Anyone have luck with GSM replacement re: earpiece/speaker volume?

**noc** · 03/14/2005, 07:19 PM

Just wondering if anyone who's had their GSM Unlocked 650 replaced get their low volume problem solved with the replacement? I'd rather not keep getting replacements if the one's coming back have the same issue...

**koolio** · 03/14/2005, 08:19 PM

I have a replacement unit waiting to be shipped to me. I'll let you know if the volume is higher on it. To be honest, my current one is fine for me - yes, the speakerphone isn't that loud (it's nowhere near as loud as the speakerphone on my BB 7100t) and the earpiece volume could be louder but I'm okay with it. However, it's not loud enough to be used, say, walking along a noisy city street.

**mambo#WN** · 03/14/2005, 10:27 PM

Not that the Treo started with a lot of ringer/speaker volume capacity, but after installing several apps, I noticed that I was missing calls and appointments because I could not hear the ringer. Even at max volume it was not very loud (worst than when I first got it). I looked around for fixes to no avail, but I did not want to return it, specially since I had been waiting for the thing for so long.

After trying different things, I think I got the phone to the original sound levels (not great, but at least acceptable at max volume). I had installed YAHM, a couple of games, and DBK5 which somehow relate to the sound on the phone. Since I do not like to play the games with sound I had opted out. And for DBK5 I had different alarms that what in the preferrences for calendar.

What I did was remove YAHM, restore the volume to the games and set them to the loudest, and matched the DBK5 alarms and vibrate settings. Then I did a soft reset, and voila.

I do not know if this works for everyone, but I am glad it did ok by me. Gives me some time to wait for a firmware update.

**Tanner** · 03/14/2005, 10:58 PM

Man, I"D LOVE to be able to hear my flippin' $600 PHONE RING! I miss on average of about 5 calls/week and never even know it until I pull the phone out of my pocket! Maybe it would have been cheaper to completely leave out the ringer option and just sell it w/ vibrate.

**jknuckey** · 03/14/2005, 11:05 PM

Originally Posted by noc

Just wondering if anyone who's had their GSM Unlocked 650 replaced get their low volume problem solved with the replacement? I'd rather not keep getting replacements if the one's coming back have the same issue...

After being on the phone for almost 1.5 hours today with cingular CS and being bounced around from department to department, my replacement phone is on the way for this very issue.

The tech support person was somewhat knowledgeable as she asked me what kind of SIM card I have (its Axalto so its not related to that problem) and also had me reset my phone.

When the volume issue was still not resolved, she told me it was a "software problem". This either means that a) cingular knows that the volume issue is a s/w problem, or b) the tech support person was just making things up.

Based on some other posts I've read, I'm thinking most people here would go with choice b.

I'll let you know how it goes.

-John

**Tanner** · 03/14/2005, 11:21 PM

AWESOME! GOOD LUCK!

**Aussie Joe** · 03/15/2005, 11:56 AM

I had a replacement unlocked 650 sent to me that was worse than the first.

I am waiting for my third to be sent to me. It this one also has low volume/hissing its three strikes and Palm is out !

**noc** · 03/15/2005, 05:07 PM

That's not encouraging. I'm on with the nitwits now trying to work out my "1st" exchange. They want to charge me $25 although a rep I spoke with yesterday told me they'd waive it. How many of you have had to pay the $25? By the way, I have no problem with my ringer volume, in fact I've had to set it down to 3. Any louder and it sounds like the speaker will break. My issue is call volume and speaker volume while ON a call. I can barely hear the person I'm talking to.

**BillK11** · 03/15/2005, 05:58 PM

I tried two unlocked ones and gave up on getting one with good volume(returned the second and did not ask for a replacement). I would suggest to return it and wait to see if P1 announces either a FW fix or new hardware. Maybe they will get the message that people want a usable phone for 699. If it is hardware they should be forced to have a recall.

It does seem there are some good ones based on user feedback (so maybe it is due to different parts suppliers?) but it may take several exchanges until you get a good one.

**noc** · 03/15/2005, 06:06 PM

at $25/exchange, how many times can one afford to do this? I'm past 30 days so I don't know how I can return it for refund.

**buirus** · 03/15/2005, 06:14 PM

The weirdest thing is, my phone is way toooo loud! Even after exchanging it, the ringer volume when turned down to its lowest is embarassingly loud. Ear piece and speaker volume is also very loud. When I listen to PTunes via headphones, the lowest volume settings is almost too loud as well.

I can't figure out why it seems that myphone is the anomaly. Hearing all of these issues I guess I am glad I have very loud phone. At least I dont miss calls (no one else misses my calls either!)

**BlkLegGT** · 03/15/2005, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by noc

By the way, I have no problem with my ringer volume, in fact I've had to set it down to 3. Any louder and it sounds like the speaker will break. My issue is call volume and speaker volume while ON a call. I can barely hear the person I'm talking to.

My experience exactly! Debating on wether to live with it, wait for a fix, or just go back to a standard phone and a Zire 72...hmmmm. Don't think an exchange is going to solve it, based on other posts...

Cingular stock 650, firmware 1.04.

**NeoPhyte** · 03/15/2005, 06:50 PM

When I got a replacement for the low volume on my previous Cingular 650 they did not charge me. I returned that one along with the original one as they both had horrible volume. I have an unlocked GSM one now, and am debating whether to sit and wait to see if they release a patch, or to play roulette and ask for another replacement. As it is I emailed tech support about the issue, and all they wrote back was how to set the volume to maximum permanently. Duh. Didn't they read my email? It said that the volume AT MAX was half the volume of my old Treo 600. *sigh* Tech support was SO much better under the 600.

**jknuckey** · 03/15/2005, 08:14 PM

Originally Posted by buirus

The weirdest thing is, my phone is way toooo loud! Even after exchanging it, the ringer volume when turned down to its lowest is embarassingly loud. Ear piece and speaker volume is also very loud. When I listen to PTunes via headphones, the lowest volume settings is almost too loud as well.

I can't figure out why it seems that myphone is the anomaly. Hearing all of these issues I guess I am glad I have very loud phone. At least I dont miss calls (no one else misses my calls either!)

I wish I had your "problem"!

What firmware/software/hardware versions do you have? Still trying to see if there is any kind of pattern to this volume issue...

-John

**noc** · 03/15/2005, 09:23 PM

really! my low volume 650 is 1.14/1.05 ROW

**buirus** · 03/16/2005, 01:49 PM

jknuckey:
I have the Cingular branded phone Firmware version 1.04, software 1.02-Cing, Hardware A.

The strange thing is that I have read many other Cingular customers are also experiencing the same low volume issue. I however have had the same loud volume issue with both of the units I have had. One thing to note however, is when I first got the 2nd unit, the volume was low (normal). I mean when I set the ringer volume to 1 bar, it was actually low, as one would expect. To get the kind of volume that I am getting now I had to set the ringer volume to almost max. The weird thing was, after 1 day, this 2nd unit got louder like my first unit. I had not installed any programs. So it seemed that something triggered my system to become louder. Must definitely be a bug.

I guess we will all have to wait until a patch comes out. With our luck, everyone who had quiet phones will have obscenely loud ones and I will have a really quiet one.

oh the dangers of being bleeding edge.

**jknuckey** · 03/17/2005, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by buirus

jknuckey:
I have the Cingular branded phone Firmware version 1.04, software 1.02-Cing, Hardware A.

The strange thing is that I have read many other Cingular customers are also experiencing the same low volume issue. ...
...
...
I guess we will all have to wait until a patch comes out. With our luck, everyone who had quiet phones will have obscenely loud ones and I will have a really quiet one.

oh the dangers of being bleeding edge.

I have the same f/w, s/w, and h/w versions and low earpiece volume!

This leads me back to an earlier conclusion I had that this is a hardware (phone audio circuit/earpiece speaker) and not a software problem. I think the cingular rep I talked to really did not know what they were talking about when they said its a software problem!

Regardless of the cause of the problem, I hope my replacement phone resolves the issue...

thanks for the info,
John

**BlkLegGT** · 03/17/2005, 10:36 AM

John,

please post if/not the new phone solves the problem. I'm still in my 30-day period, but don't want to exchange and get a whole host of new problems...

**jknuckey** · 03/17/2005, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by BlkLegGT

John,

please post if/not the new phone solves the problem. I'm still in my 30-day period, but don't want to exchange and get a whole host of new problems...

Will do.

**Otter Emperor** · 03/17/2005, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by Aussie Joe

I had a replacement unlocked 650 sent to me that was worse than the first.

I am waiting for my third to be sent to me. It this one also has low volume/hissing its three strikes and Palm is out !

ringer volume is good.
Call volume is LOW
HISSING on speaker phone
cracking and hissing on bluetooth headset
wired ear bud is OK.

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