05-06-2011, 02:20 PM

Hi,

I've recently bought a base model Imac 21.5" and been having some issues with the sound.

I have had an older 2009 21.5" dual core Imac and i know the sounds really well as it had great speakers and could play all music at fully loud sounding really nice.

This new model however sounds slightly tinny and the music has way too much treble.
I have not changed settings, have tried on other players other than iTunes and tried changing the EQ which is something i did not do on my previous Imac and it sounded fine and its all the same slightly off sound.

Is it possible that they changed the sound cards or speakers in this new Imac or have i got a faulty one?

What do you reckon?!

05-06-2011, 02:25 PM

You aren't using any external speakers and just the ones in the iMac? I suppose that should work well enough, but you really should be using external speakers..

REgards

05-06-2011, 02:35 PM

Nope no external speakers, on the previous iMac i owned i didn't really need them as the sound quality was great even at full volume.

I listen to a variety of music from RnB to Hardcore and Classical, so i have a range of music to try out and none of it seems quite right.

Seeing as I just a lot of money spent money on this baby I want it to be top quality not even slightly broken. Already got a squeaky keyboard to send back!

My previous iMac was top quality so just not sure if the sound card is broken.

Any other ideas?

05-07-2011, 03:37 AM

Originally Posted by Mac12345

Hi,

I've recently bought a base model Imac 21.5" and been having some issues with the sound.

I have had an older 2009 21.5" dual core Imac and i know the sounds really well as it had great speakers and could play all music at fully loud sounding really nice.

This new model however sounds slightly tinny and the music has way too much treble.
I have not changed settings, have tried on other players other than iTunes and tried changing the EQ which is something i did not do on my previous Imac and it sounded fine and its all the same slightly off sound.

Is it possible that they changed the sound cards or speakers in this new Imac or have i got a faulty one?

What do you reckon?!

I recently bought the New 21.5 i3 iMac - and it sounds Great !!!

No need for any ext. spkrs - it sounds very good for such a relatively small enclosure etc

05-07-2011, 08:55 AM

You may want to take yours in to be looked at. I've read a few threads where people seem to think the new iMac has a little better sounding speakers than their old ones. I think I'd be taking mine in for a once over. While you're there - you can do a quick comparison with whatever they have on the store floor.

05-07-2011, 09:09 AM

I just played some music on my iMac's speakers and compared to my Creative external speakers and there is no comparison. The iMac speakers are OK, but there is no base or anything, it is certainly not suited to listening to music..

Regards

05-07-2011, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by Raz0rEdge

You aren't using any external speakers and just the ones in the iMac? I suppose that should work well enough, but you really should be using external speakers..

REgards

Why ?

05-07-2011, 02:08 PM

Look at my more recent post: New Imac May 2011 Sound Issues

Regards

05-08-2011, 02:23 AM

Originally Posted by Raz0rEdge

Look at my more recent post: New Imac May 2011 Sound Issues

Regards

I did - and it just brings us back to square one here !?

I have 3 iMacs of different sizes - and they ALL SOUND GREAT using their internal speakers !
It also does away with the need for more trailing cables and boxes etc !
But - if the iMac speakers weren't up to it - I would certainly use externals.

05-08-2011, 02:36 AM

@pedropete

It's a personal choice. Some folks want better quality sound from their iMac while others are perfectly satisfied with the built in sound. If you're happy with the sound from your iMac(s), that's fine. I'm not very fussy about the sound from my system either. I play all my music from a stereo system, not my computer, but that's just me.

05-08-2011, 11:58 AM

You know - when I lived in the UK I aspired to be quite an Audiophile..
I had a top quality component audio system, with Audiolab amp. and power amp. - good condition nearly new/2nd hand - cost about 3,500 GBP , Marantz CD Player new cost 500 GBP plus high-end loudspeakers, with all the expensive cabling etc
I move to Spain - have problems with some of my UK equipment - different power ratings prob. didn't help here - and most of this stuff has largely been redundant !
Instead I listened to a far cheaper Sansui amp which provided sterling service for about 25 years and Kef Chorale bookshelf speakers, replaced by Mordaunt Shorts which still work well, with a 150 GBP Pioneer CD Player which functioned admirably for about 15 yrs before mis-tracking ended it's life...R.I.P....
Then - I listened to cheap ghetto-blasters - until MP3's came along...!
Nowadays - my entire Music system is based around my 5 or so iTunes Libraries - delivered thru my iMacs and Power Book to my various 5 iPod Classics / Touch's / iPhone 4 etc - the latter happens to be the BEST MP3 Player I've yet to hear !
And - played without ear-phones or head-phones - through my iMac speakers - or via my oldish Samsung 2.1 sound system connected to my Samsung 46" HDTV with a Windows iMedia Centre pc or my trusty Apple TV Mk.1.

What happened ?!
It sounds GREAT to me ....

05-08-2011, 02:44 PM

The OTHER thing,
is that not everybody here hears the same... Various level of high end or low end deafness. As a sound techician (sound board operator) I hear it all the time.
Two different person at the same show and both are saying the opposite of the same audio mix, too much bass from one and not enough bass from the other, too thinny from one and muffled from the other person.
We are not made identically...

01-14-2012, 06:00 PM

I've got this exact problem. Sound is just rubbish. There's no clarity, it just sounds nasty. if your problem is the same as mine it will have been caused by some error in your computer's antialiasing and / or audio filtering. Go to this website (Digital Aliasing Test) and play the audiofile. If the sound 'swoops' - goes from low to high - there's a problem with antialiasing. Basically, your Mac - like mine - just ain't bothering. The sound should just go straight and direct from high to low. I have no idea what to do about this, but I've trawled through rubbish posts for ages trying to find the genuine problem with my Mac. Now I have. Someone ... a solution?

01-14-2012, 06:30 PM

I was a DJ and had a small studio for many years. I can say the stock sound on the Imac is probably the best in the biz. It is not a Bose or Klipsch but for general music and games it does the job better than any other stock computer speaker out there.

Just my opinion and I welcome others

01-17-2012, 09:49 AM

SOLUTION FOUND:

Install this update: Mac OS X 10.6.8 Supplemental Update

Then you SHOULD find all okay and working for me. I'm determined that I had the same filtering problem as you, and that this is the solution. Should sound noticeably better after downloading.