iPad Pro Speakers worse on new Pro vs last year

[AppleHaterLover]

It's quite logical that the previous model had more bass. Bass is very much dependent on speaker size.

What's more revealing is that we still have hardcore ABBA fans in 2018.

Gimme, gimme, gimme...

 

[solmaker]

I spent an hour last night comparing music videos on YouTube and my gen 2 100% sounds better. It’s like the 2nd gen dampens the sound somewhat as when you hold it you can feel the bass but nothing like the 3rd gen, it vibrates all over the place! I think it’s just too thin to produce a decent low end sound.

Very, very strange the divergence of opinions here. For a number of us, significant degradation of low end sound quality was obvious from the get-go and confirmed by careful testing, while others pipe up with comments like "better bass" and "sounds way less tinny now" that are hard for me to comprehend.

Three possibilities: (1) Maybe this isn't "just how the new ones sound" instead some of us received defective speaker units; (2) Maybe those saying things like "I love the bass! Though I didn't own any of the previous iPad Pros..." don't really know or remember how much better the 1st/2nd gen sounded; (3) Maybe this is just subjective and "everyone's ears are different", with some prioritizing high end and others low end sound.

For myself, I resonate with Jackfudge's comments quoted above, fearing Apple made "a VERY small and weak speaker" that's "too thin to produce a decent low end sound". The vibration issue is interesting... cranking up 3rd gen volume did produce appreciable bass but coupled with vibration that felt like it was hurting my ears. That matches another commentator who said "The last model had more bass? I thought that my new 12.9 had too much, it's vibrating in my hands from the bass output." The problem is bass QUALITY not quantity!

 

[Jakefudge]

Very, very strange the divergence of opinions here. For a number of us, significant degradation of low end sound quality was obvious from the get-go and confirmed by careful testing, while others pipe up with comments like "better bass" and "sounds way less tinny now" that are hard for me to comprehend.

Three possibilities: (1) Maybe this isn't "just how the new ones sound" instead some of us received defective speaker units; (2) Maybe those saying things like "I love the bass! Though I didn't own any of the previous iPad Pros..." don't really know or remember how much better the 1st/2nd gen sounded; (3) Maybe this is just subjective and "everyone's ears are different", with some prioritizing high end and others low end sound.

For myself, I resonate with Jackfudge's comments quoted above, fearing Apple made "a VERY small and weak speaker" that's "too thin to produce a decent low end sound". The vibration issue is interesting... cranking up 3rd gen volume did produce appreciable bass but coupled with vibration that felt like it was hurting my ears. That matches another commentator who said "The last model had more bass? I thought that my new 12.9 had too much, it's vibrating in my hands from the bass output." The problem is bass QUALITY not quantity!

Agree 100%. I suspect the “profit before quality” trait we see everywhere now is sadly Apples new way forward. Got to keep those margins high!

 

[FeliApple]

’

I almost wonder if what we’re dealing with is a software bug in the way the speakers balance themselves out. I remember in the first iPad Pro keynote them talking about how as you rotate the device, your iPad senses the orientation You’re in and adjusts the way it sounds between all of the speakers

I just wanted to confirm this, I can hear the difference when I rotate my 9.7 iPad Pro. I can't add anything as I use the 9.7 one.
Incidentally, I really like its speakers. They sound great.

 

[solmaker]

I count 7 posters on this thread saying bass on the 3rd gen is worse, and 7 posters saying bass and/or overall sound is better on the 3rd gen than earlier iPad Pros. (There were also a couple posters saying they liked the sound on the new iPPs without comparing older ones.) However 4 of the naysayers carefully tested models head-to-head and posted detailed comparisons, whereas none of the 3rd gen boosters did, instead offering mostly non-specific one-liners like "much improved" and "way better". Can anybody post a more detailed review arguing that 3rd gen has better low-end sound based on extended head-to-head testing?

 

[Arran]

Have both devices side by side (2017 and 2018 12.9” iPad Pro)...

That's the only way to compare speakers: Immediate A/B comparison, side by side.

Anything else is subject to foggy memories and confirmation bias. I've surprised myself twice recently when comparing speakers I'd owned for years and thought were really good. Comparing them alongside more recent acquisitions, one pair went straight to Goodwill and the second is not far behind.

 

[stevo8]

The previous pro always impressed me but my 10.5 side by side my new 11” the 11” definitely has the edge.

 

[solmaker]

The previous pro always impressed me but my 10.5 side by side my new 11” the 11” definitely has the edge.

Thanks! I agree the 11" has the edge on the high end, but did you test the low end on a bassy song? Specifically please try A/B comparing the first 30 seconds of Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir" off YouTube on both 10.5" and 11", then post your reactions. Another good song to test is Fleetwood Mac's "Sister of the Moon"... I'd be very interested in your reactions. - Thanks in advance from a fellow Stevo

 

[solmaker]

Here's an 8th negative vote against the 3rd gen speakers based on head-to-head testing from another thread:
Maybe I had bad speakers on my 11"; but the 10.5 inch sound seems more precise to me, and I don't have the balance issue I was experiencing (was shifted toward left side on my 11").

This is taken from post #57, which includes a very interesting list of Pros and Cons comparing the 11" to the 10.5"; see: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...hone-adapter-wifi-interference.2155178/page-3
[doublepost=1543294242][/doublepost]Just saw a 9th negative vote against the 3rd gen speakers, saying it has awesome (less than last year) speakers.
This is from post #26 at: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...ng-the-ipad-3-of-the-ipad-pros.2156909/page-2

 

[Kal-037]

anyone else think so? Last years model had more bass and was clearer. Almost sounded like a good Bluetooth speaker. That’s gone.

I'd say the 11" is less loud but has a more rounded sound than the 10.5", but the 12.9" has much louder and more rich sound compared to past 12.9" and across the Apple product board (blows every other Apple product out of the water in terms of it's size with incredible sound.)


Kallum.

 

[Vivian125]

anyone else think so? Last years model had more bass and was clearer. Almost sounded like a good Bluetooth speaker. That’s gone.

But in reality, even the iPad Pro 10.5 has powerful sound than new iPad Pro 11 inch...

But still both are much quitter than the smallest portable speaker like JBL clip or JBL go bluetooth speaker as they have more bass and 10 times powerful.

 

[Kal-037]

But in reality, even the iPad Pro 10.5 has powerful sound than new iPad Pro 11 inch...

But still both are much quitter than the smallest portable speaker like JBL clip or JBL go bluetooth speaker as they have more bass and 10 times powerful.

Yeah that was one of the bigger reasons I went with the new 12.9". It has amazing base and clearer sound than any iPad or computer I've ever owned. I especially love it because it has better/clearer sound output and bass than my Sony 900E TV's internal speakers. lol
But I have heard a few people say the 11" is not as good as the 10.5". I wonder what happened there (has anyone done a side by side test with them?)
I did a side by side... by side with my iPad Pro 3, iPad Pro 1.5 (9.7") and the iPad Mini 5... the new iPad Pro 12.9" had incredible base and much better and louder sound over all.
I thought the gen 1, 12.9" was the best sounding iPad ever, *especially after owning the 2nd gen (as that was not good, (but since getting and using the new gen 3,) I have totally changed my mind. lol


Kallum.

 

[EugW]

All I can say is that the 10.5” Pro is way better than the Air 2, which was already a big improvement for its time.

It is interesting some people say the 10.5” has better bass than the 11”. I can’t compare them side by side but I never thought of the 10.5” as having good bass. However, I have never listened to an 11”.

Either way, I’m just happy to have quad speakers. The biggest problem with the Air 2 speakers and now the Air 3 speakers is the fact that they’re effectively just mono in landscape mode.

 

[Byronm1234]

anyone else think so? Last years model had more bass and was clearer. Almost sounded like a good Bluetooth speaker. That’s gone.

I have my 11in Pro and my iPhone XS Max and I feel my iPhone is louder smh....

 

[elmarjazz]

Just compared my new refurbished iPad Pro 10.5 to my mini 4 and son's iPad 2 (first retina, one speaker! still working!) and have to say... it sounds better ;-)

But seriously... I worked as a sound engineer at one time (ears are still pretty good even if not so young) and I never expected a small device like an iPad to be 'high-fidelity.' I am amazed this 10.5 sounds so good, and if it does good audio for things on my lap or on the go like youtube and movies, well, that's a plus (ALAF music, I'll still use my Masters & Dynamic headphones - With the 10.5 Headphone Jack). Unless the subtleties are important to you for whatever reason, a newest or last generation iPad Pro does the job that was intended, and very well. (physics does have its limitations)

(I'm at another house for the weekend with the 10.5 of a few days getting familiar with it. Watched a movie and HBO show last night and it was great having good sound in the hand while sitting and moving around. This morning, while reading this and checking internet listening to music, was 'satisfied' with the sound - Listening to Jorma Kaukonen 'River of Time' acoustic guitar, folk/blues - and just plugged in my old portables harman/kardon soundsticks just to compare... so guess which blows the other out of the water in every way ;-?)