US vs EU/Global version - audio power and volume

nathasnajperowa · Sep 14, 2016

I have both US and EU version and external speakers play more or less the same but regarding headphones jack it's totally different. US version plays clear and loud, with Dolby Atmos and hifi on even louder but less clear (fake surround and boosted bass). Anyway in both cases with enhancements on or off sound via headphones is loud, clear, with power, boosted, deeply breathing. Nice.
In case of EU version when i plug the same wired headphones it's night and day worse than US Axon 7. With Dolby Atmos off it's quite quiet and not dynamic, with Dolby Atmos on it's disaster, sound is very low volume and sounds like muffled, covered with pillow.
Please can someone plug headphones and write about her/his audio experience and impression.
Additional request for ppl having as me both version, please comparison is highly appreciated.
I don't know if my EU unit is defective or European A7 just that they are.
Thanks everyone is advance for help and support.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U

rikin93 · Sep 14, 2016

nathasnajperowa said:
I have both US and EU version and external speakers play more or less the same but regarding headphones jack it's totally different. US version plays clear and loud, with Dolby Atmos and hifi on even louder but less clear (fake surround and boosted bass). Anyway in both cases with enhancements on or off sound via headphones is loud, clear, with power, boosted, deeply breathing. Nice.
In case of EU version when i plug the same wired headphones it's night and day worse than US Axon 7. With Dolby Atmos off it's quite quiet and not dynamic, with Dolby Atmos on it's disaster, sound is very low volume and sounds like muffled, covered with pillow.
Please can someone plug headphones and write about her/his audio experience and impression.
Additional request for ppl having as me both version, please comparison is highly appreciated.
I don't know if my EU unit is defective or European A7 just that they are.
Thanks everyone is advance for help and support.

Sent from my ZTE A2017U

This is probably the case because under EU law the headset volume cannot go over a certain limit. I remember this being the case for nexus phones which i had to root to increase the volume.

More information here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-21294537

nathasnajperowa · Sep 14, 2016

Thanks, I also suspected so but difference is so huge I thought EU unit is defective.

Wysłane z mojego ZTE A2017G przy użyciu Tapatalka

Chris2810 · Sep 14, 2016

Yeah but it displays a warning (something that it can damage your hearing) and asks you if you want to turn the volume up anyway.

rikin93 · Sep 14, 2016

Chris2810 said:
Yeah but it displays a warning (something that it can damage your hearing) and asks you if you want to turn the volume up anyway.

Yes but there is still an 80db limit under EU law. I remember rooting my nexus and going into a volume change to increase that limit via root access.

nathasnajperowa · Sep 14, 2016

So this volume limit is software i guess, but is it possible that also hardware? How to fix it without root? (don't want to loose warranty)

Sent from my ZTE A2017U

rikin93 · Sep 14, 2016

nathasnajperowa said:
So this volume limit is software i guess, but is it possible that also hardware? How to fix it without root? (don't want to loose warranty)

Sent from my ZTE A2017U

Cant fix without root i think. Its a software limit i believe.

freeway82 · Sep 14, 2016

EU version user here.

Thank you so much for this thread.
Listening to music on this thing in the EU version is a disaster.

The volume is the first thing I noticed since I listen to music a lot and transferred my music folder first.

Honestly I do not know about the US version audio but the sounds coming out of headphones on this EU version is simply abysmal.

The normal volume is very low, even when turned all the way up and sound is very unclear and unnatural but once you activate the so called Dolby thingy, the whole sound is completely muffled and you could barely hear anything anymore. So my Dolby is permanently off.

To imagine that they were hammering about the superior audio.

I am coming from Honor 7, which I still have on the side and it sounds so much better with headphones than this phone.

Other than the minor Software problems, I like the phone but still considering returning it due to the sound problem.

koolershaker · Sep 14, 2016

I have the EU Version i can't compare to US but the sound from headphones on the axon 7 is slightly better than on my OnePlus 3 it's more clear and it has better snr.

But it's not very loud and with Dolby Setting it's terrible

BTW: i use Poweramp which tries to bypass system EQ etc. i remember testing it with the zte music app the sound was terrible in
"normal" and dolby...

Ranny99 · Sep 14, 2016

Very obvious I know but you do have headset hi-fi set to 'super' and not standard?

With earphones in (Marshall Mode or Shure se215) I find anything above 75% volume to be uncomfortable and normally listen at 50ish with Dolby turned off.

Sent from my ZTE A2017G using Tapatalk

nathasnajperowa · Sep 14, 2016

With headset hifi set to super is slightly better than without but still even not acceptable considering fact axon 7 was supposed to have superior audio with dedicated two dacs and amp for jack output (normally amp drives power and loudness).
I also had European Htc 10 and this thing was incredible crushing with headphones, so loud that I couldn't listen on max volume (thats rare for me, I love music drilling my brain

) so htc could make device with loud and also good quality audio output (unfortunately lacking in other aspects).
Let's ask ZTE to unleash the power of axon 7 potential audio capabilities with hardware they claim installed.

Wysłane z mojego ZTE A2017G przy użyciu Tapatalka

ludovicien · Sep 14, 2016

This is just one thing after another. I only bought this because of the sound. Mine is arriving tomorrow and if it's at all disappointing it's going back. I can live with poor low-light photos but after a fortnight using the wife's Nexus 5x I'm not paying €450 for bad sound.
Why would they advertise it as a great audio device in the EU where it will attract audiophiles who will just send it back?

Dian Z · Sep 14, 2016

I'm getting one tomorrow as well (now that it is available.... been waiting for weeks now ^^), if audio quality is crap then yes, definitely a deal breaker for me.

imp3r10 · Sep 14, 2016

I still find Poweramp plays louder than Dolby Atmos on Play Music.

Sander · Sep 14, 2016

I just got mine. I'm going to update it to B03 now. If it's really as bad as op says I might return it. I'll definitely check with zte before I do so though. It seems like a pretty easy fix to me.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn A0001 met Tapatalk

joaste · Sep 14, 2016

Sander said:
I just got mine. I'm going to update it to B03 now. If it's really as bad as op says I might return it. I'll definitely check with zte before I do so though. It seems like a pretty easy fix to me.

Verstuurd vanaf mijn A0001 met Tapatalk

Could you update us on your findings after the update?

mcanic · Sep 14, 2016

I am probably the only one that cannot relate to low headphone sound volume on the EU model (2017G). Sound level is a bit lower with Dolby Atmos turned on. Strange thing I noticed - the predefined Dolby Atmos settings are way less loud than my custom setting (settings: Volume lever On, Dialogue Enhancer Off, Surround Virtualizer On, Intelligent Equalizer Open). If I turn up the volume. under Settings - Sound & vibration - Headset Hifi I have it set to 'Super'. If I turn up the volume it's pretty loud, absolutely no complaints there. This goes for Dolby Atmos enabled (in my Custom preference setting) as well as for with Dolby Atmos disabled. I turn on Dolby Atmos when listening to classical music most of the time, and I found that the better mixed songs often go well with DA enabled. Sometimes I turn it on and on to see which mode is best for the stuff I'm listening to.
I have 2 sets of in-earphones, the one that came with the Axon 7 and my old iPhone 5S one. The iPhone sounds slightly more crisp but the Axon 7 headphones are ok too. It might be better with some super high quality headphones, I don't know.

Chris2810 · Sep 15, 2016

I never have it on full volume, my ears would hurt. I have it mostly at the EU limit, sometimes over it when I want it louder. I use default music app, HiFi settings on super, Dolby Atmos is off (except on speakers). The quality is the best I've heard on a mobile phone. I used to use Poweramp but I noticed the sound is a little better in default music app. And I use Sennheiser M2 in ear.

keessonnema · Sep 15, 2016

Chris2810 said:
I never have it on full volume, my ears would hurt. I have it mostly at the EU limit, sometimes over it when I want it louder. I use default music app, HiFi settings on super, Dolby Atmos is off (except on speakers). The quality is the best I've heard on a mobile phone. I used to use Poweramp but I noticed the sound is a little better in default music app. And I use Sennheiser M2 in ear.

Mine arrives tomorrow and I'm not really concerned about it.
The chips are there, Dolby Atmos is there, only thing that should be different is the loudness. I will probably root my phone anyway, but I think it's a big upgrade from my OnePlus 2.

Dian Z · Sep 16, 2016

Dian Z said:
I'm getting one tomorrow as well (now that it is available.... been waiting for weeks now ^^), if audio quality is crap then yes, definitely a deal breaker for me.

Got the phone (EU version A2017G) and it can barely drive my PC350 headset (150 ohms) with Dolby Atmos activated - barely loud enough :/
I would't count on using higher impedance headphones.

Certainly disappointing... but as someone mentioned, can probably be fixed easily with root and US software version.

US vs EU/Global version - audio power and volume

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