Sound Distortion - A Solution and Short True Story

[Zwerski]

Hello, all- [story on top, solution below]

STORY
I recently got a silver mini for a gift (lucky me) and am delighted at the usability of the little gadget. I have owned 2 flash players and one other HDD jukebox in the past and wanted something smaller and sleeker for walking around with and ended up with my new mini.
Problem is, the sound on my mini distorts VERY badly at VERY low volumes at all EQ settings. All of my collection is in MP3 format and I am trying to avoid the "Gain Adjustment For Each Track" solution without re-converting my entire collection.
---

SOLUTION
While perusing the rumor posting about the possibility of 5GB drives shipping unannounced in current silver minis:
http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/sho...threadid=65447
a user posted a way to see if your unit has a free 5GB drive in it. In addition, there are some other menu items available for use such as diagnostics. One menu item is "AUDIO" and allows you to adjust the gain of the unit on the unit rather than adjusting each track in iTunes, as some users have suggested.

I was able to back the gain off from the factory setting of 120 to 70 (mine was SEVERELY distorted even at low volumes) and now my mini is better than when I opened it! The sound is now amazing (and I do not use the word lightly). I was disappointed with my mini, now I love it!
---

HOW TO (use at your own risk) with unit on:
1. Press SELECT and MENU at the same time and hold for 6 seconds. Unit will reset.
2. When the apple appears, pres and hold SELECT and PREVIOUS "|<<" for a few seconds. A diagnostic screen will appear and tell you to press play to continue. Press play.
3. Use the "|<<" and ">>|" buttons to navigate to "AUDIO"
4. Press SELECT. "ADJAUDIO 120" will appear. Use the "|<<" and ">>|" buttons to back off the gain. I had to go all the way to 70 to get my tracks to stop distorting. Try different levels until you find waht works for you.
5. Press SELECT and MENU to exit and restart your mini.
NOTE: at any time, press SELECT and MENU to exit. This will lower the overall volume of the unit somewhat. This technique worked for me and I have moderate hearing loss.

Good LUCK!

[Zwerski]

I would have thought someone had some feedback on this. So many people complain for "fuzzy" sound and the like. If you do try this out, let me know if it worked for you.

[instantpop]

I would also like to know if anyone has tried this solution! My iPod Photo distorts some albums something awful and there are songs on my iPod that I just can't listen to because they are all mud!! This could be the solution we're all looking for if someone has a spare one sitting around they want to try it with!

[Zwerski]

I did not take apart the unit or anything like that. It is part of the diagnostic tools onboard the units that enable exactly this kind of adjustment.

To be clear: if your music files are distorted (recorded at too high a volume) to begin with, you cannot adjust the distortion out of the file, as you can with analog recordings. YOU CAN, however, adjust the distortion out of the sound output on the mini, as long as the mini is the culprit.

ALSO- the Gain setting can be put back to the original settings, if needed, and defaults back to the original setting of 120 if you choose to do that.

I would recommend giving it a try and seeing if your iPod mini Gain setting is the culprit. As I said in the post, mine was horribly distorted while playing every music file stored n the unit. This adjustment worked to remedy that on my mini for all but a few music files that were recorded at too high a volume/gain setting to begin with.

I would be interested to find out if this works for any other mini Podders out there.

[SupremeGod7]

i dont know if i did right because once i do it and go back to the menu it says 120 again. does it suppose to do this? and will this affect auto synching?

[Zwerski]

Originally posted by SupremeGod7
i dont know if i did right because once i do it and go back to the menu it says 120 again. does it suppose to do this? and will this affect auto synching?

Once you select the Gain level and the sound test runs, exit that menu and quit the diagnostic menu. Once you return to the menu, it resets to the default 120 value automatically.

[chicken_salt]

once u said press select and |<< mine didnt do it

[chicken_salt]

oh i got it.
You have to press select and |<< as soon as the apple logo comes up.

thanks

[samir_asth]

Hi, My name is Samir Leal and I am From Brazil.

I have an iPod Mini with Firmware 1.2. I tried this tip but I can´t "save" my level setting. Always when I exit the diagnostic mode my audio gain resets.

I tested it putting the audio gain in a very low level, like 10. I exit the diagnostic mode and when I played an music it was like before (distorting).

How is the right way to exit the diagnostic mode after settting the audio gain (the sequence of keys to be pressed).

Thanks folks

[Zwerski]

When you set the audio level to your desird number, in your case to "10", the system will perform an audio test. At higher levels like 100+, you can hear a series of repeating noises. At lower levels, none can be heard. Once the teset is performed, exit from the audio menu, then exit from the diagnostic menu. Your settings will have been saved, and the iPod will restart.

To exit the diagnostic menu, press MENU then SELECT and hold both buttons until the iPod resarts.

Let me kow if this works for you.

---

Originally posted by samir_asth
Hi, My name is Samir Leal and I am From Brazil.

I have an iPod Mini with Firmware 1.2. I tried this tip but I can´t "save" my level setting. Always when I exit the diagnostic mode my audio gain resets.

I tested it putting the audio gain in a very low level, like 10. I exit the diagnostic mode and when I played an music it was like before (distorting).

How is the right way to exit the diagnostic mode after settting the audio gain (the sequence of keys to be pressed).

Thanks folks

[samir_asth]

Man, It didn't work. I am still having the same problem. Is it because my firmware version (1.2)? What is the number of your's?

Thanks

[Zwerski]

Originally posted by samir_asth
Man, It didn't work. I am still having the same problem. Is it because my firmware version (1.2)? What is the number of your's?

Thanks

Yes, I have ver. 1.2 also.

If you go back into the AUDIO menu to check the Gain level after setting and saving it, the level will automatically reset to 120. You can't set the level, then go back and check it, as it will say "120". I have recently needed to set my Gain level all the way to 30 to get it to fix the problem.

THIS ONLY WORKS if the digital recording of the track is not already distorted. Tracks can also have their Gain level adjusted DURING THE RECORDING. If they are recorded at too high a level to begin with, this operation won't salve the problem.

[BoDEAN]

Originally posted by Zwerski
Hello, all- [story on top, solution below]

STORY
I recently got a silver mini for a gift (lucky me) and am delighted at the usability of the little gadget. I have owned 2 flash players and one other HDD jukebox in the past and wanted something smaller and sleeker for walking around with and ended up with my new mini.
Problem is, the sound on my mini distorts VERY badly at VERY low volumes at all EQ settings. All of my collection is in MP3 format and I am trying to avoid the "Gain Adjustment For Each Track" solution without re-converting my entire collection.
---

SOLUTION
While perusing the rumor posting about the possibility of 5GB drives shipping unannounced in current silver minis:
http://www.ipodlounge.com/forums/sho...threadid=65447
a user posted a way to see if your unit has a free 5GB drive in it. In addition, there are some other menu items available for use such as diagnostics. One menu item is "AUDIO" and allows you to adjust the gain of the unit on the unit rather than adjusting each track in iTunes, as some users have suggested.

I was able to back the gain off from the factory setting of 120 to 70 (mine was SEVERELY distorted even at low volumes) and now my mini is better than when I opened it! The sound is now amazing (and I do not use the word lightly). I was disappointed with my mini, now I love it!
---

HOW TO (use at your own risk) with unit on:
1. Press SELECT and MENU at the same time and hold for 6 seconds. Unit will reset.
2. When the apple appears, pres and hold SELECT and PREVIOUS "|<<" for a few seconds. A diagnostic screen will appear and tell you to press play to continue. Press play.
3. Use the "|<<" and ">>|" buttons to navigate to "AUDIO"
4. Press SELECT. "ADJAUDIO 120" will appear. Use the "|<<" and ">>|" buttons to back off the gain. I had to go all the way to 70 to get my tracks to stop distorting. Try different levels until you find waht works for you.
5. Press SELECT and MENU to exit and restart your mini.
NOTE: at any time, press SELECT and MENU to exit. This will lower the overall volume of the unit somewhat. This technique worked for me and I have moderate hearing loss.

Good LUCK!

Just bought a new mini. Dont see "audio" listed in the menu.

[Zwerski]

Originally posted by BoDEAN
Just bought a new mini. Dont see "audio" listed in the menu.

Remember, this is not in the main "normal" menu that comes on when the unit is turned on normally, it is in the firmware settings menu.

In the firmware menu, the scroll wheel does not function. Click the fast forward and rewind (|<< and >>|) buttons to navigate this menu.

Good luck.

[BoDEAN]

Originally posted by Zwerski
Remember, this is not in the main "normal" menu that comes on when the unit is turned on normally, it is in the firmware settings menu.

In the firmware menu, the scroll wheel does not function. Click the fast forward and rewind (|<< and >>|) buttons to navigate this menu.

Good luck.

Im at the Ipod Diagnostic menu.......no audio is listed
Version 1.3