Max volume too quiet on android phones.

[lexfrancis]

I've noticed this on the G2, Galaxy S4 and the Nexus 4. The maximum volume through the audio jack is too quiet. It's a really big deal to me but apparently not to anyone else, because I've never heard or read a review where this was mentioned. If you've never owned an apple product then you might not know what I'm talking about, but I own an ipod touch, and max volume on my G2 is about 60% of that of my ipod. It drives me crazy, I really wanted to get rid of my ipod and use one device, but I can't happily listen to music on my G2 because the volume is just lacking. The really annoying part is that there is a fix for it, which means it's a software issue. So WHAT THE F**K, ANDROID? Why do they put that limit on the volume? Max volume should always be too loud to listen to, because then you're guaranteed never to be short for volume.

I would have tried to fix the issue, but I'm having trouble creating a nandroid backup. In case anyone wants to help; I tried installing CWM with the rom manager app and it appears to have installed successfully, but whenever I try to boot into recovery, I just get the stock error screen.

 

[SactoKingsFan]

This issue has been mentioned within various forums. If you are rooted it's a pretty easy fix. Get xposed framework and use the XVolume30 module. I did this on my G2 and the music volume is now loud enough at 40-50%.

And FreeGee will install TWRP or CWM.

 

[dancing-bass]

Silly question, did you root your device before attempting to install CWM? You need to root first before CWM will work, or the rom manager will work. (Be warned - unlocking your bootloader and rooting your device will wipe whatever you have stored on there - apps, data, files, photos, SMS.... everything! Make sure you do a backup first.

As for "help" there are numerous guides to rooting your device and installing a custom recovery (CWM or TWRP are the most popular).

As for low volume, I've been using a Galaxy Nexus for a couple years now (with headphones). It's a device notorious for having low audio, both through the speaker and the headphone jack. I've survived. There are apps out there that may help by boosting your audio output, but you'd have to do some digging to find them.

Final thought - Try Poweramp. It has a short (2 week I think?) trial before you have to buy the unlock code. Its got a pretty full-featured EQ which allows you to boost any frequency. It also allows you to boost the "preamp" - it might be the ticket to getting the volume you're after.

 

[Paisley]

This issue has been mentioned within various forums. If you are rooted it's a pretty easy fix. Get xposed framework and use the XVolume30 module. I did this on my G2 and the music volume is now loud enough at 40-50%.

And FreeGee will install TWRP or CWM.

Any way to fix without root? I used to love listening to music on my phone, but now its annoying. .

Posted via Android Central App

 

[SactoKingsFan]

Any way to fix without root? I used to love listening to music on my phone, but now its annoying. .

Posted via Android Central App

Not that I'm aware of. Apps like volume booster claim to work, but I never found one that consistently increased volume while also maintaining sound quality.

Sent from my rooted LG-G2 using Tapatalk

 

[lexfrancis]

Silly question, did you root your device before attempting to install CWM? You need to root first before CWM will work, or the rom manager will work. (Be warned - unlocking your bootloader and rooting your device will wipe whatever you have stored on there - apps, data, files, photos, SMS.... everything! Make sure you do a backup first.

Yeah I've rooted my device. I've looked at some of the guides for installing CWM and TWRP, it's just that all of them provide instructions on how to install them for the first time. I'm unsure about doing that because the ROM Manager app says that I already have CWM installed. Under "Recovery Setup" it says "Current Recovery: ClockworkMod 6.0.4.4". I don't want to go trying all these different methods of installing CWM when rom manager says it's already installed, because I don't know whether or not that'd cause more problems. I haven't encountered anyone with the same problem as me, where they can't boot into recovery despite having tried to install CWM.

 

[lexfrancis]

This issue has been mentioned within various forums. If you are rooted it's a pretty easy fix. Get xposed framework and use the XVolume30 module. I did this on my G2 and the music volume is now loud enough at 40-50%.

And FreeGee will install TWRP or CWM.

Mate I would love to get xposed and fix this volume issue, I'm itching to do it. But I want to make a nandroid backup first. I can't boot into recovery despite having tried to install CWM with rom manager. I don't know if it's ok to try other methods of installing CWM when rom manager is displaying that it's already installed.

 

[SactoKingsFan]

Mate I would love to get xposed and fix this volume issue, I'm itching to do it. But I want to make a nandroid backup first. I can't boot into recovery despite having tried to install CWM with rom manager. I don't know if it's ok to try other methods of installing CWM when rom manager is displaying that it's already installed.

Did you successfully install custom recovery? If so, you would see a CWM folder in file manager and would be able to enter custom recovery.

Installing the most recent version of CWM would just replace the older version.

Sent from my rooted LG-G2 using Tapatalk

 

[SactoKingsFan]

Another option is to get TWRP. I initially used CWM, but it was pretty slow wiping cache, making nandroid, and restoring.

Sent from my rooted LG-G2 using Tapatalk

 

[lexfrancis]

As for low volume, I've been using a Galaxy Nexus for a couple years now (with headphones). It's a device notorious for having low audio, both through the speaker and the headphone jack. I've survived. There are apps out there that may help by boosting your audio output, but you'd have to do some digging to find them.

Final thought - Try Poweramp. It has a short (2 week I think?) trial before you have to buy the unlock code. Its got a pretty full-featured EQ which allows you to boost any frequency. It also allows you to boost the "preamp" - it might be the ticket to getting the volume you're after.

I could survive with the lower volume, I'm just fussy about it. It isn't a priority for most people, but I'm kinda leaning towards the 5s because of this one issue. I'm so used to using my ipod that it drives me crazy not being able to get that extra oomph with my g2.

I've tried a handful of volume boosting apps. Some of them make no difference, some of them alter the sound quality. None of them bring the sound much closer to that of my ipod. Poweramp is the app I'm using, I've bought the unlock, I reckon it's the best music app out there. But again, I've found that it hasn't done much for the volume. People who use xposed, which is a mod for the g2, all say that it has increased the volume on their devices by quite a lot. That's what I want to do as soon as I figure out this issue with creating a nandroid backup.

I'm just wondering why the low volume issue is even there? Is it just something that hasn't yet been addressed, or has it been done on purpose?

 

[lexfrancis]

Did you successfully install custom recovery? If so, you would see a CWM folder in file manager and would be able to enter custom recovery.

Installing the most recent version of CWM would just replace the older version.

Sent from my rooted LG-G2 using Tapatalk

Well there is a clockworkmod folder in file manager, but I can't enter custom recovery. I've tried doing it with the "reboot into recovery" option on rom manager, and with quick boot, but I just get an error screen every time. I tried installing twrp with rom manager too, but the exact same thing happened when I tried to enter custom recovery. And there's no twrp folder in file manager, which is weird.

I'll try installing TWRP some other way.

 

[mynameis]

I have a Moto X and my girlfriend has an iPhone 5. My speaker blows hers out of the water.

Sent from my XT1056 using Tapatalk

 

[dancing-bass]

Well there is a clockworkmod folder in file manager, but I can't enter custom recovery. I've tried doing it with the "reboot into recovery" option on rom manager, and with quick boot, but I just get an error screen every time. I tried installing twrp with rom manager too, but the exact same thing happened when I tried to enter custom recovery. And there's no twrp folder in file manager, which is weird.

I'll try installing TWRP some other way.

I'd recommend unrooting, and then doing a factory reset (which will wipe everything, you probably know this but repeating it doesn't hurt). Start from scratch, and re-root before you do anything else - including signing into Google or installing apps, or anything. Take your time,, double check every step, even the small things you're sure of. Go through an "Rooting the g2 for the intellectually challenged" guide if you have to, just to be sure you've covered everything.

I don't know why, but it sounds like something either didn't install properly, or something is blocking the recovery.

I wish I could be more specific, but I don't own a G2. Otherwise I'd gladly walk through it with you one step at a time to make sure everything's working.

I know when I first rooted my Galaxy Nexus I skipped over a step because I thought I had already done it. Tried it 3x before I took a break from it, and then came back and literally read a step, or even "part 1 of step one" kind of thing. Figured out what I'd been missing and it all went smoothly after that! So it could be something simple, but it never hurts to triple check everything - I mean EVERYTHING as you go. (Relock and unlock your bootloader too, just to be sure. Not sure how complex that is on the G2 but its pretty painless on my Gnex).

I hope this helps.

 

[lexfrancis]

Yeah the speaker is actually pretty good on this phone. I'm just talking about the sound through the audio jack.

Sent from my LG-D802 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[lexfrancis]

I'd recommend unrooting, and then doing a factory reset (which will wipe everything, you probably know this but repeating it doesn't hurt). Start from scratch, and re-root before you do anything else - including signing into Google or installing apps, or anything. Take your time,, double check every step, even the small things you're sure of. Go through an "Rooting the g2 for the intellectually challenged" guide if you have to, just to be sure you've covered everything.

Probably the best advice. This was the first time I'd tried rooting a device.

Sent from my LG-D802 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[lexfrancis]

I'd recommend unrooting, and then doing a factory reset (which will wipe everything, you probably know this but repeating it doesn't hurt). Start from scratch, and re-root before you do anything else - including signing into Google or installing apps, or anything. Take your time,, double check every step, even the small things you're sure of. Go through an "Rooting the g2 for the intellectually challenged" guide if you have to, just to be sure you've covered everything.

I don't know why, but it sounds like something either didn't install properly, or something is blocking the recovery.

I wish I could be more specific, but I don't own a G2. Otherwise I'd gladly walk through it with you one step at a time to make sure everything's working.

I know when I first rooted my Galaxy Nexus I skipped over a step because I thought I had already done it. Tried it 3x before I took a break from it, and then came back and literally read a step, or even "part 1 of step one" kind of thing. Figured out what I'd been missing and it all went smoothly after that! So it could be something simple, but it never hurts to triple check everything - I mean EVERYTHING as you go. (Relock and unlock your bootloader too, just to be sure. Not sure how complex that is on the G2 but its pretty painless on my Gnex).

I hope this helps.

I'v re-rooted and installed twrp pretty much without issue. Thanks for the advice.

 

[cgardnervt]

Damn! My HTC One speakers are loud enough for me!

 

[effreyj]

The other thing I can't stand is the warning that listening to music loudly is bad for your ears which requires you to take the phone out of your pocket and press "OK" before you can make it louder.

 

[lexfrancis]

The other thing I can't stand is the warning that listening to music loudly is bad for your ears which requires you to take the phone out of your pocket and press "OK" before you can make it louder.

I don't get a prompt, I just have to let go of the volume up button and press it again to increase the volume past that point.

Sent from my LG-D802 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[lexfrancis]

This issue has been mentioned within various forums. If you are rooted it's a pretty easy fix. Get xposed framework and use the XVolume30 module. I did this on my G2 and the music volume is now loud enough at 40-50%.

And FreeGee will install TWRP or CWM.

I installed xvolume. It hasn't made any difference to Max volume, it's just increased the number of steps between mute and Max.

Sent from my LG-D802 using AC Forums mobile app