Microphone Problem

markj · July 10th, 2010, 06:02 PM

The microphone on my Aria doesn't seem to be working properly. When in a quiet room speaking in a "normal" voice over the phone, my voice on the other line (as I have been told multiple times by different people, and as I have tested myself) sounds very faint and distant, as if I'm talking into the phone a mile away. On speakerphone, the volume doesn't change - I still sound distant regardless of how far the phone is from my mouth. Of course, if I talk louder, and I mean VERY loud, I can be heard "normally", but my voice still sounds obviously distant. I did a hard reset of the phone and have not installed any new apps, but the microphone performance has not changed.

Is this a software bug? Or is it just a defective microphone? I'm thinking of exchanging the Aria with a new one from AT&T, hopefully the policy (since I've owned the phone not even for 30 days now) won't require me to pay full price. Or does anyone know anything about their exchange policy? Because the website is not very clear on pricing (if any) on exchanges that take place before the device has been owned for 31 days or more, in which case it's free. I think... I don't know. The site is just plain confusing.

But yeah... microphone problem. Any help?

Cronis · July 10th, 2010, 06:09 PM

if its a hardware defect then they should just replace it under warranty (or fix it) no charge. sounds like it is a hardware defect though, i havnt had that issue at all and a few have even commented on how clear I sound compared to my old phone.

markj · July 11th, 2010, 12:13 PM

Interesting. I just ran a few test calls using my mom's iPhone 4 (yeah.. she wanted it) and it seems the microphone has fixed itself.. I think. I walked around the house on the iPhone as I told my sister different ways to speak into my Aria, and my voice sounded fine. Which is weird, because I'd previously called my voice mail numerous times and spoken into the mic there, and my voice was barely audible and distant. Then I muted the mic on the iPhone and held both up to my ears and spoke, and sure enough, my voice came through clear..

Weird. I'm hoping this doesn't happen again. Should I have it exchanged just in case? Or hope it was just a "ghost" kinda thing?

Cronis · July 11th, 2010, 01:28 PM

not sure... could it have been a network glitch maybe?

markj · July 11th, 2010, 01:39 PM

I'm actually not quite sure anymore. I called my voice mail again and left another message, and my voice sounded bad as before. I am using YouMail though, and when I listened to voice mails from other callers, their voices also sounded similarly distant - so perhaps it's a problem with YouMail's recording quality.

However, my girlfriend has a Verizon Samsung Rogue (bleh) and claims my voice on the Aria is terrible and similar to how I described it before. When I switch back to my Nokia 5530, my voice sounds clear and normal again. At least... that's what she said when I first got the phone. I only started using it again yesterday, haven't talked to her recently. I'll see later today.

Cronis · July 11th, 2010, 03:14 PM

yea i would remove youmail... if that doesnt change anything ask for a replacement

markj · July 12th, 2010, 10:59 AM

Well talked to her last night and she says I sound fine.

I completely forgot to mention.. When the mic was bad, I took a sewing needle and probed it around inside the microphone with the back of the phone off. Not the most intelligent thing to do, but I figured if that didn't work I'd be sending it off for warranty exchange anyways so it wouldn't matter. Surprisingly I think that's what fixed it.