 27" iMac has way better sound.

 

[PaulD-UK]

The 2012-2014 iMac 27" models had both high and low frequency speakers projecting the sound down to the slot at the bottom of the case.

After that the late 2015-2020 iMac 27" models had the main low frequency speaker pointing into the back of the case.
This had the effect of boosting the very low frequencies, but putting the mid frequencies into a more distant space.

The Studio Display tried to project the mid and low frequencies down from the bottom of the case, but there is much more heavy DSP artificial boosting of the lower frequency range which gives a more artificial nature to the sound.

So the most natural mid frequency sounds to my ears are from the 'horn loaded' directly focussed down and out of the case in the early 2012-14 iMacs.

The 21" iMacs remained this way throughout their life, but the speaker enclosures are too small to give good low frequency reproduction.

When I did a DIY 27" iMac monitor conversion I found the best sound came with an 8 speakers arrangement, using two speakers from a 2013 iMac (slightly reduced in size), as well as the speakers from an iMac Pro.

https://forums.macrumors.com/attachments/01interiorfull-jpg.2185035/

However: with all that said, a Studio Display shouldn't really sound 'underwhelming', but it's probably not a good idea to do a side-by-side comparison with an old iMac... 😉

 

[RobertoDLV]

Thank you very much everyone for your answers, clever explanations and advice!
I also thought my impression might be because I'm long accustomed to the sound of my old iMac that I don't fancy the Studio Display sound signature.
I went to an Apple Store and tried to "test" the displays" speakers there. There was quite some noise around and I couldn't literally compare so it didn't erase all my doubts, but I heard what I didn't quite like with my Studio Display speakers. This "digital box" overall sound that I don't hear with my 2012 iMac.
I'm still into the return policy window but I'm leaning towards the fact that in the end everything's normal with my display, and I don't like the idea of returning it without being sure (and the carbon footprint), and all the hassle that goes with the procedure...
I think I will get used to it after some time (and I also hope I will get used to the infamous buzzing sound that's coming from its usb-c ports from time to time haha 💀). And maybe one day I will start my old iMac and think the sound is not that good in comparison!

Thanks again.

 

[Citizen45]

Sorta hijacking this thread but how good do the Studio Display speakers sound vs say, a $100 pair of bookshelf speakers? (Such as the Micca MB42X or Edifier MR4?)