Speaker Tweak

[Knowlege Bomb]

I read through quite a few pages on another forum about increasing the speaker volume by penetrating the small membrane that covers the holes. I thought about doing this but reconsidered because nobody mentioned what version of firmware they were running. Maybe it was just the older versions that suffered from poor speaker volume??

Has anybody tried this? If so, did it work and what firmware version (OTB) did you have?

 

[SFStateStudent]

Be careful...

get external speakers, an iPhone boom box or some nice headphones.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

Well I wasn't asking for a fix for poor speaker volume. Mine is sufficient. I'm just wondering if anybody in the MR community has done this mod.

 

[Carnivor]

I have done this mod, and it does work to an extent, maybe 10%/15% improvement. i cant see what version of firmware has to do with the membrane tho...are you refering to the age of the device? afaik there havent been any changes to the membrane during production.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

I have done this mod, and it does work to an extent, maybe 10%/15% improvement. i cant see what version of firmware has to do with the membrane tho...are you refering to the age of the device? afaik there havent been any changes to the membrane during production.

The membrane, no. But the software affiliated with the device volume may have been improved in later versions. I'm not saying this as a fact because I don't know. Which is why I asked in the first place...

 

[Carnivor]

Ahh, soz i get you now, i thought you were directly relating the membrane to the firmware, duh

 

[TurboSC]

I usually have the vibrate going with the ringer, so if the sound doesn't catch my attention the vibration will.

 

[wrboyce]

I used a needle to pierce the holes on my O2 iPhone - the difference is definitely noticable.

 

[Leemo]

I have done this mod, and it does work to an extent, maybe 10%/15% improvement. i cant see what version of firmware has to do with the membrane tho...are you refering to the age of the device? afaik there havent been any changes to the membrane during production.

It's certainly more than a 15% difference - if I listen to music on the speaker now I've found that having the volume half way is pretty much the same to how it used to sound on full blast before I poked through. It makes the iPhone a million times more usable in my view - and makes the ringer so much easier to hear.

Well worth doing and would recommend it.

 

[hollerz]

I've done this too, there is an improvement, I haven't managed to get as much of one as some people say though.

If only there was a way to make the vibrate stronger lol.

 

[knoxtown]

It's certainly more than a 15% difference - if I listen to music on the speaker now I've found that having the volume half way is pretty much the same to how it used to sound on full blast before I poked through. It makes the iPhone a million times more usable in my view - and makes the ringer so much easier to hear.

Well worth doing and would recommend it.

If you don't mind, can you tell what you did? Did you use a safety pin to punch the holes? How far do you have to go in?

 

[Carnivor]

safety pin is purfect, if you push it in a hole in the middle of the grill, you'll feel where it butts up against the membrane, then just push harder till it pops through! i only did one hole, perhaps thats why im not as noticable as other say, me thinks i'll do a couple more see if its louder again.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

So it's cool that people responded and shared their stories, but nobody answered my question about firmware versions... Thanks for reading guys!

 

[domness]

So it's cool that people responded and shared their stories, but nobody answered my question about firmware versions... Thanks for reading guys!

Well apprently there was a change in volume with 1.1.2 I think.. or maybe 1.1.3 not sure which one it was.

But there is only really so much they can do with volume updates before the sound becomes ****** because of the quality of the speaker.

Another way to increase the iPhones volume, is by using a jailbreak tweak.

 

[eye.surgeon]

I did it, noticeably louder. Firmware versions are irrelevant, it's a hardware issue. Firmware isn't going to increase the sound permeability of the membrane.

 

[Knowlege Bomb]

I did it, noticeably louder. Firmware versions are irrelevant, it's a hardware issue. Firmware isn't going to increase the sound permeability of the membrane.

I know this... I was using the firmware as a timeline reference which is easier for me to understand than serial numbers and week numbers.

 

[Eleonardo]

I did it, noticeably louder. Firmware versions are irrelevant, it's a hardware issue. Firmware isn't going to increase the sound permeability of the membrane.

True, but I wonder if at any point they changed the way they were manufactured - even a simple change such as replacing the membrane with a different material.

For these people that say that this has made a huge improvement for them, when did they purchase their phones?

I purchased an 8GB model during the beginning of Feb '08, and my speaker volume is alright, it's not too bad, but it's not too great either.

For example, in a restaraunt setting where people are talking and there's constant background noise/rumble , it can be pretty hard to hear a song playing through the speaker.

I'm still undecided on whether or not to do it. It's not like I use the speaker that often, but it would be nice to be able to play songs for people or show them youtube videos without them having to lean-in to where they are only a few inches from the phone. So, any improvement would be welcomed.

 

[nate94gt]

I'm still undecided on whether or not to do it. It's not like I use the speaker that often, but it would be nice to be able to play songs for people or show them youtube videos without them having to lean-in to where they are only a few inches from the phone. So, any improvement would be welcomed.

truth. im not gonna do it till i am out of warranty.
the youtube thing is huge! I hate showing someone a video and they cant even hear it Thats stupid.

 

[jecapaga]

I did this mod hoping it would help the speakerphone while on a call...sad to say it's still terrible and not noticeable increase here. I can't comment on ipod speaker use as I don't use that ever.

 

[Eleonardo]

I did this mod hoping it would help the speakerphone while on a call...sad to say it's still terrible and not noticeable increase here. I can't comment on ipod speaker use as I don't use that ever.

When did you purchase your iPhone?

 

[Philberttheduck]

One of my speaker sides isn't working?

I was wondering if it was normal if this "volume limit" allows sound to go through only on the bottom left speaker? When I close the left speaker, i don't hear anything out of the right side. Something wrong or is this the mic?

 

[hollerz]

I was wondering if it was normal if this "volume limit" allows sound to go through only on the bottom left speaker? When I close the left speaker, i don't hear anything out of the right side. Something wrong or is this the mic?

It's the mic, the iPhone only has one speaker unfortunately.

 

[Craigy Boy]

I've just upgraded to a 16gb iPhone and the speakers are noticeably louder now.