Has Apple acknowledged the low volume issue on the iPad Mini with retina?

BreakingKayfabe

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This is not what apple has stated also it's what was reported in their forums. Also, who would purposely design something to be low volume in comparison to all it's other speaker end products, iPhone 4S, iphone 5 , 5s, iPad mine 1, iPad ... It doesn't even sound logical the 2nd largest mobile device they offer... Would hAve the lowest sound???? Come now, the only device with larger speakers is the iPad air. What you are saying is counter intuitive.

There is something that they ran into aesthetically, I believe because of the display, that prevented higher volume speakers. That's just my inclination. Why else would they put these things out there with such low volume? A software fix making the volume higher is only going to make things sound distorted.
 

kube8

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The bottom line is that there is a major issue with the volume of the iPad mini retina. I have exchanged it twice and I'm now on my third. The problem is very apparent. Perhaps they used different speakers when redesigning it to house the high def display. It's actually quite pathetic that Apple would allow this product on the market. It is supposed to be an entertainment device to watch movies and tv shows, play games, etc. It's pretty bad that you can't hardly hear dialogue in the movies your watching with it right in front of you. The display is fantastic and I love it in all other aspects, but it is clear to me after exchanging it twice that the product has low volume in every device. I've spoken with people on other forums who say the same thing and have exchanged them several times too. I compared mine with one in the apple store and could plainly see that that one also had low sound. I played music on my iPhone right next to both iPad mini's and my iPhone was significantly louder.

Obviously, the iPad mini was designed this way. Again, perhaps to accommodate the retina display and new battery... I don't know. What Heisenberg was saying is not counter intuitive in any way. It makes perfect sense. Though I can't imagine Apple couldn't have come up with a better solution. It's a big shame.
 

impaler

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I've had my mini Retina a few days, and I'm very disappointed about the low volume. I was trying to watch something on YouTube, and had it up to its max, and could barely hear it. I hope they can fix it through software updates (assuming they think it's bad to begin with). My 5s is much louder, watching the same video.
 

fightcrazy

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I wouldn't say people are defending Apple. Like I said earlier, I don't use my rMini without headphones nor do I listen to music or anything on my phone without headphones. We all use our devices for different purposes so to each their own. You are definitely justified in your irritation because apparently this interferes with you using and enjoying your device. I hope you find a solution to your problem soon. Whether its getting a new device or getting the response you want from Apple.

My new ipad mini with 128gb is on it's way, should have it Tuesday. If jailbroken is there a tweek that could be downloaded to fix this issue. There is tons of tweeks there has to be a solution to this problem. Just have to wait a while before I jailbreak.
 

JobSteves

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I thought my iPad mini Retina sounded fine until I went to show my girlfriend a video and the tv was on. Couldn't even hardly hear it. I'm in a quiet room now and with the volume all the way up it sounds crisp and loud. Not the loudest speaker I've ever heard but much louder than I remember when I was trying to show my girlfriend that video. No idea why it was almost inaudible but sounds fine now.


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mihaicdrsc

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It is a hardware issue I don't think it can be solved by software upgrade

Hi ,guys
I just bought my mini retina and these are my observations:
1)certainly the speaker is different with lower output,probably imposed by screen and battery changes
(Notice thickness and weight )
2)most important in my opinion,the speaker is now facing a lot more backwards,if accidentally you put your hand as a "year pavillion"
Notice how loud you suddenly hear
In support of this observation,already a case maker unfortunately i don't remember the brand,created a case with a special shape that helps changing the direction of sound towards you,greatly improving the audition.
BUT the speaker is objectively weaker .It is measurable,and no longer able to fill my room at max volume.Maybe even the resonance chamber is smaller due to space scarcity inside.
A software tweak could improve sound ,but not dramatically.
 

anon(5719825)

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Re: It is a hardware issue I don't think it can be solved by software upgrade

I think the biggest problem is the variation of sound volume between apps. Some apps put put noticeable lower volume than others.
 

BreakingKayfabe

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Re: It is a hardware issue I don't think it can be solved by software upgrade

Hi ,guys
I just bought my mini retina and these are my observations:
1)certainly the speaker is different with lower output,probably imposed by screen and battery changes
(Notice thickness and weight )
2)most important in my opinion,the speaker is now facing a lot more backwards,if accidentally you put your hand as a "year pavillion"
Notice how loud you suddenly hear
In support of this observation,already a case maker unfortunately i don't remember the brand,created a case with a special shape that helps changing the direction of sound towards you,greatly improving the audition.
BUT the speaker is objectively weaker .It is measurable,and no longer able to fill my room at max volume.Maybe even the resonance chamber is smaller due to space scarcity inside.
A software tweak could improve sound ,but not dramatically.

Point #2 has always been the case for me on any iPad. Doing that seems to make the sound a little louder without it sounding distorted. Just the sound hitting a barrier and coming straight at you in your direction. Physics and such that I couldn't dare try to explain.
 

Kim Coffey

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I wanted to use my mini for Skype but just tried my first call and can hardly hear it. What is the problem? Surely the speakers are capable of more volume than a whisper. Very disappointed. Can this be fixed with a software update?
 

impaler

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I wanted to use my mini for Skype but just tried my first call and can hardly hear it. What is the problem? Surely the speakers are capable of more volume than a whisper. Very disappointed. Can this be fixed with a software update?

Generally, no. It's just a limited speaker system. I returned my mini for that reason. Awaiting the fall product line to see if it's improved after it's reviewed.


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Just_Me_D

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I must be one of the lucky ones because the volume of my iPad Mini is quite loud.
 

Nophix

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I can't figure out what the issue is. It's nearly as loud as my 5s, but the sound quality is far better. The MiniR blew me away at how good the sound was coming from a tablet. If I need it any louder , I plug it into my stereo.


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Just_Me_D

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I can't figure out what the issue is. It's nearly as loud as my 5s, but the sound quality is far better. The MiniR blew me away at how good the sound was coming from a tablet. If I need it any louder , I plug it into my stereo.


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Same here, but apparently others do not share our experience, unfortunately...:)
 

bitek

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You do know that louder doesn't mean better audio quality right?? I paid about 780$ for iPad Mini Retina at 128gb and it has Two little speakers vs loud one on iPhone 5s... So please don't start with Premium price rant, it may not be as loud but two speakers do sound better... It's called mono vs stereo.... But hey just my opinion. You could always return it and get a Surface tablet

I do not agree with you. iPad is premium device with premium price. All components should be premium. This includes speakers. I also noticed that speakers are just so, so. This is my only complaint about iPad mini


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