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iPhone - left channel audio only

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xurizaemon

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 8, 2007
5
0
I own an iPhone 3G. Audio only comes from the left channel in iTunes, apps etc. This is true whether there are headphones connected or not, which seems to suggest it's not simply a poor connection in the stereo jack.

From what I read there's no software balance control but I wonder if this issue is common or resolvable. I'd love to fix this!

Any suggestions? What can I do to fix it?

Thanks in advance!
 
xurizaemon said:
I own an iPhone 3G. Audio only comes from the left channel in iTunes, apps etc. This is true whether there are headphones connected or not, which seems to suggest it's not simply a poor connection in the stereo jack.

From what I read there's no software balance control but I wonder if this issue is common or resolvable. I'd love to fix this!

Any suggestions? What can I do to fix it?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Don't pay attention to the other guy about the one working speaker. If you only get one channel in your headphones, then there is a definite problem.
 
3 years later ...

Back to the thread about what we'll discuss in 2019. :D
 
xurizaemon said:
This is true whether there are headphones connected or not, which seems to suggest it's not simply a poor connection in the stereo jack.
Click to expand...

anjinhamarota said:
iPhone only has one working bottom speaker/defective speaker
Click to expand...

labman said:
In the sticky notes at the top of this very section :rolleyes: with almost the same title!

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/546874/ ;)
Click to expand...

read the OP. hes talkin about HEADPHONES as well, not speakers

these repliers are full of FAIL
 
macfanboy said:
read the OP. hes talkin about HEADPHONES as well, not speakers

these repliers are full of FAIL
Click to expand...

At least ONE other person was paying attention to the original post. I swear, people don't even read and they come in expecting that he means the bottom speakers.
 
ME TOO !!! <left audio only>

TheSpaz said:
Don't pay attention to the other guy about the one working speaker. If you only get one channel in your headphones, then there is a definite problem.
Click to expand...

I have a 16GB iPhone 3G and the left speaker is the only one working as well!! it was a gift so I didn't take it back or anything, at first I thought I could fix it somehow, but there is no way to fix it.
BUT< when I use head phones I have audio from both sides.....
 
TheSpaz said:
At least ONE other person was paying attention to the original post. I swear, people don't even read and they come in expecting that he means the bottom speakers.
Click to expand...

Actually he said "This is true whether there are headphones connected or not" so he's referring to the speakers too (but that's supposed to happen because there' only one). If it happens with the headphones it might be that one of them isn't working (it happens a lot with the Apple headphones).

iphonesurfer said:
I have a 16GB iPhone 3G and the left speaker is the only one working as well!! it was a gift so I didn't take it back or anything, at first I thought I could fix it somehow, but there is no way to fix it.
BUT< when I use head phones I have audio from both sides.....
Click to expand...

Read the first reply to this thread.
 
iphonesurfer said:
I have a 16GB iPhone 3G and the left speaker is the only one working as well!! it was a gift so I didn't take it back or anything, at first I thought I could fix it somehow, but there is no way to fix it.
BUT< when I use head phones I have audio from both sides.....
Click to expand...

Oh my goodness.

:D

This is only gonna get better.
 
maybe..... just maybe.... it can be fixed with a fresh firmware update

otherwise

Bring it to the apple store and get a replacement. And maybe have some music that fully demonstrates this issue as they might think your complaining about the right speaker being broken. Pink Floyd or Postal Service (Such great heights) would be good. This video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMOkfI7wCrI would be good to show them if you have a stubborn genius guy.
 
Just to clear this up ( because there are noobs in this thread that clearly don't read stickies)

A) The iphone only has one speaker, so its normal for the right speaker not to work

B) It is not normal to have only one side of your audio work when you wear headphones

OP You should get some compressed air and blow it into your earphone jack. There have been several reports of people having audio issues due to junk/link getting into their earphone jack
 
lollicup said:
OP You should get some compressed air and blow it into your earphone jack. There have been several reports of people having audio issues due to junk/link getting into their earphone jack
Click to expand...

Don't think that's the issue because if its that, he would hear both left and right from the speaker itself.

-- but yes, using compressed air does work when all of a sudden you cant hear crap from your headphones.
 
projectone said:
Don't think that's the issue because if its that, he would hear both left and right from the speaker itself.

-- but yes, using compressed air does work when all of a sudden you cant hear crap from your headphones.
Click to expand...

He can't hear left and right from the speakers because only the left one is a speaker, the other one is a mic.

iPhone only has one working bottom speaker/defective speaker

attachment.php
 
anjinhamarota said:
He can't hear left and right from the speakers because only the left one is a speaker, the other one is a mic.

iPhone only has one working bottom speaker/defective speaker

attachment.php
Click to expand...

you've got it wrong. Even though the iphone has only ONE speaker, both the left channel and right channel is played through the monophone. The OP can't hear his right channel, and not his right speaker.

For example, the OP would be able to hear this mp3 whether its on the speaker or headphone http://users.skynet.be/fa046054/home/P22/track12.mp3 and if his right channel is having problems he would not hear this mp3 http://users.skynet.be/fa046054/home/P22/track14.mp3
 
OP: Are you sure you're getting only the left channel through the bottom speaker? As others have pointed out, there is only one speaker on the bottom of the iPhone.

Try these two files:

Right Channel: Sweep right, 20 - 20.000 Hz -10 dB (677 KB)
Left Channel: Sweep left, 20 - 20.000 Hz -10 dB (677 KB)

If you can hear both of these files out of your bottom speaker, then both channels are working through your bottom speaker, and your problem is likely to be with the headphone jack.

If you hear only one of these files through the bottom speaker, then there is clearly a problem either with the software or hardware on your phone. You should then try a complete restore and set up as new iPhone.

If you still have the problem after restoring and setting up as a new phone, then your next step is to take it to the genius bar for replacement.
 
thelatinist said:
OP: Are you sure you're getting only the left channel through the bottom speaker? As others have pointed out, there is only one speaker on the bottom of the iPhone.

Try these two files:

Right Channel: Sweep right, 20 - 20.000 Hz -10 dB (677 KB)
Left Channel: Sweep left, 20 - 20.000 Hz -10 dB (677 KB)

If you can hear both of these files out of your bottom speaker, then both channels are working through your bottom speaker, and your problem is likely to be with the headphone jack.

If you hear only one of these files through the bottom speaker, then there is clearly a problem either with the software or hardware on your phone. You should then try a complete restore and set up as new iPhone.

If you still have the problem after restoring and setting up as a new phone, then your next step is to take it to the genius bar for replacement.
Click to expand...

why the redundancy i may ask?
 
thelatinist said:
OP: Are you sure you're getting only the left channel through the bottom speaker? As others have pointed out, there is only one speaker on the bottom of the iPhone.

Try these two files:

Right Channel: Sweep right, 20 - 20.000 Hz -10 dB (677 KB)
Left Channel: Sweep left, 20 - 20.000 Hz -10 dB (677 KB)

If you can hear both of these files out of your bottom speaker, then both channels are working through your bottom speaker, and your problem is likely to be with the headphone jack.

If you hear only one of these files through the bottom speaker, then there is clearly a problem either with the software or hardware on your phone. You should then try a complete restore and set up as new iPhone.

If you still have the problem after restoring and setting up as a new phone, then your next step is to take it to the genius bar for replacement.
Click to expand...

nice post ( saved the files for future reference :D )

thanks
 
WOW! I had to keep reading to fully grasp the situation. Like a slow motion train wreck.
My suggestion: read..think..reread..think.........reply if necessary
 
OK!

Knowing that there is a channel issue NOT A SPEAKER ISSUE, we can continue on with figuring it out.

I'd just like to reiterate, that when you played the aforementioned mp3's in one works and one doesn't, and the one that doesn't is the left channel (This is when your headphones are NOT plugged in.)

I assume then that the same is true for the headphones - Correct?

Changing types of headphones does not produce any different results - Correct?

This sounds like a software issue. Try backing up the iPhone and restoring to factory settings. If this doesn't resolve anything I'd say it is a hardware issue. As long as there is no apparent physical damage you will probably have to send it in to Apple.

Because there is the same issue headphones or not, I'd venture to say that it is a motherboard problem, not a speaker or jack problem. I have no idea how to repair any motherboard issues.

Of course, I could be completely off base in all of this, in which case PM me and we can try to figure it out.
 
How To Fix Audio from One Channel Only (e.g. left speaker only)

My iPhone 4 has an audio balance slider in Settings -> General -> Accessibility, scroll down to "Led Flash for Alerts, Mono Audio, and L - R balance".

When I applied an IOS update, I lost the right channel for music, but not phone calls... Curious place to put the audio channel balance ;-<

But all better now.
 
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