[dhart1949]

Okay I'm new to the Blackberry (Palm user for many years) so be gentle. Like all the apps for the phone, but here is where it gets weird. I've installed a number of them and now I'm getting complaints that my voice sounds "muffled". I was using my trusty Plantronics 510 so I thought maybe time for a new headset. While waiting for a new headset I switched back to using the handset. Better callers tell me, but muffled. Go the Sprint store and the tech looks at my phone and says "Man, you have a lot of apps on this thing!" I have about 10. He tells me I have to backup, do a hard reset and then reinstall those apps one by one until I find the one that's causing my voice to be "muffled". WTF? What kind of phone's voice quality is affected by the apps you have installed on it? Is this guy blowing smoke or is there something to all this?
Thanks.

[trsbbs]

I get complaints on muffled sounding voice off my 8530 as well.
I think it has more to do with the placement of the mic and the
quality of the mic and processing hardware.

Tim

[dhart1949]

Great, so I have a phone that I can receive emails on, but people have difficulty hearing my voice. In the mean time I removed most the apps and I'll have to wait until some people wake up so I can test my Sprint techs "theory" of apps causing muffled voice.

[anon(140126)]

Are you guys getting good reception when making calls?

Also, I'd recommend updating your OS, I don't know if it'll affect the voice quality of the phone, but it might.

[dhart1949]

Yes, I'm hearing just fine. And yes, I know how not to block the microphone at the bottom of the phone. I called my wife this am and she said it sound much better. Besides removing the apps I also also disabled the "automatic volume control" at the suggestion of someone else on forum. Don't know now, if it was the "apps" removal or the automatic volume. But it's better. So unless someone can eliminate the "apps" theory, I'll just use this thing as a plain old phone (with email).

[littona]

The guy was blowing smoke. Apps don't control your phone calls. If you have a cover/skin on your phone, those have been known to cause problems. The AVC probably didn't cooperate well with your headset.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[codylainsworth]

@dhart1949; I have 12 Apps on mine. I can assure you it isn't the apps. I read many reveiws about the phone prior to diving in and a number of them addressed this issue. It was a part of the "cons". But just like all phones there are "pros" that offset those. I personally haven't had any complaints.

[dhart1949]

Okay I think I may have "fixed" it. And I never really bought the tech theory that somehow too many "apps" was causing the muffled sound quality. If current BB OS was that screwed up, no one would be using it. It would appear the problem lies in the "automatic voice" circuity. Having worked in the media production business for years I know a little about AGC (automatic gain control). Here's what I know...it usually doesn't work very well. I turned automatic voice off and people report that I now sound like I'm on a normal phone. I talked to my daughter this afternoon who has the same phone as I and it sounded like she was opening mail while talking to me. I could hear the AGC cutting in and out. My advice to anyone having voice problems with this phone is to turn the automatic voice off and leave it there. I'm now going to reload my apps and never return to the supposed experts at the Sprint store :-)

[codylainsworth]

I am glad it has been resolved.