Sound is too quiet on IOS

[Prop-Bender]

Hi,

I just started the trial of MRA Next looking for a motorcycle GPS and Apple Carplay Support.

Unfortunately, the spoken directions are very quiet.
To barely here them, I have to set the Phone Bluetooth Volume to maximum level and the helmet headset aswell.

But then, it is impossible to listen to music, as that would blast off my ears.

Is there any way to adjust the MRA voice guidance volume on its own?
I already tried different voices, but at least the German ones are equally quiet.

Thanks for your help,
Martin

[PatsAdventuresTravels]

@Prop-Bender I have noticed the same thing. I am using an Android tablet, TriplTek, and I have the same issue. I am using the Cardo Packtalk Edge head set.

[Mark Bird]

@Prop-Bender yes, I have found exactly the same and have raised a support ticket. To be honest, I don’t think there will be a solution since Apple does not support different volume levels for different apps (Android does I believe). The same thing happens when using Calimoto too, so it’s not an MRA fault. I’m really disappointed to learn this after just fitting a CarPlay until my bike in place of a Garmin. It seems I can listen to music or to nav directions, but not both.

[Mark Bird]

@Mark-Bird as an addendum to my last post, I have just tested the Scenic navigation app and can confirm this has a setting that enables louder spoken directions. I have trialled it this morning and it allows both music and directions to be at a good volume, so it is possible to do on Apple. It’s a pity the same option isn’t yet available in MRA as for now I will be switching to Scenic for the navigation app.

[Prop-Bender]

@Mark-Bird
Yes, indeed.
I certainly need to select “louder” options in other Apps as well, like Apple Maps and google Maps whilst inRoute is even offering two superior volume levels.

So it is possible in iOS for third party software.
If such a feature were to be implemented in MRA, it would be a huge step up for the navigation usability.

[Arjan Olsthoorn]

had the same problem here! I went in to the settings menu on my iPhone. The to hear a feel. red icon with the speaker.

then at the bottom to headphone safety.

just toggled it to less sound off.

it works fine by me now.

Apple tries to protect your hearing. but we bikes need some more sound. because of our ear protectors.

My Bose earbuds are working beter now also.

good luck.

[Con Hennekens]

@Mark-Bird said in Sound is too quiet on IOS:

...Apple does not support different volume levels for different apps (Android does I believe).

No Android does not do that either. Only certain Samsung devices seem to have a proprietary "Volume per App" function. It is a damned f#uck up from Google to not have this (and obviously from Apple too ) Another solution would be a seperate channel for Navigation, so that that voices and announcements do not get mixed into the media channel, limiting them to only one volume setting. It really is an OS shortcoming.

[marc van der heijden]

@Prop-Bender oplossing is het dragen van gehoorbeschermer, op deze manier kun je de muziek goed hard zetten en wordt het door je optoplastieken gedempt maar hoor je toch voldoende de navigatie-instructies, zo doe ik het, maar het blijft jammer dat er niet meer volume instellingen zijn in mra navigatie

[Prop-Bender]

@marc-van-der-heijden
Thank you Marc, that‘s a good hint!

Now, I borrowed a different model iPhone with the same iOS version, and the problem was way less pronounced than with mine, so clearly there was a mis-config on my device and I started digging.

Somewhere, unfortunately I cannot find the source anymore, I found that third party apps are not allowed to use Siri voice and therefore pick whatever voice selected first in the language environment.

So I looked at my language environment and found several, so I deleted all but German. (This didn’t affect my keyboards or typing suggestions, luckily)

Voices can be configured within the Accessibility settings and spoken content, they are defined per language.
My German one was set to Siri, so that was a no no.

Another no no was me changing the voice in MRA.
The same voices are available in this spoken content menu.

If I select a voice here, or change it here AND uninstall and reinstall MRA to get the default voice setting <unknown> there, the spoken content is already way louder.
I tried Anna and Helen for German, Anna seems a bit clearer for me.
Also not just click on a voice, but make sure it gets a checkmark to be properly activated.

Just did a test ride and now the voice directions are fine.
When using Alpin motorcycle earplugs to filter wind noise, it is on the quieter side, but perfectly fine to use. (Tested at 120kmh, because Switzerland)

To be perfect, the said option to increase spoken volumes a bit as in other navigation would be required.

I was able to fine tune the loudness in comparison to music with the tip mentioned by Marc, but learned to leave the limit at 95 or 100db or otherwise the voice gets limited a bit as well.

Thanks for your help!

Long story short:
There was a config issue with my phone, but a setting to increase volume of spoken directions a bit would be very appreciated.

[Ronnie Moore]

I have noticed this on iOS. If I have music playing the navigation prompts play at the same volume as the music. If I stop the music the voice prompts are very low to the point of not hearing them. If I then turn the music back on the voice prompts sometimes increase and sometimes they don't. I can get it to recover by going into the audio menu and having it play a voice sample and it corrects the low volume issue.

I have this same issue on other navigation apps as well, so it is likely not MRA specific.

[CD130]

Which bluetooth headset do you use?

[Dae 0]

@Ronnie-Moore I have the same issue with multiple apps too. Never been able to figure out the reason or fix.

I have music running 95% of the time so it’s not a massive issue, but still bugs me that I can’t figure it out.

[Prop-Bender]

@CD130 Sena SRL2 for Shoei

[CD130]

@Prop-Bender Have you already looked at the setting (easiest is via the Sena app) of your Sena? With me there was a profit to be made.

[marc van der heijden]

Bij mij is het zelfs zo (ik gebruik de packtalk edge) dat wanneer de muziek om wat voor reden er onder het rijden mee stopt, het geluid van de gesproken instructies bijna niet meer hoorbaar is, activeer ik muziek met bijv spotify dan is ineens het geluid voor navigatie harder, vreemd maar waar

[Lowi64]

Hi Folks! I played around with CarPlay on my new HD Road Glide with the new Skyline OS. Like You also I made the observation of the too low volume when spoken navigation commands are given in MRA CarPlay. I found the following that helped for my setup, so maybe it works for you Guys too:

With the MRA active on the display in CarPlay and no other sound (like Music) is active you can simply use the volume control to set the volume for navigation commands. In this case the new volume setting is memorised. It will NOT work if you turn the volume up DURING a navigation command. If you do so, the volume will go up for this particular command, but if you get a minute later the next navigation command there will be very low volume again.

Cheers

[Prop-Bender]

@Lowi64

Yeah, there are really loads of options.
Is CarPlay controlling the volume, like in your case
Is the CarPlay device paired to the headset additionally to the phone
Is the phone directly paired to the headset
Or like with my chigee, CarPlay is only for visuals and phone controls volume.

The system settings helped in my case.

And also fixed the sound issues I had with Garmin Connect and my Forerunner watch,
I even think that was the culprit changing my default voices to something absurd and quiet.