Develop Bugs

Speakerphone (loudness, clarity)

Proper etiquette aside (hint: don't use speakerphone while doing your "business" in a public bathroom), rate this thread to express how you think the Google Pixel's speakerphone performs. A higher rating indicates that you love it: it's loud and it's clear.
Then, drop a comment if you have anything to add!

Very average for me. Not as loud as I would have hoped.

Still waiting for mine to come in (should be in Tuesday). Will compare it to my S6 and see what happens.

Average at best. My friend and I were playing Battlefield 1 last night and talking on speaker phone, he also has the Pixel, at times we could not hear each other very well. I actually think the speaker on the 5X was better....

I would have to agree that the speaker is average at best when it comes to call quality. My Galaxy S6 was louder. Though audio playback for non-calls seems to be a fair amount better than my S6.

Anyone having issues turning their speaker all the way up and when watching video get like a popping sound?

falcon26 said:
Average at best. My friend and I were playing Battlefield 1 last night and talking on speaker phone, he also has the Pixel, at times we could not hear each other very well. I actually think the speaker on the 5X was better....
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It's not the loudest I've heard but boy, compared to the 5X the 5X is a joke (I have both phones).
Sound is louder, deeper and more clear. Comparing to the 5X it's in a completely different level...

Used to have hands free conversations while driving with the phone in a cradle... but with the Pixel I can barely hear someone even with the volume at maximum. Not brilliant.

Better quality and clarity from the single speaker than I expected.

wahsu88 said:
Anyone having issues turning their speaker all the way up and when watching video get like a popping sound?
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Yes, totally. If you've heard a blown speaker, it kind of sounds like that at the higher levels.
Can other people either confirm out deny this? I'm wondering if this is a "feature" or a defect.
Thanks.

I chat with support and they told me that it is an audio issue with the videos since the issue wasn't consistent. They said to factory reset my phone. I did that, played the same vdieo over and over and the issue is no longer there.

wahsu88 said:
I chat with support and they told me that it is an audio issue with the videos since the issue wasn't consistent. They said to factory reset my phone. I did that, played the same vdieo over and over and the issue is no longer there.
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Click to collapse
I only noticed it when I was using the speakerphone during a call. I had to factory reset it later for a different reason so I'll check on it tomorrow but it still sounds tinny as Hell. And I'm coming from a Droid Turbo 1st generation.

Very average speaker! Waiting for Root so we can do some audio modifications and make it atleast decent quality.

Yeah it isn't as loud as my Nexus 6P, nor is it front facing. Or a dual setup. But it isn't as bad as I'd feared. Still plenty loud and crisp.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app

subhani said:
Yeah it isn't as loud as my Nexus 6P, nor is it front facing. Or a dual setup. But it isn't as bad as I'd feared. Still plenty loud and crisp.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app
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Click to collapse
I wanna eat my words and some humble pie too. The speakers are almost as loud as the 6P if not equally loud. The 6p has better dynamic range but I felt that in some tracks, the Pixel was crisper. It's really a toss up.
Add they're not front firing, I have no issue calling up assistant for time or weather when I'm in bed. Yes, I'm that guy who always places phones face down. The audio just pumps out the grill without any muffling whatsoever.
Sent from my Pixel using XDA-Developers mobile app

I haven't had enough time to test but mine seem to sound fine for what they are. Definitely not loud enough, but quality is on par to all the phones ive used minus an htc m9.
I actually prefer bottom speakers or speakers on the back for my particular use. I use my phones primarily for Google maps in my semi. I've used the sony z3 compact, htc m9, moto x, moto x 2nd gen, iphone 5s/6(s)/7., and oneplus 3
The best phone for audio i can actually hear while driving has been the 1st gen moto x. Sony,htc, snd 2nd gen moto x with front firing speakers are the worst. Iphone 6s better, iphone 7 best for iphones. One plus 3 probably in at #2 but they are not the best quality (more on the tinny side w/ lack of mid-low range).
I will have to compare the pixel next week.

Are there any mods yet for this? I would like my speakers to be loud as well coming from S7 Edge boy this speaker needs help! Anyone?

kingrichards said:
Are there any mods yet for this? I would like my speakers to be loud as well coming from S7 Edge boy this speaker needs help! Anyone?
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Click to collapse
That's certainly odd. I did an EDM/Dubstep, standard voice, rock, and opera music test on the Pixel and Pixel XL compared to my Droid Turbo 2 and the iPhone 7 and 7+. This is what I came to:
-Pixel and Pixel XL are quite loud for a single/mono speaker setup, about equal in loudness to my Droid Turbo 2. All were quieter than the iPhone 7 and 7+, which is expected given their stereo/dual speaker setup.
-The iPhones possess a thin, metallic, tinny sound from both speakers, with a miniscule amount of bass or depth to the sound. The mids and highs were somewhat ear-piercing and overly sharp, and were overall not managed well. However, this is better than the S7 Edge from what I can tell, which sounded muffled, quiet, and tinny to me, when I watched a video on a Verizon display unit. However, I will have to do another test to truly give comparative results.
-The Pixels were quieter than the iPhones off the bat, which is to be expected, since they have mono speaker setups. But, the sound out of both of them was exactly as loud as my Turbo 2, and the Pixel's speakers have an impressive amount of depth. Bass was definitely present here, moreso than the Turbo 2, and the sound was not thin by any means. The mids and highs were present and did not sound tinny or not properly recognized by the speaker. However, the treble lacked the "wow" factor in comparison of the Turbo 2, whose treble was more crystalline and more alive, as well. Not that the Pixels sounded dead by any means, because their treble was also well represented and sound, at that high of frequencies, was not distorted, like it was a little bit with the iPhones, playing high-frequency sound (treble) in the soundtracks I used, but the highs and treble were more enhanced. So, it seems like the Pixel is better suited for bass and lower frequency sounds, whereas my Turbo 2 is better suited for treble and higher frequency sounds.
-In conclusion, the iPhones are OK in loudness for a dual-speaker setup, though their sound is thin, metallic and tinny, offering little to no depth of sound, especially compared to the Pixels, and not representing higher frequency sounds or voices properly, often falling apart in the treble compared to my Turbo 2. The Pixels are quieter than the iPhones, but offer the most depth of sound and bass of the three, and tie with the Turbo 2 for the least distortion of sound. Thehigher frequency sounds and the treble are present and well-represented with little distortion, but my Turbo 2 has a more crystalline, more alive upper register than the Pixel and especially the iPhone 7.
---------- Post added at 08:50 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:46 AM ----------
BTW in loudness, all three of the aforementioned smartphones are a joke compared to my 6P. In quality, however, the Pixel and my Turbo 2 come close to my 6P. The iPhone 7 gets decimated by my 6P though.

Low and bad quality

In call volume is definitely lower than my old Zuk Z2. Now I have to crank up the volume to max and still have a hard time in noisy locations. The speaker quality is acceptable. But I expected loud speakers when we are paying top dollar.
Overall, Pixel gives off an average phone vibe with overpriced price.

Speaker issues/low quality

Greetings, sorry if this is redundant thread but I feel maybe this would get buried under the RL reviews. I have seen this behavior on 4 Pixel 2 XL's so far, one being mine, one being my friends and the two other's being from Verizon and Best Buy displays. Rather than explain here is a small video, excuse the mediocre quality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7FoxEZjgi0&feature=youtu.be . Not sure if it's a case of small poor quality speakers and the volume is set too loud and will be lowered in a future software update? I'm wondering if speakers are just trash in general and it's either put up with it or return it? Or the slight possibility of a bad batch of devices? Or just some freak luck to see 4 units exhibiting the same exact symptoms. Video and music playback do have the same issue at louder volumes, just not to that extent with using the speakerphone with voice calls. Has anyone else noticed this on their new devices? Thanks for your input.

Based on what i tried at verizon and comparing to my iphone 7+ its not good. Not that loud and lack of bass
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

My speakers sort of have a hum/buzz at higher volumes... Do yall's?
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

nldxda said:
My speakers sort of have a hum/buzz at higher volumes... Do yall's?
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
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Yes, that's exactly what was going on to all four of the devices that I have listened to. My device, my friends device and two demo devices from Best Buy and the Verizon store. It seems to be most noticeable when making calls on speakerphone as was indicated in the video I posted. Music/videos it's still there but not as bad cause possibly the max volume isn't as loud vs a voice call. I'm guessing the speakers are too small and Google set the max volume way too high for what the speakers are capable of. Or could be something else I'm not aware of . Either way for $1k it's pretty sad.
Edit: Decided to get a replacement from Google. Hopefully the next unit isn't as bad.

Supposedly the corners of the screen are adhered to the rest of the phone using some kind of foam backers (look up the ifixit breakdown on this device). Because it's not a 'glue" and closer to a foam, this is apparently what is causing the perceived "buzzy" sound when the volume is too loud.
I will say I was watching videos on youtube last night while my phone was sitting on my dining room table, and it sounded crisp and clear even at 75% loudness. I did not notice any buzzing vibrations going through the display or the phone from the speakers.

Im curious if you hear more noise when pluged in for charging. This was issue when we had nexus 6 with stereo speaker.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

zetsumeikuro said:
Yes, that's exactly what was going on to all four of the devices that I have listened to. My device, my friends device and two demo devices from Best Buy and the Verizon store. It seems to be most noticeable when making calls on speakerphone as was indicated in the video I posted. Music/videos it's still there but not as bad cause possibly the max volume isn't as loud vs a voice call. I'm guessing the speakers are too small and Google set the max volume way too high for what the speakers are capable of. Or could be something else I'm not aware of . Either way for $1k it's pretty sad.
Edit: Decided to get a replacement from Google. Hopefully the next unit isn't as bad.
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I noticed this on 3 different Pixel 2 XLs as well. Does your replacement have it?

Mine does this as well. I'm pretty sure every one of them does. I called Google support last night and of course the tech was either playing dumb or hadn't heard of this but I really can't see how they don't know this is an issue.
Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I've noticed about 50% and higher and with high pitched tones on the bottom speaker of my pixel 2 xl gets like a weird vibration or rattle sound. Like something is loose or the speaker is rattling the screen.

I've been listening to mine with music full blast and no issues. Don't alter the sound with the equaliser and it's great. Bottom speaker is louder than the top, but no issues like these on mine.

I just got my 2nd RMA. All of the phones, including the original one, have exhibited the buzzing/vibration from the bottom firing speaker that you all speak of. There is a large thread that confirms this from pretty much everyone. It's very obvious at volume levels of about 80% or higher on my current device. I'm also starting to wonder if the earpiece is crappy too. I just made several rounds of calls and during each call, I could pick up a buzz during low pitched feedback from the other end.
Here is the other thread that covers this exactly. https://forum.xda-developers.com/pixel-2-xl/help/speaker-rattle-distortion-t3699373
---------- Post added at 10:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:10 AM ----------
biffwitch said:
I've been listening to mine with music full blast and no issues. Don't alter the sound with the equaliser and it's great. Bottom speaker is louder than the top, but no issues like these on mine.
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It's not noticeable when playing music, especially if it's something that's fast paced. Instead, watch a YT video with dialogue, i.e. Linus Tech Tips, at full volume. You'll hear it then.

brnhrd said:
I noticed this on 3 different Pixel 2 XLs as well. Does your replacement have it?
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Yup, I'm still on my original XL 2 cause there was dirt/dead pixels on my 2nd device. After hearing people don't have the issue on the speakers (which I find hard to believe). I would like to see someone without the issue supposedly doing a speakerphone call above 40% volume to show there's no distortion. So I have my third one coming and I'm pretty sure I'll end up keeping my original. I have zero confidence that I'll get a better or equal screen (w/o dead pixels or black debris particles under the glass). Makes you really think that LG has piss poor QC since the glass is generally fused in OLED displays so you would imagine they would be producing in a sterile environment.

Got one in the mail today and it sounds way better on speakerphone calls. Still has a little of the distortion at 100% volume but it's very minuscule compared to before. Manufacture date of 11/21/17.

Too much vibration from speakers??

I was reading an article from bgr (link below) and they talked about a flaw that has not been talked about with the new pixel phones. They claim the speakers vibrate soo much when playing back music or video etc. that it feels like the vibration motor in the handset is on and is actually vibrating soo much you don't even want to hold the phone in your hand while audio is playing out the speakers.
The funny thing is I must have watched a zillion review videos and no one else has mentioned this. It would be weird that no one else caught this. I hope this is an isolated case if a case at all.
Anyone else heard of this issue?
https://bgr.com/2018/10/16/pixel-3-xl-review-supplement-design-flaw/

There's a huge difference between a flaw, and a feature/side effect. According to what is happening here the speakers are vibrating the phone from the sound of the speakers. There is no distortion, or sound issue, but a vibration side effect on the phone itself. It's like turning up your car stereo, or home theater, and the doors on the car vibrate, or the home speakers vibrate, and may even shake the walls. That is not a flaw, but a result of loud, sound speakers.

bobbyphoenix said:
There's a huge difference between a flaw, and a feature/side effect. According to what is happening here the speakers are vibrating the phone from the sound of the speakers. There is no distortion, or sound issue, but a vibration side effect on the phone itself. It's like turning up your car stereo, or home theater, and the doors on the car vibrate, or the home speakers vibrate, and may even shake the walls. That is not a flaw, but a result of loud, sound speakers.
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That's true but they claimed it was also significantly vibrating even at 50% volume. That's something I would expect at max volume. Either way we will see soon enough.

bsg411 said:
That's true but they claimed it was also significantly vibrating even at 50% volume. That's something I would expect at max volume. Either way we will see soon enough.
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Because of the IP68 rating, its pretty sealed, and thats why youre getting that vibration. Theres nowhere for that air to go so its going to bump into the case.

There is definitely a bit of vibration on my phone when music is played through the speakers but I currently don't find it to be an issue.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

It's there AND the speakers are much louder than the 2 and quite crisp. I'll take the trade off

A good case might absorb it some....

I think it’s a flaw. I’ve seen so many reviews praising the speakers of the pixel and I was surprised to find out that the audio experience is really subpar. Compared to my iPhone XS Max the sound is night and day. The iPhone is louder, more clear, and overall more pleasing. Another user in another thread described the pixel audio as “everyone in videos sound like their mouths are full peanut butter when they talk” and it’s a very accurate description of the sound. Not to mention the phone does indeed vibrate a ton when you get anywhere north or 35% volume and most of the sound emitted comes through the bottom speaker making the whole auditory experience sound unbalanced and not truly stereo. Both the iPhone and Pixel have the same IP68 very but the iPhone absolutely smashes the pixel as far are speakers are concerned.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I just got my pixel 3 xl setup and WOW im shocked at the amount of vibration from a video. I played a video of us singing happy birthday to my daughter on my Pixel 2 xl at 50% volume and near max say 90% and there is some vibration at the edges not much at the center. i then did the same test with the pixel 3 XL and its bad at 25% volume and gets worse from there the whole back vibrates right from the center out. both test with no case. Im going to pick up a case today and see if it absorbs some. This could be a deal breaker for me, i like to watch videos on my phone and that will just get annoying

Yeah there is a lot of vibration from the speakers thru the whole phone, my 2XL did not have that, the sound is a lot Fuller and louder then that phone though.
I have the Google fabric case and it does not reduce it at all.
It does not bother me to much, the buzzing/distortion on my lower speaker bothers me a lot.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

My phone arrived today and I have a spigen case waiting for it. When I get home Ill test this out and report back how it feels.

After some more use there is some odd sound issues , sending a text through the stock app the sound makes an odd sound that is not present on my pixel 2 xl . is like a tiny crackly vibration sound . i have similar sounds from pokemon go as well ...man this really stinks , i expected the sound to be like my pixel 2 xl

The fact the phone is vibrating without distortion is pretty awesome.
It indicates fuller sound with more audio being produced in the low end.
This is fantastic news.
I'm sorry ya'll wimpy hands can't handle vibrations.

CZ Eddie said:
The fact the phone is vibrating without distortion is pretty awesome.
It indicates fuller sound with more audio being produced in the low end.
This is fantastic news.
I'm sorry ya'll wimpy hands can't handle vibrations.
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It’s not a matter of hands being bothered, at least not for me, it’s a matter of the sound being **** because there is too much low end frequency and resonance and the highs and mids become almost inaudible. I won’t use it without headphones now cause I just can’t understand and clearly, the sound coming from the music or videos. Either that’s or I’ll just pick up my iPhone because it sounds like a damn IMAX Dolby experience in comparison lmao
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

CZ Eddie said:
The fact the phone is vibrating without distortion is pretty awesome.
It indicates fuller sound with more audio being produced in the low end.
This is fantastic news.
I'm sorry ya'll wimpy hands can't handle vibrations.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My pixel 2 xl sounded nice with out the annoyance of a vibrating phone on every sound. i like fuller sound to a point. sure my hands can HANDle it ( lol sorry just being silly and had to bold hand) but do i want or like it is another story. i watched the same few videos and they sounded good on both phones ans sure the 3xl was a bit fuller but the vibrating was sorta distracting for me , there might even be some distorting from it as well.

razor237 said:
My pixel 2 xl sounded nice with out the annoyance of a vibrating phone on every sound. i like fuller sound to a point. sure my hands can HANDle it ( lol sorry just being silly and had to bold hand) but do i want or like it is another story. i watched the same few videos and they sounded good on both phones ans sure the 3xl was a bit fuller but the vibrating was sorta distracting for me , there might even be some distorting from it as well.
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This is my exact experience! If I’ve been watching videos on my pixel and then pick up my iPhone to watch a video it’s like I’ve steeped into an imax theatre with the Dolby atoms experience it’s so much better [emoji23]. Google needs to push an update to the sound tuning ASAP
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pure+ said:
This is my exact experience! If I’ve been watching videos on my pixel and then pick up my iPhone to watch a video it’s like I’ve steeped into an imax theatre with the Dolby atoms experience it’s so much better [emoji23]. Google needs to push an update to the sound tuning ASAP
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i was comparing to my pixel 2 xl figured it was a fair comparison both with similar front firing speakers .... i i remember correctly my nexus 6P had some sound issues that was solved by updates so maybe they can reduce it a bit

razor237 said:
Yeah i was comparing to my pixel 2 xl figured it was a fair comparison both with similar front firing speakers .... i i remember correctly my nexus 6P had some sound issues that was solved by updates so maybe they can reduce it a bit
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Click to collapse
I was just totally shocked because I’ve seen so many reviews praising these speakers especially when compared to the two new iPhones and that’s just not been my experience at all. Maybe it’s preference but I can’t imagine how these things are define as clear, crisp, etc
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I love the phone but hate the distortion of the speakers, I don't listen to music that much but it is so bad, even on YouTube videos.i might have to return this thing.
I have seen 3 phones so far and they all have that issue. Maybe I have to switch to the 10s Max.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

marcocb8 said:
I love the phone but hate the distortion of the speakers, I don't listen to music that much but it is so bad, even on YouTube videos.i might have to return this thing.
I have seen 3 phones so far and they all have that issue. Maybe I have to switch to the 10s Max.
Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah everyone was going on about the notch and that's not too bad at all but the sounds is more of an issue for me at least , the 10s Max does sound good and doesn't vibrate like the 3xl, i was just comparing to my wife's. but man the only issue with that is using iOS

Pixel 3A XL or Pixel 3 XL?

I want to know which one has the better speakers? If money is no issue
thank you in advance

jukethehitman said:
I want to know which one has the better speakers? If money is no issue
thank you in advance
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Both have front facing stereo speakers but I don't own both to compare side by side. The 3 XL I use is definitely good quality even when super loud. Audio problems that were identified on both devices during launch was fixed a year ago on both devices. Some ppl in their reviews on yt say that the xl while definitely louder decreases in audio quality a bit. Don't know if that's true.

so they fixed the distortion issue?
hows the left and right speaker balance? I have heard that the left "top" speaker is very quiet compared to the right "bottom" one?
I can only find speaker/audio reviews from about a year ago, so i dont know the current state of the device D:

ptn107 said:
Both have front facing stereo speakers but I don't own both to compare side by side. The 3 XL I use is definitely good quality even when super loud. Audio problems that were identified on both devices during launch was fixed a year ago on both devices. Some ppl in their reviews on yt say that the xl while definitely louder decreases in audio quality a bit. Don't know if that's true.
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Are the speakers imbalanced? If so is it distracting?

jukethehitman said:
Are the speakers imbalanced? If so is it distracting?
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Click to collapse
Yes they are imbalanced and it is by design as per Google. Same with the 3a. I don't find it distracting. Most stereo phones are going to be a bit louder on the bottom or imbalanced. Only exceptions I can think of are some of the gaming phones like the Razer 2

KUSOsan said:
Yes they are imbalanced and it is by design as per Google. Same with the 3a. I don't find it distracting. Most stereo phones are going to be a bit louder on the bottom or imbalanced. Only exceptions I can think of are some of the gaming phones like the Razer 2
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Well thats reassuring. Thank you ^^

ptn107 said:
Both have front facing stereo speakers but I don't own both to compare side by side. The 3 XL I use is definitely good quality even when super loud. Audio problems that were identified on both devices during launch was fixed a year ago on both devices. Some ppl in their reviews on yt say that the xl while definitely louder decreases in audio quality a bit. Don't know if that's true.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only the Pixel 3 models have stereo front facing speakers, the 3A line has a earpiece/speaker and bottom firing speaker.

Question Terribly tinny and imbalanced sound?

I noticed that the sound quality of the built-in speakers is... terrible... to be putting it mildly. Initially I thought there was just a lot of bass but during calls the sound is very "sharp" but not in a good way, more like hurting my ears piercing. When I'm playing videos or music, not only is the top speaker at most half of the lower speaker's volume, but the overall experience is like the phone was dropped into a tin can. I already tried Wavelet to balance the speakers but the sound quality still is abysmal. My 3.5 year-old S9+ outperforms the 6Pro by far. The little things that bother me with this phone keep adding up and I'm not sure how many more I can take. At least the call quality should be OK, right?

.... Hopefully it ain't anything wrong with your device but I definitely don't have such an issue. I think the sound is great. Honestly I'm kind of impressed at how well the top speaker sounds yet I can barely even see the speaker based on how seamless the screen goes into the frame at the top.
Is it the best sound of any smart phone... No I'm sure it's not. Is it better than my pixel 4XL which had great sound to me, Yes. They are actually the same loudness yet the 6 pro sound is clearer at full volume. I understand that sound is subjective however I would have to 1000% disagree with you.

manners400 said:
.... Hopefully it ain't anything wrong with your device but I definitely don't have such an issue. I think the sound is great. Honestly I'm kind of impressed at how well the top speaker sounds yet I can barely even see the speaker based on how seamless the screen goes into the frame at the top.
Is it the best sound of any smart phone... No I'm sure it's not. Is it better than my pixel 4XL which had great sound to me, Yes. They are actually the same loudness yet the 6 pro sound is clearer at full volume. I understand that sound is subjective however I would have to 1000% disagree with you.
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Click to collapse
Same here but not quite as loud as my Note 20 Ultra.

manners400 said:
.... Hopefully it ain't anything wrong with your device but I definitely don't have such an issue. I think the sound is great. Honestly I'm kind of impressed at how well the top speaker sounds yet I can barely even see the speaker based on how seamless the screen goes into the frame at the top.
Is it the best sound of any smart phone... No I'm sure it's not. Is it better than my pixel 4XL which had great sound to me, Yes. They are actually the same loudness yet the 6 pro sound is clearer at full volume. I understand that sound is subjective however I would have to 1000% disagree with you.
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Click to collapse
So there might be something wrong with the device? The sound is basically like a 48 kbit MP3 file
EDIT: Maybe I'll head over to Best Buy this weekend to talk to the folks there and get a replacement if necessary.

funnycreature said:
So there might be something wrong with the device? The sound is basically like a 48 kbit MP3 file
EDIT: Maybe I'll head over to Best Buy this weekend to talk to the folks there and get a replacement if necessary.
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funnycreature said:
So there might be something wrong with the device? The sound is basically like a 48 kbit MP3 file
EDIT: Maybe I'll head over to Best Buy this weekend to talk to the folks there and get a replacement if necessary.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have no complaints about the sound from mine. Nothing like you've described. I do hope that you get it worked out.

In developer settings you can change the stereo balance if you need to.

kboya said:
I have no complaints about the sound from mine. Nothing like you've described. I do hope that you get it worked out.
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Thank you! I'll let y'all know

ironically a semi audiophile on reddit did a full on rant today how the audio had too much bass
meanwhile reviews say the speakers sound good and have actual bass for once but the mids/high increase the higher the volume gets
honestly these are very good sounding speakers for a smartphone especially when i compare to my galaxy note 9

For me the speakers are great, I have compared the sound with the iphone 13 and I have to say the pixels are better, at least for me. I know that for some they have too much bass, but for me it is perfect

funnycreature said:
I noticed that the sound quality of the built-in speakers is... terrible... to be putting it mildly. Initially I thought there was just a lot of bass but during calls the sound is very "sharp" but not in a good way, more like hurting my ears piercing. When I'm playing videos or music, not only is the top speaker at most half of the lower speaker's volume, but the overall experience is like the phone was dropped into a tin can. I already tried Wavelet to balance the speakers but the sound quality still is abysmal. My 3.5 year-old S9+ outperforms the 6Pro by far. The little things that bother me with this phone keep adding up and I'm not sure how many more I can take. At least the call quality should be OK, right?
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Click to collapse
I don't know how good the S9+ sounds, never had one. What I can tell is that the P6 Pro sounds good, it has a slight imbalance between top and bottom, but in terms of clarity and bass, it's a good sounding phone speaker. So either your expectations are extraodinary, or your device is defective. Best go to the place where you bought it and ask that the store rep compares the sound of your phone to one that they have on display, that way you can quickly find out if your device has a defect.

Thank you all! Is there a good app or sound piece that I can use to test?

Morgrain said:
I don't know how good the S9+ sounds, never had one. What I can tell is that the P6 Pro sounds good, it has a slight imbalance between top and bottom, but in terms of clarity and bass, it's a good sounding phone speaker. So either your expectations are extraodinary, or your device is defective. Best go to the place where you bought it and ask that the store rep compares the sound of your phone to one that they have on display, that way you can quickly find out if your device has a defect.
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I wanted to go to the local Betsy Buy (bought it online through BB) but it's not available there. Not sure they could give me a device to compare mine to

I honestly felt the same way comparing the 6P to my 2 XL. the 6P sounds rather flat and unbalanced. Much prefer the older device.

crucialcolin said:
I honestly felt the same way comparing the 6P to my 2 XL. the 6P sounds rather flat and unbalanced. Much prefer the older device.
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Wow really? You have them side by side and compared? I ask because my 4 XL was definitely better than my 2 XL and the 6 Pro is definitely louder and has more range than my 4 XL at all volume increments. I agree it's ever so slightly louder on the bottom speaker than the ear piece one but it's not horrible.

EeZeEpEe said:
Wow really? You have them side by side and compared? I ask because my 4 XL was definitely better than my 2 XL and the 6 Pro is definitely louder and has more range than my 4 XL at all volume increments. I agree it's ever so slightly louder on the bottom speaker than the ear piece one but it's not horrible.
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I checked out the demo models at best buy both the 6 and pro. I will say at max volume the new devices are cleaner sounding.

crucialcolin said:
I checked out the demo models at best buy both the 6 and pro. I will say at max volume the new devices are cleaner sounding.
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Yeah in your home or reasonably quieter area than Best Buy, the difference is very noticeable. I keep all my sound volumes a little lower than my 4 XL settings because it's that much louder.