topic Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues in Other/General

Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

kennethvejen1 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:08:07 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Jeff — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:35:41 GMT

We certainly want to hear feedback from other users that might have recorded in a similar environment, so let's hope we get some more detailed replies!

In the meantime, how do you feel about sound quality during "regular" recordings? Let's say a person talking in a room, or nature sounds outside?

There is no way to switch between microphones, but I'll pass on the feedback/idea.

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

kennethvejen1 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 16:46:16 GMT

Then I hope to hear more feedback on this from other users.

I just want it so badly to record, not great, but acceptable sound from events with high dB bass - simply just without grate. As I should have mentioned the sound is fine and clear when recording at mid and high frequency at the event, but lacks at low frequencies. I could upload the video on youtube and link it, if that helps anything?

But as for nature sounds and people talking it is just fine, so mid and high frequencies is fine

Okay

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Jeff — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:20:27 GMT

Sure, upload it I'll pass it around here at the office and see if anyone can give their opinion on it.

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

kennethvejen1 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 18:40:58 GMT

I have now uploaded a video from DDJA in Copenhagen 2012.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJnTFwTEXdM&feature=youtu.be

At 1:16 you will start hearing the bass kicks in and from there, sadly enough sound terrible. But as you can hear from start, the mid and high sound pretty well!

Hope to hear about a kind of solution anytime soon :smileygrin:

And then a funny thing I noticed, when the laser hits the camera lens, the camera begins to bounce, any explanation on that?

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Jeff — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:35:39 GMT

I can hear the difference for sure.

I'll pass it around, and see what I can come up with, if anything.

As for the laster/camera...no idea, but I'm sure its some kind of interference (or magic :smileywink:)

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

kennethvejen1 — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:42:16 GMT

Good, then I'm not the only one then.

Thank you, I will cross my fingers for a solution to this problem, because I have heard other video recording from a mobile, where this is not an issue

The phone is the Sony flagship, so it must be solvable

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Jeff — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 12:22:33 GMT

Alright, here's the situation.

I had a few people listen to it, and the informal consensus was "The music is too loud".

HOWEVER.

We are going to pass it to the development team for investigation.

This is not a speedy process by any means, and I will be entirely honest in telling you know that our answer may be "The phone is working as designed".

Regardless, we are considering this situation a priority from our end, and I'll try and get you some feedback ASAP.

-Jeff

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

kennethvejen1 — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:42:14 GMT

Of course the sound is loud at events, especially at electronic music events - unfortunately for the ears.

I do not think that the high should be a problem at this moment, because when I take my old camera and record at such events, the music sounds fine when the bass kicks in.

I have an example from probably an iPhone recording from a hardstyle event, where the sound sounds quite well, even when the bass kicks in. From that point of view I see no reason why the Xperia S should record that bad compared to linked recording. I really hope this problem gets fixed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIl_X5VIuQg&feature=youtube_gdata_player

-Kenneth

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Pmac2k — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:24:23 GMT

Sounds like digital drop out, you will probably find the way the old camera is dealing with it is by using a sound limiting technology (compression/limiter) it very basically turns down the 'volume' of the microphone to keep it within a certain range. The problem your experiencing seems to be that when digital recording it uses a series of 0's and 1's to 'record' the sound. When its too loud it simply runs out of 1's and ends as digital distortion.

I would say that it is something that is possible by having a audio compression algorythm on the microphone input which I would imagine is possible to be done via a software update... just needs developing, unless there is an app out there that will allow video recording that has it built in to the app.

-Peter

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

kennethvejen1 — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:44:33 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:54:40 GMT

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.

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Pmac2k — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:16:24 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Jeff — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:49:22 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

kennethvejen1 — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 18:27:32 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Pmac2k — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:29:32 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

chimpski — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 14:05:13 GMT

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

Come on Sony, sort it out.

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

roystonnoel — Sun, 28 Jul 2013 18:49:29 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

Jozso1989 — Tue, 30 Jul 2013 15:10:31 GMT

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

Re: Sony Xperia S - Microphone issues

cjshankleman — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 21:58:06 GMT

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