Special Post on How to Make Progress with the Alleged Low Volume Speaker Problem

[Droidxer10]

If you are happy with the speaker and volume levels on your Droid X, then that is great (!), but this forum thread is not for you. Apparently, the Verizon first line tech support people have no information regarding the alleged low volume speaker problem documented at the two links below, for instance:
1) http://forums.verizon.com/t5/DROID-X-by-Motorola/Volume-issue-on-new-Droid-X/td-p/227520

2) http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-x-general-discussions/59913-droid-x-speaker-volume.html

Verizon tech support needs to hear from people whose phones seem to suffer from this low volume/speaker problem. These people need to describe the problem to Verizon tech support people and follow the tech support attempts to identify and/or solve the problem over the phone. If Verizon tech support gets enough calls without a solution to the problem, higher level tech support people at Verizon will find out (or hear more) about the low volume speaker problem and hopefully work toward doing something about it. (I think a simple system update that codes the phone to send more power to the speakers when the volume is turned way up would do the trick.)

Here is what you need to do:

First step, call Verizon tech support (preferably not by using your Droid X, but rather by using a different phone on a different line/connection if possible).
- do this by dialing 1-800-922-0204, then entering your Droid X phone number, and then pressing "3" for tech support.

Second step, tell the Verizon tech support about your low volume/speaker problem. (People say they cannot hear their Droid X ringing, they cannot hear verbal Navigation directions, they cannot clearly or easily hear/understand verbal prompts while using the "Voice Command" app, etc.)

Third step, try following the suggestions of the first line Verizon tech support people while on the phone with them (take out the battery and then put it right back in the phone, etc).

Fourth step, if the suggestions of the Verizon first line tech support people do not solve your low volume speaker problem, then tell them so. Tell them you still experience the low volume speaker problem: tell them clearly and repeatedly, but politely and civilly.

By the way, the Verizon first line tech support people can quickly, patiently, and professionally solve virtually all of (or at least a lot of) the problems posted on this forum. They are very friendly, have all sorts of resources, and the wait time is rarely more than a few minutes.

As things stand, many, many, many people have reported low volume/speaker problems with their new Droid X on various forums and blogs (such as those found as the two links provided above), though almost no one has reported their low volume/speaker problem to Verizon tech support and gone through the simple hoops on the phone (described in the four steps above) required to get higher level tech support investigating the matter.

So... if you are experiencing a low volume speaker problem with your new Droid X, please follow the four steps above. If enough people do this, the issue will eventually reach higher levels of tech support and Verizon will provide a real solution if it is needed.

I really love my new Droid X - I just cannot easily or clearly hear most things that come out of the speaker (both the earpiece speaker but especially bad is the speakerphone speaker) in the same way that I can with almost every other mobile phone I have ever used (most if not all inferior to the Droid X in other respects).

 

[Droidxer10]

If you are happy with the speaker and volume levels on your Droid X, then that is great (!), but this forum thread is not for you. Apparently, the Verizon first line tech support people have no information regarding the alleged low volume speaker problem documented at the two links below, for instance:
1) http://forums.verizon.com/t5/DROID-X-by-Motorola/Volume-issue-on-new-Droid-X/td-p/227520

2) http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-x-general-discussions/59913-droid-x-speaker-volume.html

Verizon tech support needs to hear from people whose phones seem to suffer from this low volume/speaker problem. These people need to describe the problem to Verizon tech support people and follow the tech support attempts to identify and/or solve the problem over the phone. If Verizon tech support gets enough calls without a solution to the problem, higher level tech support people at Verizon will find out (or hear more) about the low volume speaker problem and hopefully work toward doing something about it. (I think a simple system update that codes the phone to send more power to the speakers when the volume is turned way up would do the trick.)

Here is what you need to do:

First step, call Verizon tech support (preferably not by using your Droid X, but rather by using a different phone on a different line/connection if possible).
- do this by dialing 1-800-922-0204, then entering your Droid X phone number, and then pressing "3" for tech support.

Second step, tell the Verizon tech support about your low volume/speaker problem. (People say they cannot hear their Droid X ringing, they cannot hear verbal Navigation directions, they cannot clearly or easily hear/understand verbal prompts while using the "Voice Command" app, etc.)

Third step, try following the suggestions of the first line Verizon tech support people while on the phone with them (take out the battery and then put it right back in the phone, etc).

Fourth step, if the suggestions of the Verizon first line tech support people do not solve your low volume speaker problem, then tell them so. Tell them you still experience the low volume speaker problem: tell them clearly and repeatedly, but politely and civilly.

By the way, the Verizon first line tech support people can quickly, patiently, and professionally solve virtually all of (or at least a lot of) the problems posted on this forum. They are very friendly, have all sorts of resources, and the wait time is rarely more than a few minutes.

As things stand, many, many, many people have reported low volume/speaker problems with their new Droid X on various forums and blogs (such as those found as the two links provided above), though almost no one has reported their low volume/speaker problem to Verizon tech support and gone through the simple hoops on the phone (described in the four steps above) required to get higher level tech support investigating the matter.

So... if you are experiencing a low volume speaker problem with your new Droid X, please follow the four steps above. If enough people do this, the issue will eventually reach higher levels of tech support and Verizon will provide a real solution if it is needed.

I really love my new Droid X - I just cannot easily or clearly hear most things that come out of the speaker (both the earpiece speaker but especially bad is the speakerphone speaker) in the same way that I can with almost every other mobile phone I have ever used (most if not all inferior to the Droid X in other respects).

 

[Backnblack]

:closed_2:

No need to cross post.

 

[Droidxer10]

with all the complaints, why no replies?

Please forgive me for replying to my own post. However, there were four and one half pages of mostly complaints regarding the low volume/bad speaker problem on the thread on that topic in the Droid X general forum. Could anyone who experiences the low volume/speaker problem please read my post, consider following my suggested steps, and reply to the post with reports of what kinds of low volume/speaker problems you are experiencing (if any)? Some people cannot hear their phone ring unless it is faced screen down and very close to them. Some people cannot hear new text message notification sounds. Others cannot hear verbal Navigation directions. Others cannot hear the verbal prompts for using the Voice Command app. And so on. If you experience any such problems, could you please report them in a reponse to this thread and consider following the steps suggested in the thread? Many thanks.

 

[ccartertn]

Sorry you are having issues.
I have not read the other posts but was wondering if you have compared your phone's volume to another Droid X - perhaps in a Verizon store?

I hope you get your issue resolved.

 

[hkim]

so like you said, hopefully there will be an easy update that'll be the solution. i made this account just so i can help with the effort to get us there

i actually asked a tech rep in-store about the speaker issue. the day after i got my phone, idk why but the volume randomly went totally down- i could barely hear it ring + if i made/received a call, i couldn't hear anything while the person on the other line could. in store, they just reset my phone (take battery out then put it back in), but like everyone else has been saying, the normal volume itself is too low as well. i'll try calling the support line tomorrow and see if it goes anywhere//at least add to # of complainers.

my main issue is with the volume when ringtone or alarm is playing, and listening to music/vids. i feel like the volume jumps up when i'm playing a game, so it means it is able to go higher right?

 

[cardinalmedtype]

Cannot hear phone ring

I cannot hear the phone ring unless it is right near me. In my pocketbook miss all my calls. Have called Verizon as suggested and they noted it.

 

[Chad_G_77]

I think it has more to do with the location of the speaker. When you have the phone sitting on a flat surface "screen up" the speaker area is at the bottom of the phone and pressed flat against the surface it's resting on. Even when I have the phone volume turned to max, the ringer is very soft when it's resting as I described above. However, when I pick it up off of the surface and the speaker is then exposed... the volume blows me out! So I'm not experiencing speaker issues... rather design issues that put the speaker in a bad location for when the phone is lying on a surface. THoughts?

 

[dangsy]

There was one time I could BARELY hear my droid X, I had some music playing, the ringer was also really low even on max. I figured it was trying to play it through the 3.5mm headphone jack. I just plugged my headphones in for a few seconds then took them out. Fixed this issue.

 

[Mrhh56]

Cannot hear ring-we all need to call verizon & motorola

I had the Motorola Droid, with the slide out keyboard, and could hear every call coming in and every text/email alert. Now I have the Droid X and cannot hear it unless it is very quiet. I just got a leather case for my belt so I am certain I will never hear the phone ring if the phone is in the case. Even with the phone face down on the console of my car with the stereo on at low volumes I cannot hear the phone ring. One lady posted she cannot hear the phone if its in her purse....good point and proof the volume is not high enough.

I spent over an hour on the phone with Verizon. I urge everyone to contact Verizon on a phone other than the Droid X so they can walk you through the usual steps that will not correct the problem.

Luckily, the Verizon representative I worked with contacted Motorola with me on the line. After their usual steps the Motorola representative obtained the Motorola Droid and the Droid X and compared the volume and everyone agreed there is a difference.

Now contact Verizon and Motorola so we can keep our X's. If this cannot be fixed I will be forced to get another phone.

 

[cp1224]

Everything is too hard to hear. Very low volume throughout. Notifications, ringing, hearing callers, speakerphone. It's just a disaster. Everything else is wonderful. If there is a fix for this, then it has to be quick, or it's going back and I'm going back to Blackberry.

 

[Droidxer10]

Listen Up: Clarifications!

Please listen up regarding this issue:

1) This is a batch by batch, and/or a unit by unit, issue/problem. Some Droid X batches/units have the problem and some do not.

2) Verizon tech support does not care about forum postings by consumers, including those posted on their own forums.

3) The only way to get this problem solved is by calling Verizon and/or Motorola tech support and documenting this problem with them.

4) Roughly, Verizon does not do anything but maintain their network and sell phones. If there is going to be a fix, it will come from Motorola at the request of Verizon (if Verizon receives and documents a sufficient number of customers reporting the problem/issue).

5) Whether this is hardware or a firmware problem, and whether it only affects certain Droid X batches/units, a firmware update that increases the volume potential on all Droid X units will either solve or help the problem.

6) Verizon will go ahead with (5) above if enough people convince their tech support people that there is a serious issue/problem with the volume of the speakerphones on many Droid X batches/units, which appears to be the case from all the postings on all the forums.

So please call Verizon (and/or Motorola) if you experience this problem with your Droid X. Follow their instructions. If the problem persists, clearly and repeatedly tell them so: tell them so clearly and repeatedly, but politely and civilly.

Some people are beginning to report that some Verizon tech support people "know about" the problem. Nonetheless, many Verizon tech support people are still saying that they know of no such issue/problem and that Verizon does not officially acknowledge the problem, and that they have no knowledge of anyone working on a fix for this problem. So, please, call in those reports, get the problem documented, and so on!

Hope everyone is otherwise enjoying their Droid Xs.

 

[Droidxer10]

updated Verizon url thread on the volume/speaker problem

Verizon has rearranged its webpages.

Here is the updated url for the Verizon forum thread on the volume/speaker problem:
Volume issue on new Droid X - Verizon Wireless Community

 

[bruceatk]

I believe their are two volume issues and it is not clear as to which one any individual is having.

1. There is a general I wish the volume would be louder. My Droid X is softer than other phones that I have had. It would be nice if the volume that I am getting at max now was really at the 3/4 setting.

2. I experienced an issue where my sound all but disappeared. If you held the phone up to your ear you could hear it, but if I called it I couldn't hear the ringer at all unless I was really close (a few ft) from the phone. It happened after I used my bluetooth headset for the first time. I have no idea if it's related. Even video's had an extremely low volume. The only way I could fix it was to power off/on the phone.

If it happens to me again hopefully I can narrow it down to the cause. I've only had mine 24 hours and I've done too many things with it to narrow down what caused the sound to all but disappear.

 

[hotprowl]

I've noticed the sound is MUCH lower than my original Droid. I've also noticed when I use my bluetooth speaker for music, I had to turn up the volume on the speaker. Seems it's not transmitting as loud either. the original Droid definately wins for stereo/speaker quality. People would always comment on how incredible it sounded for a cell phone.