Oled Deck Audio bad?

[Karavanth]

I got my very first Steam Deck today! Woo! I've saved Hades 2 for it's arrival. The theme song is badass, which makes the tinny speakers especially horrifying.

For the price, the sound should be at least as good as my Odin's....

I've researched to see if trash speakers are just what the oled has, and can't come to any conclusion! Some people praise them! I can't hear the bass line, so while I *have* sound, and it isn't crackling.... It still ain't praise-worthy.

So! Is this just the oled speaker experience, or is there a problem with my Deck?

I can't waste my first time listening to new Supergiant music to this, ha.

[invision2212]

Steam deck speakers have zero bass to them. They are clear sounding but lack any sort of low end.

[Karavanth]

So crisp-but-tinny is the default?

There's a lot I like about my deck so far, but sound this bad has me asking questions. It's a $600 device!

[invision2212]

You can download an EQ in the discovery store but it doesn’t really improve it.

[Karavanth]

I appreciate the tip, regardless. I'm halfway considering returning it. Obviously quality earbuds can solve it, it adds a wire (Bluetooth sound lags), and the goal is to not be sealed away the way that does.

[Makakken Boitjen]

Bro what are you talking about, i have an Odin2 aswell and the steam deck oled's speakers blow AYN's little offering completely out of the water.

Hell i dare say the speakers on the steam deck are better then the majority of notebooks on the market.

[Haruspex]

There's really only so much you can expect from the tiny speakers on a device like this. For what it is, it sounds very good. About as good as it can get I think. They tuned them for clarity over anything else, which considering the size of the drivers might leave them a bit wanting for bass.

I do wonder a bit if this is the result of marketing messing with our perception of sound. Lots of audio devices ditch balanced and accurate sound reproduction in favor of boosted bass and reduced highs, famously for example Beats headphones. It got so common that to a lot of people they began to associate this bass-boosted sound with "quality" audio.