The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    How are the speakers on the MBP 15'' 2011

    Discussion in 'Apple and Mac OS X' started by Junebugman, Aug 7, 2011.

  1. Junebugman

    Junebugman Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    28
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    How is the overall quality of them?
     
  2. ajaidev

    ajaidev Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    6
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Good enough, i would say in the same league as HP Envy line. My speakers at max volume do distort a tiny bit depending on the music.
     
  3. Junebugman

    Junebugman Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    28
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Does the MBP come with a dedicated sound card or is it intergraded with the mobo?
     
  4. debaucher

    debaucher Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    630
    Messages:
    717
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Personally I do not like the sound that comes from my 2011 mbp speakers but my headphones sound just fine.

    This is compared to my m18x alienware, hp elitebook, and pavilion g7.... with the alienware having the best onboard speakers.

    I believe the audio is integrated (not dedicated) but not 100% sure on that.

    D.
     
  5. directeuphorium

    directeuphorium Notebook Evangelist

    Reputations:
    62
    Messages:
    408
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    They're pretty loud because they're designed to bounce the sound waves off the screen at the user.

    They're okay for laptop speakers. If you're trying to do any audio engineering, or music production you'll want to buy some nice studio monitors. (An external i/o sound card interface wouldn't hurt at all either)

    But for listening to music and movies, they're just fine.
     
  6. GizmoSlip

    GizmoSlip Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    292
    Messages:
    838
    Likes Received:
    227
    Trophy Points:
    56
    They are good, but not great. Better than most laptops. I've owned the Envy 15, and they are on the same level of quality, but the MBP speakers get a lot louder, which is nice.
     
  7. hawk1410

    hawk1410 Bird of Prey

    Reputations:
    296
    Messages:
    2,171
    Likes Received:
    16
    Trophy Points:
    56
    They're good enough, nothing extraordinary, not absolute crap either. Just good enough that most people won't complain about them. They are loud and crisp but lack in bass.
     
  8. Bill Nye

    Bill Nye Know Nothing

    Reputations:
    226
    Messages:
    2,515
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    55
    They're pretty good, not as tinny as you'd expect them to be. Dell has it beat, but they're good enough for solo listening. And as aforementioned, they get pretty damn loud. Above average I'd say, won't drive a party or anything.
     
  9. KCETech1

    KCETech1 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,527
    Messages:
    4,112
    Likes Received:
    449
    Trophy Points:
    151
    Integrated Cirrus Logic audio, more or less the same as the older Realtek AC-97 integrated audio
     
  10. Junebugman

    Junebugman Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    28
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    I have a Fiio e7 external sound card. If I use it with the macbook would it be an improvment over the sound card inside of the MBP itself?
     
  11. KCETech1

    KCETech1 Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    2,527
    Messages:
    4,112
    Likes Received:
    449
    Trophy Points:
    151
    should be, any external DAC / soundcard I have heard is a major improvement when outputting to some high end gear.