02-13-2018, 05:24 AM
I think that Apple is going to say that they tested it improperly.
The Consumer Reports test didn't play to the unit's strength.
From the video, they tested it on a bench set in towards the middle of the room.
Apple's "room-sensing" tech is designed to bounce the audio off of nearby walls to optimize sound based upon its environment. It's a serious design flaw for a small percentage of the market as I'm sure that some few people will want to put it out on a coffee table or somesuch. For most people, however, it's likely to sit on a desk or end-table or countertop within a few inches of a wall where it can then "sense" the room's audio qualities and adapt.
...Of course, one might reasonably argue that the test is standardized and if they only tested each unit based upon its best features the results would be greatly skewed and of little value.
The Consumer Reports test didn't play to the unit's strength.
From the video, they tested it on a bench set in towards the middle of the room.
Apple's "room-sensing" tech is designed to bounce the audio off of nearby walls to optimize sound based upon its environment. It's a serious design flaw for a small percentage of the market as I'm sure that some few people will want to put it out on a coffee table or somesuch. For most people, however, it's likely to sit on a desk or end-table or countertop within a few inches of a wall where it can then "sense" the room's audio qualities and adapt.
...Of course, one might reasonably argue that the test is standardized and if they only tested each unit based upon its best features the results would be greatly skewed and of little value.