If you're like us, you feel more than a little annoyed with iPhone's speaker volume. Yes, whether you're waiting for a call, trying to have a speakerphone conversation, or just listening for sweet DTMF tones -- the thing kind of stinks. Perhaps it's time to take extreme measures, as some owners have resorted to... like sticking a needle through the holes in the speaker enclosure. Yes, according to daring "modders," it's possible to get a 40-percent increase in volume via this simple-yet-destructive trick of perforating the thin plastic which covers the speaker. Apparently, the phone gets so loud post-surgery that the volume is actually startling to some users. Feeling like you're brave enough to
really void that warranty? Let us know the results!
[Thanks, Michael]
posted Jan 18th 2008 11:31AM
It defs works. ANd the speaker itself is really recessed. Best mod ive done on my iphone so far.
It does work!
I saw it first on a video though.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1057498/iphone_speaker_hack_up_to_40_louder/
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1057498/iphone_speaker_hack_up_to_40_louder/
Says it all...
I prefer to kill it with fire. To each his own, I suppose...
My new iPhone's ring and conversation volume were really low and the sliding up and down on the left top of the machine didn't help increase the volume.
What worked right away however, was the suggestion of a friend to click Install, then Install+(bottom left), and install Tweaks 1.1.2, then reboot.
It worked right away.
Dont Hate just because you probably cant afford one
I wonder how much of the problem is with deafness due to prolonged exposure to loud bass (as opposed to a problem with the iPhone's speaker)? I received my iPhone a month after it was released and the speaker is easy enough to hear.
They suck anyway
I stabbed my Windows Vista machine with a needle and the devil came out of the hole.
I stabbed the hole of _____ with my ____ and ____ came out.
9 months later, you mean.
Old news much?
I remember hearing this back when the iPhone just came out...
"much"?
I'd be more than willing to perform acupuncture on anyones iPhone. Let me know. My services come free of charge of course.
Some one do it, document the procedure with photos and post please?
I'm not volunteering. But i'm sure some brave soul will!
I get 99% of my sound out of the left speaker only. Is my phone busted or are they all that way? (Try it your self, cover up one side and then the other, if I cover the left I pretty much can't hear anything at all.
That would be because the other side ISN'T a speaker. It is the Mic for speakerphone mode. Someone needs to pay more attention to the manual.
Prime, it's supposed to be that way, left side is the speaker, right side is the mic.
The speaker is only on the left side - the right is for the microphone...
I thought the same thing until I did a Google search on it.
- Jon
that's because there's only one speaker, the holes on the right are for the mic
Thanks for the info :)
@prime81 - Same thing for me. Hell, I dont think ANY sound is coming out of the right speaker, if there even is a right speaker. If I cover up the right side I don't notice any volume decrease; however, if I cover up the left side the volume is almost muted.
HOORAY FOR LITERACY!
Hmm, never noticed that. Interesting. Just assumed both were speakers. I guess 2 speakers doesn't make much sense. Not like you get any stereo separation anyway :)
Probably not wise to stab the mic though.
And the idiot who claims he broke his is a troll, morons.
So should I poke a hole in the microphone too?
so...1% of your sound is coming out out of the micropone then? I wish my mic played songs
looks like the iPhone's taking a stab at acupuncture
Anyone who wants their iPhone to be loud, I'll help you out by smashing it with a hammer. It'll be loud for a second.
jealous? ^^
Your so jealous of the iphone :/
jealous? yeah, thats exactly it. we're so jealous, but then again... i know you feel the same way about my $180 mechanical pencil.
@velik:
i have no iphone btw ;)
just an oberservation ^^
Yes I'm jealous that I don't own a device that I can afford that needs to be broken in order to work properly.
People who stab their iphones for louder speakers should shanked!
deershanked
Hahaha. Euthanized, the old fashioned way!
Just tried it and I am PISSED! NO SOUND AT ALL NOW! THIS IS BS! IM GOING TO APPLE THEY BETTER REPLACE THIS!!!!!
Seriously? I hope you're kidding man, when you explain that you poked needles into your phone they're gonna laugh you outta there. Try using all caps when you go in there, though. They may take care of you then.
He stabbed all the way through the speaker. lol.
Really?
Ok, that's one for "no, don't do it." Anyone else?
If anyone had actually bothered to click the "Read" link you'd know that he's lying.
There is *NO* speaker behind those holes. There is a port that routes sound from the speaker itself.
Just don't say, "I poked holes in my phone & now it won't work."
You say, "I don't know. It no worky no more."
apple better replace your mistake, hmm, something sounds wrong about that
Who stole my Sonics tickets? SOMEBODY STOLE MY SONICS TICKETS! THIS STINKS! THIS IS TOTAL BS! THIS IS-- oh, there they are. :D
WOOF! WOOF!
You guys shouldn't believe everything you read on the internet. You are going to destroy your speaker if you poke a hole in it.
The actual speak is really somewhere on the upper portion of the phone. The piece where you puncture the film is just a vent.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2388/2137269649_212973cf00.jpg
Though that film does serve a purpose. So if you don't want to risk having dust build up under the screen and stuff. I suggest that you don't go about on doing this operation.
Assuming the film is an actual speaker component, in addition to an increase in volume, you'll also get a decrease in sound quality (though those who feel a burning urge to play their music at full volume for the benefit of everyone in the vicinity rarely notice when it sounds like shit). Take the ER-6i for example. Each earbud comes with a filter, which is essentially a small plastic cylinder with a thin film over the top. When the film is intact, the headphones sound terrific. If it is clogged, they sound muffled. If it is pierced, they become louder and sound terrible. Of it is removed, they are even louder and sound nearly as bad as stock iPod earbuds.
You assume people, like you, are reading things on the internet.
If you had read the forum thread, you'd know that there wasn't a speaker behind the holes. It's a port that routes sound from the actual speaker...
Perhaps it's time to take extreme measure ..... returns to SE, Nokia, Samsung or Motorola.
I tried making speaker holes in my iTouch and now I'm bleeding
Have you "crossed your heart and hoped to die?" I believe those are the preliminary steps.
I have a friend who would fly into a rage if he heard you use the word "iTouch". I have one, by the way.
do not stick things into your speakers, in general, they don't like getting prodded
Macupuncture, anyone?
I'd try it but I cannot find my iNeedle
@prime81: The reason you are not getting any sound out of the right side of your phone is because that is the mic. Your left side is the speaker. That is not a flaw in yours alone, it is the same for all of us:)
will apple sue us for this ???????
Oh yes, they will sue your ass for damaging something you own, don't do it
That is actually their policy, if they can't stop you by other means, including but not limited to, Trusted Platform Modules, unneeded file system switches, slightly evil firmware updates, and plain old bricking.
...They abuse the DMCA, they abuse their customers, and they abuse their superiority. It can only go on so long.
Ubuntu + Rockbox anyone?
will Apple sew?
This works. I have poked both left & right side holes with needles. There is a substantial improvement in volume. And no, the sound is not distorted or anything. Just beautiful. For those who don't know - left is for speaker, right is for mic. I have had the iphone since Sept 2007 & simply love it. Absolutely no problems. Doesn't hang thrice a day unlike the crap imate I had which ran on windows mobile. Apple, take a bow.
Does this work on MacBooks?... Or is there a software needle around for that?
Yes, the latest iNeedle... (inspired my whatishalo's comment) ;)
I did this a long time ago. It works. I dont care if dust get under my screen. by the time it effects anything 2g iphone will be out.
Just make sure u dont JAM in to the hole. Take is slow and easy...My god that sounds bad.
But yes is works, yes it worth it
You are a moron if you believe this. Even if it works the sound will sound like crap afterwards. You are essentially blowing the speaker.
You might ought to try the "Read" link before you go judging people as "morons."
Quite frankly, it doesn't pierce the speaker, it pierces a layer of film that covers several of the holes at the bottom. In fact, if you had clicked on the "Read" link you'd know that there's no speaker behind those holes, but rather a port that routes the sound from the speaker...
AdamY, you are a MORON my friend. OK, these people who are posting about ruining the quality are right. No, there is no speaker right behind it retard. Very good, everyone knows that. But when you are doing acoustic modeling, you believe that the piece of plastic wasn't an actual part of the acoustic model??? AdamY, you are the idiot good sir. Perhaps you should learn a little about acoustic design and then you will learn that if they are filtering the speaker in such a way that takes into acount the plastic, which they most surely are, then by puncturing the plastic, you are ruining that model, thereby degrading the speaker quality. IDIOT!!!
If that's true then I apologize. My mistake.
AdamY, try this, drill a fucking hole in your home speaker cab, not through the cone itself. You have not touched the speaker. Now tell me it sounds the same moron. Man you are an idiot, you posted like 50 times about not affecting the cone, telling everyone to read the link. New flash, you don't understand anything, do you? By drilling a hole in your speaker cab, even though you have not blown the speaker, you have changed the whole dynamics of the case and the way the speaker was designed, thus diminishing the sound quality. This is the exact same principle in the iPhone. The plastic is part of the cavity. Best yet, go by a bose waveradio with its waveguide technology and drill hole's through all the cavity walls and tell my how crappy it sounds. Seriously, I can't believe they let people as dumb as you browse the internet...nevermind read a tech site. "There's no speaere behind there blah blah blah I'm a know it all read the link blah blah blah t won't affect the sound quality cause you didn't change the cone blah blah blah." Moron.
Flame much, Alex? Careful, or someone will compare you to Hitler.
That time of the month, Alex?
I don't know about you guys but if my phone is in my pocket it gets lint/cigarette tobacco pieces and all sorts of crap in there and I can't get it out. Maybe I should stop smoking after all.
Why not get a case to protect the expensive phone?
Covering up the speakers with a case would probably defeat the purpose of this exercise, no?
I do have one of the belkin slip cases...but it has a perforated bottom so the sound can still come out...still gets crap in there that cant come out.
Your headphone port could be going bad. If it's something you can easily replicate take it to the Apple Store. I had the issue a while back where the headphone port would not detect that I had unplugged the headphones, and they just replaced it on the spot, so I wonder if there's a problem with the design or something with that port. Bad enough it's placed the way it is.
Anyone who jabs a needle into an expensive electronic device needs to have their head examined. The team at engadget much have just bought a bunch of crapple stock.
I'd have to say the majority of people who read engadget are technologically inclined. I mean who else would want to see the insides of every single electronic device they own and the means of how to make it run faster, better (and sometimes watch them splode/blend/play doom).
I, for one, think you'd be hard pressed to find a true modder not willing to take a stab (pun intended) at this little performance upgrade (of course with thorough researching of the results on forums).
I think if everyone in the world played by the "If it ain't broke don't fix it" rule we wouldn't have a need for Engadget.
I dunno, I could be alone on this one, if so disregard this comment.
http://phonedifferent.com/2007/06/iphone_guts_revealed.html
http://phonedifferent.com/images/iPhone3-1.jpg
if you take a look at the linked picture, this is a picture of the inside of the front part of the iPhone. This picture is actually upside down, but you'll notice the slit to the speaker from the front, and the round thing beside it (this is the actual speaker). Again, make note that the speaker is beside the slit, not on top of it. By poking a pin through the speaker slit, you'll actually be running it into the back of the antenna, and possibly other things back there. The video from the first link shows him identifying the speaker at point 3:30.
my apologies, was thinking of the wrong speaker. anywho, yeah, the little pinholes at the bottom.. the video doesn't show the first piece he takes off well, so you can't tell if there's that much plastic there. But the speaker sits a ways behind the plastic. If you only insert a pin a little bit into the hole, you shouldn't have to worry about hitting anything. Note, the speaker is at the lower left hand side with the front of the phone facing you. No use puncturing the other side.
Anyone yet ask themselves why Apple would place a piece of plastic over the speaker? If it's to prevent moisture, I understand, but if it's because it's too loud, I think increasing the range of volume control would have been a better solution, and it would have been all in software.
I thought it would be a bad idea but I did it and wow, its actually alot louder and It actually reduces distortion by about 90% when playing it at full volume.
Unrelated topic....has anyone who's upgraded to 1.1.3 noticed an issue with the iPod portion? Namely ill be listening to music in my car or at work and suddenly a song will go instrumental only. Its like the singer suddenly stops singing or the audio track suddenly fails. If I crank it I can kinda hear the singer...but the instruments come through loud and clear...??
This sounds dumb but try a different cord. I used to have a cord that went bad all of a sudden and would do that same thing if I positioned the cord in a certain way. Cept I eventually started doing it on purpose to sample music lol. Wish I still had it!
It's called a solo... ;)
Its not the cord..because I can move it around and nothing changes and it happens on different cords - but If I unplug and then plug back in the words come back...
Sounds like what happens if your cable isn't plugged in all the way. If the 1/8" stereo headphone jack isn't properly seated, you're hearing an un-intended combination of the 2 channels (kind of like how the rear channel in Dolby Pro-Logic is encoded), which is typically a subset of the audio from track,minus the vocals. You may want to pick up an adapter that fits snugly into the ridiculously tiny iPhone headphone jack (I carry around a short adapter that came with the original Shuffle Sport case, but you can purchase one separately, Monster makes one).
In other news, you can brighten up your monitor by whacking with a hammer. No, really. I just did it. works great!!!
You're Right!
God Dammit. You should have said LCD Monitor NOT CRT.
I did this about 2 weeks ago and i am 10000% happier with the phone now. I could never hear my iphone ringing if it was in another room... I actually started a thread on it at howardforums because my wife's 4GB iPhone was louder than mine by default and i didn;t understand why... Once i learned that the speaker is actually further inside of the iphone and the grill on the bottom is just the output of a tunnel from the speaker, i took a safety pin and made the adjustment... HOLY S%&^ my iPhone sounds wonderful now, i can actually use the speakerphone now!
I've got a couple demo iPhones at work. I'll do some experimental surgery later today and report back.
so now we are resorting to acupuncture for modern technology!
It's just the iPlacebo Effect. Pay no attention to the membrane behind the perforations...
Hey there, I just want to let every one know i went to the thread of this and checked through a bunch of peoples posts. After some debate, i decided to try it, and by golly it's not a cruel lie to injure your iphone! It actually DOES work. It's almost scary how much louder it got. I was expecting a hardly noticable difference, but i played some tunes before then poked the holes (on the bottom left) with a push-pin and voila! Much louder!
I tried this with my friend's loner phone; however, it only made his just as loud as my brand new iphone. I wonder if they're using different components for the newer iPhones because I swear that my screen is also much brighter and whiter.
Wait what? Your friend's "loner phone"?
He should have said "LOANER" phone, probably. Of course I could be wrong. The phone could be anti-social with murderous tendencies and a penchant for making people put the lotion in the basket.