Poor Audio Bad Sound Quality - Any Solution?

[Cyberlina]

Hello,

Since I have the phone I keep going back and forth selling it Because I cannot get used to the horrible speaker sound. The recordings are also bad.
I would really like to keep it, for many cool feature and community reasons.

But the sound is extremely bad! It is super tinny and scratchy starting from volume level beyond 50% already. And it is unbearable to listen to voice and podcasts at 100% volume. It tears my ears. It is a horrible pitch in the ears.
I need not even mention music.

I am really surprized, that I find almost no other people complainting about this.
Did I get a particularly bad phone? How did Brax3 production miss the tinny sounding audio?? Is it bad speakers? Or wrong settings?

Are there any options to solve this?

The ONLY thing I found about the poor audio sound issue is THIS post:

Poor Quality Audio

So, I won’t get into the whole privacy discussion, but I’ll say that for myself it provides the protection I feel I need. But if you go to Duck.ai, and ask the following, it will list some details on your concern. It is a good place to start to understand MicroG more. “how does microg protect when a google account configured” As for the Audio discussion, here is a topic I opened earlier in the beta. This was started based on the discussions that revolve around alternative stores, and purchasin…

This guy seems to have solved the problem by downloading a PAID Google Playstore App. Frist he was reluctant. Then did it.

But for me, it totally defeats the purpose of a privacy phone to have a PAID GOOGLE STORE App. I do not even have a Playstore account, and I refuse to create one. Especially not for a privacy pone.

The AudioFX app also suggested in the above topic thread does not even work for me. Cannot even get it running. Does nothing.

I am a bit techy, and wiling to try simple solutions. But not a geek as many here on the forum who are able to turn the whole phone inside out to make stuff work.

So while many of you might have had bad audio experiences as well (?) you might have solved it? - And maybe this is why not much is talked about the sound on the forum here??

For me, I have no idea what to do.
Anyone else had audio issues?
Can anyone recommend a solution?

THANKS!

Otherwiese, I am at the point of getting rid of the phone on ebay as only way to get rid of the nerv wretching issue.

Can anyone help?

Thanks a lot,

Cyberlina

[Mycenius]

@Cyberlina

And I really surprized, that I find almost no other people complainting about this.
Did I get a bad phone? Or is there any options to solve this?

Well there will be very few people who use the ‘speaker’ for anything other than ring or notification sounds… Most will be using some form of Bluetooth (headphones, earbuds, vehicle system, external speaker or stereo system) or the 3.5mm jack (again for similar types of devices).

Hearing is very unique (I’m an audiophile) so everyone’s experience is different - you may hear frequencies 90% of other people never hear or don’t hear clearly, for example.

I’ve come from an iPhone 12 Pro Max - and while it’s definitely better than the BraX3, I would never use the iPhone 12 Pro Max speaker for music, podcasts, or similar - even “it” just wasn’t that good. I’d only use it for speakerphone calls in emergencies if I didn’t have my Airpods or a Bluetooth device (headphones, speaker or my car) on hand. So the BraX3 is only worse in the sense that I now try and avoid speaker phone calls at all (if I can help it).

But I don’t think it’s that bad for a ~US$300 phone…

@Cyberlina

The recordings are also bad.

Yes - that’s a separate issue, and they are pretty average. The microphone quality is probably the weakest feature on the device. But that’s a microphone issue not a speaker one.

If you play it back on speakerphone you are getting a double whammy - a low quality recording due to the weak microphone, then being played back via a very very average quality (tinny, as you say) speaker…

[Cyberlina]

Thanks a lot for your quick response, Mycenius!

I appreciate sharing your experience, very interesting. And it at least confirms my experience.

As you say, yes, a phone should predominatntly be used for that purpose = phone calls.
So I tried to keep the use for just that, and accept the low audio quality.

But… nope. Does not work. There are still situations where I grab the phone quickly = w/o headphones etc. Headphones are ok for longer calls etc. but sometimes it’s just a something quick. And I dislike messing around with additional stuff then (ear peaces).

Next, I have a privacy phone to avoid supporting the spy system.
AND I have cable headphones, as the bluetooth ear buds in my opinion fry my brain almost the same as a phone held to the head… OK, that is a whole other topic. Just sayin’…

But I often carry the phone to quickly listen to some audio, a YT-video etc. while I am doing something.
But, OK; I get what you are saying. I might have to strictly use the Brax3 solely as a phone, mobile use like payment apps, emails on the go etc. etc. After all its not supposed to be a toy
Yet, for a phone with such a wide range of use value (I love iode features, and all else), why not use it for videos and podcasts as well… to bad.

But then, maybe I should just use another device for “entertainment” purposes (no games. I am not a gamer, but podcasts).

audiophile = THAT is interesting. I guess I am one.
But I am not sure about having especially fine hearing… sometimes I even think my hearing is under average, as I speak loudly and people tell me to tone down, as they hear me well… Made me figure, I have bad hearing

So far I was using a de-googled Redmi Note 8 for several years. And the audio is FANTASTIC in comparison!!
Given that the Redmi Note 8 does not even have stereo speakers or anything speacial in that regard, it is a surprisingly pleasant audio experience. The sound is clear, hights are there but not scratchy, and the bass feels sufficient to not make it sound “tinny” at all.

Many years ago I had an HTC One, that one had stereo speakers.
The Redmi Note 8 is not in that class. And yet it is simply satisfying to listen to it.

I paid around $220 for the Redmi Note 8 about 3 years ago.
I have infinity running on it, since it has issues with iodeOS.
But infinity is pretty close to iodeOS (although I love iodeOS more!)

Inbetween I had a de-googled Google Pixel 4a (with audio jack 3,5). Until I smashed it… And even though it was a smaller phone, very pocket friendly, even the Google Pixel 4a had very acceptable audio. Not as “full” as from the Redmi Note 8, but very OK.

Therefore, before the Brax3 audio experience I did not even think of the sound asa possible bottle neck, certainly not to THAT extent that I cannot even listen to it.

I did not concider my previous phones high tech. And they were very afffordable. And I purchased them used.
So, with Brax3 my overall expectaions were higher.

I did not expect a boom box. But given the size of the Brax3 phone, the sound is definitely the last thing I would have thought could be so extremely bad in comparison.

Like said, my comparison was the expectation from the Redmi Note 8, wich is not even a super duper expensive phone at all. Now I love it more than Brax3 which is actually sad to say about the Brax3

Mycenius, you exactly addressed and put light on all my issues with audio. That helps! Thank you!

OK, then, there is no way to solve the audio.
That is what I conclude from your feedback.

[plamen]

The poor sound is a known issue iode devs are working on.
The speaker quality issue is an issue experienced in iodeOS powered BraX3, but not on LunarOS powered BraX3, which means it’s a software related issue. We will post an update when that is resolved (should be soon as iode devs seems to have made some progress on it)

[Cyberlina]

OK, thank you palmen for the promising outlook

[FrostDaemon]

It does sound bad, but as stated i assume it will be fixed at some point.

I also do not agree that most people only use external things for music and podcasts. The vast majority of people i know or have met use the phone speaker a lot more than an external device, at least in normal day to day use.

[pfsb]

On my side, I also worry about the sound. Nasillard, would we say in french. Happy to read it’s just a software issue.
But I have another issue: the sound level when phoning (direct sound, speaker off) is very low.
Maybe it’s about my operator? Or do other people have the same problem?
Is there any setting to look at?

[plamen]

@pfsb

But I have another issue: the sound level when phoning (direct sound, speaker off) is very low.
Maybe it’s about my operator? Or do other people have the same problem?
Is there any setting to look at?

How about sound level when making a VOIP call (signal, telegram, whatsapp, etc.)? Do you notice any difference? If the VoIP is better, then it’s an issue with your operator most likely.

The sound level when on a call can be easily controlled via the volume up/down button while in a call.

[pfsb]

Right, it’s related to phone service provider.
Thanks.