AppleDesign Powered Speakers II

Released 1994

A compact mains-powered stereo speaker pair with two mixed analogue inputs, a front headphone socket and adjustable tilt supports.

Model history · 2 models, 1993–1994

1993AppleDesign Powered Speakers Compare
1994AppleDesign Powered Speakers II

Type: Speaker
Atmos: No
Connects by: –
Battery: –
Weight: –

What reviewers say

GEnieLamp's hands-on test liked the sound and stronger bass than the reviewer's previous speakers, and found it easy to mix music with computer alerts. MacUser appreciated the extra inputs and accessible headphone jack, but criticised the lack of tone adjustment and the permanently attached speaker cable. In MacUser's measured comparison, the second-generation pair ranked below the original AppleDesign speakers for frequency-response consistency.

From a2central.com and vintageapple.org

Product links

Specifications

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Sound

Type: Speaker
Channels: stereo
Dolby Atmos: No
Drivers: Full-range, tuned-port bass-reflex system with magnetic shielding and active equalisation. Apple claims maximum 90 dB SPL at 0.5 m at 200 Hz; the original generation's 90 Hz condition is not transferred.
Amplifiers: Built-in dual-channel amplifier. Apple labels output power 14 W without channel, RMS or distortion conditions; no additional rating is inferred. Maximum input is 2 V peak-to-peak. Exact model uses a 12 V DC supply; maximum 24 W electrical input is distinct from audio output. Mains compatibility is 100–240 V, 50 or 60 Hz depending on the regional power-supply module; the listed US kits include a 120 V module. Shared Service Source's generic 15 V/40 W table describes the original speakers and is not applied to Speakers II.
Frequency response: Maker gives 150 Hz to 20 kHz without a tolerance. This is not the original generation's 90 Hz to 17 kHz ±3 dB specification.

Connections

Wi-Fi: No
Bluetooth: No
AirPlay: No
Voice assistants: None
Wi-Fi: No built-in Wi-Fi; analogue inputs only.
Bluetooth: No built-in Bluetooth; analogue inputs only.
Ports: Two 3.5 mm stereo input sockets, labelled computer and CD/audio; one front stereo headphone output; connection for the satellite speaker. The supplied CD cable converts dual RCA source sockets to a 3.5 mm input. A miniplug speaker cable is permanently attached to the satellite end. No original-generation revision-B subwoofer socket is documented.
Streaming: Plays sound from a separately connected computer, CD or cassette player or television. No network player is built in.

Design

Battery life detail: External mains-powered 12 V DC module; no battery operation documented.
Controls: Front volume control and headphone socket. Unlike the original AppleDesign speakers, Speakers II has no power switch and is designed to stay powered. No tone or balance controls. Exact Apple support confirms neither input uses the original generation's noise gate, so quiet passages are not subject to that circuit's cutoff.
Mounting: Integrated sliding rear foot adjusts the listening angle while retaining a three-point stance. Apple's exact M2497 stand-design patent identifies front contact points and the curved adjustable foot; this is a technical illustration, not a photograph of an undocumented revision.
Size: Maker gives 6.8 × 4.13 × 3.94 inches (height × width × depth), with published metric figures 175 × 107 × 101 mm. Published 1.34 lb (612 g) weight is not identified as per speaker versus pair, so no headline weight is assigned.
Colours: Slate and platinum. Original brochure offers slate separately and platinum in bundles; the later technical support sheet also lists the platinum M2668LL/A ordering kit. Colours do not establish distinct hardware generations.
In the box: Main powered speaker, satellite speaker with attached connection cable, regional power-supply module, 3.5 mm computer cable, 3.5 mm-to-dual-RCA CD cable, user guide and limited warranty. The photographed Apple Multimedia Kit adds a separately bundled AppleCD 300e Plus, headphones and CD-ROM titles. Apple names the original generation in its exact comparison FAQ. Its stand-design patent records introduction on 14 March 1994; recovered contemporary purchase accounts and GEnieLamp's November 1994 hands-on test establish retail in 1994, but the actual first month remains unresolved. Introduction and document dates are not used as first sale.

Pros and cons

Pros

Two stereo inputs can be mixed together
Adjustable speaker tilt
No noise gate that cuts quiet passages

Cons

No bass, treble or balance controls
Speaker-to-speaker cable is permanently attached at one end
Requires an external power supply

Closest rivals

Model	Type	Atmos	Connects by	Battery	Weight	Released
AppleAppleDesign Powered Speakers	Speaker	No	–	–	–	1993
AppleApple Pro Speakers	Speaker	No	–	–	–	Jan 2001
AppleiPod Hi-Fi	Portable speaker	No	–	15 h	6.6 kg	Feb 2006

Previous model: AppleDesign Powered Speakers.

Sources

Photo: Apple brochure (1000bit archive)

Platinum AppleDesign Powered Speakers II pair in front and angled poses, with integrated adjustable feet; cosmetic alternative to slate: Apple brochure (1000bit archive)
Platinum AppleDesign Powered Speakers II in the separately sold Apple Multimedia Kit with AppleCD 300e Plus, headphones and CD-ROM titles; these extras are not supplied with the standalone speakers: Apple multimedia-kit brochure (1000bit archive)

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