Can anybody help me work this out? I can't understand why the volume output is so low on my Galaxy S2. At full volume with all the equaliser bands at maximum, i still find music being drowned out by normal street traffic. I've tried several sets of headphones, different music apps and the Volume Boost and Equalizer apps and the result is always the same. As a (completley subjective) mode of reference, my Galaxy S2 with max volume and maximized EQ settings seems to be around 60% of the volume of my old iPhone 3G with normal EQ settings.
I'm having a really difficult time working out if this is just completely subjective and this is actually normal for a Galaxy S2 or if my handset is defective. I don't have access to anybody else with a Galaxy S2 for comparison's sake and it's difficult to rely on opinions on the internet because people's perceptions of what is "loud" vary greatly. So I've got two questions:
1. Is there a way to definitively measure the maximum volume output of my Galaxy S2 and compare against other handsets? I've a sound card with a line in and a minijack-minijack cable so I'm assuming this technically possible with this equipment. Does anybody else with a Galaxy S2 have figures I can compare mine wth?
2. I'm in the EU. I've read that EU restrictions have been planned to restrict maximum headphone volumes on PMPs but I can't find anything saying that these have actually been implemented. If they have, I assume they can be bypassed by fiddling around in ServiceMode or by installing custom ROMs. Can anybody point me in the right direction of how to do this?
Sorry if this is a little bit nooby - this is actually driving me completely bonkers because I can't work out if it's all just in my head when nobody else I see on here seems to think this is an issue! Thanks.
djbanging said:
Can anybody help me work this out? I can't understand why the volume output is so low on my Galaxy S2. At full volume with all the equaliser bands at maximum, i still find music being drowned out by normal street traffic. I've tried several sets of headphones, different music apps and the Volume Boost and Equalizer apps and the result is always the same. As a (completley subjective) mode of reference, my Galaxy S2 with max volume and maximized EQ settings seems to be around 60% of the volume of my old iPhone 3G with normal EQ settings.
I'm having a really difficult time working out if this is just completely subjective and this is actually normal for a Galaxy S2 or if my handset is defective. I don't have access to anybody else with a Galaxy S2 for comparison's sake and it's difficult to rely on opinions on the internet because people's perceptions of what is "loud" vary greatly. So I've got two questions:
1. Is there a way to definitively measure the maximum volume output of my Galaxy S2 and compare against other handsets? I've a sound card with a line in and a minijack-minijack cable so I'm assuming this technically possible with this equipment. Does anybody else with a Galaxy S2 have figures I can compare mine wth?
2. I'm in the EU. I've read that EU restrictions have been planned to restrict maximum headphone volumes on PMPs but I can't find anything saying that these have actually been implemented. If they have, I assume they can be bypassed by fiddling around in ServiceMode or by installing custom ROMs. Can anybody point me in the right direction of how to do this?
Sorry if this is a little bit nooby - this is actually driving me completely bonkers because I can't work out if it's all just in my head when nobody else I see on here seems to think this is an issue! Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i have a easy solution for u... visit your GP or simply clean your ears..if thats wont work then come back. - just a funny recipe - dont take it personaly.
there is no restriction as far as i know. and my headset is extremly loud, so it may be only you or simple fault of your device. check out other headset (headphones) and if there will be problem u may found few programs on android market...
Audiomanager
Volume Master
Sound Manager
Spark Audio Profiles
and much more mate. i hope u will find a solution for u....
The EU volume restrictions have definitely been implemented, at least on the Sandisk Sansa Clip+. If you select Europe as your region on that device you get a fraction of the volume you would for other regions.
I'm unsure if that's what's going on with the SGSII though. I agree the volume isn't the best but I don't find it terrible. I only find it a problem when music/videos have a low volume to begin with, in those cases it would really benefit from a gain setting.
You might want to check the audio hardware analysis thread in the general section. There might be an explanation in it. In the meantime if it's bothering you, and you don't want to send back the phone, you could buy a portable headphone amp. I use the Fiio E5 with my PC which has dismal volume. It's £14.11 on Amazon.
djbanging said:
Can anybody help me work this out? I can't understand why the volume output is so low on my Galaxy S2. At full volume with all the equaliser bands at maximum, i still find music being drowned out by normal street traffic. I've tried several sets of headphones, different music apps and the Volume Boost and Equalizer apps and the result is always the same. As a (completley subjective) mode of reference, my Galaxy S2 with max volume and maximized EQ settings seems to be around 60% of the volume of my old iPhone 3G with normal EQ settings.
I'm having a really difficult time working out if this is just completely subjective and this is actually normal for a Galaxy S2 or if my handset is defective. I don't have access to anybody else with a Galaxy S2 for comparison's sake and it's difficult to rely on opinions on the internet because people's perceptions of what is "loud" vary greatly. So I've got two questions:
1. Is there a way to definitively measure the maximum volume output of my Galaxy S2 and compare against other handsets? I've a sound card with a line in and a minijack-minijack cable so I'm assuming this technically possible with this equipment. Does anybody else with a Galaxy S2 have figures I can compare mine wth?
2. I'm in the EU. I've read that EU restrictions have been planned to restrict maximum headphone volumes on PMPs but I can't find anything saying that these have actually been implemented. If they have, I assume they can be bypassed by fiddling around in ServiceMode or by installing custom ROMs. Can anybody point me in the right direction of how to do this?
Sorry if this is a little bit nooby - this is actually driving me completely bonkers because I can't work out if it's all just in my head when nobody else I see on here seems to think this is an issue! Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its the same for many other galaxy s2 owners, many threads complaining about this issue, not much you can do. Samsung dropped the ball on the audio side for this device.
RogerPodacter said:
Its the same for many other galaxy s2 owners, many threads complaining about this issue, not much you can do. Samsung dropped the ball on the audio side for this device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the info but I can't really find any threads from people complaining about media volume - it just seems to be people complaining about in-call volume which I believe is defined separately, right? (If you could point me in the direction of these threads I'd really appreciate it). From what I've read on here, others have no problems with their SGS2 audio volume - see here for example. If my handset is defective there is something I can do - return it and demand a replacement.
I ran Right Mark Audio Analyser using a test signal - do these results look normal?
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multiple people in this thread claim low music volume thru headphones (the preliminary audio thread):
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1053978
and then there are multiple random short threads where people say they cant listen to music because street noise bleeds in and the volume doesnt go loud enough. sorry i dont have those links, but i've read it just in the last few days, plus over the last month or so. i dont know the terms to search for those posts, but i did just read one about 2 days ago.
I was going to mention this today,
I'm using poweramp and dsp manager.
no improvements
Just thought i'd mention that studio headphones require more juice to run compared to in ear plugs. I'm not sure what kind of headphones you're using but if you're using big fat studio headphones you might wanna try smaller in ear's to see if that is an improvement. Just my two cents.
I have my volume on Media set to 15 (max) when listening to music/video.
I have Sony in the ear headphones too, and it is fairly loud, but not as loud as I like it to be.
This reminds me of my iPod touch which was set to 83% of its maximum output thanks to the bloody EU (because of French). Luckily jailbreaking it and editing the file that restricted it sorted the issue out.
Lets hope that a similar hack occurs soon here.
I have the same problem too..audio is very very low when using headphones....has anything been done to this effect?
I am facing the same issue.Has this problem been solved with custom roms ? im running stock KG6.
Try maximizing volume in mp3 (lvl15) then pause the music and make a phone call with head-phones.
Let me know if it makes a difference.
Because for me it does.
Low volume in mp3-player results in low volume calls.
High volume in mp3-player results in high.volume calls. At least for me.
Edit: ah ffs, I didn't read well! Sundaymorning here! Lol.
Still: story is for people experiencing low volume calls during headset-use.
And now.. I need some coffee
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
wetti said:
I have the same problem too..audio is very very low when using headphones....has anything been done to this effect?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
what head-phones do you use?
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
I was having the exact same problem, none of my music had any 'punch' and it was seriously winding me up.
I use PowerAMP and tries all the volume hacks I could find, all they succeed in doing was distorting my music beyond listenable levels. I tried switching ROM until I flashed VillanROM... all of a sudden, boom, its back to normal, music all sounds great and the volume is back to normal....
Now, I have no idea if its the ROM or something I did previously regarding volume hacks, just thought I'd let you know.
Hope it helps (even a little)
Sent from my GT-I9100 using pipes and steam
perhaps someone should email samsung directly...i'll try and find an email address.
sent from my galaxy S2.
I am having the same problem I,e low volume both by speakers as well as headphones.
Has samsung changed this between Kernels by any chance? Post your FWs and see if you find any patterns there.
As mentioned before ear buds have a different impedance as enclosed headphones on my Galaxy S i have to turn it down with ear buds in.
But with going to gingerbread i noticed the 5.1 surround sound had altered on buds its fine on normal headphone on a bass song its horrid
so they do mess around with stuff
you guys have to stop recommending this phone if it has such a huge unsolved and ignored problem such as this. I just picked one up and surprise surprise, I can't freaking use it to listen to music or make calls because of this headset volume bug.
Worse is, nobody has solved it. Every thread goes dead. Yet i still see this phone being recommended as the iphone killer and as being the best phone of 2011.
Seriously, what's up? Have people found a solution that causes them to be able to recommend the phone? Cause it's unrecommendable with this problem.
@madmax Dude.. We're here to help solving problems.. If you came here to complain, please go.
I don't think people (who are willing to troubleshoot almost all problems) will appreciate your attitude.
So, instead of complaining you could've asked nicely.
Don't like it? Ditch the phone! No one forced you to buy it!
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Related
Up until now I'd always been puzzled by people saying how quiet they found the headphone output of the SGSII and they they wished it was a more normal volume level. Mine had always been plenty loud enough to drown out my Metro ride to work in the morning, even dropped down a notch or two. Yesterday I discovered a possible reason to fit both findings.
I'd been messing with my phone before heading out to work, put in the headphones, sparked up some music and.....quiet. The max volume I could crank out of it with the headphones in must have been about 60% of the normal. Whatever I did, wherever I went in the phone to alter settings and whatever values were showing made no change to push it back up again.
Today I turned the phone on, unlocked it, dropped the headphones in and played the same album and it was the usual 'loud' volume again.
This convinces me that there is a set sequence of actions that causes one quieter volume level to be set as headphone maximum and another that allows a more decent top end. Both findings on volume to this point by others seem to be right.
I'm trying to reproduce the steps (nothing outlandish) which led to my temporary trip to ear-protecting quiet land but have been unable to so far. I'm putting headphones in before and after pushing the volume to max, trying this before or after going into the music app and/or starting the music playing but obviously there are quite a few permutations - all of which are quite normal usage and liable to be done by many people.
I'm posting this so anybody else can also have a mess around and maybe find it before me, helping a few others in the process.
Did you ever find the solution to this?
In addition to the first post I think it is remarkable that you can get different levels of audio output by using different headphones or speakers. Sure all the models available differ a bit but never had such a difference.
settings->sound->volume: 4 sliders there. I once read that sometimes "media" and "incoming call" get mixed up. I sometimes have a really hard time to hear people on the phone using headphones.
Typical Sammy... 'she can cook, but she's not a looker'. That is to say, Samsung typically makes devices chincy to the eye and mostly feel- and the SGS2 is no exception. But, the guts tend to be top notch.
In this case, though, they sure as hell got the audio all wrong too. I have a hard time hearing (on and off speaker), and people often have a difficult time understanding me (I do mumble). The phone has a severely weak, or limited (whether by hardware, software, or both) volume level. This includes jack, loudspeaker, and earphone.
Problem solved-
At first, I tried playing with the DSP Manager (happened to be built right into CM7), but got far from perfect results, often leading to distortion and noise.
Behold, the AudioBoost SGS2 app specifically for the SGS2 (duh). It did the trick, and totally revived the phone as a viable music player for me. Note: 90% of the music out there will get an optimal boost (distortion-free) when set to 80 (headphones via jack and loudspeaker- did not test through external amp). Above that, depending on the music, you will likely get some distortion, especially on the lows.
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I listen to quite a bit of music. My 4th gen Nano pumped out some serious db's relatively speaking. Also, having just come from the Blackberry camp didn't help either (which typically score well in the volume department).
Despite my criticism, I love the phone.
Hope this helps out some 'hard-of-hearing' folk out there.
I have to say this IS a very good app for GS2 users. Volume+ doesn't work on stock ROMs but this works miracles.
Dark Shogun
Is this ad for paid app?
Paid only. $2.60.
Just saw your signature.... Haha, looks like we both got started on the T610!
What a great phone it was
I'd use it again.
sweetrobot said:
Typical Sammy... 'she can cook, but she's not a looker'. That is to say, Samsung typically makes devices chincy to the eye and mostly feel- and the SGS2 is no exception. But, the guts tend to be top notch.
In this case, though, they sure as hell got the audio all wrong too. I have a hard time hearing (on and off speaker), and people often have a difficult time understanding me (I do mumble). The phone has a severely weak, or limited (whether by hardware, software, or both) volume level. This includes jack, loudspeaker, and earphone.
Problem solved-
At first, I tried playing with the DSP Manager (happened to be built right into CM7), but got far from perfect results, often leading to distortion and noise.
Behold, the AudioBoost SGS2 app specifically for the SGS2 (duh). It did the trick, and totally revived the phone as a viable music player for me. Note: 90% of the music out there will get an optimal boost (distortion-free) when set to 80 (headphones via jack and loudspeaker- did not test through external amp). Above that, depending on the music, you will likely get some distortion, especially on the lows.
I listen to quite a bit of music. My 4th gen Nano pumped out some serious db's relatively speaking. Also, having just come from the Blackberry camp didn't help either (which typically score well in the volume department).
Despite my criticism, I love the phone.
Hope this helps out some 'hard-of-hearing' folk out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the heads up.
The app says works ONLY for I9100.
jayosee said:
The app says works ONLY for I9100.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I emailed the developer and asked if the AT&T GS2 was supported. He said yes.
Provided that it's rooted.
why does it need to be refreshed 500ms? if this is the case, wouldn't it keep wakelock?
mbze430 said:
why does it need to be refreshed 500ms? if this is the case, wouldn't it keep wakelock?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any more thoughts on this? Does this app drain battery?
this app keeps "boosting" the volume setting at a given interval. If you lower the interval is might not boost the volume at the "right" moment, and it ends up having this effect of low and then sudden high volume.
And of course if you set the interval to very short, it starts to eat up CPU cycles. This is to me NOT a solution.. but a mickey-mouse "fix".
tboooe said:
Any more thoughts on this? Does this app drain battery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use it only when listen to music. Has no noticeable effect on performance or battery.
mbze430 said:
this app keeps "boosting" the volume setting at a given interval. If you lower the interval is might not boost the volume at the "right" moment, and it ends up having this effect of low and then sudden high volume.
And of course if you set the interval to very short, it starts to eat up CPU cycles. This is to me NOT a solution.. but a mickey-mouse "fix".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It IS solution! Why? Because it solves my problem. Definitely somewhat mickey-mouse, as I also would rather have a permanent, built-in solution.
However, there is no alternative as far as I know. For now, this works wonders. It WORKS. And does it without any noticeable "side-effects".
any galaxy note variant?
Does this work for in call earpiece volume on he official ICS release?
Sent from my SGH-I777 using XDA
Nice find. I've been using another app for the same reason (Voodoo Louder) but I might give this a try
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2
Hello, I've bought Galaxy S2 this month and already got it rooted, now I've played with it, before anything, it worked ok, yes the volume wasn't tip top on my headset (Just headphones from audiotechnics), but it was at least bare-able.
now I've played with some settings it told me to go to service mode and change some settings, now I don't know what I've changed exactly but now things are much worse, and I don't even think this is somehow related to the service mode.
I've looked everywhere, tried everything, from equalizers to volume hacks, nothing worked.
What I can tell you is that for SOME reason, I've got LOTS of different headsets + bluetooth, and at one point when I installed... which I think is actually what did the thing is that when I installed CM7.1 which just destroyed it, even just volume on media playback.
So to cut things short, I've tried several headphones and figured out that the headset that comes with the galaxy s2 works just fine, and it makes me think that this issue is somehow related to the many headset profiles I have. But the real question is how do I fix it?!
Any help on the issue would make me smile, because for now, I have to talk regularly or via samsung headset.
Thank you.
Welcome to the low volume world of Galaxy S2. You probably didn't destroyed anything, the headphone volume output is ridiculously low. I have tried many different headphones from stock Samsung, to Sony noise cancelling to Sennheiser top of the world noise cancelling and the volume is still not enough. The best sound I get is from Sony noise cancelling headphones ( don't know the model number, they are around $60.00 in US). The service settings do nothing, they come back to original after one or two phone calls or when you re boot the phone. Are you running 2.3.5? I am reading on this site that the volume is set higher in that firmware. I am on stock 2.3.4. Applications like volume + don't really work, it crashes a lot and doesn't work for phone calls anyway.
Thanks for the feedback mate,
I'm on lite'ning rom right now, it fixed the music volume thing, because that also was a problem after installing cyanogenmod, I guess only time will tell.
Battery life, well I hope with power saving mode it will be better also, but still, I'm used to my iphone, talking through normal headphones
So there's nothing to do but wait?
Try volume + program.. less you raise headphones and speaker volumes on sgsii . Don't know what you are doing but it has never crashed once on mine. You set it and forget it, it doesn't even run all the time
Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk
Hi,
I have just switched from an iPhone 4 to SGSIII. When going to sleep I like to listen to tune in radio. The only problem I am finding is that on the lowest volume notch using the volume keys is still too loud for me.
Is there anyway to lower this further?
I totally second this.. I am coming from an age old HTC G1, and i loved how i could have it SO quiet, that i could hold the phone up to my ear at night (the speaker phone side, not the talking side) and hear it just fine but a person laying next to me in bed couldn't tell i was listening to anything.. but with the Gs3 its so loud even at the lowest setting possible that at 4-5 feet away you can hear it.
Not to mention the text alert sound is too loud when I have it at the lowest setting.. On the G1 i could turn it down to the lowest setting and it was quiet enough that if you listened for it you could hear it in a quiet room, but if you weren't listening for it you'd miss it. wish the Gs3 had a little finer tuning on the quieter end
I do that too a lot and the only solution I found so far (sgs2) is to use apps like PlayerPro/PowerAmp for mp3s and XiiaLive for internet radios because they have internal volume control on top of androids one. Gets the volume so low that even at night with in-ear-canal headphones I can barely hear the audio. Not that I do that but still, it's nice to have control of the volume so much.
frifox said:
I do that too a lot and the only solution I found so far (sgs2) is to use apps like PlayerPro/PowerAmp for mp3s and XiiaLive for internet radios because they have internal volume control on top of androids one. Gets the volume so low that even at night with in-ear-canal headphones I can barely hear the audio. Not that I do that but still, it's nice to have control of the volume so much.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Poweramp is the only solution I have found but I really like Tunein and that does not have any control. There must be a simple system wide solution. My device is rooted so are there any options?
harveyd said:
Poweramp is the only solution I have found but I really like Tunein and that does not have any control. There must be a simple system wide solution. My device is rooted so are there any options?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm resurrecting this old thread. I too would love to be able to turn down the volume to as low of a setting as I want. I don't understand why the phone manufacturers don't simply provide that capability!
There is another post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2565559 on a technique for the HTC One. I haven't tried it on the S4 yet.
vikingarcher said:
I'm resurrecting this old thread. I too would love to be able to turn down the volume to as low of a setting as I want. I don't understand why the phone manufacturers don't simply provide that capability!
There is another post here http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2565559 on a technique for the HTC One. I haven't tried it on the S4 yet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please use search >>>> default _gain sound mod by Meltus
Probably in Themes and Apps
Hello awesome sauce developers and community!
There are many threads in the GII about this but I am hitting my head against the wall for the SIII
When headphones are plugged in music, and even notifications or system sounds like the ringing noise Talk makes when you are calling someone is loud and clear. But as soon as speech from another person comes on there is a noticeable attenuation of the sound and it drops it several decibels. Trying to talk to people with headphones is very hard and I am constantly saying "what?" this frustrates the other person and myself.
So. . what is happening with the SIII? Is there some subsystem that is turning things down to try and save my hearing? Is there a way to override it? And yes. . I have tried Volume+ It does not always work and it blows EVERYTHING out. There has to be a way, a mod, or a switch(setting) to turn off this what seems to be a feature.
Anyone have a suggestion or able to look into what is happening?
Thanks.
Oh, on a Verizon SIII Locked right now but have unlocked it and tested with no luck on volume.