I upgraded from the M1 to the M5 MacBook Air, and the speakers got worse
I used the M1 MacBook Air as my primary laptop for nearly four years. During that time, I used it for everything from drafting news stories to editing photos for reviews, working from flights to weekend workcations. And if there was one thing that earned more compliments than the slim chassis and overall design, it […]
I recently switched from an M1 to an M5 MacBook Air, and to my surprise, the speakers seem to have gotten worse. For nearly four years, I relied on the M1 MacBook Air for various tasks, from writing articles to editing photos, and I was always impressed by the clarity and loudness of its speakers. However, the new M5 model, which boasts a four-speaker system, fails to deliver the same level of sound quality.
Instead of being loud and rich, the M5 speakers produce a thin, hollow midrange and emphasize high frequencies, resulting in flat and lifeless music and movies. This issue stems from the speakers being hidden inside the hinge, causing the sound to bounce off the display before reaching your ears. Comparing the M5 with an M1 model revealed a significant difference – the M1 sounded louder and fuller, which is what I expected from a laptop's speakers.
After some research, I discovered that the M1’s upward-firing speakers provide a better sound experience, while the M5’s speakers focus more on speech clarity. Two built-in macOS tools, the Equalizer and Sound Enhancer, can help improve the M5's speakers by boosting specific frequencies and widening the soundstage. However, these adjustments cannot fully replace the M1's upward-firing speakers.
If you're upgrading from an M1 MacBook Air, you'll notice the difference immediately, and it's hard to ignore.
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