Note 4 External speaker is terrible

[goin_nil]

I'm in my local Best Buy testing the three Note 4's on display. The display is phenomenal but the speaker is terribly distorted at any volume above 50%.

I hope this is something that can be adjusted with a software update and not hardware related.

Anyone else try the external speaker yet?

 

[rcobourn]

Re: External speaker is terrible

What really matters is how loud it is at the point right before it becomes distorted. If that is reasonable, I'm happy. The extra volume capacity is useful for making a ringtone audible from within a pocket, for example.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk

 

[exdrinker]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I agree, it was distorted. It was quite loud however. I didn't pay to much attention to at what volume it distorted.

 

[goin_nil]

Re: External speaker is terrible

It is VERY loud. I tried YouTube and other music and I think it really depends on the volume of what's being played as to how distorted it is.

Youtube was OK if I backed the volume down 2 notches from the loudest. But at full volume, very crackly and distorted.

 

[Almeuit]

Re: External speaker is terrible

My guess ... it being a demo model ... everyone is pushing it to the max playing loud videos non stop and causing issues. Just my 0.02c .. I will wait for the official release to make my judgement .

 

[exdrinker]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I had to go back again this evening. The speaker is louder than the N3 for sure but it is very "tinny" sounding and distorts 2 or 3 clicks from top volume. That screen is amazing but the speaker is definitely a downer.

 

[Yathani]

Re: External speaker is terrible

Any chance to make a video comparison between note 4 and note 3 speaker? No one has done that on youtube yet.

 

[fwinst]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I just checked out the phone at a local Best Buy. I did NOT experience any distortion even at full volume. Two things to note (heh, note), the phone is really loud, and the speaker carries a lot of treble. I think those that like to play their music through the speaker will need to use an equilizer to produce the sound the want.

 

[robcassman]

Re: External speaker is terrible

This could be a big disappointment for me then as I use the speakers on my current phone quite a bit.

Some are trying to explain away the distortion by saying it is demo unit and therefore overused. But not everyone is like us nerds. I think it is safe to say that on the first day of it being out for demonstration it has not been overused. The speaker sounds bad on the first day of it being out. Too bad.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[goin_nil]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I agree. It's hard to really gauge demo models since they get used and abused.

It was only only display for 3 hours. Hardly time enough to get abused.

I regularly run my Samsung Galaxy S3 at or near full volume for the past 2 years and never had distortion issues.

 

[goin_nil]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I just checked out the phone at a local Best Buy. I did NOT experience any distortion even at full volume.

I'm glad there was no distortion on the demo units you saw. Hopefully it was just an anomaly.

 

[ReggieTee]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I keep my Tone Pros on 90% of the time.

Sent from my LG G3

 

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I'm not disappointed. It's very well known that the speakers have always been sub par on Samsung devices. If anything, I would be surprised if it had a good external speaker--not disappointed that it doesn't.

Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

 

[RionDunn]

Re: External speaker is terrible

This could be a big disappointment for me then as I use the speakers on my current phone quite a bit.

Some are trying to explain away the distortion by saying it is demo unit and therefore overused. But not everyone is like us nerds. I think it is safe to say that on the first day of it being out for demonstration it has not been overused. The speaker sounds bad on the first day of it being out. Too bad.

Posted via Android Central App

If you're purchasing a phone based on sound quality then you're in the wrong place. Look at the M8 or iPhone. This is nothing new about Samsung devices, people aren't buying the handset based purely on sound quality, obviously. I think it's fine. I do not need to have my handset cracked full volume at any point.

 

[itsnotmeitsyou]

Re: External speaker is terrible

If you're purchasing a phone based on sound quality then you're in the wrong place. Look at the M8 or iPhone. This is nothing new about Samsung devices, people aren't buying the handset based purely on sound quality, obviously. I think it's fine. I do not need to have my handset cracked full volume at any point.

Exactly. Phones can only have so many top features. We need to remember how compact these things are and how much hardware is inside of them. If we had the max technology of all hardware, these phones would be much bigger and much more expensive. There's always got to be a trade off. HTC, for example, has awesome sound. However, there is a ton of lost screen real estate and drawbacks in the camera hardware.

Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

 

[LukeJM93]

Re: External speaker is terrible

There's always got to be a trade off. HTC, for example, has awesome sound. However, there is a ton of lost screen real estate and drawbacks in the camera hardware.

Exactly, and as someone who will be coming to a Note 4 from the HTC One I will happily sacrifice Boomsound speakers for a better camera.
If I'm being honest I never really play music or videos out of my phone speakers that require a high quality of audio. If you want quality audio you should be using headphones or proper external speakers, depending on your situation.
And lets face it, 4MP is embarrassing, I'll be very happy to be bumping up to 16MP.

 

[Yk Chin]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I'm not worry at all. I hardly use the phone speakers. I have a Bluetooth speakers & also a pair of good quality earphone for traveling or on the go. No problemo.

 

[exdrinker]

Re: External speaker is terrible

It doesn't have to be the best speaker on the market but it should be as good as the Note 3 speaker. I do not even listen to music, but all sound from speaker phone to video playback will be sub par compared to the Note 3. It is just disappointing; it is not a deal breaker. I would trade the so called premium feel for function any day. Take away the aluminum and put a better speaker back in please.

 

[codyoehl]

Re: External speaker is terrible

I'd say the GS5 speaker is pretty bad, it's kinda quiet and it being on the back makes it even worse and harder to use

I'm thinking the Note 4 will be about the same

Posted via Android Central App with my Samsung Galaxy S5

 

[pantlesspenguin]

Re: External speaker is terrible

The only time I turn the speakers of my phones up all the way is for GPS directions in the car. As long as the Note is fine for this I'll be ok.