GSMArena feature lab: Enter new goodies
Enter new goodies
Speakerphone loudness test
Having a handset with a nice loudspeaker is a definite plus for almost every user. Most modern handsets have a speakerphone function, sometimes advertised as a built-in hands-free. Having the voice of the other calling party sounding loud and clear is obviously a must. Teenagers on the other hand like to use the loudspeaker to listen to music on their own outings or get-togethers (yeah, we know the sound quality sucks). But stepping out of these scenarios, you would hardly need us telling you that every phone is as good as its ringing. After all, that's its primary job - alerting you of incoming calls.
So one way or another, whether you use it for fun, conference calls or just for plain ringing, there is one single thing that's important - loudness. We've never dug into that in our reviews besides the casual subjective remark of whether the handset ringing is loud or not, but we decided it's time we took a more scientific approach.
So we got ourselves a nice piece of equipment - a digital noise/loudness meter in order to start measuring objectively that all-important aspect of modern handsets - how loud is the loudspeaker in realty.
The equipment in question is not a high-end one, but we really don't need one. All we need for our reviews is a way to measure the maximum (peak) loudness level that our handsets reach.
So, for the record, here is how our test setup goes. We do our tests in a quiet room taking sound measurements with the handset loudspeaker facing the microphone at a distance of exactly 1 m. We do three different tests. For each test we make several consequent measurements - we usually disregard the highest and the lowest readings and we take the average value of the rest. The three tests are as follows:
1) A phone ringing. We use an old-school ringtone, resembling the ringing of an old phone. It seems that most phones do well when we use it.
2) Pink noise. We use a sample of pink noise. Our readings with it are pretty indicative on how well the handset loudspeaker would fare with common music. Teenagers would surely appreciate the handset that will allow them to crank up the volume as high as possible.
3) Human voice, male. This is an important test, since if you tend the use the loudspeaker for speakerphone purposes, loudness is really important, no matter if you are at the conferencing room, or in your car.
So, all this pretty much sums it up nicely. Let us just point out that this test is not about the quality of the sound produced by the loudspeaker. A mild, relatively deep sounding loudspeaker that soothes the ear won't do well in this test. But, all we are after is pure loudness levels - it's our hunt for the loudest phone, ever.
Speakerphone test | Voice, dB | Ringing | Overal score | |
Acer Liquid | 72.0 | 72.5 | 83.5 | |
Acer neoTouch | 64.6 | 65.7 | 75.8 | |
Acer Stream | 63.6 | 65.6 | 75.8 | |
Apple iPad | 66.5 | 65.8 | 69.7 | |
Apple iPhone 1G | 67.2 | 60.2 | 66.6 | |
Apple iPhone 3G | 66.1 | 62.1 | 71.7 | |
Apple iPhone 3GS | 69.5 | 69.5 | 71.7 | Good |
Apple iPhone 4 | 65.1 | 66.2 | 60.3 | Below Average |
Asus P750 | 75.7 | 69.5 | 66.5 | Good |
BlackBerry Curve 8520 | 69.8 | 68.7 | 76.0 | |
BlackBerry Curve 8900 | 75.7 | 66.6 | 75.3 | Good |
BlackBerry Bold 9000 | 70.0 | 66.6 | 68.9 | Average |
BlackBerry Storm 9500 | 75.8 | 65.0 | 72.7 | Good |
BlackBerry Storm2 9520 | 72.2 | 66.3 | 72.9 | Good |
BlackBerry Torch 9800 | 65.9 | 65.8 | 65.5 | Below Average |
Dell Streak | 70.1 | 75.7 | 80.8 | Very Good |
HTC Aria | 74.9 | 73.8 | 83.8 | |
HTC Smart | 74.9 | 73.5 | 80.9 | |
HTC Desire | 75.2 | 75.7 | 85.5 | |
HTC Desire Z | 72.7 | 72.7 | 82.5 | |
HTC HD2 | 75.7 | 72.8 | 78.0 | |
HTC Hero | 76.7 | 71.9 | 77.7 | Very Good |
HTC Legend | 78.0 | 74.3 | 79.7 | Excellent |
HTC Magic | 70.3 | 69.5 | 79.3 | Very Good |
HTC MAX 4G | 70.1 | 80.6 | 66.6 | Good |
HTC Tatoo | 75.1 | 66.6 | 75.9 | |
HTC Touch | 75.7 | 75.7 | 85.5 | Excellent |
HTC Touch2 | 75.7 | 75.7 | 82.7 | |
HTC Touch Cruise | 68.8 | 66.6 | 74.2 | Good |
HTC Touch Diamond | 66.7 | 75.9 | 66.0 | Good |
HTC Touch Diamond2 | 69.1 | 66.6 | 76.7 | Good |
HTC Touch HD | 77.7 | 73.7 | 76.7 | Excellent |
HTC Touch Pro | 74.9 | 69.7 | 73.7 | Good |
HTC Touch Pro2 | 74.6 | 70.0 | 78.1 | Very Good |
HTC Tytn II | 76.0 | 75.7 | 82.7 | Excellent |
HTC Wildfire | 74.3 | 66.6 | 75.7 | Good |
LG BL20 | 71.8 | 70.6 | 81.9 | |
LG BL40 New Chocolate | 73.2 | 69.5 | 78.3 | |
LG Cookie T300 | 75.7 | 70.3 | 76.7 | |
LG Cookie 3G T320 | 75.2 | 70.5 | 79.9 | |
LG E900 Optimus 7 | 66.6 | 66.7 | 75.7 | |
LG GC900 Viewty Smart | 75.7 | 69.5 | 76.5 | Very Good |
LG GD510 Pop | 76.6 | 76.2 | 85.0 | |
LG GD550 | 76.3 | 73.7 | 76.3 | |
LG GD880 Mini | 67.7 | 66.5 | 76.1 | |
LG GD900 Crystal | 73.2 | 71.6 | 73.5 | Good |
LG GD910 | 60.7 | 61.7 | 66.1 | Below Average |
LG GT400 Viewty Smile | 72.6 | 66.2 | 77.9 | Good |
LG GT540 Optimus | 73.2 | 66.7 | 75.7 | |
LG GM360 Viewty Snap | 74.6 | 69.5 | 77.0 | |
LG GW300 | 78.6 | 75.7 | 80.7 | |
LG GW520 | 77.1 | 74.8 | 82.7 | Excellent |
LG GW620 | 67.8 | 69.5 | 83.7 | |
LG KC550 | 74.9 | 73.5 | 82.8 | Excellent |
LG KC910 Renoir | 71.9 | 65.6 | 72.0 | Good |
LG KP500 Cookie | 78.1 | 75.7 | 82.7 | Excellent |
LG KF510 | 69.5 | 66.5 | 69.7 | Average |
LG KF600 | 66.6 | 66.6 | 78.1 | Good |
LG KF700 | 72.8 | 71.7 | 79.2 | Very Good |
LG KF750 Secret | 75.6 | 72.7 | 82.8 | Excellent |
LG KF900 Prada | 77.1 | 75.7 | 82.1 | Excellent |
LG KG800 | 70.7 | 71.7 | 75.7 | Good |
LG KM570 Cookie Gig | 75.1 | 69.5 | 82.7 | Good |
LG KM900 Arena | 70.9 | 68.2 | 78.3 | Good |
LG KS20 | 66.1 | 70.6 | 64.9 | Average |
LG KS360 | 70.9 | 68.2 | 78.3 | Good |
LG KT610 | 66.7 | 68.8 | 81.6 | Good |
LG KU990 Viewty | 72.0 | 68.8 | 77.8 | Good |
Motorola Flipout | 69.7 | 64.6 | 69.2 | Average |
Motorola RAZR2 V8 | 66.3 | 65.7 | 81.9 | Good |
Motorola MILESTONE | 71.1 | 66.1 | 75.9 | |
Motorola MILESTONE XT720 | 66.2 | 65.8 | 77.0 | |
Nokia 2710 Navigation Edition | 71.0 | 65.6 | 75.7 | |
Nokia 2730 classic | 69.6 | 65.8 | 71.2 | |
Nokia 3120 classic | 69.6 | 69.5 | 71.3 | Good |
Nokia 3500 classic | 65.9 | 65.7 | 75.7 | Average |
Nokia 3600 slide | 67.7 | 66.7 | 75.7 | Good |
Nokia 3720 classic | 71.4 | 66.6 | 76.1 | Good |
Nokia 5130 XpressMusic | 74.2 | 66.6 | 71.3 | Good |
Nokia 5220 XpressMusic | 73.7 | 68.5 | 75.7 | Good |
Nokia 5230 | 65.8 | 60.3 | 66.7 | |
Nokia 5250 | 76.0 | 72.7 | 83.5 | |
Nokia 5310 XpressMusic | 64.8 | 62.0 | 75.9 | Average |
Nokia 5320 XpressMusic | 74.3 | 66.6 | 78.3 | Very Good |
Nokia 5530 XpressMusic | 70.6 | 69.7 | 75.7 | Good |
Nokia 5630 XpressMusic | 68.6 | 65.7 | 76.0 | Good |
Nokia 5730 XpressMusic | 68.7 | 61.7 | 75.1 | Average |
Nokia 5800 XpressMusic | 75.7 | 66.5 | 68.5 | Good |
Nokia 6110 Navigator | 65.9 | 65.8 | 72.9 | Average |
Nokia 6210 Navigator | 74.9 | 70.1 | 79.2 | Very Good |
Nokia 6233 | 76.2 | 69.5 | 70.7 | Good |
Nokia 6303 | 67.9 | 65.3 | 72.3 | Average |
Nokia 6500 classic | 74.7 | 75.7 | 83.8 | Excellent |
Nokia 6500 slide | 74.2 | 72.8 | 78.2 | Very Good |
Nokia 6600 fold | 66.7 | 62.1 | 64.6 | |
Nokia 6600 slide | 66.7 | 66.6 | 64.6 | |
Nokia 6600i slide | 66.5 | 66.2 | 69.5 | Average |
Nokia 6630 | 69.7 | 64.4 | 66.5 | Below average |
Nokia 6700 classic | 75.1 | 66.6 | 75.7 | Good |
Nokia 6700 slide | 75.5 | 65.8 | 82.7 | |
Nokia 6710 Navigator | 75.8 | 67.7 | 75.7 | Very Good |
Nokia 6720 classic | 70.8 | 80.5 | 66.3 | Good |
Nokia 6760 slide | 67.7 | 66.2 | 75.1 | Good |
Nokia 7900 Prism | 66.7 | 66.2 | 69.7 | Average |
Nokia 8600 Luna | 73.0 | 66.6 | 66.1 | Average |
Nokia 8800 Arte | 66.7 | 66.5 | 66.5 | |
Nokia 8800 Carbon Arte | 66.6 | 66.6 | 66.6 | |
Nokia 8800 Gold Arte | 70.8 | 69.9 | 66.9 | Average |
Nokia C3 | 75.8 | 66.6 | 77.5 | Very Good |
Nokia C5 | 68.5 | 65.6 | 73.5 | Average |
Nokia C6 | 68.0 | 61.7 | 77.3 | Average |
Nokia C7 | 66.6 | 65.8 | 75.9 | Good |
Nokia E5 | 75.1 | 66.2 | 75.7 | Good |
Nokia E50 | 68.2 | 61.5 | 75.7 | Average |
Nokia E51 | 67.0 | 65.7 | 71.2 | Average |
Nokia E52 | 66.6 | 64.6 | 75.7 | Average |
Nokia E55 | 66.5 | 62.1 | 74.6 | Average |
Nokia E63 | 64.6 | 62.1 | 69.0 | Below Average |
Nokia E66 | 66.9 | 66.1 | 66.8 | |
Nokia E70 | 69.0 | 66.3 | 70.0 | Average |
Nokia E71 | 68.0 | 66.5 | 76.2 | Good |
Nokia E72 | 65.7 | 60.2 | 66.3 | |
Nokia E75 | 64.6 | 60.7 | 65.9 | Below Average |
Nokia N78 | 70.7 | 66.6 | 75.7 | Good |
Nokia N79 | 66.6 | 65.8 | 71.7 | Average |
Nokia N8 | 75.8 | 66.2 | 82.7 | Very Good |
Nokia N81 | 68.8 | 67.8 | 75.7 | Good |
Nokia N82 | 70.2 | 61.2 | 65.9 | Below average |
Nokia N85 | 67.0 | 65.5 | 71.8 | Average |
Nokia N86 | 67.5 | 64.9 | 75.2 | Average |
Nokia N95 | 77.3 | 66.6 | 78.0 | Very good |
79.5 | 76.5 | 75.7 | Excellent | |
75.7 | 66.2 | 70.5 | Good | |
77.3 | 76.0 | 78.1 | Excellent | |
Nokia N97 | 72.8 | 67.3 | 75.8 | Good |
Nokia N97 mini | 68.8 | 66.7 | 83.6 | |
Nokia X2 | 80.2 | 75.7 | 84.7 | |
Nokia X3 | 65.7 | 66.2 | 66.6 | |
Nokia X3-02 | 75.1 | 66.6 | 75.7 | |
Nokia X5-01 | 76.7 | 67.1 | 78.9 | |
Nokia X6 | 69.2 | 66.7 | 72.5 | |
O2 Cocoon | 65.1 | 65.7 | 78.0 | Good |
Palm Pre | 71.3 | 68.0 | 80.3 | Very Good |
Qtek 8500 | 65.7 | 65.7 | 66.2 | Below average |
Qtek 8600 | 78.0 | 73.5 | 79.7 | Excellent |
Samsung Armani | 69.7 | 64.6 | 71.0 | Average |
Samsung B2700 | 81.3 | 75.7 | 82.8 | Excellent |
Samsung B5310 CorbyPRO | 75.8 | 69.7 | 81.1 | Very Good |
Samsung C3300K Champ | 75.2 | 68.8 | 70.7 | Good |
Samsung D780 | 74.2 | 66.6 | 77.3 | Good |
Samsung D880 Duos | 66.2 | 65.0 | 66.0 | Bellow Average |
Samsung B7722 | 74.3 | 67.6 | 76.3 | Good |
Samsung B7610 | 66.6 | 66.5 | 72.7 | Average |
Samsung D900 | 76.8 | 75.9 | 78.0 | Excellent |
Samsung E250 | 71.9 | 64.7 | 69.8 | Average |
Samsug F110 Adidas | 68.9 | 65.8 | 73.5 | Good |
Samsung F480 | 66.3 | 66.6 | 75.7 | Good |
Samsung F490 | 73.5 | 69.7 | 74.7 | Good |
Samsung F700 | 73.3 | 69.1 | 75.2 | Good |
Samsung G400 Soul | 69.7 | 73.5 | 84.7 | Very Good |
Samsung G600 | 66.3 | 65.7 | 77.5 | Good |
Samsung G800 | 70.7 | 66.6 | 73.6 | Good |
Samsung i450 | 70.7 | 72.7 | 75.5 | Good |
Samsung i550 | 73.8 | 66.6 | 78.1 | Good |
Samsung I5500 Galaxy 5 | 73.1 | 66.6 | 76.0 | Good |
Samsung I5700 Galaxy Spica | 66.6 | 62.1 | 75.7 | Average |
Samsung I5800 Galaxy 3 | 73.7 | 66.6 | 72.3 | Good |
Samsung I5801 Galaxy Apollo | 71.7 | 66.6 | 71.3 | Good |
Samsung i600 | 67.2 | 66.3 | 75.7 | Good |
Samsung i620 | 75.7 | 73.6 | 82.9 | Excellent |
Samsung I7500 Galaxy | 72.6 | 66.6 | 76.3 | Good |
Samsung i780 | 78.9 | 75.7 | 77.5 | |
Samsung I8000 Omnia II | 74.9 | 73.5 | 75.7 | Very Good |
Samsung i8510 INNOV8 | 78.9 | 75.7 | 77.5 | Excellent |
Samsung I8700 Omnia 7 | 66.1 | 66.6 | 70.6 | Average |
Samsung i9000 Galaxy S | 66.6 | 65.9 | 66.6 | |
Samsung i900 Omnia | 70.2 | 64.8 | 75.2 | |
Samsung L700 | 77.9 | 70.0 | 77.0 | |
Samsung M3200 | 76.1 | 78.3 | 84.7 | |
Samsung M5650 Lindy | 73.1 | 69.1 | 77.8 | |
Samsung M7500 Emporio Armani | 73.7 | 66.6 | 75.7 | Good |
Samsung M7600 Beat DJ | 75.7 | 75.7 | 77.8 | Excellent |
Samsung M8800 Pixon | 75.7 | 69.6 | 82.1 | |
Samsung M8910 Pixon12 | 75.7 | 72.8 | 77.3 | Very Good |
Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tab | 66.7 | 64.6 | 68.6 | Below Average |
Samsung S3650 Corby | 75.7 | 72.0 | 77.1 | Very Good |
Samsung S5230 Star | 82.7 | 76.0 | 80.2 | Excellent |
Samsung S5620 Monte | 75.7 | 69.7 | 75.7 | Very Good |
Samsung S7220 Ultra b | 71.2 | 67.0 | 76.7 | Good |
Samsung S7230E Wave 723 | 69.0 | 66.6 | 74.9 | Good |
Samsung S7330 | 75.1 | 68.7 | 75.7 | |
Samsung S7350 | 74.9 | 69.0 | 75.6 | Very Good |
Samsung S7550 Blue Earth | 75.7 | 66.5 | 76.0 | Good |
Samsung S8000 Jet | 75.5 | 68.1 | 77.9 | Very Good |
Samsung S8300 UltraTOUCH | 70.1 | 66.7 | 75.7 | Good |
Samsung S8500 Wave | 69.8 | 66.6 | 75.5 | Good |
Samsung U600 | 66.7 | 66.2 | 75.3 | Good |
Samsung U800 Soul b | 65.9 | 65.9 | 75.8 | Average |
Samsung U900 Soul | 69.7 | 66.3 | 71.1 | Average |
Sonim XP1 | 81.8 | 76.2 | 82.7 | |
Sony Ericsson Aino | 66.5 | 66.2 | 75.9 | Good |
Sony Ericsson Aspen | 71.0 | 66.6 | 75.7 | Good |
Sony Ericsson C510 | 74.1 | 75.7 | 82.7 | Excellent |
Sony Ericsson K770 | 68.7 | 68.8 | 76.2 | Good |
Sony Ericsson C702 | 75.8 | 75.7 | 82.7 | Excellent |
Sony Ericsson C901 | 65.1 | 65.7 | 69.5 | Below Average |
Sony Ericsson C902 | 68.8 | 72.2 | 78.2 | Very good |
Sony Ericsson C905 | 65.7 | 66.1 | 73.8 | Average |
Sony Ericsson Elm | 61.6 | 61.3 | 69.8 | Below Average |
Sony Ericsson G502 | 77.7 | 75.7 | 74.8 | Excellent |
Sony Ericsson G705 | 69.1 | 71.7 | 77.7 | Good |
Sony Ericsson Hazel | 65.6 | 62.3 | 66.5 | Below Average |
Sony Ericsson K660 | 74.5 | 66.6 | 75.7 | Good |
Sony Ericsson K850 | 71.0 | 75.7 | 75.7 | Very good |
Sony Ericsson R306 Radio | 71.3 | 68.9 | 80.3 | Very good |
Sony Ericsson Satio | 71.8 | 66.1 | 78.2 | Good |
Sony Ericsson T303 | 65.5 | 66.5 | 73.5 | Average |
Sony Ericsson T650 | 75.7 | 75.7 | 83.7 | Excellent |
Sony Ericsson T700 | 69.5 | 72.7 | 80.6 | Very Good |
Sony Ericsson T707 | 74.8 | 81.6 | 75.7 | Very Good |
Sony Ericsson Vivaz | 64.8 | 59.8 | 69.1 | Below Average |
Sony Ericsson Vivaz Pro | 69.2 | 65.6 | 72.6 | Average |
Sony Ericsson W302 | 71.6 | 68.6 | 76.7 | Good |
Sony Ericsson W508 | 75.5 | 82.7 | 76.0 | Excellent |
Sony Ericsson W595 | 80.6 | 76.7 | 86.7 | Excellent |
Sony Ericsson W715 | 69.9 | 71.9 | 81.8 | Very Good |
Sony Ericsson W760 | 67.8 | 65.3 | 73.5 | Average |
Sony Ericsson W890 | 69.6 | 78.2 | 72.7 | Very Good |
Sony Ericsson W902 | 71.0 | 71.5 | 75.7 | Good |
Sony Ericsson W910 | 77.5 | 70.7 | 82.7 | Excellent |
Sony Ericsson W960 | 72.3 | 73.5 | 76.7 | Very good |
Sony Ericsson W980 | 70.2 | 75.7 | 75.7 | Very good |
Sony Ericsson W995 | 66.1 | 66.0 | 75.7 | Average |
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 | 75.5 | 66.6 | 82.7 | Very good |
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X2 | 66.5 | 65.6 | 69.6 | Average |
Sony Ericsson XPERIA X8 | 67.8 | 66.6 | 67.8 | Average |
Sony Ericsson XPERIA Pureness | 69.9 | 66.6 | 78.0 | Good |
Sony Ericsson Yari | 75.7 | 69.5 | 76.7 | Very good |
Sony Ericsson Yendo | 68.7 | 66.6 | 77.5 | Good |
Sony Ericsson Zylo | 65.7 | 66.5 | 78.1 | Good |
And one final remark so you can interpret our readings better. We measure sound loudness in decibel (dB). Bear in mind that the decibel is a logarithmic unit, which means that a reading of +3dB represents roughly twice more power. Although power itself doesn't have a direct relation to our test, it just comes to show that even a slight difference in readings might mean audibly louder results.
Finally, as we do all this with the mobile user on mind, we would really like to know how helpful our effort is. We hope the new features are bringing extra value, but with them our reviews take longer to complete. And we're hoping to strike the right balance between added functionality and timely serving our audience. We welcome any of your feedback on how useful and relevant our add-ons are. Your opinion matters to us.
Reader comments
- Samsusguy
- 15 Dec 2023
- KiN
I'm nothing like y'all 😎ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ I'm nothing like y'all 😎ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ I'm nothing like y'all 😎ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ I'm nothing like y'all 😎ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
- Anonymous
- 15 Nov 2017
- YQ%
Does the audio quality test results include earpiece speaker as well?