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M1 iMac speakers
- Thread starter mfacey
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I also done that comparison, there is more spaciousness with the stereo sound. Not quite as deep bass as 27", but then the upper bass though highs is a lot more present with the 24" M1 iMac. Of course if you need better sound just connect a USB-C port to a DAC/headphone amp to any quality planar headphones. Nothing Apple makes approaches that clarity, full frequency reproduction.
Ok but recommendations that dont gouge me for a price point… I cannot IMAGINE earbuds that tiny being anything but lost in my house, and at what, $300 a pop? That’s just bougie as hell.
Do your own research then, you asked what we use. AirPods can be had for $200AUD here, people have been using them for years lol
I just use basic regular AirPods, $120 at Amazon. I like the way they are so light and barely noticeable and automatically connect, but I am not looking for high fidelity. (I have other audio equipment for that). I also do not want noise canceling when using my Mac. So it depends what you want. If you want high fidelity, the sky's the limit.
Yes, I also wirelessly stream to seven different wifi-connected stereo systems or airplay speakers in different rooms in the house. Airplay 2 works quite well (unlike Airplay 1). Can control it all on Apple Watch. Similarly for Spotify. My wife can simultaneously control a separate stream on her Apple Watch. It's pretty amazing it all just works.
Ah, mine goes to an amp then wired hifi. House is small so not really needing past one room, TV has its own AV setup in another room and don't really watch any shows on the mac, personally never saw the point but appreciate many do.
Though I have been pondering a wifi audio option for the hobby room. Suppose I was never impressed with iTunes quality back some years and invested in physical media. I use the iMac amp for the few iTunes titles I have and the odd game but in the main the record player is my main source.
It will be interesting to see how it compares when it arrives.
I got my AirPods Pro for 189$ this past prime day (sorry don’t know the exchange rate — 209 AUD?). Imho a solid buy for a high quality audio that includes solid phone quality as well as the eco interop.
First full day playing with new 24" iMac. First impression of the speakers/sound was not great. (On my older iMacs I used a set of Altec Lansing desktop speakers with a sub-woofer) and planned on going back to that.
But since the built in speakers will play Spatial Audio (was pretty impressed with the effect) - not sure of the different in Lossless audio on the built ins - decided to test them out some more. Played with the built in equalizer in the Music App and got the sound out of the speakers sounding better IMHO. Must admit the sound is now cleaner than my old speaker set, but obviously the bass without the subwoofer is lacking a bit.
Only thing I really don't like is where they implemented the audio jack. (Yes I realize it had to be one side of the computer because of the thickness.) Just looks terrible and afraid of hitting it accidentally with something. (Actually went on Amazon and found a 90 degree adapter for it.)
Anyway, any suggestions of a good (meaning non-professional) equalizer app for the Mac incase I want to play with the levels a bit more.
But since the built in speakers will play Spatial Audio (was pretty impressed with the effect) - not sure of the different in Lossless audio on the built ins - decided to test them out some more. Played with the built in equalizer in the Music App and got the sound out of the speakers sounding better IMHO. Must admit the sound is now cleaner than my old speaker set, but obviously the bass without the subwoofer is lacking a bit.
Only thing I really don't like is where they implemented the audio jack. (Yes I realize it had to be one side of the computer because of the thickness.) Just looks terrible and afraid of hitting it accidentally with something. (Actually went on Amazon and found a 90 degree adapter for it.)
Anyway, any suggestions of a good (meaning non-professional) equalizer app for the Mac incase I want to play with the levels a bit more.
Aside from Apple's relentless marketing hype ("Gorgeous!" "Amazing!" "Thinnest!" "Best Ever!"), I think the way people perceive sound quality is highly influenced by the format and by the device they used to listen to music when their tastes were forming.
Those who began by listening to MP3s played through laptop speakers or cheap earbuds might feel lossless AACs on an iMac's speakers sound pretty good. Similarly, I grew up listening mostly to records. So anything on vinyl sounds warm and inviting to me. But somebody who loves megabass and wants maxed-out levels on everything probably prefers CDs or uncompressed digital files.
For anybody interested in doing a deep dive on this stuff, this is a cool book:
us.macmillan.com
"In 1915, Thomas Edison proclaimed that he could record a live performance and reproduce it perfectly, shocking audiences who found themselves unable to tell whether what they were hearing was an Edison Diamond Disc or a flesh-and-blood musician."
Now, here's what early 1900s recordings actually sound like:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/
Those who began by listening to MP3s played through laptop speakers or cheap earbuds might feel lossless AACs on an iMac's speakers sound pretty good. Similarly, I grew up listening mostly to records. So anything on vinyl sounds warm and inviting to me. But somebody who loves megabass and wants maxed-out levels on everything probably prefers CDs or uncompressed digital files.
For anybody interested in doing a deep dive on this stuff, this is a cool book:
Perfecting Sound Forever
In 1915, Thomas Edison proclaimed that he could record a live performance and reproduce it perfectly, shocking audiences who found themselves unable to tell ...
us.macmillan.com
Now, here's what early 1900s recordings actually sound like:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/
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Never really stopped with vinyl.
Now the OP has mentioned it, I have a few tracks that cross formats. Will have a listen on this, wait for the new 24" and see what that does then spin up the record.
Probably ELO.
I've been using a pair of Bang & Olufsen Beoplay H2 headphones for the last few years with various Macs, and I think they give lovely sound. Though of course, anything to do with sound can be a very personal thing!
My plan was for a pair of homepod mini as external speakers, but F U Apple for being such monumental gruntfuttocks that you won’t make this useable for general audio.
From my reading there are a couple of main challenges. One, more solvable, is the current unreliability of stereo pairing, both in setting it up and then consistent delivery through both of the speakers.
The deal breaker for me is the absence of system wide Air Play 2, so only some apps will easily stream to the homepod mini, and even then there is often a lag in the audio. If I were playing music or podcasts - fine, it should work (subject to one, above) - but playing movies via Kodi or IINA means the audio and video are out of sync, and not necessarily by a consistent amount so harder to adjust for.
I know these are designed as wireless devices, but wireless has its limitations. I'd be okay with, similar to the ethernet port on the iMac power brick, adding a wired option to plug them into the iMac (albeit through a USB port rather than the butt ugly side socket)
Bluetooth signals are more than often interfered by Wifi signals, leading to the lagging/intermitten disconnect.
Is it just me or the speakers on the new M1 24 inch iMac really lousy. They still seem to be any type of comparison to the iMac 27 inch speakers which are much wider range better base response and they don't sound like a tin can yes I did remove the plastic cellophane around the edge of the computer etc. there doesn't seem to be any way to adjust the sound. Does anyone have any ideas?
They sound amazing if you don't have any other speakers to use.
They are mediocre comparing with a decent stereo sound bar.
Apple did their best with the limitation of space inside the iMac, they simply couldn't defy the law of physics in audio production, that's all.
How do you get AirPlay 2 to work so flawlessly? I've always had problems, as others have too on the M1 (MacBook Pro M1 and iMac M1 for myself). It never seems to work so flawlessly as you mention, it always seems to have hiccups or doesn't work at all. Just for example, I have two HomePod minis in my living room, and two in my office for my iMac on stereo settings.
Beta 3 Music - AirPlay Problems?
Same here now. Worked just fine yesterday, but now it doesn't work to check the box and turns from a check mark into a "-" and doesn't play anything. Works fine to play from the iMac speakers though.
forums.macrumors.com
M1 - Apple Music Airplay - HomePod Issues
Glad it's not just me. I wonder if it's an M1 issue as I'm on Big Sur..
forums.macrumors.com
Run a few comparisons old and new before stashing the the old iMac. iTunes replays extremely tinny back through the iMac speakers. Hissy tinny. You have to get the equaliser in on the act to take the edge off it. Run the same through the amp and it is acceptable with no equaliser.
Other stuff not through iTunes play back sort of OK but nothing to write home about. Not sure there is the bump in quality that would wow me over the old iMac.
Other stuff not through iTunes play back sort of OK but nothing to write home about. Not sure there is the bump in quality that would wow me over the old iMac.
Sorry, I am using AirPlay 2 on Intel Macs, iPads, iPhones, Sonos speakers and Denon receivers, but not yet on M1 Macs. With these, Airplay 2 works “quite well” but not flawlessly. Occasionally ( like every few months) have to reboot or restart to reconnect, or restart the wifi router.
Sorry to hear people are having issues with M1 Macs and Airplay. (I realize this is a thread about M1 speakers). Sure hope the issue gets fixed soon, else that would be a significant negative.
In any case, Airplay 2 is way better than Airplay 1 - which was awful with different speakers not in sync, continual dropouts and lost connections.