2025-09-17

Inside the Apple audio lab where AirPods are tested and tuned

When you enter the building that houses Apple’s audio lab, venture just beyond reception and you’ll encounter a massive vintage stereo setup. The deck and accompanying speakers were a gift from Steve Jobs to the team of engineers who work in this office. The group sees the old-school tech as a source of inspiration, but also as a reminder of Jobs’ obsession with both music and sound.

More than inspiration, though, the stereo is a reminder to the experts in software, acoustics and sound design how important sound is to everything Apple builds.

Inside, I was led into a maze of nondescript halls, weaving from room to room with a trio of Apple engineers as my guides. I was in for a rare peek into the company’s product d [...]