Stereo Sound Test Review – Kindle Fire HD vs iPad Mini

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We now know that the iPad Mini is the first iDevice with stereo speakers. But they are located on either side of the downscaled Lightning connector port. I have also touted the excellent sound and stereo separation of the Kindle Fire HD. Now that I have both tablets … let’s put them to the test!

The first thing I did was a series of basic stereo separation tests, some of which you can find here. The results? The Kindle Fire HD shows much more dramatic stereo separation and better ‘sound location’, which makes it very immersive when watching a video with sound that utilizes space for dramatic effect.

But when I tried to capture that on video … well, it was a bunch of repetitive indistinct noise. So I decided to do a music test. This was originally part of a larger hands-on comparison that I am re-doing now, but stands well enough on its own.

The basics: one song, both systems placed at the same distance from the microphone, both played at full volume. The song? Pink Floyd’s Money (from Dark Side of the Moon the 2012 remaster, I bought on Amazon so it was easy to listen on both systems). Oh … and I apologize in advance for the ‘vertical video’, I wanted control over the proximity to the microphone.

Check it out!

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About the Author

Michael Anderson
I have loved technology for as long as I can remember - and have been a computer gamer since the PDP-10! Mobile Technology has played a major role in my life - I have used an electronic companion since the HP95LX more than 20 years ago, and have been a 'Laptop First' person since my Compaq LTE Lite 3/20 and Powerbook 170 back in 1991! As an avid gamer and gadget-junkie I was constantly asked for my opinions on new technology, which led to writing small blurbs ... and eventually becoming a reviewer many years ago. My family is my biggest priority in life, and they alternate between loving and tolerating my gaming and gadget hobbies ... but ultimately benefits from the addition of technology to our lives!