iPad Air (M3) speakers sound worse than iPad Air (M2): Hardware issue with no software fix

I just spoke with Apple support regarding much degraded sound from the landscape stereo speakers in the iPad Air (M3) compared to the iPad Air (M2). The sound from the iPad Air (M2) is full, clear, and spacious while the sound from the iPad Air (M3) is flat, muddy, and tinny. I tested two different (M3) models to confirm the first unit was not defective, and experienced the same poor audio quality. Apple is aware of this issue as it has been reported a number of times. They informed me that the placement of the stereo speakers in the (M3) models is different than in the (M2) models in order to maintain device thickness and to give a brighter sound. I am told that this is primarily a hardware issue and no software updates are planned to change the speaker output.

This is a major letdown as I hoped to upgrade to the (M3) model to future-proof with the hardware accelerated ray tracing and the updated media engine.

Thanks!

[Edited by Moderator]