Can I cut out bass to keep Pro Speakers from sounding crappy?

rharder

rharder

Do not read this sign.
I thought my Apple Pro Speakers attached to my new FP iMac were great until I listened to that nifty song that Gateway's passing out (http://www.gateway.com/tv/ms/NGsundown.mp3). Then I experienced what all the reviewers complained about: the speakers sound terrible with any good bass in the soundtrack.

I thought about getting an iSub--though so many people have had problems with that I probably won't--but even if I did, there would have to be some way to stop bass from going to the Pro Speakers.

Is there any sort of crossover control that can accomplish this?

-Rob
 
You could mess with the equalizer settings in iTunes or turn the volume down.. that's about all I can think of.

I have an iSub and Sound Sticks and they sound great with 9 out of 10 of my mp3s.

Also, you can get analog-headphone-port 2.1 speaker sets for under $50 now. I know somebody who got them and they sound just about as good as my sound sticks and are cheaper, and this is on an eMachine with Windows Me! So there are some good and cheap alternative speakers out there.
 
I thought about getting an iSub--though so many people have had problems with that I probably won't--but even if I did, there would have to be some way to stop bass from going to the Pro Speakers.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what a subwoofer is for - it sits between the sound source and the regular speakers, and intercepts the low tones. There is usually a control to set the cutoff point, that is, the frequency where the sub plays everything below, and passes on to the regular speakers everything above.

If you've got a real stereo that's much good, I recommend getting a minijack to RCA converter cable, and just passing the computer's sound out through your stereo amp. Saves you some money, since you aren't buying two sets of speakers, and your stereo speakers are almost certainly better than equivalent-price computer speakers anyway.
 
I'd say the iSub is a good choice, although mine had some issues so I sent it back... now unfortunately, although I can't use the Pro Speakers, I got a set of Altec Lansing ATP3s...and the sound is UNBELIEVABLE.

The Pro Speakers are good, but at least in my experience, the only way to get them to sound better is to get an iSub which is REALY f***in expensive for what it is and is far too "boomy" in my opinion (but many people love that "boominess" so it's just a matter of opinion)... I'd recommend that if you really want good sound, get some great 3-piece. Yes, the SoundSticks look great, but they're also ridiculously expensive. A set of Klipsch ProMedia 2.1s (the best computer speakers you can buy) are around the same price as them, while extremely good speakers by Altec Lansing, Polk Audio, Yamaha and yes even Monsoon are all around $100 or less. For the cost of one flaky subwoofer, you can get a set of much better sounding speakers. I think it's worth it.
 
Thanks for all your thoughts. I was really hoping that the Pro Speakers would just be decent though. I mean, it's one thing to get bigger better speakers because you think this or that freqency response is better, but these Pro Speakers are absolutely useless if they sizzle and crack and distort like they do.

Sigh. Well, the rest of the computer's pretty neat anyway.

-Rob
 
If you're really attached to the Pro Speakers (as I was), get an iSub, try it out, see what you think. Order it from Amazon, their return policy is very good. However, if at ANY TIME the subwoofer makes a grinding sound, send it back RIGHT AWAY (this is the problem mine had and it was traced to a torn woofer cone) and get a replacement. Other than that, it's not a BAD system, and it definitely solves your problem at least.
 
I found these speakers to be very bass heavy and when I increase the volume above anything more than 'quiet', I get distortion.

However, I get a nice, balanced sound by just turning on the EQ with a reduced bass setting.

This, in actual fact, is what the BOSE systems do automatically when you adjust the volume (some clever in-car stereos do a similar thing too!).
 
Well, actually I'm kinda bummed because getting an iSub or some other sub doesn't solve my problem--bass will still get sent to the Pro Speakers.

Rats.

-Rob
 
Nope, the iSub (if it works correctly) intercepts the bass signals. I have NO clue how it does it, as it's not plugged in front of the speakers like the old G4 Cube style, but it does intercept audio and reroutes low frequency to itself. The Pro Speakers do not carry bass... they do carry midrange and high-end, however.
 
Well that is good news, if not a bit unbelievable. But who am I to doubt: I don't (yet?) have an iSub.

Good to hear about its clever bass-intercepting.

-Rob
 
Yeah, even the AppleCare people I called have no idea how the iSub does its thing, but it did work (just in my case the unit itself was damaged, but they can't all be lemons)... I'd say it would be worth trying to see if you like it.
 
If it does do it, then it's clearly in the software, so someone at apple ought to know if it's real or placebo.

-Rob
 
rharder,

Read iSub article at http://www.macworld.com/2000/04/07/isub.html. Here's an excerpt from the article:

<<Harman Kardon built the iSub to complement the new iMac's built-in speakers, which the company also designed. The built-in speakers have an eight-octave range and alter their output when the iSub is plugged in, divvying up the aural workload to create the best sound.>>

jb99
 
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