Why does the ringtone sound worse AFTER I download it?

I am an audiophile and I have been experimenting with audio files in different formats and using Adobe Soundbooth CS4 to edit and master these ringtones I am creating to see if I can get the phone to playback the ringtones nicely.

I have tried converting the audio to mono and pulling out midrange frequencies and also adding a high pass filter to remove low frequencies all together. I have tried many other audio settings without much success. I have been able to improve it slightly BUT it still sounds like rubbish compared to my 3GS playing the exact same ringtone file that has NOT been edited or remastered in anyway.

I do hope that Apple aren't beating around the bush with this "bug" and fix it. "iphone 4S ringtone quality" - these keywords open a can of worms when you type it into Google search. So if Apple even dare to tell us Apple product owners that they have NEVER heard of the issue, that is downright ignorant on their part and a **** poor effort from their technical team.

Clearly, the phone is performing some sort of post audio processing on the ringtone files, hence making them sound like complete utter ****. This is not the case when you select the same file as a "text tone" because I can only assume that apple has assumed that people would have a very short length text tone, hence no post audio processing.

If my 10 year old Nokia phone can assign and use an full length MP3 music file as a ringtone without a problem, I am certain that a phone with a dual core processor and bucket loads more memory can do it too.

Come on Apple, step up and fix it or I'm going to turn this 4S into another iPod and get an android/windows 7 phone based phone that CAN actually play custom length, full quality audio files AS an assignable tone without any problems.

One of many annoyed iP4S owners,

Owen

Maybe you previewed them with your earphones on before you bought them and with them off after you bought them? The sound quality of my phone's speakers are much lower than my earphones, though I use a 3GS and don't know how 4S's speakers would compare.

I noticed that. Try to turn on your ringtone another way - I mean choose it as a main ringtone and make a call.

Buying ringtones? There are a LOT of apps and websites, that can help you creating them!:)

I have exactly the same problem, the best way of describing the problem is that the ringtones sound very tinny, possibly distorted like they've completely lost the bass and much of the lower midrange.

Like Sacha I've purchased 2 ring tones from the iTunes store within my iPhone 4S (Nicki Minay - Super Bass, and The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra - Star Trek the Motion Picture), within the store they sound great but as soon as their assigned to ring tones they sound awful. At first I assumed that the downloads must have been poorly compressed or something but I've since confirmed they play great on my PC.

I've also noticed something even more odd, if I use the ringtone as a text message tone on the iPhone one of them sounds great as it should but the other ones won't even play, very strange! I've had a look at the tones on my PC and both are 30 seconds long, and both are compressed to 256kbps at 44.1khz so no obvious differences. I've recompressed them to alternative bit rates but nothing seems to make a difference to the sound quality as a ring tone.

I've since tried both ringtones on my Wifes iPhone 4 and her's exhibits the same problems so not a handset or iPhone 4s specific issue. It sounds to me like a software bug in iOS5?

Im having this issue too. My ringtone sounds terrible. Very embarrasing for a brand new top of the range phone when showing it off to people! Do Apple read these comments? (As in is there a Mod who passes problems on) If so any chance of a fix please.

regards

Scoop

I am also experiencing the same issue. Have found similar forums on other sites. I am sure this is an issue everyone is having. It sounds like a free prepaid phone when I get phone calls. Text tones sound fine. Almost purchased a tone from iTunes thinking maybe all the ones I added myself were the problem but looks like that won't work. Will call apple tomorrow and see if there is anything going on to fix the bug. If I find anything out I will post here.

Just got off the phone with Apple, the rep did some 'research' and said there were no articles about the issue, nor has he heard of it, but would mention it to the supervisor. He also said he is not aware of any updates to iOS 5 that'd be released soon. Most we can do is do a complete wipe/restore and see if it works.

My God ,,, just goes to show that even Apple with there superb reputation for customer service can get it so so so wrong.!😠

This problem is still bugging me and for a expensive bit of kit makes it even worse. I know its not as bad as the poor antennagate but surely they should know that people are talking about this on forums!

Regards

Scoop

I can confirm all suggestions by Apple do not fix the issue. It is definetly a software based problem that won't be resolved until an update is released - unless this is how Apple just wants out ringtones to sound. I deleted and re-added the ringtones to the phone, added new tones, and just completed a complete restore. I guess I'm just going to be sad for a while.

I expect these sick apple people find a resolution for the same very soon. I am very much annoyed with this strange SMS tone which gets rectified if I restrat the device but comes back after a day or 2. This IOS 5 is full of bugs. Also noe in the Itunes we cannot update Music info like Album, Artists, Album artists etc. Its does gets updated in the ITunes but not in the Phone. Common APPLE we need an updated with solutions to these P1 bugs.

I've installed the next version of iOS 5.0.1 (beta) and can confirm that it doesn't address the issue. This isn't final release so I wouldn't give up but even the stock apple tones sound bad as ringtones in this release. Confused :/

I'm having the same problem with my iPhone 4S - these are ringtones I'm buying and downloading from iTunes. They sound fine in the preview, and terrible once I set it as a ring tone (tinny, no bass, distortion). Clearly a software bug.