The Galaxy S9 is an audio powerhouse. It has the first set of stereo speakers on a Samsung flagship, and it even comes standard with a set of AKG-tuned earbuds that would normally cost $99. But if you want to further enhance your audio experience, there's a feature that will customize audio output to your own specific hearing.
The feature, aptly called Adapt Sound, is hidden deep within the settings menu on your S9 or S9+, but will make a world of difference in audio quality once enabled. As its name implies, Adapt Sound will fine tune your S9's audio and customize it to perfectly match your hearing, which dramatically enhances the perceived quality of any set of headphones.
Step 1 Find the 'Adapt Sound' Menu
To start, head to your phone's main Settings menu, then select "Sounds and Vibration." From there, scroll down and tap on "Sound quality and effects" found along the bottom half of the menu.
Now, tap on "Adapt Sound" near the bottom of the screen. You'll be asked to grant phone call related permissions, so tap "Allow" on the prompt. Within "Adapt Sound," leave the available age-based sound profiles alone, and tap on "Add Personalized Sound Profile."
Step 2 Take the Hearing Test
Now, go to a totally quiet location and plug in your headphones. Tap on the "Start" button on the bottom when you're ready. Adapt Sound will now run a hearing test, which consists of a series of beeps of varying frequencies from the left and right earbuds. It'll ask if you can hear each tone along the way, so take your time and answer honestly in order to create an accurate profile.
Once the test reaches 100%, you'll now notice a personalized equalizer catered to each ear. Now that you've completed the test, you're free to move on to the final step.
Step 3 Finalize Your Audio Profile
After finishing the tests, Adapt Sound will ask for you to choose your preferred ear for phone calls. Once you've made your decision, your custom audio profile will be activated and made available for preview. So tap on "Preview" and check out the difference Adapt Sound makes by toggling between "Personalized" and "Original," along with "Left," "Right," and "Both" ears.
In addition to this, you have the option of naming your sound profile — simply tap on "Profile name" and enter your desired label when prompted. After that, tap on "Save" in the upper-right corner to save your profile and finish up with setup.
With Adapt Sound enabled, we highly recommend playing your favorite song to determine exactly how much of an impact it's made on sound quality. It'll make a huge difference on how you hear audio, especially if your hearing isn't great to begin with.
Xperience Z said:
The Galaxy S9 is an audio powerhouse. It has the first set of stereo speakers on a Samsung flagship, and it even comes standard with a set of AKG-tuned earbuds that would normally cost $99. But if you want to further enhance your audio experience, there's a feature that will customize audio output to your own specific hearing.
The feature, aptly called Adapt Sound, is hidden deep within the settings menu on your S9 or S9+, but will make a world of difference in audio quality once enabled. As its name implies, Adapt Sound will fine tune your S9's audio and customize it to perfectly match your hearing, which dramatically enhances the perceived quality of any set of headphones.
Step 1 Find the 'Adapt Sound' Menu
To start, head to your phone's main Settings menu, then select "Sounds and Vibration." From there, scroll down and tap on "Sound quality and effects" found along the bottom half of the menu.
Now, tap on "Adapt Sound" near the bottom of the screen. You'll be asked to grant phone call related permissions, so tap "Allow" on the prompt. Within "Adapt Sound," leave the available age-based sound profiles alone, and tap on "Add Personalized Sound Profile."
Step 2 Take the Hearing Test
Now, go to a totally quiet location and plug in your headphones. Tap on the "Start" button on the bottom when you're ready. Adapt Sound will now run a hearing test, which consists of a series of beeps of varying frequencies from the left and right earbuds. It'll ask if you can hear each tone along the way, so take your time and answer honestly in order to create an accurate profile.
Once the test reaches 100%, you'll now notice a personalized equalizer catered to each ear. Now that you've completed the test, you're free to move on to the final step.
Step 3 Finalize Your Audio Profile
After finishing the tests, Adapt Sound will ask for you to choose your preferred ear for phone calls. Once you've made your decision, your custom audio profile will be activated and made available for preview. So tap on "Preview" and check out the difference Adapt Sound makes by toggling between "Personalized" and "Original," along with "Left," "Right," and "Both" ears.
In addition to this, you have the option of naming your sound profile — simply tap on "Profile name" and enter your desired label when prompted. After that, tap on "Save" in the upper-right corner to save your profile and finish up with setup.
With Adapt Sound enabled, we highly recommend playing your favorite song to determine exactly how much of an impact it's made on sound quality. It'll make a huge difference on how you hear audio, especially if your hearing isn't great to begin with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How is the audio over head/ear phones? I previously had the Galaxy S7 and while it was a great device, I found the audio output via the 3.5mm socket to be pretty underwhelming. And I had tuned it using the similar software function above, but it was still under par for me. I haven't tried the S8 but seen a review that said the audio/earphone quality still wasn't that great. So hoping the S9 has been improved, as they have been focusing on improving audio albeit via the external speakers. Im in the UK so believe it would be the Exynos model if that makes any difference.
Sent from my Redmi Note 4 using Tapatalk
I just did this and it made quite a difference. Thanks for sharing this.
gsmyth said:
How is the audio over head/ear phones? I previously had the Galaxy S7 and while it was a great device, I found the audio output via the 3.5mm socket to be pretty underwhelming. And I had tuned it using the similar software function above, but it was still under par for me. I haven't tried the S8 but seen a review that said the audio/earphone quality still wasn't that great. So hoping the S9 has been improved, as they have been focusing on improving audio albeit via the external speakers. Im in the UK so believe it would be the Exynos model if that makes any difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Juice3250 said:
I just did this and it made quite a difference. Thanks for sharing this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me made it a quite difference also.
The sound is very nice. And with this small trick much better.
I turned on the Atmos setting, and immediately noticed the difference, just on speakers as the headset is in the car.
Dolby Atmos is terrible
wmharley said:
I turned on the Atmos setting, and immediately noticed the difference, just on speakers as the headset is in the car.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you use high quality headphones, you can noticeably tell that atmos is terrible. it compresses the sound and gives it an unnatural vibe. I find that none of the extra features actually enhances, so i leave everything off. fellow members at head-fi have found the same results I have.
I need to try this with my beats x
adapt sound is also dependent on your headphones. you may think you have lost some hearing if you use headphones that have narrower frequencies, because that pair is just unable to output certain frequencies, so do this test with headphones that can output more, if you want a more accurate result of your current hearing.
radiohead14 said:
if you use high quality headphones, you can noticeably tell that atmos is terrible. it compresses the sound and gives it an unnatural vibe. I find that none of the extra features actually enhances, so i leave everything off. fellow members at head-fi have found the same results I have.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me the phones amp is kind of weak so atoms gives it a volume boost in a conveniently easy push of 1 button.
Without it over ear headphones that are 32 ohms are slightly below my preferred listening volume. With ear buds the volume is fine as long as I have a great seal. I find the included AKG's decent in sound quality but not very compatible with my ears shape so I'm constantly pushing them in.
I did the Headphine Sound setup but didn't find it to have made a vast difference in my listening experience. Maybe if toggling between profiles I could notice a little difference but nothing that makes me feel like a whole new world has opened up to me.
I've used the SHPS 9500s over ears, Westone w40 IEM, and the included AKG IEM.
I listened to a HiRes Flac 192/24 and felt like the track lacked life without the Atmos turned on, this was especially the case when using over ear headphones.
Will try with my PSB M4U 1 closed back over ear phones soon.
mc_365 said:
For me the phones amp is kind of weak so atoms gives it a volume boost in a conveniently easy push of 1 button.
Without it over ear headphones that are 32 ohms are slightly below my preferred listening volume. With ear buds the volume is fine as long as I have a great seal. I find the included AKG's decent in sound quality but not very compatible with my ears shape so I'm constantly pushing them in.
I did the Headphine Sound setup but didn't find it to have made a vast difference in my listening experience. Maybe if toggling between profiles I could notice a little difference but nothing that makes me feel like a whole new world has opened up to me.
I've used the SHPS 9500s over ears, Westone w40 IEM, and the included AKG IEM.
I listened to a HiRes Flac 192/24 and felt like the track lacked life without the Atmos turned on, this was especially the case when using over ear headphones.
Will try with my PSB M4U 1 closed back over ear phones soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree that the phone's amp is weak. the earphone i used for testing, a Sennheiser IE80, doesn't have any issues, but the stock AKG and various Sony I tried were on the weaker side. Atmos, I found, also varies on the track played, but the increase in volume you hear is probably due to the compression, so it'll give you that increase in volume, but you may also not notice that certain frequencies have been dampened. Testing various tracks with different earphones, I found that in most cases, Atmos just muddies songs.. almost like a blanket was put over it. The only times I found Atmos to be preferable was when playing older tracks that weren't mixed well and were on the trebly side. Atmos hid some sibilance due to my previous finding of Atmos just kinda putting a dampen on most tracks.
also agree on the stock AKG's not being the ideal in-ear fit, as i too have found myself constantly having to adjust (i commute in NYC transit, so this was a good test of isolation). the littlest movement, and you lose a lot of low end and volume.
i suggest you do the adapt sound test with the headphones you will use the most with the phone, as it is highly dependent on the frequencies. and if your hearing is still really good, then you may not find much benefit to it. it's mainly pushing frequencies higher if your hearing has lost some ability to discern those. so if your hearing is great, then you may not find much difference.
gsmyth said:
How is the audio over head/ear phones? I previously had the Galaxy S7 and while it was a great device, I found the audio output via the 3.5mm socket to be pretty underwhelming. And I had tuned it using the similar software function above, but it was still under par for me. I haven't tried the S8 but seen a review that said the audio/earphone quality still wasn't that great. So hoping the S9 has been improved, as they have been focusing on improving audio albeit via the external speakers. Im in the UK so believe it would be the Exynos model if that makes any difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I seriously feel like my S7 was way louder... Im even considering to root this device just to edit the mixer gains xml for more volume... this is really dissapointing.
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Related
I'm looking for a set of nicer headphones that would work with the dell streak if anyone know's of any. The stock headphones have poor sound quality and can even have a crackling disturbance, however the mic is perfect. I tried the v-moda remix remote, however the mic does not work. The play button works fine but the volume buttons do not work either (as to be expected). I would like a pair that has first and foremost a superb sound quality with a working mic and if possible a control button that allows to play / pause / answer incoming calls / end calls. Volume control is not of an importance in the least. Are there any suggestions for any that you guys know that works? I will have to return the v-moda and try a different one. I'm looking into the Klipsch Image S4i, but I'm not sure if it will work either. Any information will be much appreciated.
With 71 views since I first posted this it seems people are interested in the possible options as well. So I thought I would give you guys the results after trial and error over many headphones I've tried. I've also discovered that any three button controls inhibit the mic from working. All of these were tested using only the U.S. version of the Dell Streak stock 1.6 rom.
Dell Streak Stock Headphones
Sound Quality - Horrible; It sounded like I was listening to a $3.00 pair from walmart. There seemed to be a constant crackling noise when talking to people or moving.
Mic - The mic is impressive for it being free. However it does seem to pick up a lot of background noise (ex. wrappers, tv, sirens etc.)
Price - Comes with Streak so free.
Comfort - Alright, but seemed to fall out quite often making it more of an annoyance.
Button control - one button that makes a loud clicking sound and can be heard (also just kind of annoying)
Appearance - Look like the aforementioned walmart pair
Klipsch Image S4i
Sound Quality - Good, not great but to be better than any Skull Candies you can buy. This also had a lot of clicking sound while using these in a phone call using the phone's mic (not the ones on the headphones)
Mic - Did not work on the dell streak
Price - $99
Comfort - Seemed a little heavy but alright
Button control - three button in which the play button will activate the playing of music (in or out of app), answer a call, mute a call, end a call, skip track, go to previous track, and pause track
Appearance - Good
Shure SE210
Sound Quality - Good treble but horrible bass. Great with sound isolation, hard to hear anything around you.
Mic - N/A
Price - $139
Comfort - 1) The cord seems to be too long and can get in the way. 2) The foam ear pieces were really annoying seeing that you had to decompress them to go into your ear. 3) The 3.5mm jack sticks straight out and for the Streak in your pocket this can be a pretty big issue for me
Button control - N/A
Appearance - These look like something you would see off of Startrek (the old kind) They stick out of your ear pretty far.
V-MODA Remix Remote
Sound Quality - Good, but very disappointing compared to their previous V-MODA Vibes which had sound of perfection of it's price range three years ago. This also had a lot of clicking sound while using these in a phone call using the phone's mic (not the ones on the headphones)
Mic - Did not work on the dell streak
Price - $99
Comfort - Alright but if you are laying down they will hurt
Button control - three button. The control buttons seemed like it would be very easy to break. Play button will activate the playing of music (in or out of app), answer a call, mute a call, end a call, skip track, go to previous track, and pause track
Appearance - Great appearance, hand crafted metal, sleek design, barely noticeable.
V-MODA faze
Sound Quality - Horrible for the price. They literally sounded no better than the stock dell streak headphones except for the fact that they would crackle every time I spoke made a sound or moved. Not a faint crackle either.
Mic - alright but people said I seemed distant
Price - $49
Comfort - Alright but if you are laying down they will hurt
Button control - One button with a loud click and hard to get to. Made of cheap plastic. Play button will activate the playing of music (in or out of app), answer a call, mute a call, end a call, skip track, go to previous track, and pause track
Appearance - Good appearance, hand crafted metal, sleek design except for the button control. The button control looks like it was made from lego plastic or something.
After a long bit of 2 days trying out headphones buying/returning and spending hours of researching online I had lost all hope. I heard that Bose had released some new headphones but Bose didn't have the best rep with their headphones (great rep for headsets and surround sound / normal for headphones and car systems) My friend talked me into trying them because he knew someone who loved them. So I went to the store and was blown away and immediately bought them.
Bose MIE2
Sound Quality - Seriously the best headphones I've ever listened to. However with the music you are listening to, make sure it's around 256kbps (can be less just higher than 128kbps) or these headphones will pick up things not normally heard with lower quality tracks. There is 0 crackling. Superb bass and treble with a strong sound and unbelievable range. Only complaint is that the sound leaks out a little bit so if you are listening to loud music people around you will probably hear it. This is probably due to the ability to hear around you if you are not playing music (aka talking on the phone with these). I can still hear people walking or anything as if I didn't have any headphones in if I'm talking, however music playing cuts this down dramatically. Keep in mind these are not noise isolating nor noise canceling. This can be a benefit if you are using it for talking as much as listening to music.
Mic - Friends say they can hear me crystal clear, up close and loud. Seems to block most background sound.
Price - $129
Comfort - With them in you can lay on your ear without feeling them in. With the new design of the tips they are not forced into your ear canal but are sitting in it with support from the area surrounding your ear canal. One can run with them in and not have a problem or worry about them falling out and can barely tell that you are even wearing headphones.
Button control - one button on the right ear cord. Hard to get used to because it's up high but is a great place for the better sounding mic and the button is really easy to press because it covers the entire strip of the mic. Play button will activate the playing of music (in or out of app), answer a call, mute a call, end a call, skip track, go to previous track, and pause track
Appearance - Good appearance, outside looks like metal but is actually plastic. The cord is half white and half black (don't understand why they did this but oh well). You would think that the outer ear support previously mentioned would look tacky, but you can't even really see it. Plus if it does annoy you it comes with the normal inner ear only attachments.
I am very happy I found these in which truly restored my faith in Bose headphones. I suggest that anyone who's looking for a good pair to at least go to the store and try them, they will not disappoint. If any of you decide to look into buying these make sure you don't mix the MIE2 with the IE2 (which is just the headphones no mic) nor with the MIE2i (which is the same thing as the MIE2 but it has the three buttons there for making it not work with the Dell Streak and practically only with Apple products I believe).
I hope this will help some of you because music quality is a big thing to me, as is the ease of talking to people (the dell streak is hard to hold on to while talking and driving). Let me know if you guys have tried any others and your opinions of them using the Streak. Thanks!
I find that the streak is pretty awful for listening to music due to constant background hissing/static. I'm guessing the audio DAC is crappola. Do you also have static issues?
It's mostly noticeable in quiet environments when I play the music softly so that I can still hear what's going on around me. You can also hear the static start and stop when you start and stop music, including a "click" which I guess corresponds to the audio DAC being turned on.
Do any of these headphones make the static somewhat more bearable? The static volume seems to be constant regardless of the audio volume, so maybe headphones with a lower sensitivity would improve things?
the apple headphones also work. both the cheap one that comes with the iphones and the $79 in-ear one at the apple store. the in-ear is much better and is one of the few headphones that deserve that price. the volume buttons dont work unfortunately but the middle button does. basically, any mic'd headphones that work with iphones will work because its the same standard.
gtg203a said:
I find that the streak is pretty awful for listening to music due to constant background hissing/static. I'm guessing the audio DAC is crappola. Do you also have static issues?
It's mostly noticeable in quiet environments when I play the music softly so that I can still hear what's going on around me. You can also hear the static start and stop when you start and stop music, including a "click" which I guess corresponds to the audio DAC being turned on.
Do any of these headphones make the static somewhat more bearable? The static volume seems to be constant regardless of the audio volume, so maybe headphones with a lower sensitivity would improve things?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the bose MIE2 do not have any static from my experience with them. There is no static talking, nor listening to music loud or softly. I'm very happy with these.
untrueparadox said:
the apple headphones also work. both the cheap one that comes with the iphones and the $79 in-ear one at the apple store. the in-ear is much better and is one of the few headphones that deserve that price. the volume buttons dont work unfortunately but the middle button does. basically, any mic'd headphones that work with iphones will work because its the same standard.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not exactly the case. As you can seen in my review (the 2nd post) that the v-moda remix control that were made for iPhone and the mic does not work. I bought these from the apple store and the sound works well but the mic does not work. Can you confirm that the mic on the iPhone in ear headphones with 3 button control does work with the Dell Streak? Because I haven't been able to find headphones with 3 buttons to work with the Dell Streak in referring to mic capabilities. As previously mentioned I'm very happy with the bose MIE2 one button headphones.
Also I'm curious to see if there is any static with the iPhone headphones?
clburns1 said:
This is not exactly the case. As you can seen in my review (the 2nd post) that the v-moda remix control that were made for iPhone that the mic does not work. I bought these from the apple store and the sound works well but the mic does not work. Can you confirm that the mic on the iPhone in ear headphones with 3 button control does work with the Dell Streak? Because I haven't been able to find headphones with 3 buttons to work with the Dell Streak in referring to mic capabilities. As previously mentioned I'm very happy with the bose MIE2 one button headphones.
Also I'm curious to see if there is any static with the iPhone headphones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can confirm that for the 3 button iPhone/iPod headset, the mic does not work with the Streak. I think it has something to do an "apple chip" that these and other compatible headsets use. Also, the iPhone/iPod headset has the same level of static as the headset that came with the Dell streak.
GREAT review, and much appreciated. I've been holding off on buying any headsets because I didn't even know where to start. Been a long time fan of Shure (though not their price), but that Bose headset sounds just about perfect for me and right in the price range I was looking for...
v-moda vibe II
I have just received my V-moda vibe II headphones and they seem to be working very well. I have used v-moda headphones for while now and this pair does not disappoint. It's a bit heavy on the low end of the spectrum but I personally like that. All of the buttons work with streak in the same manner as the original headset that came with the streak. They have cords wrapped in kevlar so it should be tangle free. Overall I would highly recommend them for use with streak.
I'm using sony ericsson MW_600 bluetooth media earphones, mic is spot on, display will be ideal when bluetooth profiles are compatible, built in fm radio is cool, sound quality is impressive (3.5mm jack so you can use your own too), easy to use & supports upto 5 devices at once, built in battery lasts ages (micro usb charge) & its really compact & small... the hands free call button is well designed too. Buttons incl. FFW, RW, PLAY/PAUSE, POWER/PAIR, CALL/REDIAL, small lcd display & the volume is a sensor sliding style strip. I paid £40 del but amazon now sell them for £30 (if they drop any cheaper, I'm buying a second pair just incase, they're that good!)
sent from my Dell Streak (rooted 2.2 v1.0 by dj_steve) using Tapatalk
i use emotec hf2,s thinck i got them for £75 i really like them all ill say is read the reveiws and peps that say they not bassy arnt wareing them right
disabling touch screen when using remote
Hi all,
I'm using meridian as its good for driving. problem is i've noticed (I dunno if its the same for other players) but when my headset is connected and i press the remote button (ie to play or pause), the touch screen is activated and as its in my pocket the phone thinks i'm pressing all kinds of stuff! Is there any way of disabling the homescreen from activating when i press the remote button. You'd think somethink as simple as this would have a work around in the settings or something but I can't find it. I've tried looking through tasker but they don't have an event for 'remote button pressed'.
any ideas would be great
akabbob said:
Hi all,
I'm using meridian as its good for driving. problem is i've noticed (I dunno if its the same for other players) but when my headset is connected and i press the remote button (ie to play or pause), the touch screen is activated and as its in my pocket the phone thinks i'm pressing all kinds of stuff! Is there any way of disabling the homescreen from activating when i press the remote button. You'd think somethink as simple as this would have a work around in the settings or something but I can't find it. I've tried looking through tasker but they don't have an event for 'remote button pressed'.
any ideas would be great
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use mixzing & they have a lockscreen option too, you can disable the screen popping up evrytime a new track starts, maybe yours is the same? I would definitely recommended mixzing if you can't fix it & want to try a different player
sent from my Dell Streak (rooted 2.2 v1.0 by dj_steve) using Tapatalk
for DAC issue, i don't think so, see gsmarena's review here:
http://www.gsmarena.com/dell_streak-review-531p5.php
direct headphone sounds ok with my AKG 26P, even with my Senn HD-555
bluetooth A2DP/AVRCP works very well with my SE HBH-DS980
headset w/mic i would like to see which one work well, because i tried the headset w/mic from my Omnia II (replacable headphone type) and it sound terribly hollow with much static and echo... even when i change the headphones...
all still in donut
I bought the Sony MW-600 based on the recommendation in this thread. Paired with a set of Etymotic ear buds and couldn't be happier. All the buttons work, quality is excellent.
Being able to select your own headset is the only way to go - I just couldn't find a mic enabled set I liked.
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
p_razzi said:
I bought the Sony MW-600 based on the recommendation in this thread. Paired with a set of Etymotic ear buds and couldn't be happier. All the buttons work, quality is excellent.
Being able to select your own headset is the only way to go - I just couldn't find a mic enabled set I like.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad youre pleased with them too, I love mine... the charge lasts forever!
Sent from my Dell Streak using Tapatalk
I just want to say thanks for the mention of the MW-600. It really is a rather impressive little piece of kit and I would not have known about it otherwise.
Thanks for this CLburns! quite pricey them bose though some holiday gift maybe if they're good like you said.
pceasar said:
Thanks for this CLburns! quite pricey them bose though some holiday gift maybe if they're good like you said.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem. Some people at my university tried them out, then a week later 4/8 bought them. They are well worth the money i spent. If you do get them I would suggest listening to higher bit music such as 256kbps+. 128 just doesnt seem to give the "ahh" perspective that it would with lower quality headphones. Ive started redownloading my music library to accommodate the high performance, and these headphones make all the difference in the world.
I'm pleased to hear that my review was helpful for everyone!
Sent from my Dell Streak using XDA App
pceasar said:
Thanks for this CLburns! quite pricey them bose though some holiday gift maybe if they're good like you said.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep got um as a holiday gift, they're great
The microphone for the Nexus 4 is very noisy. A user on another thread described a video he recorded
to sound as if it was "recorded underwater".
I looked up the Android SDK and the MediaRecorder object has access to the following audio streams:
CAMCORDER, DEFAULT, MIC, VOICE_CALL, VOICE_COMMUNICATION, VOICE_DOWNLINK, VOICE_RECOGNITION, VOICE_UPLINK.
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/media/MediaRecorder.AudioSource.html
I noticed that while audio and video recorders sound bad on Nexus4, voice calls are of decent quality.
Not all phones have the hardware to handle all these so most sound recorders use MIC or DEFAULT.
I found the source code to the MIUI Sound Recorder and it was easy to add a setting that lets you
manually select which hardware stream to record from.
I ran some tests on the Nexus 4 and came to the following conclusions:
- MIC, DEFAULT and VOICE RECOGNITION are probably the same stream and sound bad.
- the CAMCORDER audio stream is the cleanest.
I propose that until Google and LG fix this issue ROM developers alter the Android API on Nexus 4 (only)
so that the CAMCORDER stream always overwrites MIC and DEFAULT.
I'm attaching the modified MIUI Sound Recorder with manual stream select if anyone wants to do
tests on their own. Here's an amplified view of MIC vs CAMCORDER.
-Mindroid- said:
The microphone for the Nexus 4 is very noisy. A user on another thread described a video he recorded
to sound as if it was "recorded underwater".
I looked up the Android SDK and the MediaRecorder object has access to the following audio streams:
CAMCORDER, DEFAULT, MIC, VOICE_CALL, VOICE_COMMUNICATION, VOICE_DOWNLINK, VOICE_RECOGNITION, VOICE_UPLINK.
http://developer.android.com/reference/android/media/MediaRecorder.AudioSource.html
I noticed that while audio and video recorders sound bad on Nexus4, voice calls are of decent quality.
Not all phones have the hardware to handle all these so most sound recorders use MIC or DEFAULT.
I found the source code to the MIUI Sound Recorder and it was easy to add a setting that lets you
manually select which hardware stream to record from.
I ran some tests on the Nexus 4 and came to the following conclusions:
- MIC, DEFAULT and VOICE RECOGNITION are probably the same stream and sound bad.
- the CAMCORDER audio stream is the cleanest.
I propose that until Google and LG fix this issue ROM developers alter the Android API on Nexus 4 (only)
so that the CAMCORDER stream always overwrites MIC and DEFAULT.
I'm attaching the modified MIUI Sound Recorder with manual stream select if anyone wants to do
tests on their own. Here's an amplified view of MIC vs CAMCORDER.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I modified my kernel to fix this and I used your apk to test for both mic and camcorder and I don't notice the difference with my updated kernel.
http://faux.androidro.ms/mako/beta/mako-jb-kernel-004b06.zip
check for me to see if I really fix it or not since I am not an audio expert
Thank you, faux!
I've been meaning to try your kernel for a while so now I just have to.
Please treat my ideas about how Android exposes the audio stream as a speculation for now.
I didn't run any in-depth tests and I didn't trace the kernel code.
To my ears the MIC/DEFAULT streams are very noisy. The CAMCORDER one is noisy also
and but somewhat less so. They all sound bandpassed (probably a microphone limitation).
I'd like to know what other users think of the sound.
Very interesting.
I agree that N4 mic is so sensitive that it picks up a lot of background noises. I have been tweaking with mic volume to offset it.
If OP is true, then there's a hope for VoIP users who use Csipsimple. Without changing the kernel, csip can use CAMCORDER mode by changing the settings under media>audio troubleshooting.
The very high mic gain is the main issue with the sound quality. It needs to be adjusted from
the kernel driver which is not a trivial procedure. Gain from apps works on top of the hardware
gain and does not affect distortion that happens earlier in the signal chain.
One user put scotch tape on the mic to mechanically attenuate the sound and reported good results.
If the the sound system on the nexus 4 is built on top of ALSA, I.e. if the directory /proc/asound exists, then microphone levels can be adjusted in user-space. There is an app (ALSAMixer) available on the market that could be used here.
What would be the effect of covering the mic with something to reduce it's sensitivity?
chdloc said:
If the the sound system on the nexus 4 is built on top of ALSA, I.e. if the directory /proc/asound exists, then microphone levels can be adjusted in user-space. There is an app (ALSAMixer) available on the market that could be used here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if that will do it. The textbook audio recording chain goes like this:
microphone -> preamp -> analog-to-digital converter
If I'm not mistaken ALSA(the driver) will take over afterwards. We need a way to control
the hardware gain on the preamp. It's possible that preamp gain is permanently fixed by design.
On the other hand almost all modern preamps have automatic variable gain so it might just be
a matter of figuring out how to turn it on.
EDIT:
ALSAMixer doesn't work at all on my phone (stock 4.2.1 - rooted)
Do you know of any custom kernels for the Nexus4 that use ALSA?
donec said:
What would be the effect of covering the mic with something to reduce it's sensitivity?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aside from the ugly look it should work OK. I would suggest using some kind of soft thread fabric.
Wool is one of the best materials for sound absorption but you should try different materials.
The downside is that mechanical methods don't attenuate all frequencies linearly - they work much better
on higher frequencies so you will have to try and see what material works best.
If this works out it would be ideal to open the phone and plug the microphone hole on the inside with the proper material.
I don't have a Nexus 4, but I do know that the Nexus 7 uses ALSA. Have you checked for /proc/asound? If it exists, then you may need the proper ALSA libraries first.
Sent from my Nexus One using xda app-developers app
im starting to think LG just used cheap mics to keep cost down. From the buzzing to the sub par recording quality
-Mindroid- said:
Aside from the ugly look it should work OK. I would suggest using some kind of soft thread fabric.
Wool is one of the best materials for sound absorption but you should try different materials.
The downside is that mechanical methods don't attenuate all frequencies linearly - they work much better
on higher frequencies so you will have to try and see what material works best.
If this works out it would be ideal to open the phone and plug the microphone hole on the inside with the proper material.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have my Nexus 4 in a case and thought maybe I could improve the quality by placing a piece of cloth between the case and the phone.
Lockeskidney said:
im starting to think LG just used cheap mics to keep cost down. From the buzzing to the sub par recording quality
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The specs for the microphone do not look bad either. http://www.knowles.com/search/prods_pdf/SPU0410LR5H.pdf is the spec sheet and it should be working to 116 dB, which is louder than I'd want to be in - though it is only the loud end of rock concerts. Noise also looks okay on the spec sheet, but you cannot expect Schoeps quality of course..
The underwater sounds I'm hearing with the sound recording tool remind me of processing, heavy compression andf such. Not what I heard on my camcorder tests, which had a pleasant sound.
Overload is more likelely to be caused by audio codec settings. A voice call has the mouth close to the mic, that is loud too, and works well. But applications like movie recordings crank up the gain to record sounds further away.
jutezak said:
The specs for the microphone do not look bad either. http://dl-bacon.bbqdroid.org/GeebCM/EN_LG-E973_SVC_ENG_121127.pdf is the spec sheet and it should be working to 116 dB, which is louder than I'd want to be in. Noise also looks okay on the spec sheet, but you cannot expect Schoeps quality of course..
The underwater sounds I'm hearing with the sound recording tool remind me of processing, heavy compression andf such. Not what I heard on my camcorder tests, which had a pleasant sound.
Overload is more likelely to be caused by audio codec settings. A voice call has the mouth close to the mic, that is loud too, and works well. But applications like movie recordings crank up the gain to record sounds further away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nice find! Thank you for sharing!
Microphones in general are almost never bad. It's the preamps and digital processing that add more to the mix.
Regarding the "underwater" sound I now suspect a lack of a Low Pass filter. Check out my other thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=36856100&postcount=18
jutezak said:
The specs for the microphone do not look bad either. http://www.knowles.com/search/prods_pdf/SPU0410LR5H.pdf is the spec sheet and it should be working to 116 dB, which is louder than I'd want to be in - though it is only the loud end of rock concerts. Noise also looks okay on the spec sheet, but you cannot expect Schoeps quality of course..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Human speech can generate 116dB SPL measured at 1-2" distance fairly easily. I just measured the level my speech at 1" distance (with a lab-grade device) and I did not have to shout to produce 116dB SPL. The spec sheet says that the microphone produces about 10% THD typically at 118SPL for a 1kHz tone.
jutezak said:
Overload is more likelely to be caused by audio codec settings. A voice call has the mouth close to the mic, that is loud too, and works well. But applications like movie recordings crank up the gain to record sounds further away.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Distortion of the microphone signal is generated (or amplified) in at least four locations:
1. The microphone itself (analog or digital if the microphone is a digital microphone as many MEMS are; the above referenced Knowles mike is analog)
2. The amplifier (analog)
3. The analog-to-digital converter (ADC) which is spec'ed with a maximum input voltage to generate a signal that hits "digital rail", i.e. 0dB FS (full-scale)
4. digital gain along the digital processing path
Potential "clipping" (i.e. signals producing 0dB FS at the ADC) can only be avoided if the analog amplifier (if there is one) can be controlled. By looking at the ALSA mixer settings for the Nexus 4 my only hope lies in the controls that are labeled "ADCX Volume" where X=[1,6], i.e. numid. I believe -Mindroid- shared his "idle" settings vs. settings during a call and only X={1,3}, i.e. numid={48,50} have changed. Give changing those two parameters a try...
I posted this in a different thread, but thought it would be useful here as well as a potential lead to a workaround:
Looks like the audio chip in question is a Qualcomm WCD9310.
It's used in a few other devices as well (eg: GS3 USA). If their audio runs fine, perhaps we could try running their audio drivers on our device?
I wanna know if there is a mod which I can increase the volume and use both speakers.
thank you for your time
? up
Xda has a very good search engine !
Sent from my Galaxy Note8 using XDA Labs
Yes, you can activate dual sound output and use two different Bluetooth speakers at the same time, but unfortunately there is a slight delay between them which create a weird effect. It is true that I have tried this with two different type of speakers (a Philips AS 141 and a Samsung Level Box slim), maybe with two identical Bluetooth devices it would work better.
There is a mod (and a thread for the mod) which will allow the use of both speakers as stereo - however you can't increase the volume much (if at all) over the default because the earpiece speaker is not designed to be used that loudly - you will get distortion and crackles, and potentially damage the speaker.
You can ask in the relevant thread if the dev can sort out a louder version for you, but personally I'd stick to the prescribed limits, as it will affect sound quality quite (very, depending on how much of an audiophile you are) badly.
You'll have to be rooted for the mod to work as well, so bear that in mind.
e: https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-note-8/themes/dual-speaker-mod-note8-exynos-t3676091
There you go, right at the top of the mods/apps/themes section...
Why not just get one of those tiny speakers on amazon you plug in to the headphone jack ?
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B007NJ3SIM...67e265c11d28&pd_rd_w=s7fIw&pd_rd_i=B007NJ3SIM
Hi
I'm having big issues with audio breaking up and distortion with louder audio tracks, or when its busy musically.
Any ideas?? It's Exynos (8GB/512GB) version. Atmos doesn't affect anything. All audio sources of the same track produce it.
It sounds horrendous when its doing it. I thought my headphones were broken but it does it on speaker too.
TheMathMan said:
Hi
I'm having big issues with audio breaking up and distortion with louder audio tracks, or when its busy musically.
Any ideas?? It's Exynos (8GB/512GB) version. Atmos doesn't affect anything. All audio sources of the same track produce it.
It sounds horrendous when its doing it. I thought my headphones were broken but it does it on speaker too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having the same issue with the US unlocked snapdragon version.
I spent an hour with Samsung Support going through issues. Interestingly the audio through the speaker in diagnostic mode didn't show any issues but probably due to different frequencies and sound profile to the songs that are causing the issue. Safe mode made no difference and neither did a factory reset. They said I could do a handset swap but no current stock of the blue. Ended up finding a local store with a 512GB blue in stock so drove over there, purchased it, same issues so instantly returned that handset. I also saw this thread about the S9 Plus where people have been describing similar issues (https://forum.xda-developers.com/galaxy-s9-plus/help/galaxy-s9-plus-sound-problem-t3774829)... maybe I've made a poor decision ditching iPhone!?
Is this the sort of thing using something like Viper4Android would fix?
Same issue. 128G Verizon. I had this issue on a call once(may have been the signal) but then the audio did the same thing a couple times. The behavior is that of a track where the track had been recorded with the signal too strong or the gain too high(same thing really). Turning the volume down only makes it sound like a quiter distorted signal. 1 thing i noticed was, when using smart switch my custom "EQ" setting was transferred over. I changed it but that didn't change anything.
meccadon123 said:
Same issue. 128G Verizon. I had this issue on a call once(may have been the signal) but then the audio did the same thing a couple times. The behavior is that of a track where the track had been recorded with the signal too strong or the gain too high(same thing really). Turning the volume down only makes it sound like a quiter distorted signal. 1 thing i noticed was, when using smart switch my custom "EQ" setting was transferred over. I changed it but that didn't change anything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean like clipping ?
I wonder if a fresh install will help.
TheMathMan said:
Hi
I'm having big issues with audio breaking up and distortion with louder audio tracks, or when its busy musically.
Any ideas?? It's Exynos (8GB/512GB) version. Atmos doesn't affect anything. All audio sources of the same track produce it.
It sounds horrendous when its doing it. I thought my headphones were broken but it does it on speaker too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For start - turn off all the eq settings (if you have some turned on) in sound menu - dolby, adaptive sound and so on.
If it's software problem rooting and moding the phone would help, if it's hardware issue maybe it can mitigate it, but that's beside the point to have expensive device with not working sound out of the box.
I tried the audio settings but soundalive is always on. I force closed it whilst listening but no real change. Once you start googling it you realise there's a fair few Samsung's over the years that also do it including S9/+, S8 and so on. Maybe I shouldn't have left iPhone. Audio is very important to me as I'm always listening. Back in the day Exynos Samsung's were the best due to the Wolfson DAC. Sadly I'm disappointed and considering backtracking on the purchase. What would be better though, an LG? A Sony? Or am I then just settling for something less.
TheMathMan said:
I tried the audio settings but soundalive is always on. I force closed it whilst listening but no real change. Once you start googling it you realise there's a fair few Samsung's over the years that also do it including S9/+, S8 and so on. Maybe I shouldn't have left iPhone. Audio is very important to me as I'm always listening. Back in the day Exynos Samsung's were the best due to the Wolfson DAC. Sadly I'm disappointed and considering backtracking on the purchase. What would be better though, an LG? A Sony? Or am I then just settling for something less.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lg have awesome dacs .
TheMathMan said:
I tried the audio settings but soundalive is always on. I force closed it whilst listening but no real change. Once you start googling it you realise there's a fair few Samsung's over the years that also do it including S9/+, S8 and so on. Maybe I shouldn't have left iPhone. Audio is very important to me as I'm always listening. Back in the day Exynos Samsung's were the best due to the Wolfson DAC. Sadly I'm disappointed and considering backtracking on the purchase. What would be better though, an LG? A Sony? Or am I then just settling for something less.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LG V series got awesome DAC. Did you tried a player like powermap (there is a free trial) that can output at high resolution directly from the DAC, ignoring the OS? It produces vastly superior sound on my exynos s7e. Don't forget to sign up for the beta tho, a lot of improvements in the latest in sound/UI design. The new exynos 9810 still uses wolfson/circus logics DAC that is praised everywhere (especially hifi forums and ofc for a phone). Maybe you just don't like the sound balance of it, as it's quite neutral. That is personal preference though, not negative point - some like neutral, others warmer and so on.
Limeybastard said:
You mean like clipping ?
I wonder if a fresh install will help.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yeah but it's not constant. It only happens sometimes. To me the behavior is exactly like when you record something at max volume and then play it back and it sounds like it's blowing your speakers apart. Mine sounds great for the most part and this only happens sometimes.
meccadon123 said:
yeah but it's not constant. It only happens sometimes. To me the behavior is exactly like when you record something at max volume and then play it back and it sounds like it's blowing your speakers apart. Mine sounds great for the most part and this only happens sometimes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I know exactly what you mean.
Sent from my SM-N960U1 using Tapatalk
i remember having this problem in the samsung S3 a long time ago ...this can only be fixed with a samsung update...
Same problems intermittently on exynos.
Fingers crossed. Would point to software if experienced by S845 and Exynos.
meccadon123 said:
yeah but it's not constant. It only happens sometimes. To me the behavior is exactly like when you record something at max volume and then play it back and it sounds like it's blowing your speakers apart. Mine sounds great for the most part and this only happens sometimes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is this happening with wired and bluetooth? I haven't had this issue with mine, but my bluetooth devices support separate audio control, so that the phone can be turned all the way up, but my bluetooth devices can then control their own volume further.
I'm getting some intermittent issues with speaker output where the bottom speaker seems to lower in volume and bass after some minutes of use. Overall the speakers fare well for upbeat music but very poorly for piano tracks where they add some rattle and crackling (same goes for some narration or podcasts). Some days I don't notice this at all but it might be due to multiple audio apps running or how the lower speaker is normalizing the bass. Also, just a few minutes ago my speakers just stopped working for media playback, but the volume rocker still made sounds through the speaker. I was using headphones and playing music for the video editor for super slow motion videos before this happened. The only way out was to restart the phone. I tried replicating it but it didn't happen again.
FYL21 said:
I'm getting some intermittent issues with speaker output where the bottom speaker seems to lower in volume and bass after some minutes of use. Overall the speakers fare well for upbeat music but very poorly for piano tracks where they add some rattle and crackling (same goes for some narration or podcasts). Some days I don't notice this at all but it might be due to multiple audio apps running or how the lower speaker is normalizing the bass. Also, just a few minutes ago my speakers just stopped working for media playback, but the volume rocker still made sounds through the speaker. I was using headphones and playing music for the video editor for super slow motion videos before this happened. The only way out was to restart the phone. I tried replicating it but it didn't happen again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Most likely a software issue (same with the cracking sound) and will be fixed (hopefully) in a update or atleast in P.
I have no such issues with my Exynos Note 9. I listen to music a lot with headphones and it sounds fantastic quite honestly. I actually ditched my LG G7 becuase I didn't hear too much benefits with the sound to justify keeping it just for music. I actually kind of prefer the output from the Note 9 generally. The G7 might have had a tad more spacious sound but also a bit more "muffled" at the same time. A little bit more emphasis in highs in the Note which I prefer.
hi all after 1 week of trying i figure out how to fix the problem simply delete the file with name ((SoundBoosterParam.txt)). in the root/system/vendor/etc
you're done
I have a problem with my speaker sound, while listening to any audio whether it be YouTube, Netflix, Music player etc... After about 6 minutes the sound quality changes it's as if the bottom. Speaker gets lower and the front speaker gets louder if you close the app and then try again it's fine until 6 minutes again. I have already received 2 replacements and all 3 phones have the same problem. Is anyone else experienceing anything like this?
I have the opposite problem, the bottom speaker is too loud and the front facing speaker is too quiet. I have unsuccessfully been trying to find an app to balance them with no luck.
If you have had your device for less than 14 days, I would take it back to the retailer for a replacement. As there is a chance that you were given a faulty unit. Otherwise take it to a Samsung Service Center and let them take a look at it.
Billyrouth said:
I have a problem with my speaker sound, while listening to any audio whether it be YouTube, Netflix, Music player etc... After about 6 minutes the sound quality changes it's as if the bottom. Speaker gets lower and the front speaker gets louder if you close the app and then try again it's fine until 6 minutes again. I have already received 2 replacements and all 3 phones have the same problem. Is anyone else experienceing anything like this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're not the only one. I made a thread about this a while back but nobody here really noticed. It still happens on my latest software update (ARJ1, September security patch). On Samsung Community there's a lot more complaints:
https://us.community.samsung.com/t5...ote9QuestionsandAnswers/page/1/thread-id/1440
Some people tried contacting Samsung but the staff had a hard time detecting it. I got mine overseas in Taiwan and can't readily communicate with them at the moment. I always get a "due to we don't understand your message" reply if I use my phone's feedback option. I did try to email them directly but the reply seemed somewhat generic like "try using safe mode". I haven't done this myself but other users have said it still occurs in safe mode.
The fact that replacements have it lead me to think it's a software bug - the bottoms speaker is supposed to emphasize bass a bit more than the top speaker but it almost sounds like the left and right speaker EQ gets swapped (even though the stereo channel polarity is still constant). When it happens the top speaker becomes bass-heavy and bottom speaker sounds bass-light and treble-heavy. It also seems "worse' in some apps than others. For example I barely notice it in music as only the bass seems to drop on the bottom speaker but on other occasions it sounds like the bottom speaker is sucked down in volume.
Really hoping Android Pie fixes it.
I haven't noticed this issue, but I did post a few days ago regarding sound skipping and corrupting on wired headphones.
I've tracked this down to the EQ not playing well with the UHQ Upscaler. If you have any EQ set other than Normal the sound gets distorted through headphones.
Maybe it's related? I know the UHQ Upscaler is disabled when playing through the speakers but the EQ isn't, do you use anything other than 'Normal' EQ settings?
It has only started on ARJ1 (Oct Security patch level) for me. I've fed it back to Sammy.
Oh, you can download Sound Assistant from the Galaxy Store and that lets you play with the left / right balance.
I didn't try Sound Assistant yet, but I forced the speaker output to mono in the phone's settings, and the problem still occurred. So the problem isn't related to the stereo imagery, but rather how each speaker is tuned regardless. Some have suggested it could be a defect in the amplifier but I think if this were the case the effect would be more permanent. I think it occurs more frequently in the ARJ1 update compared to the update before that. I don't recall it occurring in Samsung Music very often before but now it seems to happen after about 4-5 minutes. I temporarily exited the app (without closing) and played music from Poweramp, stopped, then played music on Samsung Music and it sounded normal again.
Blah - is it just me or has this issue become somewhat more easily replicated, but more inconsistent? I was watching some videos with narration, and it sometimes feels like it pans left and right at the same timepoints when I replay that section.
Also, Horizon Chase sounds pretty awful now. The music volume seems to dip out and the sound effects are too loud.
hi all after 1 week of trying i figure out how to fix the problem simply delete the file with name ((SoundBoosterParam.txt)). in the root/system/vendor/etc
you're done
You need root in order to delete the SoundBoosterParam.txt file, and I'm not comfortable rooting a $1k phone under warranty. I turned off Dolby Atmos and changed sound to mono...EQ is normal. While mono isn't the quality sound I want, this has stopped the issue. A user at https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/...thread-id/1440 though said it didn't fix his.
Like FYL21, I tried emailing Samsung but got the usual "this is another canned robotic answer that doesn't address the issue" response. So I just spent about an hour on the phone with them. After continually trying to explain the issue and being told everything to try that's been tried, I finally spoke to a manager who made note of the links to the issue on their forum. She is escalating this as an issue for the technicians to read the complaints and look into this. Maybe it'll be fixed by the time the Note 10 comes out.
That was me as well in that thread. The thing is the speakers are still tuned differently even if they are in a mono configuration - the bottom one is EQ'd for bass and the top for treble (I'm not sure if this changes if you rotate the phone). I got Android Pie but am still testing out if it happens. Some apps or videos still have brief panning at specific time points, but this might just be related to the equalization and it doesn't seem as long-term as it was before (where you had to restart the app or plug/unplug headphones to fix it). I can live with that but it's annoying when it abruptly dips on the bottom speaker and even worse for calling.
you guys should think of this phone as a sound bar.
in that type of configuration, its one device generating sound that appears as stereo even though there is 1 device and not 2 .( or more)
the position and tuning of the speakers within that bar is tuned so that it feels like stereo/multichannel.
so in the same way is the phone tuned that way. plus if you think of it, you hold your phone 90 %of the time upright. the speakers on that position are not left to right but top and bottom...
so again don't look at the position of the speakers on the phone to deduce which is the left or right speakers but as how the devixe as a whole is reproducing the feel of stereo without an array of speakers like on home cinemas or in your car.
think of it, the space between the speakers is so narrow that youd have to be a small mouse to be able to enjoy real left and right channel audio from the speakers in landscape...
anyways this has nothing to do with the audio fading out but more towards our expectation of multichannel audio and how the phone reproduces it.