Anyone else disappointed with the external speaker quality compared to their last phone?

[SkypilotOfHope]

Hmmm... Kind of wondering about mine. Received it yesterday from Amazon, and I'm just not finding the external speakers to be putting out much volume. Music mode is much quieter than theater mode, and the sound in the former is lacking in bass.

Unfortunately, my Nexus 6P won't boot (boot loop error) and so the only phone I have to compare with is my iPhone 6. The volume on the iPhone is roughly equivalent at maximum to the U11 in music mode, albeit the U11's quality is better.

I was expecting better. I don't care as much about playing music through the external speakers; I always use headphones for music. But in the occasional YouTube video that I watch, or Netflix, I have to crank the volume past 75% to get any kind of volume.

Can you feel any bass when the phone is in your hands? If not, there may be an issue. Also, is there a difference when your phone lying on a flat surface and playing music? Music mode only; theatre mode, imo, is awful.

 

[wynand32]

Can you feel any bass when the phone is in your hands? If not, there may be an issue. Also, is there a difference when your phone lying on a flat surface and playing music? Music mode only; theatre mode, imo, is awful.

Well, crud. No on both points. Can't feel any bass whatsoever when I'm holding it (and honestly, I might have noticed it being better right after I received it). And there's no difference whatsoever when it's laying on a flat surface.

Since my biggest complaints are 1) how quiet it is and 2) how tinny it sounds, I'm inclined to think there's something wrong. I can't imagine anyone being terribly excited about how this thing sounds -- probably worth an exchange (which Amazon makes exceedingly easy, glad I went that route) just to make sure.

It's a bummer because everything else seems great in this unit.

 

[SkypilotOfHope]

Well, crud. No on both points. Can't feel any bass whatsoever when I'm holding it (and honestly, I might have noticed it being better right after I received it). And there's no difference whatsoever when it's laying on a flat surface.

Since my biggest complaints are 1) how quiet it is and 2) how tinny it sounds, I'm inclined to think there's something wrong. I can't imagine anyone being terribly excited about how this thing sounds -- probably worth an exchange (which Amazon makes exceedingly easy, glad I went that route) just to make sure.

It's a bummer because everything else seems great in this unit.

Well that's disappointing for you. My first unit was defective. Fortunately, the Solar Red was announced shortly after and I pre-ordered straightaway. Unfortunately, HTC credit took about four weeks. Good news for you is that your Amazon credit should happen in a mere few days. You gonna order another U11? Fantastic phone!

 

[wynand32]

Well that's disappointing for you. My first unit was defective. Fortunately, the Solar Red was announced shortly after and I pre-ordered straightaway. Unfortunately, HTC credit took about four weeks. Good news for you is that your Amazon credit should happen in a mere few days. You gonna order another U11? Fantastic phone!

I went through Amazon's replacement process. I'll have a new phone tomorrow and then have 30 days to return this one (make sure the replacement is actually improved). Amazon makes everything so easy.

I do hope I'm not just suffering from unreasonable expectations. But I'll find out soon enough, I suppose.

 

[wynand32]

As a quick update, I received the replacement U11 today. Although it's not appreciably louder, it definitely sounds better. Seems like the first unit has an issue with bass -- it's almost non-existent and so makes the midrange and high end really stick out. On the replacement unit things are much more balanced and actually sound good. Plus using them side-by-side I notice some crackling in the original that's not there in the replacement.

So, thank goodness for Amazon's easy as pie replacement process.

 

[NightOrchid]

The speakers on the U11 are awesome...

Theatre mode is slightly Louder than Music Mode, but its more "Woolly with thick fill-in" and suffers from Minor "Vibration Resonance" at high volumes with Pure Sine Wave sounds in music.. Pianos, Acappella voices, Solo guitars etc, Music mode is alot crisper and clearer at high volumes, but that thicker sound in Theatre mode does give the U11 the impression of being louder than Music mode

The U11 speakers are not supposed to be L/R Stereo... Technically... the majority of the music/sound comes from the bottom.. Bass/Mid Woofer.. and the "Ambient High Frequency Fill-in" from the ear piece/tweeter, but obviously this is based on where and how the mix is balanced..

I love the U11 Audio.. Its better than the iPhone, but from what ive seen its closest rival by a hair is the Huawei P10 Plus..