Custom ringtones are lower quality on iPhone 4s

[mattraehl]

Yes, if you're using Garageband DON'T send to Itunes as Ringtone. Send to itunes as a song and manually change the file extension to M4R and move it to tones. Otherwise the process of garageband converting the song distorts the sound.

Interesting, I will compare when I get home. However, I currently have ringtones on my phone that were made this way, and they still sound different when used as a ringtone vs text alert.

So, what you are describing seems to be a different, unrelated issue.

 

[Rocko1]

I can confirm all stock sounds along with custom ringtones sound worse as ringtones as they do Text Tones. This is clearly a bug. Please send Apple feedback so we can get this fixed.

 

[may76inc]

Higher Quality Custom Ringtones

Try using the mycellspot.com ringtone maker. If you start off with an mp3 (they have a free converter program if you need one) cut it, download and then import it into iTunes. You can export it and rename the file extension to .m4r.

This is actually not as hard as it sounds. Follow the instructions in this link
http://www.mycellspot.com/HelpFile/help.pdf

It worked great for me on my new iPhone so it should work for you

 

[Rocko1]

The issue is not the conversion or importing. It's a bug on the 4S. Even stock sounds are lower quality as ringtones.

 

[mattraehl]

By the way I checked it just now, and as JaclsTLOS said, there is some slight change to the way the song sounds when exporting from Garageband as a ringtone. But it is really nothing compared to what the 4S is doing to it as a ringtone. It still sounds great to me, just slightly different. But set it as a ringtone, and BLECH.

 

[millerw247365]

Ringtone vs. Text tone .wav file

Hi All,

I've attached a link to a .zip file containing a .wav file with my custom ringtone played twice, followed by the marimba tone twice. I noticed this after upgrading to the 4S as well.

The first time each tone is played, it is being played as a ringtone. The second time each tone is played, it is played as a text tone. There is a marked difference in the audio quality of playback based on tone type. It seems that the text tone is being cleaned up a bit - it sounds better than a ringtone in my opinion.

This was done by connecting the headphone output to a microphone input on a laptop. All audio enhancements to playback and recording were disabled. No volume level adjustments were made during the recording.

The file was recorded as stereo 44100Hz in Audacity.

Thanks,

Bill

 

[MultiFinder17]

Add me to the list. I just got a 4S yesterday to replace a 4, and thought that my ringtone sounded odd and bad. Then I stumbled across this :|

 

[shikari89]

Just found this out too. The custom files sound much much better when being used as a text tone than a ringtone. They just have a more full sound as compared to the ringtone. The ringtones are ear piercing loud...

 

[Bettz1]

Any update on this problem?? I've filled out a email to apple about the ringtones sounding bad

 

[miss.manson]

Now that this issue has been brought up, I have noticed it to. I make my own ringtones with my windows computer, if that has anything to do with it. I normally have my phone on vibrate anyways.

 

[JetBlack7]

Not me. Actually the opposite. MIne sound much better.

Same here.

 

[SanchezMarc]

People, it's not the conversion. If it was the file would sound bad when used as a text tone, but it doesn't, it sound's great. It's a bug.

Does anyone have a purchased ringtone and a custom made ringtone of the same music, how do they compare?

Yes, I did. Purchased an 'official' ringtone on iTunes and it still sounds awful when set as ringtone. Here in Spain no one at the Apple Store has been able to give me an answer about what the problem is...

Is there any news about this?

 

[Rocko1]

Does anyone have a iPhone 4 not on 5.0.1 that they can try this on? It may be 5.0.1.

 

[Bettz1]

My 4s was on 5.0 and ringtones sounded horrible

 

[Hastings101]

Anyone else have this issue? The custom ringtones sound really low quality, all the apple ringtones sound fine. If restore as new and used different tones but they all sound like low bit rate tracks. Wasn't like this on iPhone 4.

I have the same problem! All of my custom ringtones sound like absolute garbage. What's funny is, when I tried them in iTunes on the phone before buying them they sounded great, but when actually used as ringtones on the phone they sound terrible.

 

[mark17820]

has anyone found a fix for this?

 

[zYxMa]

Confirmed I have the same issue on my iPhone 4S.

Later I will check with my girlfriends iPhone 4.

 

[Sk8-Rat]

Any Solutions Yet???

Ok, so it's been a few months now and I am noticing that this issue has been swept under the rug. Has there been any breakthroughs with this issue at all? We know that both custom made ringtones whether they are made through iTunes, GarageBand, what have you, sound absolutely terrible through the iPhone 4s. We also know that this is an issue for ringtones bought through the iTunes store as well so there is no need for any more confirmations or analysis. Fact is custom ringtones sound bad when set as normal ringtones, however they sound fine when played as custom text tones. This, however as nonsensical as it seems, is the issue at hand and I don't understand how I, and I know there others as well as me out there, should have to deal with ringtones sounding like garbage on my phone that is absolutely amazing in every other aspect.

 

[Gilb2406]

Fixed!!!!!!

Good news folks! I've just installed iOS 5.1 on my iPhone 4S and the ringtone issue has finally been FIXED!!!!! They still sound very slightly different to text tones but it's not a bad difference. They sound SIGNIFICANTLY better

 

[Bettz1]

Good news folks! I've just installed iOS 5.1 on my iPhone 4S and the ringtone issue has finally been FIXED!!!!! They still sound very slightly different to text tones but it's not a bad difference. They sound SIGNIFICANTLY better

Think I'll stick with my jailbreak #

 

[zYxMa]

Good news folks! I've just installed iOS 5.1 on my iPhone 4S and the ringtone issue has finally been FIXED!!!!! They still sound very slightly different to text tones but it's not a bad difference. They sound SIGNIFICANTLY better

Very slightly you say?

Yeah I'm not wasting my jailbreak...

 

[Ktdhc]

I would say it's normal now. Compared ringtones to normal music and they sound the same to me.

 

[Rocko1]

I would say it's normal now. Compared ringtones to normal music and they sound the same to me.

Yep, sound good now! Yay.

 

[millerw247365]

Fixed

I just updated as well and the tones sound so much better!

 

[eatglass]

I got my phone today and decided to make a custom tone.
It's absolutely awful quality, there is a massive difference between ringtone and text tone.

Either, it was worse before or it's not fixed?
I struggle to believe it was worse than this.

Just to confirm I'm running the latest firmware 5.1.1