Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

[kennethvejen1]

Hello Sony.

I have a question regarding video recording.

A few weeks ago I was at an event where I tried to record a video, when I came home and showed my video on my Sony flat screen the bass coming from the music made the sound recording extremely grated - it was impossible to hear clear sound. I think the music was around 100dB or so which is quite normal at an event.

I noticed that there are two microphones on the Xperia S, is there any way to switch between them, to increase the sound quality when the bass kicks in?

Besides that, my 3 year old lowprice camera is recording at a lower resolution, but with a sound quality where the camera somehow reduces the bass automatically, so that the sound is clear all the way through. I really hope that this is a software issue and not a extremely lowprice microphone that is included in the Xperia S, because I intend to record with the mobile in the future and really want this issue to be fixed!

Best regards

Kenneth

[kennethvejen1]

That is exactly what my old camera does! I can clearly hear the sound being compressed when the bass kicks in! Thanks for clarifying my question.

If you want to try it out Pmac2k there is an app called ClearRecord, which compresses the sound. Unfortunately I have not been able to test it yet at an event. There is but one 'problem' with that app, it funny enough can't record while im recording a video.

So if Sony were to make an upgrade for the recording part - hopefully, they might as well take a look at that app!

I just think that my phone should be able to do the same, when a 4 year old low price camera can.

-Kenneth

[#3]

I went to a gig last night and tried to record some footage using the video recorder on this phone.  It's plain to see the phone can't handle loud sounds especially lots of Bass.  What it recorded visually was fine but the sound just dropped out once it reached a certain level.  A shame really as I had high expectations of the device.  Whether this can be fixed with a software upgrade remains to be seen but I have a feeling it maybe down to a lack of sufficiant hardware.

[Pmac2k]

Most limiters and compressors used in digital recording these days are software based, look at StereoTool for the PC (winamp).  I tend to use Sound processors in large rigs to control output but the same principle applys for input.  The processors we use are generally just a computer of sorts with proprietary software's running to process the audio.  All that is happening on the phone is that the microphone is giving too high a voltage for the software to cope with, with digital for, for a quick example, lets say the 'volume' it can cope with is 1-10 but the microphone can collect any 'volume'.

The Microphone picks up an 11, that doesn't translate into something the phone can cope with.  A limiter can convert that 11 to a 10 (in effect turning the 'volume' back down).  Compression is slightly more complex as it compresses the amplitude down the higher the input is, it literally squeezes the 'volume' down the louder it trys to get, it is usually very obvious as an effect in nightclubs that have been set up badly and have a DJ that is trying to knock the dust off the neighbouring buildings.  All in all what I'm trying to say is that it is likely fixable via a software fix (some sort of DSP plugin?)  It looks like it is a problem also experienced by other droid users (check google for Too sensitive microphone/distortion/overdrive) cross your fingers someone will change this trend

- Peter

[Jeff · Accepted solution]

We've heard back from the development team:

The microphone component specification can only secured sound quality upto 100dB only.

There appears to be no plans concerning updates to change the microphone firmware, however this feedback (and others) improves the possibility.

Thanks for taking the time to post, and wait for our reply.

-Jeff

[kennethvejen1]

Okay, thanks for the great and quick respons Jeff!

It is of course unfortunate news for everybody who wants to get a nice video from an event - let's face it, almost every big event nowadays plays at minimum 100dB, so if everybody that have recorded an video with the Xperia S at an event, where the dB is above 100dB, will get annoyed and probably think twice about buying an Sony next time, if they are to record videos at an event with acceptable sound quality.

It should be told that i'm a huge fan of Sony, so this is no offense at all, just me poiting out some sales arguments.

However I really hope they will start thinking about planning such an update then!

Should I make a new question with the title "Sound Recording Issues - Video" and then refer to this post + encourage people to write if they had similar discovery?!

- Kenneth

[Pmac2k]

That is a shame, it does kind of make a mockery of being able to record HD video when your audio can go lofi.  Most gigs these days should be limited to 90db however for electronic music gigs it becomes a different beast depending on what sort of music it can end being lots of sub.  I'm now intrigued as to if this problem exists on the likes of Blackberry (especially as they used to advertise with the device being used at a gig).  It seems an easy (ish) win but I'm guessing the numbers affected are relitively small and the gains therefore equally small.  Perhaps what we are seeing is that handset manufacturers are saying, this is a phone, its always been a phone and we add gimmicks to make you buy, if you want to have a video camera, go buy one and suprisingly you'll find its good at that but you can't make calls on it :smileyhappy:. 

Good luck on the mission of change kennethvejen I hope it does get looked at more, I for one feel slightly cheated knowing its there as a problem, and probably one I will never actually experience but the fact that I wouldn't find out until I played back is the real kicker!

Have you considered physical limitation and baffle the mic to reduce the soundwaves pressure... just a thought

-Pete

[chimpski]

I agree, high def videos are rendered near useless without the ability to attenuate the mic level.

Come on Sony, sort it out.

[roystonnoel]

hi jeff, The sound recording quality of xperia v is really good. it does not distort very easily. but the new xperia zr has horrible microphone gain which makes audio very distorted

[Jozso1989]

Same with Xperia SP, the recorded sound quality is very-very bad in a party. Its worse than your S.

[cjshankleman]

Hi, I've had the same problem. Is there any external microphone I could use to improve the quality of sound?