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Yet another "Improve your SGS2 sound quality" thread. Just try it once already!

Yet another "Improve your SGS2 sound quality" thread. Just try it once already!
Hey guys! I was very VERY disappointed with the audio quality on SGS2 coming from a Voodoo'd SGS1! Been fiddling a lot with different stuff (tried all the other threads on XDA), but could not get myself to like the sound.
Now I think I've created something *almost* perfect. And thought I'd share here. This method required the free Equalizer app from the Market and the paid Poweramp app (brilliant player, worth every penny, trust me). To *me*, this sounds *very* similar too SGS1 on Voodoo! Maybe not there in terms of loudness or clarity, but yeah, now I can listen to music on my phone without puking.
So here goes!
1. Install Equalizer, press the power button on top right, and enable *just* the Equalizer bit.
2. Press the custom button on the bottom right, and set it up according to this screenshot:
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"lightbox_share": "Share",
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3. Open Poweramp, go to the EQ tab, set up Tone, Equalizer, and Preamp according to the screenshots below:
Note: You may need to adjust the Poweramp EQ and Preamp a bit according to your taste and headphone. Just for reference, my earphones are Nuforce NE6.
Let me know if this helps!
Disclaimer: This is in no way associated with supercurio's Voodoo, nor is it endorsed by him!

Had to tweak the PowerAMP EQ a bit, but damn this tweak is awesome!
Must try for everyone!

I must say Kalpik I was not impressed with the SGSII for audio. Maybe I will try this out

Tricky103 said:
I must say Kalpik I was not impressed with the SGSII for audio. Maybe I will try this out
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sure! Do let me know what you think!

A few explanations about it.
This is basically an EQ, between an V and a "Smiley Face Curve" (Wikipedia article)
As you show it there are high gains so the the response is very far from flat in the end.
I guess its both suits your preference and acts as a correction for the very particular headphones you use.
As a result the benefit you experience for your own usage cannot be reproduced on other.
Many consumer headphone exaggerate high and lows already, so increasing once again high and low frequencies will produce a very fatiguing sound, lacking musicality.
I think its important to seperate frequency corrections (like this combination of graphic equalizers) and sound quality improvements.
EQ can help get a more balanced sound from flawed headphones (can also do the exact opposite) but that's very different form what's done in Voodoo sound that actually reduces distortions levels, improves clarity by configuring the hardware with more accuracy, reducing hiss by using optimal amp levels etc.
Cool if it helps your usage, however it might "degrade" the end result as much as it helps, depending on the headphones used.
Unfortunately sharing this settings will be useful listeners using the exact same headphones as yours, so I would suggest you to specify which they are.

So, what would be the case with default sgsii headphones?
Swyped from my Galaxy S II using Tapatalk

Nice find. Working great for me!

Sounds better , thanks, i play around if i need to

It's a phone ... And the damn audio quality is great compared to Nexus One... We dont expect audiophiles to listen to music through headphones.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

jastonas said:
So, what would be the case with default sgsii headphones?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My girlfriend found them useful as a makeshift hair tie...
Sent from my GT-I9100

Wonderful!! sounds amazing sound with amazing bass!!!

Like supercurio said this Is not improving sq it's just colouring the sound. This EQ may work for chart music but try listening to blues or classical the recessed mid will make the music unworthy of listening. The goal is to make sound as neutral (flat) as possible(how the artist intended) not colouring it. Please don't think SQ of sgs2 is utter garbage. It's just not as good as sgs.but for most of us its perfectly fine.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App

And who cares if this doesn't 'improve SQ' like SuperCurio is saying? If Supercurio isn't keen on producing Voodoo Sound for SGS2, then sound colouring is the best we get right now...
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

PS. Ant chance to link to the free EQ app? I can't find it on Market or AppBrain. Cheers.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App

Colouring the sound or not see me care, best sound i've ever heard on phone mp3 music
Pulling down the pre-amp and turning up the bass and mid freq gave me a warm sound (does remind me at tube amp sounds!)
and i'm also a musician, I listen/play more harder genres, this program really rocks with my current headset

supercurio said:
A few explanations about it.
This is basically an EQ, between an V and a "Smiley Face Curve" (Wikipedia article)
As you show it there are high gains so the the response is very far from flat in the end.
I guess its both suits your preference and acts as a correction for the very particular headphones you use.
As a result the benefit you experience for your own usage cannot be reproduced on other.
Many consumer headphone exaggerate high and lows already, so increasing once again high and low frequencies will produce a very fatiguing sound, lacking musicality.
I think its important to seperate frequency corrections (like this combination of graphic equalizers) and sound quality improvements.
EQ can help get a more balanced sound from flawed headphones (can also do the exact opposite) but that's very different form what's done in Voodoo sound that actually reduces distortions levels, improves clarity by configuring the hardware with more accuracy, reducing hiss by using optimal amp levels etc.
Cool if it helps your usage, however it might "degrade" the end result as much as it helps, depending on the headphones used.
Unfortunately sharing this settings will be useful listeners using the exact same headphones as yours, so I would suggest you to specify which they are.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah the man himself
You are absolutely correct about everything. Actually I was using this type of curve even with Voodoo, so yes, like I said in the first post (You may need to adjust the Poweramp EQ and Preamp a bit according to your taste and headphone.), EQ curves are very personal! Someone might not like the same curve even on the same set of earphones that I own (Nuforce NE6)!
Let me be clear to everyone, this is NOT a "Voodoo" solution. But for me, the sound signature is now very close to how I had Voodoo set up on SGS1. Of course its lacking the loudness and clarity, but at least I don't go in a corner and cry when I listen to music on my SGS2
Most had just settled with the SQ on their SGS2, this thread is just an attempt to get people playing with the EQ, and at least trying to get the sound they deserve from such an expensive handset! No harm done if it doesn't work
Hope everyone understands!
Also, let me remove the Voodoo reference from the thread title, so as to avoid any confusion!

jastonas said:
So, what would be the case with default sgsii headphones?
Swyped from my Galaxy S II using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try with these settings, and then play around with Poweramp EQ if you don't like
awesome-member said:
Like supercurio said this Is not improving sq it's just colouring the sound. This EQ may work for chart music but try listening to blues or classical the recessed mid will make the music unworthy of listening. The goal is to make sound as neutral (flat) as possible(how the artist intended) not colouring it. Please don't think SQ of sgs2 is utter garbage. It's just not as good as sgs.but for most of us its perfectly fine.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
True, if you're not disappointed with the SQ of SGS, this thread is not for you! I understand its a "desperate attempt", but what the hell, it works for me! Maybe it works for you too, maybe it doesn't! No harm done if it doesn't
KLoNe1 said:
PS. Ant chance to link to the free EQ app? I can't find it on Market or AppBrain. Cheers.
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you go: https://market.android.com/details?id=com.smartandroidapps.equalizer
Also added the link to first post.

mkrmec said:
We dont expect audiophiles to listen to music through headphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh rly? Obviously you never heard of head-fi.org

Nice Settings kalpik.I too find the sound quality of SGS2 lower than SGS. I still sometimes use my SGS to listen songs. ..... As Supercurio said its not the perfect solution bt its what we have right now. Something is better than nothing. I am not an expert just a layman.

nickporwal said:
Nice Settings kalpik.I too find the sound quality of SGS2 lower than SGS. I still sometimes use my SGS to listen songs. ..... As Supercurio said its not the perfect solution bt its what we have right now. Something is better than nothing. I am not an expert just a layman.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here buddy! Not an expert, just trying to share what I discovered Supercurio is the real pro

Looking for good In-Ear-Headset

Hey guys,
up to this point I used the original S2 wired headset that came with the phone and was quite content with it. Now it seems the mic/pause-button device on the wire broke (neither the mic nor the button work anymore). Since I use BeyondPod on my phone a lot to listen to podcasts, the ability to play/pause a podcast with the push of a hardware button numerous times a day (such as when shopping or people briefly need to talk to me) is very important to me, also it was convenient to accept a phone call while I already had the earplugs in and just talk away and resume podcasting afterwards (even though I only managed to accept calls with the push of a button in about 20% of all cases, which I'd like to improve on as well).
I still got an older headset from my HTC Desire that has working buttons/mic, but I really got accustomated to the in-ears with both the richer sound and the noise-cancelling aspects of using them, so there really is no going back to traditional earphones for me.
Basically here's what I'm looking for:
-) in-ear-headset with mic and at least a push-button to play/pause podcasts in BeyondPod, volume control would be a nice extra but isn't necessary
-) ability to reliably(!) accept and end calls with the push of a button (if I need an additional app to accomplish that, that's fine)
-) as I mostly listen to podcasts, audio-quality isn't all that important, even though I'd also use them to listen to music (mainly rock, metal, industrial, so a good base bass would be appreciated) on a SanDisk Sansa Clip+ - so if the sound quality is actually good, I'd be happy
I was looking at the Klipsch S4A headset, but they mention that there are compatibility issues with the S2 - I don't need fancy triple-click combos to skip to the next track, etc. I only need working and reliable play/pause and accept/hang-up functionality, would the S4A be able to accomplish that with a Galaxy S2?
I'd like to stay below 70 euros/90 dollars if at all possible. Any recommendations from people using a headset in a similar way with an S2 would be greatly appreciated!

Well I don't own them myself, but I've searched the internet a bit and have two potential ones for you:
AKG K 328
AKG K 350
Both are in your price range and AKG is a very good choice. Especially when it comes to audio-quality. I know you said it's not important for you, but I can assure you that you won't regret it.
Anyway there is a small problem. They were made for Apple devices.
Solution:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1352389
It seems that it works, it's just that I personally cannot confirm it. If you want to be sure, just ask the person that made the thread.
In a nutshell:
They have a high build quality.
They are comfortable.
They have (apparently) working controls.
They look awesome (especially the red K328)
There is one downside however...their sound quality will make never want to touch the Samsung earphones anymore...believe me.
If you should buy them, please tell me if they really work, add I consider to buy one of those once my old ones break.

i personally use the backbeat 906. the sound quality for usic etc is awesome and it has music controls on the device.
made by plantronics but also branded as altec lansing:
http://www.plantronics.com/us/product/backbeat-903&skuId=sku5390012

I have some htc RC E190 ear phones, they only set me back £10 from ebay and I love the sound on them, they also have flat cable that doesn't get tangled. They have a 3 button in line remote which allow answer and end calls and with poweramp the remote allows volume up and down, middle button does the following:
single press for start / stop, double press for skip track forward, triple press for back a track.
I use mine for mainly industrial / ebm /metal etc, and was extremely amazed at how good they sound for the price.
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If you are not on a budget, check out the REAL monster headphones. Some of em comes with a mic and volume rocker which usually works with phone calls
Edit: I meant a button for the phone calls not the rocker haha
Sent from my GT-I9100 using xda premium

bigboxrate said:
What about Beats Audio?
I use this, just perfect for music
http://www.minitake.com/product/35mm-in-ear-hifi-headphone-817?px=qtbo
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Google a bit and find out why Monster Beats have a VERY BAD reputation. Amongst audiophiles, that is.
If you care for good quality, you'd never recommend them, period.

Most people recommend klipsh s4a.
Just my two cents.

tyhanks vry much:good:

beats is good.

I'm using ibeats, fit properly, like the sound and forward&play function button, can't wait to using it with Sonny Ericsson MW 600 bluetooth

Update: I decided on the HTC RC E190, which were fine enough for my needs, if a bit on the silent side. A few days ago, the cable probably broke around the connector, resulting in the sound cutting out in one of the buds.
Not quite decided on whether to get another set (I like the flat cable design, which really proved to be tangle-free in around 95% of everyday use and the in-ears fit nicely, only real downside was that they're a bit on the quiet side) or opt for a different pair.

AW: Looking for good In-Ear-Headset
Hi,
My suggestion is the Bose MIE2 headset. Fits great, very comfortable and doesn't fall out of the ears due to those funny-looking silicone holders. And it sounds very good, I use it myself together with the Neutron Media Player.
Cheers
Zap

Beats Studio or Pro for the One X..??

As title... which will you choose and why?

I really wouldn't get Beats anything, as there are cheaper alternatives which sound the same or better.

Personally I have the Pro version (don't like the fact that the studio need battery and modify the sound). They are a few cheaper alternatives but they are not as nice looking (my taste) and I got them 40% off so it was worth it

Pro: there the only beats headphones worth getting, only ones that are actually decent headphones and amazon sell them for £230 so worth it at that price
Sent from my HTC One X using xda premium

Personally I don't believe the sound quality and limited storage space of the One X is worth any headphones over £80. You are simply wasting money as the the One X sound simply awful with high end audio device, also there is no way to bypass the onboard DAC and amp.

Actually I will sell my beat pro for another headphone, sennheiser suggested

If you want Beats, keep checking this site. There's none listed right now but there will be. It's at least 50% off, sometimes more.
http://www.monstercable.com/outletstore/linelist.asp

BarryH_GEG said:
If you want Beats, keep checking this site. There's none listed right now but there will be. It's at least 50% off, sometimes more.
http://www.monstercable.com/outletstore/linelist.asp
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmmm, from the link, this really does seem legit...can anyone prove this?
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

Kevin Ma said:
Hmmm, from the link, this really does seem legit...can anyone prove this?
Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well this IS Monster Official Home Page so it is absolutely legit

Neither. I'll stick with my Shures.

That site is legit. It's their outlet store.
I personally have both beats tours and ultimate ears triple fi. The beats I just use like everyday headphones as they are enjoyable I guess you can say with the bass and surprisingly good mids and highs. Solid headphones really...got them at a good deal also. Triple fi are still better of course
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

pewpewbangbang said:
That site is legit. It's their outlet store.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I wouldn't post something that would leave you guys screwed. When they have Beats back in stock, also check here.
http://www.retailmenot.com/view/monstercable.com
They sometimes have coupons for %'s off on top of the discounted price. You can search "beats" at the link below too to see if there are any outlet deals running. They just had one which is why there are none in stock.
http://slickdeals.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=9

Neither, "Beats" headphones are for troglodytes. They have around the same audio quality as a pair of crushed up drink cans with audio modules from two speaking birthday cards stuck onto them.
Sent from my HTC One X using xda app-developers app

As said, neither. If you really want to use it up to its maximum potential, get AKG or even Audio Technica (I keep getting surprised by their value for money, most AT models have the same or better sound than 2-3 times pricier AKG models). Beats are REALLY lame in mid-range sounds, which is most important if you listen to anything other than Dubbstep.

I always find it funny how many people bash the Beats headphones, yet how many of you have actually had them to justify your choices, or just put off by the price tag instantly. I have a pair of Beats Solo HDs, used to have some iBeats, both sounded amazing when attached to my One X.
On their own (in the PC, or in my iPod) they sounded pretty generic and boring, but when attached to a HTC phone with BeatsAudio they are amazing. I've converted a few Apple-only guys over to getting a One X and some Beats just from that setting alone.

TheHEFTA said:
I always find it funny how many people bash the Beats headphones, yet how many of you have actually had them to justify your choices, or just put off by the price tag instantly. I have a pair of Beats Solo HDs, used to have some iBeats, both sounded amazing when attached to my One X.
On their own (in the PC, or in my iPod) they sounded pretty generic and boring, but when attached to a HTC phone with BeatsAudio they are amazing. I've converted a few Apple-only guys over to getting a One X and some Beats just from that setting alone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I work at an electronics store, I have all the models in display and try them alongside with many, many others - on an almost daily basis.
I'm not saying they're not good, I'm saying they're not better than sets with half the price-tag.

Ambious said:
I work at an electronics store, I have all the models in display and try them alongside with many, many others - on an almost daily basis.
I'm not saying they're not good, I'm saying they're not better than sets with half the price-tag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats fair enough then, I do find that without the Beats software they sound pretty much like every other head set available and you're mainly paying for the brand name. When it is paired with the software, they sound brilliant.

TheHEFTA said:
Thats fair enough then, I do find that without the Beats software they sound pretty much like every other head set available and you're mainly paying for the brand name. When it is paired with the software, they sound brilliant.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thing is that the software makes all headsets sound good, but down-below, it's nothing more than a glorified equalizer.
If you want to get your mind blown, get hold of a Cowon player. ANY Cowon player. They're a gazillion times better (in audio quality) than anything else out there, and so when the weakest link is the headset, you tell the difference.
It also varies depending on musical style. Beats are heavy on bass and treble, but nothing in between. For the right kind of music with the right equalizer, it might sound amazing, but if you listen to something completely different - say, folk rock or classic or anything acoustic, you can tell they skimped on the mid-range in favor of the extreme highs and lows. Some people prefer that, though, so it's really just a matter of personal taste.
The bottom line though - and there are not enough words to describe how this irritates me...
Monster release absolutely ZERO technical specifications!
On ANYTHING! Beats? Nada. Clarity? Zilch. Impedance, Frequency Range, power consumption - nothing!
It makes me really suspicious of the whole thing and makes me feel like they don't publish the specs so they could put a higher price-tag on it and people would have a harder time comparing it objectively (Apple used to take the same approach, and I dislike them for reasons not very different than Monster...)

I am not an audiophile but i have the beats wireless for my one x. I listen to all kinds of music and I think they are great. Now I would not pay full price for them $280 ish. But I got them for 50% off so I went that route. I like the sound.

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[Q] [Pre-Purchase] Truth about Stereo Speakers

Even though I really like My Huawei Honor 2 (U9508), I am considering upgrading to a high-end phone, probably one of the following:
Find 7
Find 7a
One Plus
Sony Xperia Z2 phone
Of course if I am going to spend this much money, I do not want to loose any features the Huawei has.
One of those is the stereo speakers. I believe that the Oppo Find 7 has basically the same arrangement.
Some of the advertising says that it does not, but I believe these are from sites pushing the One Plus.
Can someone please authoritatively answer the following: (Pictures would be nice, too)
Does the Find 7 have internal stereo speakers?
Does the Find 7a?
I am not expecting the internal speakers in a phone to be like the speakers in a nightclub, but -in context- do they have some power?
(The Huawei is actually pretty good - noticeably louder than "regular phones", and there is actually some noticeable stereo effect.) Could the same be said of the Find 7/7a?
How about with a 3rd party firmware (such as a Cyanogen build) that does not have Maxxx audio (or whatever it is), will I still have true (albeit perhaps not enhanced) stereo from the internal speakers?
I have an antique mini/micro car that has no radio, and sometimes my phone is the only sound system when my daughter says "I Want Music !!".
Other information (about the sound quality of the phone, not the daughter's attitude) is welcome.

[img]https://plus.google.com/photos/117913762156817728449/albums/6036679566189948529[/img]
Linuxslate said:
Even though I really like My Huawei Honor 2 (U9508), I am considering upgrading to a high-end phone, probably one of the following:
Find 7
Find 7a
One Plus
Sony Xperia Z2 phone
Of course if I am going to spend this much money, I do not want to loose any features the Huawei has.
One of those is the stereo speakers. I believe that the Oppo Find 7 has basically the same arrangement.
Some of the advertising says that it does not, but I believe these are from sites pushing the One Plus.
Can someone please authoritatively answer the following: (Pictures would be nice, too)
Does the Find 7 have internal stereo speakers?
Does the Find 7a?
I am not expecting the internal speakers in a phone to be like the speakers in a nightclub, but -in context- do they have some power?
(The Huawei is actually pretty good - noticeably louder than "regular phones", and there is actually some noticeable stereo effect.) Could the same be said of the Find 7/7a?
How about with a 3rd party firmware (such as a Cyanogen build) that does not have Maxxx audio (or whatever it is), will I still have true (albeit perhaps not enhanced) stereo from the internal speakers?
I have an antique mini/micro car that has no radio, and sometimes my phone is the only sound system when my daughter says "I Want Music !!".
Other information (about the sound quality of the phone, not the daughter's attitude) is welcome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The speakers perform quite admirably. I find the speakers are very similar to the performance of the HTC One. In terms of Maxx Audio, It seems to matter most when using headphones. That being said, they should perform the same way with the Cyanogenmod built in DSP. I'll know for sure later. In terms of stereo performance, there may or may not be 2 speakers. I am unwilling to take a screwdriver to confirm. However, at the very least there are 2 speaker ports in which audio comes out. I've attached the pic. I used a stereo test app and covered a single port but could hear no discernible difference. At any rate, if there are 2 speakers you wouldn't discern stereo because the speakers are so close together.
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The speakers on the phone are pretty good. I optimized the sound with ViPER4Android on Paranoid Android. There's a huge difference you can notice when using ViPER. The only thing that isn't that good, is the positioning of the speakers. Most of the time your hands will probably cover them. HTC One for example does this better.
But all in all, watching videos is quite enjoyable with the phones speakers.

sebZ128 said:
The speakers on the phone are pretty good. I optimized the sound with ViPER4Android on Paranoid Android. There's a huge difference you can notice when using ViPER. The only thing that isn't that good, is the positioning of the speakers. Most of the time your hands will probably cover them. HTC One for example does this better.
But all in all, watching videos is quite enjoyable with the phones speakers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had been a user of Huawei Honor 2 for 2 years. When I switched to Find 7a I had to admit that Oppo sounds better (Maybe it's just the MaxxAudio thing..). In my opinion you will be very pleased if you decide to upgrade.
The only thing I am missing from Honor2 is the real-time facewarping feature in the camera, but it's not a big issue...

Thanks to all that replied.
There was also a thorough review on engadget.com that discussed the speakers quite a bit.
http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/24/oppo-find-7-review/
I also discovered that the Huawei P7 does have NFC, so the only one of my "requirements" that the P7 does not meet is the stereo speakers.
So as of right now, if I can find a P7 at a fair price (It should be about 1/2 what a Find 7 costs), I'll probably just settle for that.
If I'm stuck in the Find 7 price range, and I can get the US version with the carbon ("Space black", or whatever they call it) back, I'll probably go for that.
I'm not really considering a One Plus right now due to the "plastic-ness", and the irritating "invite" system, but it is not totally out of the question either.

Linuxslate said:
Thanks to all that replied.
There was also a thorough review on engadget.com that discussed the speakers quite a bit.
http://www.engadget.com/2014/07/24/oppo-find-7-review/
I also discovered that the Huawei P7 does have NFC, so the only one of my "requirements" that the P7 does not meet is the stereo speakers.
So as of right now, if I can find a P7 at a fair price (It should be about 1/2 what a Find 7 costs), I'll probably just settle for that.
If I'm stuck in the Find 7 price range, and I can get the US version with the carbon ("Space black", or whatever they call it) back, I'll probably go for that.
I'm not really considering a One Plus right now due to the "plastic-ness", and the irritating "invite" system, but it is not totally out of the question either.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have both Find 7a and OnePlus and prefer OnePlus. It's not plasticky, it feels premium. You can't go wrong with either one.
Sent from my One using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Do your Tab S speakers distort sound?

HI all,
Over in the UK, and ordered my first ever android device which I got 2 weeks ago (TAB S 8.4 T705). I am led to believe any issues with it will be sorted more quickly before the "golden month cooling down period" has expired, so I am spending many hours trying to test it all and make sure it's working properly before the 4 weeks is up. The sound on the Tab S has not gained many good reviews, and is often classed as "average", yet I would currently put it at "below average". There are many things to like about this tablet, and I will live with the very limited speaker performance as long I am confident this is "normal". I would like to ask you guys if the TAB S speakers distort for you. Most of the time the sound is acceptable, but once I increase to over 70%, I can hear a rough sound accompanying it. (no problem with ear phones btw)
Please would you do the following and let me know what you hear:
Bring up the alarm clock and select the sound "Soft Breeze Waltz". While adjusting the slider for volume, do you hear distortion with the piano sounds with a volume over 40 or 50%?
I am new to this forum, so I hope to stick around and learn a thing or two.
Thanks for reading and hopefully reporting back.

I would not expect too much from those tiny little speakers, you might have the bass set too high, try different profiles or do a custom if possible.
EDIT: OK i had to give it a go, I played "Soft Breeze Waltz" at 100% volume and there was very little if any distortion, maybe the 10.5" has different speakers.
John.

Tinderbox (UK) said:
I would not expect too much from those tiny little speakers, you might have the bass set too high, try different profiles or do a custom if possible.
EDIT: OK i had to give it a go, I played "Soft Breeze Waltz" at 100% volume and there was very little if any distortion, maybe the 10.5" has different speakers.
John.
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Hi John, thanks for replying to me.
Yeah, I won't expect much from those speakers, but I want my brand new Tab to work as Samsung intended it to work. I got to play around with the Tab 4 for a few days over xmas, and I never noticed any issues with the speakers on that, and I feel certain they were much better.
Thanks for testing out that alarm sound, but perhaps there is a difference in speakers with the 10.5 like you said. Regarding equalizers, that only seems to apply when listening to music, and I don't get an option for that when setting the alarm. I will grab some sound apps and see if that does anything, but now you tell me you didn't get any distortion, makes me wonder if I should try for a replacement. I am really happy with it apart from this. It's certain tones that are most noticeable, like piano, and that melody clearly sounds s#it over 50% volume. If anyone else who has the 8.4 model is happy to test theirs, I would be grateful for your feedback.
Nick

Tbh I find the speakers perfectly acceptable on my 10.5 and just as I would expect. I haven't noticed any distortion at louder levels. I'll do some tests.

ashyx said:
Tbh I find the speakers perfectly acceptable on my 10.5 and just as I would expect. I haven't noticed any distortion at louder levels. I'll do some tests.
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This is frustrating. Ordered a book cover for it and really intend on keeping it, but the sound on it just seems less than acceptable, but I do have a keen ear for sound and music. I can't see the speakers being any different between the 8.4 and 10.5, so maybe there could be an issue with mine. Yeah, try that test out, thanks. Still hoping someone with the same model as mine might pipe in.

Does the sound quality sound the same from either speaker, if it does it`s unlikely you to have two faulty speakers.
Have you asked anybody else to listen to the sound quality to see if they hear the same distortion that you do.
John.
I found a review of the loudspeaker when compared to other tablets.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_s_84-review-1095p7.php
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Tinderbox (UK) said:
Does the sound quality sound the same from either speaker, if it does it`s unlikely you to have two faulty speakers.
Have you asked anybody else to listen to the sound quality to see if they hear the same distortion that you do.
John.
I found a review of the loudspeaker when compared to other tablets.
http://www.gsmarena.com/samsung_galaxy_tab_s_84-review-1095p7.php
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Thanks for that. You made a good point, but speakers could still be affected by a driver issue making them both sound bad. However, the top speaker does seem to be a lot worse than the bottom one, so thanks for pointing that out. I saw mixed reviews about the speakers, from saying they are good (like above), and others saying they were disappointing and "tinny" and "inviting distortion" when cranking up the volume.
Reviews of course can be subjective. I think if this was normal, there'd be many more people complaining about them, so I will call Samsung on Monday and ask them. Hopefully they won't try and repair it, and just give me a replacement. Cheers for your help.

I tested the alarm file and it did sound a little raspy at the top end on full vol.
So I played Happy by Pharrell mp3. At full whack it had a little distortion until I turned the vol down to 12 from 15.
It's nothing I wouldn't have expected and perfectly acceptable to me.
I compared the same track to my HTC One_M8 which is known for its speakers and audio quality and Tbh not much different.
Still some distortion at the top end at full vol.

ashyx said:
I tested the alarm file and it did sound a little raspy at the top end on full vol.
So I played Happy by Pharrell mp3. At full whack it had a little distortion until I turned the vol down to 12 from 15.
It's nothing I wouldn't have expected and perfectly acceptable to me.
I compared the same track to my HTC One_M8 which is known for its speakers and audio quality and Tbh not much different.
Still some distortion at the top end at full vol.
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I looked for that MP3 "Happy" and downloaded it from Faxo.com, so assuming we both have the same file recorded at same volume, then I had the same experience. In fact, in made me wonder if I was being a fussy git. Just that you expect the pre-installed alarm melodies to play really well.
I could send this one back, and the next could have more serious problems, so I am re-evaluating what to do now :/

Sometime they distort but it depends on the audio played.
Instead I've got a different problem, audio doesn't seem centered. I mean the "balance" seems to be slightly on right. Right speaker is louder, do you have such an issue?

zooster said:
Sometime they distort but it depends on the audio played.
Instead I've got a different problem, audio doesn't seem centered. I mean the "balance" seems to be slightly on right. Right speaker is louder, do you have such an issue?
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Click to collapse
Yes, it does depend on what is played. These speakers do not handle piano tones well at all, while other sounds seem OK. Interesting you talk about the right (top) being louder, as that's the one that seems to be distorting more for me, or perhaps it's just that it's louder! Samsung are going to pick it up from me and send me a new replacement anyway, which is good, because I'll be forever regretting not trying. I'd still be happy with it even if this was normal for the Tab S...just can't bare the idea of having a deficient device.
For anyone that's interested... I learned how to get the test page up where you can test all the hardware.
1. Open calculator
2. Type in (+30,012,012,732+
3. On the large keypad, type in *#0*#
You should then have a load of buttons to test all your hardware.