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jbartschi

macrumors newbie
Feb 28, 2011
2
0
Salt Lake City, Utah
medicmikee, thank you for your detailed post. That was exactly the issue my dad was having on his iPhone 5. Now he can hold it according to your recommendations regarding the back microphone, and his voice doesn't sound muffled. The annoying problem was easily solved!
 

Bullmastiffrulz

macrumors newbie
Jan 29, 2013
1
0
Ok I'm not sure if anyone has this answer and I don't care lol I never sign up for anything! The answer is if its in ur left hand and you use ur index finger to hold phone your figure is covering the background noise cancelation. If the phone is in ur right ur finger does not cover the back round cancelation noise mic !
 

Cbilndr

macrumors newbie
Sep 2, 2013
1
0
Mic troubles

I have had my new iPhone 5 replaced twice since I got it in mid July. I have apple care so not a great hassle but I'm having the same mic issues. Now they claim that it is "impossible" to get two phones with the same issue but I explained the difference between impossible and improbable. I have the otter box armour case as I'm a contractor and need a great case. They are claiming that the case must be causing the issue even though I originally got the phone to act up in apple while talking to the tech on his phone.....without my case in. So their opinion is that the case must be causing a lasting interference even after it is removed. BS!!!! I've tried to create the issue on purpose trying the mic covering mentioned, to no avail. I can't seem to cause the problem with or without the case. It has a mind of its own.
 

cfpmike

macrumors newbie
Jan 19, 2014
1
0
iphone 5s muffled sound

When I hold my iPhone 5S in my left hand to my left ear the sound is muffled. I remember Steve Jobs saying you're holding it wrong. Although this had nothing to do with the problem we're having now it got me to thinking. I looked at my hand holding the iPhone my thumb was on the left edge with my two Center fingers on the right edge. My index finger was up close to the noise canceling mic on the back of the phone and my palm was down by the regular mic. I could see as I talked the voice could hit my palm travel up my hand to my index finger which was close to the microphone on the back.

I called my wife on the house phone using my iPhone 5S. She said that my voice was muffled. I took my index finger away from the microphone and moved it next to my two Center fingers on the right side of the phone. This moved my palm away from the microphone at the bottom. I did this while she stayed on the line. She said that now she could hear me clearly. I then moved my index finger to completely cover the back microphone. Once again she said that the sound was still good. I then moved my index finger a small amount away from the microphone and she said that my voice was muffled again.

I believe that the way I was holding my hand acted as a megaphone to the noise canceling microphone in the back. The noise canceling microphone thought my voice was noise and was suppressing it.

I work in a noisy environment, so I like the idea of the noise canceling microphone. Going to the settings and turning off the noise canceling microphone or putting a small piece of tape over the microphone is really not a good option for me.

For now I will use this new way of holding the phone until Apple can fix this issue.
 

iPodJedi

macrumors 6502a
Nov 28, 2013
711
0
Apple Store, USA
Since getting my iPhone 5 I've talked to maybe 3 people. Two people have said I sound muffled. It only happens on my left ear. I can switch to the other ear and they say I sound a little bit better but still muffled. I've taken the Otterbox case off and still get the same results. Anyone else experiencing a muffled sound?

I just got a 5c and everyone says I sound muffled-my mom said I sound like I'm in a "tin can".

I has a griffin survivor(similar to an otter box like u had) so I took it off and same thing still happens-I'm gonna fallow this thread-and see if I (we) can solve this.
 

edrhathaway

macrumors newbie
Mar 3, 2014
1
0
Muffled Mic Fix

I think my wife and I have figured this out. If it has already been mentioned, sorry. I didn't read the whole thread but wanted to let you know what we discovered. As you are aware the iPhone 5 has 3 mics. One on the bottom you talk into, one in the speaker grille where your ear goes, and one on the back near the camera. They all help in noise cancellation. The one by the camera I tend to cup my hand around when I talk using my left hand but not the way I hold it when I use my right hand. I think most right handers hold it the same way when using their left hand. If the speaker hole by the camera is covered completely it doesn't seem to be a problem but if I cup my hand around it causes an echo-cave-seashell effect on the mic and it complicates the noise canceling which results in your speech sounding muffled to the other person. Try it. Call someone who will help. Keep the back side mic completely clear or completely occluded and they have no complaints. Put your hand over it and they say you sound distant or muffled. Anyway, that's what we found. Remember "it's not the design of the phone, it's how you hold it" hahaha! Memories. Still love the phone and now that I realize that this mic must be completely open to the surroundings I have had no issues from anyone I talk to.

The problem for me as I figured this out was that it was when talking with my left hand in my car. Turns out the mic on the back of the phone being so close I guess was doing something to turn down background noise. I understand that turing on hearing aid will stop this problem.
 
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