[Q] Volume Balance - AT&T, Rogers HTC One X, Telstra One XL

Hi all,
Sorry to start a thread for this, but I couldn't find a single thread anywhere on the net covering this issue for this phone.
When using headphones, my One X is slightly louder in the left ear than the right. I have fairly sensitive hearing, so perhaps not everyone would notice/care, but it's really bugging me.
I've tried turning the headphones around, and sure enough the problem reverses, so I know it's not my ears. I've also tried 2 different pairs of headphones, and they both did the same thing. And I've tried the same headphones on a different device, and they're fine. So it has to be the phone.
I tested using music on the stock player, and podcasts on BeyondPod Pro.
Has anybody had this problem or heard of it?
Thanks!
Simon

SimonM123 said:
Hi all,
Sorry to start a thread for this, but I couldn't find a single thread anywhere on the net covering this issue for this phone.
When using headphones, my One X is slightly louder in the left ear than the right. I have fairly sensitive hearing, so perhaps not everyone would notice/care, but it's really bugging me.
I've tried turning the headphones around, and sure enough the problem reverses, so I know it's not my ears. I've also tried 2 different pairs of headphones, and they both did the same thing. And I've tried the same headphones on a different device, and they're fine. So it has to be the phone.
I tested using music on the stock player, and podcasts on BeyondPod Pro.
Has anybody had this problem or heard of it?
Thanks!
Simon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd have said it was the headphones had you not already tried that. Very strange. If it's still under the 30 day I'd return it.
Have you tried cleaning the headphone port? Sometimes lint can get in there. It's messed with my balance before.

Hi,
try with a BT headset.
regards

There is an app called "jetAudio" which is an awesome music player with tons of features, one of the things you can do is change the balance between the left and right headphones. It only works for music played through that app though.

Possible design fault
Well I got a replacement... actually, I'm now on my fifth One X, and once again, the volume is slightly higher on the left.
Once again, I've tested this in every way I can to rule out deficiencies in my ears and headphones. The phone itself sends higher volume to the left ear.
Surely 5 devices can't all have the same fault. The same file on the same headphones is perfectly balanced on PC, and left-biased on the One X. This is a design fault of some sort. If you can't hear the same problem, you're lucky to have insensitive ears, but compare in the same way I did and you'll notice. It's deeply frustrating.
I think I'm going to have to swap for a Galaxy S3 and plump for the extra line rental in order to get it. Sad to say it but, after so many faults in various ways, the One X definitely takes the crown for the worst smartphone I've ever had. Gutted as it has all the right ingredients, but they have seriously, SERIOUSLY skimped on production standards. The screen edge issue and rattling problem have also been present on all 5 One X's I've been sent, and most of them have the camera not properly centered within the back of the phone. Details, but on a £500 device, they ought to be sorted.

what if your right ear is slightly deaf?

But I've tried the same headphones and the same audio files on the phone and PC, and on the PC it's fine. And when I turn the headphones around, the problem reverses, right channel is louder. Tried multiple headphones and multiple audio files to verify, most noticable with audio files.
I went to Carphone Warehouse (didn't buy it there) to see if they had any phones I could compare it with, but they didn't have any live demo units. But they did suggest it could be the O2 custom firmware build causing it somehow - I don't see why O2 would mess with the audio processing though, seems suspicious.

SimonM123 said:
Well I got a replacement... actually, I'm now on my fifth One X, and once again, the volume is slightly higher on the left.
Once again, I've tested this in every way I can to rule out deficiencies in my ears and headphones. The phone itself sends higher volume to the left ear.
Surely 5 devices can't all have the same fault. The same file on the same headphones is perfectly balanced on PC, and left-biased on the One X. This is a design fault of some sort. If you can't hear the same problem, you're lucky to have insensitive ears, but compare in the same way I did and you'll notice. It's deeply frustrating.
I think I'm going to have to swap for a Galaxy S3 and plump for the extra line rental in order to get it. Sad to say it but, after so many faults in various ways, the One X definitely takes the crown for the worst smartphone I've ever had. Gutted as it has all the right ingredients, but they have seriously, SERIOUSLY skimped on production standards. The screen edge issue and rattling problem have also been present on all 5 One X's I've been sent, and most of them have the camera not properly centered within the back of the phone. Details, but on a £500 device, they ought to be sorted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have none of those issues, but mine also doesn't say att on the top. id guess the att branded device was a special batch.
Sent from my HTC One XL using xda premium

Well I sent the phone to HTC, they claimed to 'repair' it, but as far as I can tell all they did was a factory reset - it's still O2 branded and the volume is still biased.
Here's how I just tested it:
- Loaded up a podcast on the PC
- Loaded the same episode on the phone
- Used the same headphones and compared
And as ever, it's clearly left-biased. Not a strong bias, but enough that you're distinctly aware that the voice is on one side of your head.
Again, I have had 5 One X's with this problem. It is clearly a design fault, and it amazes me that no one else is picking up on this. Compare like I did.
To reiterate, using a balance knob on apps like PowerAmp does not answer this, as I'd need this on my podcasting, internet radio and video apps too.

Interesting... I tested this on an unbranded handset at Carphone Warehouse, and it was fine, perfectly balanced. So I thought it must be the O2 custom firmware causing the imbalance. But then I got a friend to test their unbranded One X, and he found very notable left-ear bias.
Additionally, I've had a few people around me test my phone to make sure I'm not imagining things. The bias is definitely there, on a large number of One X's. So at this point, I'm just trying to work out if it's harware or software related.
If any One X owners would be so kind, please try the following test. Load up an audio only file - this tends to exaggerate the effect as it's normally mono), and listen carefully to where the sound is centred in your head. My friend described it as 'sort of stuck above your left eye'. It's really irritating once you're aware of it and if we could work out whether this is hardware of software related, perhaps a fix can be thought about. If you swap the headphones around left to right and the bias follows, you can rule out deficiency in hearing.
I used an episode of the podcast Red Bar Radio, as I know the sound is dead-centre and it's quite bassy, compressed audio. Perfect on a PC - but it's almost unlistenably biased through a One X.
If anyone is willing to carefully test this for me, I'd really appreciate it. O2 are willing to swap for a refurbed SGS3 so the whole thing is up in the air, but I don't like an unsolved mystery, or this odd feeling of being one of a tiny number of people noticing this.

Aluminum foil.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

If you mean use aluminium foil to fix a potential wiring problem, then I understand - but that would require opening up the phone, which is not easy on this model, invalidating my warranty, and we don't even know for sure whether it's a hardware or software fault.
If it's an identifiable hardware fault, I can report it to HTC and possibly fixed. Honestly though, this just fits into the other myriad problems people have had with this phone that all stem from a lack of quality control at the factories. The design is superb, but the manufacturing process is evidently not so perfect, and it's possible that this is another example of it.
Or, it's a software bug, and I'm OK with flashing a generic ROM and losing warranty *if* I know for sure that'll fix it.

Or he's suggesting the material for a new head garment.
You should post up a reference audio file if you want to get more standardized results.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium HD. In between FCs.

Vendetta-NY said:
You should post up a reference audio file if you want to get more standardized results.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, good idea! This is one file where it's very evident (don't mean to promote any particular podcast, this is just definitely a centred source):
REMOVED

SimonM123 said:
Thanks, good idea! This is one file where it's very evident (don't mean to promote any particular podcast, this is just definitely a centred source):
http://redbarradio.net/content/shows/RBR-06-22-12.mp3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm I just tested it out on my at&t one x with a pair of Kensington headphones and didn't notice a thing.... maybe my ears are bad
Then again I'm running aokp on my phone so if its OS specific then I wouldn't be able to reproduce ur results...
I say flash a rom and be done with it. If it doesn't work out just flash stock rom back on and return it I'm sure they won't notice in time to stop u from returning it
Sent from my One X using xda app-developers app

Thanks for testing it, much appreciated. Hopefully a few more people will be as kind and then I'll make an informed decision. Just wish there was a way to know for sure if it was hardware of software, but I can't think of a test for that.

Will test in a bit, but I know the S4 variants of the HOX have WAY better audio quality than the Tegra 3 version. If you have audio problems on a Tegra 3 variant, dont be surprised.
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

SimonM123 said:
Thanks, good idea! This is one file where it's very evident (don't mean to promote any particular podcast, this is just definitely a centred source):
http://redbarradio.net/content/shows/RBR-06-22-12.mp3
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dude. First off, put a parental advisory on that crap you're listening to before you post it up here. Way foul.
Second, go get your ears examined. That audio is dead centered. I listened through my reference Shure headphones. I'm a musician vocalist with pretty darned good hearing. But then just for haha's I patched the audio out to a mixing board and sampled for peaks at random places. Nothing out of sorts at all.
If you've swapped out FIVE UNITS for this perceived issue, I think it's time to look for causes other than the hardware. Just sayin.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium HD. In between FCs. from my HTC One X using XDA Premium HD. In between FCs.

First off, sorry, you're right about the audio clip, should have added warning or picked another source.
Anyhow, as for my hearing, as I've said earlier in this thread, I've tried numerous tests to check this, including:
- Switching the headphones around left to right: the bias moves with it.
- Trying the same audio file with the same headphones on a PC and the phone in immediate succession: the file is centered on the PC, left-biased on the phone
- Having friends with the same phone try the file on my phone with mine and their headphones: left biased in all situations
- Wide variety of source files: all left biased
- Wide variety of applications for audio and video: all left biased
Additionally, you're clearly from the USA, and as somebody mentioned above the bug seems to be with the Tegra version, and I assume you're using the dual core 4G version.
Despite my faux-pas with that test file, I'm not actually an idiot, and I've used every method I can think of to screen out hearing deficiency as a cause.

Oh, here's a link to one of the sources that I got on that the Tegra 3 version isn't as good audiowise (and a few other ways IMO ) as the S4 variant.
As to vendetta-NY, don't gotta be so rude man.
http://www.androidpolice.com/2012/06/26/beats-me-why-htcs-amazing-sound-on-the-international-one-x-isnt-amazing-at-all-even-by-the-numbers/

Related

[Q] Anyone has tried Beyerdynamic MMX-101iE?

Hello everyone,
I found this headset Bayerdynamic MMX 101 iE accidentally just a while ago.
If anyone has tried it, can you please write your review here?
Edit: Is the sound quality good? Microphone quality? Compatibily with Desire?
http://europe.beyerdynamic.com/shop/hah/headphones-and-headsets/sports-and-on-the-way/mmx-101.html
This has caught my eyes since a few day ago but I can not find any reviews at all.
So, any words for this headset will be very appriciated since I need one right now.
Edit: Sorry misstyping by Beyerdynamic , it should be Bayerdynamic
you couldn't find more expensive ones, could you?
hehehe
kmetek said:
you couldn't find more expensive ones, could you?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well...€99 still belongs to the middle class..there are still more with more expensive.
I think the price range between €70-€100 is the correct range for me, more than €100 is a bit too expensive.
Remember you get what you pay.
That type is competely new and there is still no real review available...perhaps I just have to wait for some time until the review is there.
more expensive
immortal_plt said:
more expensive
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have found several good ones above €100 but I am not planning to go that high.
It was launched during the musikmesse/music fair just a while ago so..it's kinda new and still without any convincing review.
I will have to wait until there are more review.
Hi Im fairly new to these forums but i can tell you that you cant go wrong with these. I bought these about a week ago and have been nothing short of stunned by the quality. They have great bass and really crisp clear midrange. I would say that these are better than the sennheisers and klipschs s2i that i have.
One thing to note is that make you play around with the earbuds as if you get them wrong they sound really flat and dull so make sure you get them to seal in your ears properly.
It is also a coincidence, yesterday I met some in train on the way home after work.
I asked if I can use it for a couple of minutes in the train, and he said yes.
My review within a few minutes:
1. sound quality is incredible for the price.
2. mic is also good.
3. unfortunately, no volume control or whatsoever except a button to pick up and hang up the call. (not really a big problem, not really in need of a mic and pick up button anyway).
4. metal housing for the ear pieces is awesome.
5. the cable looks extremely fragile to me. it is thin, not braided, etc.
(I am not sure of getting this headset because of this. This is the biggest downside. My current in-ear headphone (Klipsch Image S3) has just given up or lost its life just last night, the cable got broken again. The warranty is still there, but I don't want to claim it for the third time. I just prefer a new one instead of waiting weeks for claiming. It must be something wrong with how I store the headphone in my bag ).
6. Ear plug/bud don't fit my ears perfectly, I have tried on the one attached tho'. (It could be another problem)
I also found Philips SHO9560 (O'Neal stretch). It looks super robust but doesn't have good sound relatively compared to mmx-101i. Its look is also very appealing.
Now, I'm confused.
Way too expensive for me.
For the same price (or cheaper) I would get headphones/earphones from already proven company: Sennheiser.
Update:
Phillips SHO9560 sounds teribble.
MMX101ie doesn't really fit my ear...it comes off often (unless I get the individual package, but it is too expensive)...I don't wanna get an in-ear anymore...getting something which fits my ear is just a matter of luck...
No AKG products fits my huge head size (honest), I like the sound of AKG K518 but it is too small for my head, tried also 430, 420, 520, etc....
This is official! I hate AKG! This company never thinks of people with huge head like me! It is discrimination!
Sony XD300, XD500...sounds dark (bass too strong, trebble not clear)
Dr. Dre Solo HD is too expensive for the quality I am getting.
I will look for some more...Sennheiser, Denon, Bose, etc....
What I hate is that Desire can not really pull Sennheiser PXC450 (I own one at home and I use it mostly during flights or at home)....volume gets too low even on max.
Sh*t it is not easy to find the correct one!
Late response!
I just found this thread after looking into the MMX101 iEs myself - what was your solution in the end? I really like these headphones and fortunately they fit my ears; unfortunately though, the mic and answer button did not work, so I'm having to send them back. Hopefully the replacements will work fine!
Did you settle on over-ear headphones in the end? Given your situation I would have recommended the Sony MDR-V500 - great headphones, excellent range, solid bass response which is punchy but doesn't overwhelm the mid-range, and amazingly cheap considering!
Hope you managed to get this sorted anyway.
I've got these. Nothing short of awesome. The sound quality at all levels is incredibly crisp and you don't use any equaliser settings/tweaks as the ear phones sort all that out for you. Had mine for two years now and need a new set and will definitely buy the same ones again.
Also get 3 pairs of different size buds depending on what suits your ear best.
Someone can confirm the microphone and remote of Beyerdynamic MMX-101 works with android?
Thanks
MickyMax said:
Someone can confirm the microphone and remote of Beyerdynamic MMX-101 works with android?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That does not depend on OS (Android, iOS, Windows). The "problem" is different layout of rings on the 3.5mm connector with different phone manufacturers ("microphone" and "ground" rings are swapped). It's natively compatible with iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Blackberry and HTC. If you want them to work correctly with Nokia, Sony, Samsung, Motorola, LG and other models you have to buy a separate adaptor.
I bought V-Moda M100 in the end.
It is expensive but worth every single penny I spent
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app

[Q] Loudspeaker hardware mod?

No matter how much we try to deny it, or try not to talk about it- we must all admit that the speaker output of the Sensation isn't amongst the best we've come across. I've missed calls numerous times (especially in a crowded street or so) just because I couldn't hear the ringer.
Yes, we do have apps such as Volume+ and PowerAmp which does seem to do an alright job- but still doesn't satisfy our need.
Here's my Q- Would installing a speaker from a different model/ phone have a better output? I understand that it might need additional software tweaks as well ( not to mention finding a suitable speaker which fits )- but is it possible?
PS. I'm not a sound crazy noob who just wants to impress people with a loud phone, I honestly can't hear it half the time.
Regards,
Tony
Would be interesting! This is my chief complaint with my phone.
I dont understand why this has not been touched yet. Its been the number one issue since day one, volume+ only helps with media.
Dacoit said:
I dont understand why this has not been touched yet. Its been the number one issue since day one, volume+ only helps with media.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure has been. Any input from someone who has a better understanding of the internals of a Sensation would definitely be helpful. And I for one definitely wouldn't mind risking the warranty if it actually seems possible.
Which one of the HTC line would have the most powerful loudspeaker? I suppose those within the HTC family maybe an easier fit.
I think HTC Sensation has the same speaker as the HTC Droid Incredible 2, HTC Evo 3d(expected),HTC Freestyle & HTC Incredible S based to how they used the same picture for these phones speakers on www.repairsuniverse.com. Anybody know about the sound quality from these phones?
I've heard that the Evo 3D stores a pretty powerful sound output. Judging by the link, I'd say it might be a good fit on the sensation as well.
But I sure hope it isn't exactly the same speaker. That'd be like installing a Sensation XE speaker on the Sensation- Foolish.
The only thing i fear is that our phones have a weak speaker because of the design of the case. The hole for the speaker on the sensation is small and off center of the actual speaker. The Evo3d has a seemingly larger slits for the speaker and it seems to be on center so that might be the difference. Has anybody opened the phone and used the speaker without the plastic body and the battery cover in the way?
kevinliu2336 said:
The only thing i fear is that our phones have a weak speaker because of the design of the case. The hole for the speaker on the sensation is small and off center of the actual speaker. The Evo3d has a seemingly larger slits for the speaker and it seems to be on center so that might be the difference. Has anybody opened the phone and used the speaker without the plastic body and the battery cover in the way?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had that suspicion earlier today as well. And I did try it out with the rear housing off. There really wasn't much of a difference- it might seem a bit louder with the back off, but at the same time it seems to pump more bass with it on.
I wouldn't mind trying out an EVO 3D speaker on mine to figure if it does make a difference, but I'd need someone to confirm that they aren't the same speakers as the sensation. Any additional info/ tips would be appreciated- Let me get this done and make myself a bit useful to the forum
If you are using an mp3 as a ringtone, that can be re-recorded at a higher output level. Not sure if there is an Android audio app that would let you do that directly on the phone, but certainly there are lots of audio apps for Mac and PC that will do the job.
stroobach said:
If you are using an mp3 as a ringtone, that can be re-recorded at a higher output level. Not sure if there is an Android audio app that would let you do that directly on the phone, but certainly there are lots of audio apps for Mac and PC that will do the job.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure there are apps which would help increase output to a certain level, but still does't reach expected levels. For all having issues with the loudspeaker output- I'd recommend this thread for now: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1389756
All credits go to the OP of that thread- that sure was an amazing find! Worked well for me, and editing that particular file whilst installing a different speaker might help even better. Will get back on that as soon as I'm done with a project deadline.
I guess we all agree that the loudspeaker on the Sensation is woeful. I own a Touch Pro 2 and the dual speakers are LOUD. They are probably the loudest speaker phone that you can ever find from the entire HTC product line. Interestingly, the dual speakers are also designed such that the left speaker is behaving like the tweeter (higher pitch sounds) while the right speaker is the woofer (lower pitch sounds). It is very apparent when you cover up one and then the other while some music is playing.
I have ordered a spare speaker (meant for repairs) for the Touch Pro 2 and will be playing around with it to see if some hardware mods are possible to improve the Sensation's speakers. The delivery is expected to take 3 weeks to arrive.
I don't wish to dig up zombies, but I thought it better to continue an old thread than start a new one due to others insights.
Has anyone tried other speakers to see if they fit in the Sensation? I too have come from the Touch Pro2, and there was a tweak on it which made the speaker even louder (it was already quite loud!). I could hold a conversation, hands-free, in my car with the window down on the motorway no problem. And now, coming to the Senny, I'm almost embarrased to play music to anyone (unless using the headphones). I realise we can't get the TP2 speakers on the Senny (as there is more involved than just swapping a speaker - even if there was room for 2 larger speakers in the Senny).
Anyway. @darkytoothpaste, or anyone else, has there been any progress with the speaker hardware?

[Q] How is your speaker?

i noticed that my speaker is very quiet, even on my buddys sensation
my last two phones (nexus one & mytouch4g) both had LOUDDDDD speakers and the speaker on the sensation is a bit of a disappointment
anyone else notice a weak speaker?
Yeah its a known problem. Not much we can do about it.
Spkr sucks
This is the worst speaker I have had in a phone. I even tried dl'ing a volume booster app, it was ok i guess. but I jus went n bought a cube, (the lil external speaker) and that thing is really loud for its size. But mostly I gave up and just carry my iphone with me and listen to that instead. It makes me regret running over my sgs which put this speaker to shame.
Mines is just fine in call is very good and media such as music isn't that bad ...
Sent From My Sexy Sensation.
I've got a problem with in call volume, especially with sip calling with the native client. Sometimes it's fine (in terms of the normal Sensation quietness). Sometimes it's just about inaudible. It's not a problem with my provider since I don't have this problem with other phones/sip clients.
Seems to be fine if I use a bluetooth earpiece though.
Don't really make regular cell calls too often, so not sure if it's a global issue or isolated to sip calling
Mine is xLOUD and its fine
No way around it the speaker quality for this phone is the absolute worst I have experienced period. I thought it was just me, good to know others have the same issue (I suppose). Does xLoud work with Virtuous Inquisition? Or is there any other app that does work at boosting the sound. It's the one qualm I have with this phone...
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA
Want a loud speaker? Buy a Motorola rokr e1 or Motorola e398 ;-)
Sent from my HTC Sensation using Tapatalk
The first "iPhone" was such a dud, and yet it's call volume probably still obliterated this phone's. Is it too much to ask that the speaker isn't the equivalent of cups and string? I mean maybe it's a manufacturing defect or something (which I guess I'll live with until a significant upgrade comes along) but I contemplated returning this phone from day one. Fortunately, the pro's outweigh the cons but it'd still be nice to have a fix...
monkor said:
The first "iPhone" was such a dud, and yet it's call volume probably still obliterated this phone's. Is it too much to ask that the speaker isn't the equivalent of cups and string? I mean maybe it's a manufacturing defect or something (which I guess I'll live with until a significant upgrade comes along) but I contemplated returning this phone from day one. Fortunately, the pro's outweigh the cons but it'd still be nice to have a fix...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i dont know man
i heard about the dust under the screen problem, the bad touchscreen digitizer problem, the deathgrip problems.. lol so far i only have a weak speaker but im still thinking of switching over to the amaze or just wait to get a one s
the community here is HUGE and thats making me want to keep the sensation
Spkr sucks
My in call spkr works fine (although I basically make everyone text as I hate talking on the phone). Its jus the external speaker for music that really annoys me. I thought about it and this phone has the lowest output volume of every single phone I have owned even from a while back, Nokia 5310,(i still like that simple a** phone for some reason) xpress, 5730, g1, g2, hd1, my-touch, my-touch fender, Sgs-1&2, iPhone3, iPhone 4 all seemed to play louder than this. But hey, If they made a phone that had the complete pkg i guess it would stop the need for future phone sales so they gotta screw us outta sumthin at least I guess.
I too was on the verge of jus moving over to iOS n usin my iPhone4 since I JB it, the iPad & all 3 touches I started liking the amount of stuff you can do, But I came across this site today & was reminded of why Im stickin to the lil green guy on my phone.
My speaker is so so, but with Volume+ app it rocks!
My speaker is loud enough using DSPManager, but the quality is absolutely terrible.

low speaker volume HW or SW issue?

just got my nexus 5 after nearly a month of waiting. only had two days with it so far, but coming from an iPhone 5, the speaker volume is rather lacking. Compared the same exact music/sounds with my iPhone 5. iPhone practically stomped on volume loudness. the most bothersome of this issue is that ringtones, google voice, etc is not very audible, even at the nexus 5's highest volume. so, is this issue a software issue that can be fixed in an update? like has it been confirmed? im aware of the hardware mod on this forum, but id rather wait on voiding my warranty if I can, so im willing to wait if a firmware update CAN fix this.
unvaluablespace said:
just got my nexus 5 after nearly a month of waiting. only had two days with it so far, but coming from an iPhone 5, the speaker volume is rather lacking. Compared the same exact music/sounds with my iPhone 5. iPhone practically stomped on volume loudness. the most bothersome of this issue is that ringtones, google voice, etc is not very audible, even at the nexus 5's highest volume. so, is this issue a software issue that can be fixed in an update? like has it been confirmed? im aware of the hardware mod on this forum, but id rather wait on voiding my warranty if I can, so im willing to wait if a firmware update CAN fix this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
According to this, it's a software issue but I don't know how anyone will know for sure until a software update comes out.
unvaluablespace said:
just got my nexus 5 after nearly a month of waiting. only had two days with it so far, but coming from an iPhone 5, the speaker volume is rather lacking. Compared the same exact music/sounds with my iPhone 5. iPhone practically stomped on volume loudness. the most bothersome of this issue is that ringtones, google voice, etc is not very audible, even at the nexus 5's highest volume. so, is this issue a software issue that can be fixed in an update? like has it been confirmed? im aware of the hardware mod on this forum, but id rather wait on voiding my warranty if I can, so im willing to wait if a firmware update CAN fix this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Being one of the people who did the HW mod, I'd say both. The HW is definitely not properly made, most notably the speaker hosing is sealed which doesn't allow the speaker to move air efficiently and so makes for a very lousy sound. There also have been some success in SW which makes me think that with 5min spent to do the HW mod and decent SW update the phone can finally become borderline usable as far as speaker goes.
Vibration is another issue...
Some success in software? Is this something I can try before resorting to he mod? (I will probably wait before going the latter route)
Vibration doesn't seem too much of an issue to me. Not sure though, haven't compared with my old phone, though I will say the haptic feedback (I think that's what its called) every time I click a button or use the keyboard, is kind of annoying lol
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
unvaluablespace said:
Some success in software? Is this something I can try before resorting to he mod? (I will probably wait before going the latter route)
Vibration doesn't seem too much of an issue to me. Not sure though, haven't compared with my old phone, though I will say the haptic feedback (I think that's what its called) every time I click a button or use the keyboard, is kind of annoying lol
Sent from my Nexus 5 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The sw mod really simple and easy, and yes you can restore the factory settings easy.
Check this topic:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2532788
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
caslca said:
Being one of the people who did the HW mod, I'd say both. The HW is definitely not properly made, most notably the speaker hosing is sealed which doesn't allow the speaker to move air efficiently and so makes for a very lousy sound. There also have been some success in SW which makes me think that with 5min spent to do the HW mod and decent SW update the phone can finally become borderline usable as far as speaker goes.
Vibration is another issue...
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Click to collapse
there is a reason speakers have a sealed back. it's to keep the sound on th erear of the speaker from cancelling the sound on the front. dipole speakers don't have a sealed back and they drop a very regular decibel every octave below the wavelength of the baffle. there isn't much room for a large baffle in a phone so the back is sealed instead to try to preserve what little bass a small speaker can create. but the bass the speaker can create is soo little you may not notice the loss and instead notice some gain from increasing speaker excursion and effectively having double the cone area.
there are also ported/bass reflex boxes that phase shift the rear sound wave through a resonant chamber and a port to extend bass by putting the rear wave in phase with the front for a small frequency window.
there are other designs. but not much that will fit in a phone. i wouldn't say the design of the phone is faulty, just ineffective on such a small scale. maybe a trasmission line design where there was a channel that snaked around all the free space in the phone would be better. a rear loaded horn would be louder but takes up a lot of space.
as far as software, well there is only so much voltage that the internal amp can drive the speaker with. they have to find a gain ratio where there is enough headroom at full volume for most content to play without clipping. music is very dynamic and the louder something is the more extra energy you need to create an equivalent apparent change in loudness. you can raise the gain on almost any well designed system and not experience clipping on 90% + of a song but there may be a section of a particular song where you lose headroom and drive it into clipping. they probably went on the safe side with the hardware gain to preserve the quality of the music. but by all means if you prefer more loudness use a software mod.
there are some things that you could do, like software compression where the gain drops on the parts that exceed the max loudness. but it can make the music sound less lively. or you can just let it clip and maybe eventually damage the amp and/or speaker but that's probably not even a problem on such a small scale.

Sound quality

Hello,
I did some reading on the Nexus 5 and most of its problems I can live with, but many people complained about bad sound quality via the headphone output.
Can you confirm or deny this? I use my phones mainly as mp3 players and therefore the sound quality is extremely important for me.
Honestly, I don't get what the fuss is all about. Perhaps I damaged my ears with loud music in my teenage years but think it sounds great (the headphone port, of course)
Plugging into the headphone jack on the Nexus 5, it actually sounds better than when plugged into my PC which has a Creative SoundBlaster Recon3D PCIe (~$150), if that says anything.
Coming from an S3 with Wolfson audio DAC (digital to analogue convertor) I think the Qualcomm DAC is substandard. I have a nice set of Audio Technica headphones, so the difference is noticeable. However, HOWEVER... I find with viper4android (which needs root) the audio quality on the n5 goes from "OK, nothing special" to "oh man, wha???" So I actually wouldn't swap it for anything right now. N5+Viper+good cans = fantastic experience
rootSU said:
Coming from an S3 with Wolfson audio DAC (digital to analogue convertor) I think the Qualcomm DAC is substandard. I have a nice set of Audio Technica headphones, so the difference is noticeable. However, HOWEVER... I find with viper4android (which needs root) the audio quality on the n5 goes from "OK, nothing special" to "oh man, wha???" So I actually wouldn't swap it for anything right now. N5+Viper+good cans = fantastic experience
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Click to collapse
Yup. Viper makes all the difference.
Lethargy said:
Yup. Viper makes all the difference.
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Click to collapse
rootSU said:
Coming from an S3 with Wolfson audio DAC (digital to analogue convertor) I think the Qualcomm DAC is substandard. I have a nice set of Audio Technica headphones, so the difference is noticeable. However, HOWEVER... I find with viper4android (which needs root) the audio quality on the n5 goes from "OK, nothing special" to "oh man, wha???" So I actually wouldn't swap it for anything right now. N5+Viper+good cans = fantastic experience
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am a bit skeptical about this, can software tweak really fix hardware shortcoming of the sound module?
JayR_L said:
Honestly, I don't get what the fuss is all about. Perhaps I damaged my ears with loud music in my teenage years but think it sounds great (the headphone port, of course)
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Click to collapse
Can you tell me which headphones are you using? Some people are so used to crappy sound quality with $5 ear buds that they can't tell the difference (no offence meant )
RabbiShe said:
I am a bit skeptical about this, can software tweak really fix hardware shortcoming of the sound module?
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Click to collapse
Yeah.
RabbiShe said:
I am a bit skeptical about this, can software tweak really fix hardware shortcoming of the sound module?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes of course. All hardware is driven by software. The fault of the sound module could be hardware, in which case software can compensate for it by re-processing the audio.. Or even add CPU processing to give more powerful hardware processing to give better audio... OR the problem is software in the first place, in which case software can replace it.
For example, you can massively increase audio quality on a PC, for any app (including spotify and other streamin services) by cutting out unecessary processes and dedicating more resources to audio processing...
#
http://www.windowsxlive.net/fidelizer/
Well, i decided to order it. I hope to god i'm not making a mistake, since it has to last me for at least 5 years, before i can get a new phone. Since i'm a just a poor peasant boy, with not many ducats in his pouch.
By the way, will flashing cm12 void the phones warranty?
RabbiShe said:
Well, i decided to order it. I hope to god i'm not making a mistake, since it has to last me for at least 5 years, before i can get a new phone. Since i'm a just a poor peasant boy, with not many ducats in his pouch.
By the way, will flashing cm12 void the phones warranty?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You wont be disappointed. Like I said, I have some reasonably expensive headphones and after Viper, its a really pleasant experience.
Depends where you bought the phone regarding warranty. If you got it directly from play store, you're fine. Buying it anywhere else, the warranty is with LG not Google. They're a bit more picky as if the tamper flag has been triggered, LG are likely to refuse warranty, whereas google themselves dont care.
Damn, i knew it.
I went to pick up my nexus 5 and then, filled with excitement and xmass cheer, unboxed it at home. The very second i placed my finger on the on/off button i knew something was horribly wrong. It rattled. Somehow, almost a year later, i still got the flawed version of the nexus 5 from the early batch, which had the rattling button, small speaker holes and all those other nasty early adopter problems. I immediately jumped into my car and returned it (managed to do it just before the store closed for holidays pheww) and now my Christmas is ruined. :crying:
RabbiShe said:
Damn, i knew it.
I went to pick up my nexus 5 and then, filled with excitement and xmass cheer, unboxed it at home. The very second i placed my finger on the on/off button i knew something was horribly wrong. It rattled. Somehow, almost a year later, i still got the flawed version of the nexus 5 from the early batch, which had the rattling button, small speaker holes and all those other nasty early adopter problems. I immediately jumped into my car and returned it (managed to do it just before the store closed for holidays pheww) and now my Christmas is ruined. :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=49111828
RabbiShe said:
Damn, i knew it.
I went to pick up my nexus 5 and then, filled with excitement and xmass cheer, unboxed it at home. The very second i placed my finger on the on/off button i knew something was horribly wrong. It rattled. Somehow, almost a year later, i still got the flawed version of the nexus 5 from the early batch, which had the rattling button, small speaker holes and all those other nasty early adopter problems. I immediately jumped into my car and returned it (managed to do it just before the store closed for holidays pheww) and now my Christmas is ruined. :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lethargy said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=49111828
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This!
There is no "flawed" version. Its a cheap phone so quality control is not as strict as more premium phones. Some have big speaker holes some have little ones (and that makes no difference anyway) and some have loose buttons and some do not. Its just the way it is.
If you don't want a cheap phone, pay double and get something else
Also its worth noting that it depends how you press power buttons. If you tap it from 1 inch away, then all nexus 5 rattle. Actually in that case its the OIS in the camera rattling and not power button.
RabbiShe said:
Damn, i knew it.
I went to pick up my nexus 5 and then, filled with excitement and xmass cheer, unboxed it at home. The very second i placed my finger on the on/off button i knew something was horribly wrong. It rattled. Somehow, almost a year later, i still got the flawed version of the nexus 5 from the early batch, which had the rattling button, small speaker holes and all those other nasty early adopter problems. I immediately jumped into my car and returned it (managed to do it just before the store closed for holidays pheww) and now my Christmas is ruined. :crying:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You've confirmed for yourself what we've been trying to tell people since December when the false rumor was started, there was no revision.
It's practically unheard of for any device to have a hardware revision only 1 month after launch, because that would mean they knew about the issue well before the launch but decided to release the defective devices anyways.
Funny enough the exact same fake rumor stuff is happening with the Nexus 9. One user compares 2 devices after an RMA and suddenly there is a "confirmed revision by HTC" rumors flying around everywhere. Hint: that didn't get a revision after only 1 month either.

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