Pixel 5 under display speaker

[ezdoit]

I used the phone for a few days before RMAing it because of battery overheating issues.

The sound isn't *great* for listening to media etc, but it is bearable. I did find myself sometimes having to change my grip so that my finger didn't muffle the bottom speaker because the top one sure cant hold its own. What I had real issues with though is hearing phone calls. Seriously sounds like those tin can phones I played with as a kid. Distant and tinny. As soon as there was background noise I found myself switching to speaker so I could listen through the bottom speaker.

I need a water resistant phone, otherwise I'd have swapped for a 4a on the basis of this alone.

This is what concerns me greatly - my hearing needs all the help I can get - have a sage green phone waiting for me to pick it up today at Best Buy - I hate it when situations like this arise -

 

[AnnDroid]

Side by side comparison, P2XL and the P5. Same podcast, same podcast player. P5 is way louder! I'm not an audiophile, can't say which has 'better' audio. I just want to hear what I'm playing and it was loud. My hubby, who has golden ears, said the P5 sounded better (he couldn't see the phones). I'm happy with this phone so far.

 

[mustang7757]

Side by side comparison, P2XL and the P5. Same podcast, same podcast player. P5 is way louder! I'm not an audiophile, can't say which has 'better' audio. I just want to hear what I'm playing and it was loud. My hubby, who has golden ears, said the P5 sounded better (he couldn't see the phones). I'm happy with this phone so far.

Glad to hear that , call loudness was good?

 

[dc52ltr]

Call loudness is fine for me, no problem.

 

[AnnDroid]

Glad to hear that , call loudness was good?

Loud, but tin can sounding. It was a little bit distracting but I was only concentrating on sound quality, maybe in an actual phone call you wouldn't notice it at all you just get used to it. Speaker was absolutely fine.

 

[Dws51]

I picked mine up today. I was really worried about the top speaker, but thank goodness it is fine. In fact I think it is great, considering it allowed for a smaller punch hole at the top of the screen.
In fact, every concern posted so far is not an issue with my phone.
I now don’t travel for business, so while at home I use an iPad most of the time, which allows me to enjoy the smaller phone when I am away from the house. Just think, we feel a 6 inch screen is now small........
This is a home run for Google, great phone, software and price.
Darrell

 

[dc52ltr]

Couldn't agree more, the P5 is a great handset, very compact but works beautifully, love mine

I picked mine up today. I was really worried about the top speaker, but thank goodness it is fine. In fact I think it is great, considering it allowed for a smaller punch hole at the top of the screen.
In fact, every concern posted so far is not an issue with my phone.
I now don’t travel for business, so while at home I use an iPad most of the time, which allows me to enjoy the smaller phone when I am away from the house. Just think, we feel a 6 inch screen is now small........
This is a home run for Google, great phone, software and price.
Darrell

 

[gebco]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing this. We have a 4a in our household and my 2XL sounds louder and fuller. Yet video reviews seem to indicate the 4a is louder than the 5.

Side by side comparison, P2XL and the P5. Same podcast, same podcast player. P5 is way louder! I'm not an audiophile, can't say which has 'better' audio. I just want to hear what I'm playing and it was loud. My hubby, who has golden ears, said the P5 sounded better (he couldn't see the phones). I'm happy with this phone so far.

 

[mustang7757]

Loud, but tin can sounding. It was a little bit distracting but I was only concentrating on sound quality, maybe in an actual phone call you wouldn't notice it at all you just get used to it. Speaker was absolutely fine.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[whatboutbob]

Really makes me wonder if I just got a real dud p5. Side by side comparison of speakers between p2 and my p5, the p2 easily won, especially with phone calls. Wife's S20FE was significantly better again. Guess I'll know soon enough when the replacement p5 arrives.

For those reporting acceptable speakers, is your phone in a case?

 

[The_Woo]

Really makes me wonder if I just got a real dud p5. Side by side comparison of speakers between p2 and my p5, the p2 easily won, especially with phone calls. Wife's S20FE was significantly better again. Guess I'll know soon enough when the replacement p5 arrives.

For those reporting acceptable speakers, is your phone in a case?

Speaker is definitely loud, but it's a bit muffled at times. Not really a deal breaker for me. And I have it in a Ringke case.

So far I am very pleased with it overall

Good luck with your replacement

 

[elvee68]

I have the Invisible Shield
Glass Elite VisionGuard+ on mine.

On phone calls using the under display , I can hear people clearly it's just not as loud as I would like and I can see it being an issue in a noisy setting.
On speaker phone, everything is coming out of the bottom speaker so that's not an issue.

Still not a deal breaker for me since I do all my talking with a blue tooth.

 

[AnnDroid]

I have mine in a Spigen 'Ultra Hybrid Crystal Clear' case. Just did the same test without cases. Side by side, same podcast, same player. Very similar loudness, could be the same. Husband's ears heard more 'sibilance' in the 5. I call that tone or tinny. Actually great for voice. We both noticed the P2XL lacked highs, slightly muffled compared to the 5. He called it 'rolled off in the highs'.

 

[ezdoit]

I have mine in a Spigen 'Ultra Hybrid Crystal Clear' case. Just did the same test without cases. Side by side, same podcast, same player. Very similar loudness, could be the same. Husband's ears heard more 'sibilance' in the 5. I call that tone or tinny. Actually great for voice. We both noticed the P2XL lacked highs, slightly muffled compared to the 5. He called it 'rolled off in the highs'.

This make me even more excited to get the 5 - "sibilance" + "rolled off in the highs" WOW

Now I have to look up those terms before the phone arrives - I hope they are good things -

 

[I Can Be Your Hero]

Really makes me wonder if I just got a real dud p5. Side by side comparison of speakers between p2 and my p5, the p2 easily won, especially with phone calls. Wife's S20FE was significantly better again. Guess I'll know soon enough when the replacement p5 arrives.

For those reporting acceptable speakers, is your phone in a case?

No you didn't get a dud, it's how the speakers are. If you're listening to something on loudspeaker, cover the bottom speaker with your finger and you'll hear how bad the top speaker is.

It's especially bad in phone calls. There's no speaker grille, so nowhere for the sound to escape. Really bad design.

 

[cbreze]

The speaker reports from actual users are not enticing me at all. “Not great, but bearable” should not be coming from a new $700 pixel phone. I need to be able to have some quality in my sound output. Volume is a part of quality. If a 3 year old pixel sounds better than a brand new pixel somethings not right. It seems google was so focused on keeping up with everybody in the zero bezel dept. that they sacrificed a basic feature of a dual speaker phone......quality sound. To me this new speaker tech seems half baked if not also a step back.

 

[mwboost]

Sold my Pixel 5. Sticking with my 4. I use the speakers a lot. 4 is way better for me. 5 isn't a big upgrade anyway for me.
They should've made a similar design to Samsung's.

 

[whatboutbob]

No you didn't get a dud, it's how the speakers are. If you're listening to something on loudspeaker, cover the bottom speaker with your finger and you'll hear how bad the top speaker is.

It's especially bad in phone calls. There's no speaker grille, so nowhere for the sound to escape. Really bad design.

"The dud" comment was in part a nod to the fact I needed to RMA the phone in the first place for an overheating issue that very few others seem to have so far experienced/been able to replicate.

But secondly, I'm confused that anyone could think the under display speaker is anything other than sub-par, based on my experience with a single p5. I'm going to withhold further comment until I hear the replacement phone, but I'm not holding my breath for an audio improvement. If the sound is as poor as the first one then I'll be swapping it for a different model as it isn't fit for purpose.

The below was my first post on the issue, FYI:

I used the phone for a few days before RMAing it because of battery overheating issues.

The sound isn't *great* for listening to media etc, but it is bearable. I did find myself sometimes having to change my grip so that my finger didn't muffle the bottom speaker because the top one sure cant hold its own. What I had real issues with though is hearing phone calls. Seriously sounds like those tin can phones I played with as a kid. Distant and tinny. As soon as there was background noise I found myself switching to speaker so I could listen through the bottom speaker.

I need a water resistant phone, otherwise I'd have swapped for a 4a on the basis of this alone.

 

[Torisen1]

Kinds funny, was Google "brave" doing this before Apple. Referencing the no headphone jack thing.

 

[bkdodger2]

One small slit on the top would make it perfect.. I'm curious to listen first hand... Gotta hit up my connects...