HOW TO INCREASE SOUND IN MAC PRO?

He's not being obnoxious, he's simply asking for the speakers to actually work – a reasonable enough request when you spend $3k on a computer that has speakers capable of handling much more than the software allows.

I'm beginning to wonder if the people who are giving the *actual* obnoxious answers ("plugging in headphones" is not a useful answer) fully realize how quiet these actually are. It's SO quiet at full volume that you have to have your head within 3 feet in order to hear it at all. Period. I work in the pro audio business, know this technology and can tell you it's absurd. When Windows is able to run on the same machine, with the same hardware, and play volume at a reasonable level for a laptop that tells us that it's not the speakers, it's the OS driving the speakers.

Matt and others: No one is asking for their laptop to magically morph into a full-range dual 18" sound system.

Of course, if you want loud, clear and bumpin' audio, you need to plug into external speakers. It would be nice, however, to watch a movie at home in the privacy of your quiet bedroom without needing to keep it on your stomach or next to your head the entire time. I should be able to put the laptop on the end table or at the foot of the bed without having to plug it into a pair of speakers just to make out what people are saying. This is NOT like any other computer I've ever owned – Mac or PC. The 17" Macbook Pro I just upgrade from was 5x louder than this computer. The first gen Powerbook was at least 4x louder. The issue most definately lies within this specific model.

And Harlan, I agree we shouldn't have to pay extra (from a 3rd party no less) to get a computer this expensive to work properly. Unfortunately, though, I do not know of any freeware that does the job, so consider just eating the $7. It's totally worth it.

Are you listening, Apple? You're slippin'. I use your product for the software; the sexy industrial desgin is just icing on the cake and if you can't keep up with Windows on simple stuff like this you're in trouble. You have decent speakers in this laptop. Let us use them.

Seriously dude? I am a DJ and graphic designer and the macbook pro is my _only_ computer. That's because it's powerful and portable and I don't _need_ another machine. Yes, when listening or writing music at home I plug into the sound system, but laptops are made for TRAVEL. In the hotel room I like to put on some music. I also like to be able to hear the music through iTunes when choosing tracks for the club/party without needing headphones. When laying in bed at night I like to watch movies or hulu. Occasionally I also watch YouTube (esoteric of me, I know). I also like to be able to hear said movies, music, hulu and YouTube.

Why are naysayers on this thread being so snooty? The poor guy wants to know if there is a way to make the speakers louder. How about holding the criticism and contribute something useful? You guys expect people to carry external speakers with them everywhere they go because the computer isn't supposed to make any noises other than simple alert sounds? And that's reasonable to you?

I found this thread because I just upgraded to the retina macbook pro from the original intel macbook pro and the volume is WAY lower than the old ones. The volume on the retina all the way up is the same as 1/3 on the original intel machine. If my window (because it's _crazy_ hot outside) is open, while watching a movie at full volume I can barely hear it. God forbid the fan should be on. I have to pull the computer up on my stomach instead of having it on the stand at the foot of my bed. To me this is unacceptable and I'm not going to buy external usb speakers and carry them around with me when laptops are meant to be able to do the simple everyday things like this.

Having such great volume (and surprisingly good bass response for such little speakers) in my old macbook, I expected the new ones to at least carry the same quality. I have to say, I'm a little disappointed in apple for this. For $3000 they should have at least made these speakers loud enough to play videos at a reasonable volume.

...stepping off my soapbox now. i'm off to find some hacks... or maybe 3rd party hardware i can swap these dinky things out with. sigh.

I understand this, but why would I want to buy $70 speakers when the computer COMES with speakers. I gave him a simple way to make them louder for iTunes alone, and I know that he doesn't want to buy speakers so he can listen to his music louder.

I don't know where you are coming from or if your are an Apple apologist, but when and ordinary person purchases a laptop it is taken that the manufacturer has built into his product a speaker that can be heard at a reasonable bd level.

To say that the macbook pro has only a speaker for boot up and notification sound is pure bunkum and I would say this violates the consumers expectations when purchasing the product.

If Apple want to sell a laptop with out meaningful sound out put, then they should be upfront and not deceive customers.

Apple should clearly state in their advertising of the mack book pro and say " the macbook pro is sold with out speakers!"(speakers meant in the ordinary context of what consumers understand and expect the term to mean) We are not talking about professionals wanting stereo sound etc,etc that is ludicrous to suggest that, and ordinary person would expect a lap top to have ordinary speakers that would project ordinary sound that can be heard at a reasonable level.

This would be true to advertisement standards of full disclosure about their product by advising consumers that the "mac book pro does not have speakers."

If Apple would have told me that they do not have speakers in their laptops other than to provide announcement ding dong sound, then I would have certainly not purchased their product.

Apple in fact have sold me and millions of other customers a lap top under false pretentions.

I think this violates consumer standards and this should be definitely challenged through Consumer Affairs and The department of Fair Trading.

I Fly continually and use a lap top, are you/Apple suggesting that I lug around a set of external speakers, while other passengers sitting next to me are using microsoft laptops with built in speakers??? I think you have been out in the sun too long.

I have the same problem, the internal speakers just aren't loud enough. I'm afraid Apple has done this for no good reason. I am afraid that I can only help you in one aspect. I can turn your iTunes up 10x louder. When you are in iTunes press ⌘⌥2 (Command-Option-2) and it will bring up something called the Equalizer. When you have the Equalizer open go to the side where you see something called Pre-amp. If it isn't already click the box that says on and then turn the Pre-amp all the way up, it will make your music ALOT louder, other than that I am afraid I am unable to help you. So you can see by this that the speakers do go louder, Apple just didn't want them to.

Hey, I use an app called Boom. It increases the sound for ANYTHING. If you have a registered account it can even boost individual music files. But you don't need to register. I LOVE it and recommend it. I hope this helps anyone.

I had this issue, and I managed to get a better levels by changing the default master stream volume for my output device. I don't know if this is the same issue but you could check in the Audio Midi Setup utility, located in utilities folder [CMD-SHIFT-U]. Once there, under the Window menu, select Audio Devices. In the Audio Devices window select your Built-in Output and check the Master Stream levels. For some reason mine were set to -6dB by default, increasing this level helped.

PS: I think the system automatically sets this level with respect to the sounds you are playing and if you play a particularly loud sound, your system will adjust these levels. I believe this because the levels become lower automatically sometimes. Hope this helps.

Are you listening, Apple?

This is a User-to-User forum. Apple, Inc makes no promise to read these discussions, and NEVER responds here.

Apple does encourage you to use the feedback link to send them your thoughts:

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html

Not really sure. I would try here maybe? https://developer.apple.com/devforums/

I'd also encourage all who have this problem to let Apple know using the link kindly provided by Grant: http://www.apple.com/feedback/macbookpro.html. The more people scream, the more likely they are to listen.

This is a picture of the front left and right speakers, and subwoofer(Yes for the MacBook pro. Even my 2012 MacBook has some kick-apple 😉 bass. SO, don't listen to "Matt" or "Leslie" just because they know how to talk proper, and use commas, and periods. Dissing on the MacBook speakers, just download the application "Boom", and its an overall EQ for your Mac. The suggestion someone else mentioned, you had to be an Apple Developer. AND BOOM! Problem solved! 😉 Email me @ Isaacsanders567@gmail.com for any questions about the Application Boom.

Turn the volume up? Depending on your keyboard there's function keys to control the volume and there is also the Sound system preferences.

Seriously, what do you mean? Do you want it louder than the sound preference control maximum? And to what output device? Built in? 27" apple display? External speakers?

bswhite39 wrote:

I understand this, but why would I want to buy $70 speakers when the computer COMES with speakers. I gave him a simple way to make them louder for iTunes alone, and I know that he doesn't want to buy speakers so he can listen to his music louder.

We're in the mac pro section. The mac pro does not come with speakers. It comes with one dinky little speaker mainly intended for simple alert sounds and basic audio. IMO no one is seriously going to use that one cheap little speaker for listening to anything else. That's what audio out via analog jack, digital optical, and USB are for.

Dude. First, why the capital letters? Second, as we've pointed out, the internal Mac Pro speaker (that's singular) isn't meant for listening to anything other than the boot chime. The iTunes equalizer only affects iTunes.

My advice? Buy a set of cheap PC speakers from your local electronics store. Probably be able to get a pair under $20. That will give you volume. When you want quality, upgrade to something better.

Matt

Altec Lansing XT1 -- hmm, USB powered. Maybe they aren't getting enough power to drive them any louder. Do you have additional stuff connected to USB (besides maybe mouse and keyboard)? Do you have a external powered hub you can try?

The 'Pro' in title of the device is, in all realities, just marketing - so making an off topic statement about what 'professionals' do is not helping him... but based on your other comments, your goal was to belittle and mock the original poster. I would bet that most owners are 'professionals' in the sense that 'they have jobs' and are not using the MacBook Pro as the primary device to generate an income... to most it is merely a very nice computer to do work on.

If you had more experience with your MacBook Pro (I assume you own at least one) or if you have ever used VMware Fusion or BootCamp for Windows or Linux distros you would have noticed that the speaker in the MacBook Pro can very easily go much louder.

And as for your very small comment about stereo - I for one enjoy watching some streaming training videos or simple documentaries on occasion and more often than not I must resort to abandoning OS X to simply hear anything over the general noises around the office or house - it is obviously an artificial restriction (read 'software not hardware') and the original poster has a very valid point and a very innocent question.