Update: 3.A.0077 and Call Volume

I have an FP3+ since Oct 2020 and there have been two updates from 0054.
Using oo54 there was an noticeable echo when using WhatsApp at both ends of the call.

With 0066 the problem was resolved and all seemed fine.
Now with 0077 the echo has returned to the person calling, they can hear themselves as an echo and the volume is low. It is slightly better talking to the top mic but that is no good for video calls.

EDIT This does not as I first though only effect WhatsApp. The Call volume is very low. Under Settings > Sound the Call volume at max is very quiet even when set at ma

Is there a setting for mic volume?

In the image below you will see the settings for Call Volume and Alarm Volume set to extreems yet they sound the same, i.e. Call volume on max is the same as Alarm on minā€¦

The echo may be due to having the mic/call volume so high that thereā€™s feedback even though the actual voice volume is low.

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Same here.

Would be nice, but there is not option for that. When I do phone calls with people, they always complain about that my mic is very low and they have to turn up the volume to max at their end.

This happens in regular phone calls, I donā€™t use WiFi-calling or calls in WhatsApp.

As I said, as far as I know, there is no option to turn up the mic volume. This has to be fixed by a software update.

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Just to say the problem has gone I donā€™t know why but i uninstalled some apps that used audio ~ a music player ~ a voice recorder ~ and stuff. So it could be an app conflict. Iā€™ll keep the phone clean and see if it lasts.

It coud have been a conflict between an app and the latest software.

Anyway all good for now, no reason to lumber support with another query and Iā€™m not going to try a factory reset.

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I suffer from exactly the same problem. Update to 3.A.0077 and hands-free calls are not possible any longer (echos + very low volume).

Some analysis revealed that it seems it works fine in normal call mode, but it fails when the loud speaker is activated. It seems that mic 1 is then completely deactivated and mic 2 is the only mic working (which is actually only used for noice reduction). This leads to the impression that the person is very far and volume is very low.

Interestingly, it works with a 3.5 mm headset plugged in, but if a bluetooth headset is connected, there is a very strong background noise (however, the voice can be heared).

Help would really be appreciated!

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Try uninstalling some apps. Iā€™m beginning to think some app, maybe a voice recorder had the mic turned down or off and that overroad the phone call and WhatsApp apps. Re my post above yours.

Did you see the image in my first post and details?

I tried already to uninstall all obvious apps. Also reinstalling WhatsApp without success. Next step well be a factory reset, but a bit frustrating that an update causes such problems.

To my knowledge, one can not control the microphone level in the user settings (only output level).

But thanks for your suggestions!

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Yes about mic volume control, but did you see my first post, it was the call volume that wasnā€™t working, so the other end couldnā€™t hear me. So in effect the Call volume is the mic volume.

It is fixed now but I canā€™t clarify why. I think there was an app conflict that was triggered by the update, which could be fault of an outdated app?

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ā€œCall volumeā€ means your own speaker, the person you are hearing when doing a phone call. It should not have any effect on the sensitivity of your microphone. If it is like this on your phone, then you found a new bug.

But nice that the problem is gone for you. I also tried before to uninstall audio apps (almost none of them ever installed here), but did not change anything for me.

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Yes the wording seems as you said but if you read my earlier post you will note the the call volume on max was the same as the Alarm vol on minimum. When that resolved others could hear me, so the two seemed too intricately linked.

So today Iā€™ve gone back to the sound sliders and they have reverted to the earlier sate where the call volume is as first described, but the sound issue is still OK.

So as you said the Call volume may not be related to the mic issue and I have found a separate issue :frowning:

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Hi @anon9989719

It might well be caused by an app conflict !
I sent my phone for repair 2 weeks ago because I had different issues (with the display + touch screen) but also problem with the microphone when calling through whatsapp/telegram.
Got the phone back, microphone problem is not fixed. I immediately re-installed all my apps using backup so it can definitely be something with an app conflict. Still pretty annoying in my opinion !
This first FP experience is teaching me patience for sureā€¦ 4 months of FP including 2 months during which phone was not usable :frowning:

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So it worked without problems before?
It simply changed with the software-update right?

I have got a new FP3+ in 2021 and want to know if this is an hardware issue and I have to send it back or if it coming from software-issues.

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I had a really bad microphone/audio quality from the beginning (Jan2021)
I tried the following
ā€“ updating android to 0077 at the first start
ā€“ VoWifi is disabled by default for both sim-cards
ā€“ uninstalling all custom apps
ā€“ factory reset was made ā€¦ no change
ā€“ changed the two Sim cards and used only a single one
ā€“ using loudspeaker and directly talking to the phone shows a better audio quality but is not usable all the time
ā€“ using a (official) headset works; audio quality is good but is not usable al the time!!! So the provider, the sim-cards or the sim-slots, or custom apps canā€™t be the cause of the problem
ā€“ changing ā€˜Call volumeā€™ ā€¦ yea i know this is only for the outputā€¦ but did test it ā€¦ without any change to the recorded sound quality during calls
ā€“ EDIT: I do not use WhatsApp, signal, threema or whatsoever messenger
BR
Wil

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Dear amoun,
was the sound quality of the mic-recordings really good or was simply better as before?
BTW: your screenshot suggests that you are/were using VoWifi which can be the root of the problem?! Did you switch it on or of or can you test it for us while switching on/off.

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Referring to VoWifi, I have no choice as where I reside there is no network signal and Iā€™m not out and about much. I will try to find space/time to wander around.

Generally the audio is fine, I get an echo on Whatā€™s App often but not regularly and not constantly. The volume was very low for as few days but restored itself after I removed a few apps that has acces to audio like music players and voice recorders

So I do wonder if another app set the mic volume low. I havenā€™t had to reset the phone yet but my daughter has an FP3+ and told me that people often state they canā€™t hear her well.

However the problem I have is that as the mic and speakers work fine on music playback and voice recordings it is clearly seems to be a software issue unless it could be damp or poor contacts that are temporary.

Neither my daughter nor I have made an official support request but if you find this happening regularly then youā€™d best let support know soon, especially if you have dismantled the phone and cleaned the contacts and done a reset to default OS and apps etc.

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I did reach out for the support team especially to make sure that i still have the possibility for a refund, which is usually possible within 14 days. (The audio issue exists for the beginning).
Simply to make this sure: No I did not even think of dismantling the phone for cleaning or similar. The phone is completely new.

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I tried the same things as you did. Even flashed the ROM, which is even more than a regular factory reset. No result. So I spend hours and hours looking for a solution. At this point Iā€™m convinced itā€™s a problem we cannot solve on our own. It is a bug in the firmware. Fairphone has to come with a solution. This is taking them months already, so donā€™t get your hopes up high that is will be resolved quick.
I asked for a refund or a new device. You did the right thing asking for a refund.

Hi.

Putting in an official support request is pretty essential if thereā€™s an ongoing issue. With the refund option you have (in the UK) 14 days from receipt of the phone to say you are sending it back for a refund, you then have 14 days to return it. So at most you have 28 days to play around, which means after than you have to send a support request on the basis that youā€™ve deemed the phone fit for 28 days.

Then of course, unlike a shop, you will have numerous emails about what to try etc. before FP ask you to send the phone back for a repair or replacement, and depending upon how long you take to make the complaint possibly a refund related to the time you kept the phone before any official complaint.

All the best

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BTW Looks like that using a headset is also not a reliable solution. Had to restart the phone to understand the other one and get understood again. =(

I donā€™t use a headphone but my daughter does and hasnā€™t complained on that issue, however she is very careful ~ not installing any extra apps etc and just uses the phone as supplied, may be with WhatsApp

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Since the last or previous update I do have a problem with the microphone.

The microphone when calling works properly, however when I switch to hands-free mode, no one can hear me anymore, unless Iā€™m really near the microphone.

This is reproducible with the app Jitsi Meet and Threema (the echo cancellation setting in Threema does not make a difference).

Is this a known bug?