Two Titans Microphone Sound Quality - Poor

[klocker2]

Interesting. If it sounds fine using video chat then there's a good chance that a software fix could solve the problem with call quality.

IF someone does something about it..right now it feels like not enough people want to believe it's happening to change it. I understand as if I was not having the issue I wouldn't care as much nor would I want to hear people complaining.

It may have just been a fluke but again testing with the back cover off to my own voicemail, I got better sound on the two calls I made before losing the signal.

Here is my scale of reference after listening to several calls in 3 different ways

Plastic protective case ON (with big mic hole) and phone back cover ON:
call quality 4/10

Plastic protective case OFF, hole in back cover reamed out with a needle (yes it's a small as a large needle) and the little tiny piece of baffling on inside around cover hole (looks like foam) pulled out. Back cover ON:
call quality 5.75/10

case OFF back cover OFF speaking directly into Mic:
call quality 7.9/10

focus S:
call quality 8.1/10


again not scientific and each call's quality is so dependent on other factors it would require perhaps a dozen calls each way to get a conclusion

 

[kevm14]

Ok I did some experimentation and have some preliminary results to share.

I made test videos in 720p w/ stereo to perform microphone tests.

Without going into excessive detail, it would appear that the problem is with the case.

I performed stereo separation tests and with the case on, speaking directly into the bottom mic still sounds like it is blending into both channels. It also sounds a little muffled. The top mic has better separation with the case on.

I also performed this test by scratching and similar results. Scratching the rear HTC logo is LOUD and sounds as if the entire back cover is a microphone.

I took the case off and noticed the mics do have rubber isolation. I performed a scratch test and a voice test and WOW. What a difference! Totally clear, and proper stereo separation, top and bottom. They sound the same with the case off, but the bottom mic sounds worse with the case on.

I was also looking into case alignment with the mic port and I was thinking that drilling out that bottom hole slightly would probably make a large difference, unless the problem is really just the metal case causing distortion in the sound. Maybe there is more to it...could there be more than the 2 mics?

EDIT: Perhaps the difference in exchange phones is the way the bottom mic hole is molded, affecting alignment to the mic itself.

 

[slitching]

The holes in the back are used for noise cancellation aren't they? I still think there is a bug in the noise cancellation equation. Maybe the friction with the case is being lumped in with highs in our voices.

 

[Ruslan.al]

It might be a software issue.. We are also noticed from the first day that when we are using TANGO there is no problem at all.

Phones were purchased at LA MS Store (Century City). Anybody else with "mic problem" got their phone at MS Stores?

 

[klocker2]

Yes someone needs to take the plunge into drilling the hole out.

I also wonder if it will make a difference if you baffle the inside back with foam? I still can not imagine how some people could be having issues and some are not unless it is a physical problem with certain handsets

Edit...
Got my titan through ATT online

 

[kevm14]

The holes in the back are used for noise cancellation aren't they? I still think there is a bug in the noise cancellation equation. Maybe the friction with the case is being lumped in with highs in our voices.

I think they are for antennas. Look at the inside of the cover. Each hole has a corresponding contact.

Sent from my HTC TITAN using Board Express

 

[kevm14]

AT&T online purchase here, going on almost 3 weeks.

Btw, when I said "case" above I meant the battery cover. I have no accessory case.


Sent from my HTC TITAN using Board Express

 

[slitching]

I purchase my phone online on the saturday following thanksgiving for a penny. It arrived a few days later on Wednesday the 28th.

It is a lot of trouble to exchange phones, but I don't want to risk letting the 30 day return window expire.

 

[Ruslan.al]

I've also posted in this forum:

Reporting NUMEROUS bugs, glitches, and problems - HTC TITAN

Please put your comments as well. We need HTC's attention to this problem. Now we almost sure that it's not a mic problem (thanks to TANGO). Somehow dialer/phone software (noise cancellation or coding or any other filtering) and may be camera's part are not performing as needed on some units. And it should be fixed or patched.

 

[kevm14]

I don't think it is a mic issue, in terms of the part. While doing my 720p stereo video test, I walked out of the living room and could easily hear the TV in the video as I walked into another room. Yet while on the phone, with my mouth only a few inches from the mic, it cuts off my voice.

 

[Dolemike]

After having the issue yesterday morning, on my way home from work, I called both my father and my fiance'. They both said I sounded as if I was on a COMPLETELY different phone and that I sounded "crystal clear".

I'm starting to think the issue could be two-fold: 1) The cell tower you're connected to (NOT THE SIGNAL STRENGTH) and 2) The environment you're in (maybe an issue with the noise cancellation technology?).

I had the issue at work which is rather noisy at times, and was in a semi-quiet (only slight road noise) vehicle when the quality was at its best.

Just my 2 cents.

-Dolemike

 

[Ruslan.al]

Can someone who doesn't experiencing a "muffled" effect send me a private message with his phone # so we can make a couple test calls? That way we can really compare and make a better statement.

 

[power5]

I was going to try a voice recording app, but unfortunately I can not connect to the market place. Understandable since I only have 5 bars of "4G". Going to try a reset and see if that helps. I thought android was the only phone that needed constant resets? I think I have reset 4 times today.


Yup worked within seconds of searching. Came back with results. Still has 4-5 bars. Seems I have to do this a few times a day to make sure its actually connecting to the network. No idea if this is a WP7 problem or an HTC problem.


Take that back. Now trying to download the app it says, "We can't connect to marketplace right now. Check data connection or try again later."

I got 10 days left and starting to rethink my decision of dropping apple. I hate apple but it works when it should. No reason why my phone should indicate 4-5 bars and not be able to connect to the market place to download my app.

 

[HeyCori]

I think most of the issues are because of HTC, though the marketplace could of been Microsoft's fault though not likely.

 

[Fiann]

I was going to try a voice recording app, but unfortunately I can not connect to the market place. Understandable since I only have 5 bars of "4G". Going to try a reset and see if that helps. I thought android was the only phone that needed constant resets? I think I have reset 4 times today.


Yup worked within seconds of searching. Came back with results. Still has 4-5 bars. Seems I have to do this a few times a day to make sure its actually connecting to the network. No idea if this is a WP7 problem or an HTC problem.


Take that back. Now trying to download the app it says, "We can't connect to marketplace right now. Check data connection or try again later."

I got 10 days left and starting to rethink my decision of dropping apple. I hate apple but it works when it should. No reason why my phone should indicate 4-5 bars and not be able to connect to the market place to download my app.

I had a few problems like that especially in the last couple of days. I suspect that may be down to growing pains in the Marketplace as much as anything. Usually I find that if I go out of the marketplace by hitting the back arrow until I get to the previous app (you can confirm it isn't running by bringing up the task switcher) and then wait a moment before going back into it then I'm able to get it to work.

I've also seen this behavior on my Titan and my Surround in cases where I have enough of a wifi signal that it holds the connection open but not enough for it to actually pass data through reliably. In those cases, turning off the wifi radio seems to fix it. I also have my doubts about AT&T's network sometimes.

 

[spokanedj]

Talked to my dad today twice on my Titan and both times he complained about not being able to hear me. Called him back on my Girlfriends Samsung Focus S sitting right next to my Titan and he said everything sounded fine. Got a week to think about switching to a Focus S.

 

[bridgehead]

Talked to my dad today twice on my Titan and both times he complained about not being able to hear me. Called him back on my Girlfriends Samsung Focus S sitting right next to my Titan and he said everything sounded fine. Got a week to think about switching to a Focus S.

This may be overly simplistic but the Titan is a long phone.
When it is positioned properly for my ear, the mic is too far away.
I find that when the person I'm calling complains of voice quality, if I move the phone 'up' on my head so my mouth is closer to the mic, the quality improves.

 

[klocker2]

Talked to my dad today twice on my Titan and both times he complained about not being able to hear me. Called him back on my Girlfriends Samsung Focus S sitting right next to my Titan and he said everything sounded fine. Got a week to think about switching to a Focus S.

I feel.your pain. I have both and I pick up the titan everyday and go online with it and admire it but I can not do business with the call quality so my sim card is in the focus. The focus S is a beautiful phone too but after using the titan and the solid feel and the subtle differences and the SCREEN! . You want to use it. I may exchange it for another Focus which my gf will end up with or we will keep as aback up. Or I keep it and see if software improves it.

 

[slitching]

This may be overly simplistic but the Titan is a long phone.
When it is positioned properly for my ear, the mic is too far away.
I find that when the person I'm calling complains of voice quality, if I move the phone 'up' on my head so my mouth is closer to the mic, the quality improves.

This is not the issue. Although it helps to reposition the phone some, I can turn the phone and speak directly into the bottom mic and still have issues.

 

[kevm14]

This is not the issue. Although it helps to reposition the phone some, I can turn the phone and speak directly into the bottom mic and still have issues.

Exactly. And for even more damning proof, pull the phone away from your mouth as you talk at a normal volume. It is pathetic how few inches it takes for your voice to basically disappear from being transmitted during a phone call. Since video is fine (still better without the cover, though), I am hopeful for a firmware update. When I get a chance I'll try to register on the HTC forum and add my own 2 cents so they take this seriously. The signal/speed issue is also pretty high on my list, though.