Spark Mini low headphone volume on replacement too !
-
I received the Mini Spark June 23rd 2022. It was ordered in March and promised to be delivered in April.The headphone volume was extremely low so I sent it back.The replacement arrived on 7/15/22 and the issue is exactly the same.It must be the way they are designed to cut corners expecting people to use earbuds instead of real headphones. Not only that, this one won't even get past the pairing mode to update the firmware. I asked for a refund. It's too bad as the Spark 40 has an excellent headphone output.So much for that.......
I'm using Sony MDR-V6 headphones which sound fantastic on the Spark 40. Apparently the headphone design is not the same on the mini Spark. -
@tom-aragon i just got mine yesterday as well (July 15th).
I have same issue. I also have the Spark 40 and never problem.
I use HD-600s and the mini should be able to drive them.I’m hoping for a sw change but if not likely going back.
-
@altmaurice I think it's the way this unit is designed.....
-
@altmaurice Update 7/17/22 a friend of mine also has a Spark mini and never tried the headphone output. He just did and got the same results.
-
@tom-aragon Low impedance high output headphones make a big difference, but even my AKG K240DF headphones are loud enough for me to practice with. Not loud, but loud enough.
-
Have you checked the line level output into an interface? This is very low on my unit. Whatever comes in through Bluetooth or aux in comes out fine, but the guitar sim signal coming out is very weak.
I haven't really done much with the headphones.
That said, I wouldn't ascribe intention to this. Stuff happens.
-
I had filed a support request and I got a reply in about a day asking for more info, video ….
I replied I didn’t see how a video would help and just reiterated hoping there could be a firmware update to improve the headphone levels.
I got a reply they would forward this to engineering and today I got email to try a new firmware update which should address the issue.
I haven’t A/B it with the Spark 40 but it’s definitely a big improvement to me.
Check out the latest firmware v1.8.2.19
-
@compman67 said in Spark Mini low headphone volume on replacement too !:
@jon-3 It is a choice to cut corners, failure to do proper quality control is intentional. Most times businesses are intentionally skipping critical testing phases, to save money.
They are not testing their patches with the most commonly used devices, that is why they keep breaking the program.
You can't "Test" patches in the customers environment and pretend to have done due diligence.
I simply meant that I don't think they intended to put out a product with these types of issues. Who would? And I have no clue if the implementation and hardware design are done in-house or outsourced.
I do absolutely question PG on how thoroughly the prototypes were tested if this kind of stuff slipped through to production. Hopefully this firmware fixes the issue.
-
Well, the new v1.8.2.19 firmware certainly helped. From unusable to usable (-12 dB on my meters), if still not a lot of headroom to spare. Good enough for me to actually start playing around with presets. PG being a software company, it's odd that it would take them this long to fix an issue of this magnitude.
-
@compman67 It's a numbers game really........with my case a lot of people aren't even going to use the headphone out. I have not seen one review on Youtube even talk about the headphone volume level.
I sent one back and they sent me another with the exact same issue. Obviously no one tested either at all. -
Actually, I can clip the inputs now with line level out. Don't have to crank every amp up to 10 either. I wouldn't call the low impedance headphones loud, but mine get louder than I'm comfortable with. Not by much, but...
Did you try the firmware update?
-
i've the same problem....headphone and line out are very low...
i'm not happy with mini...I'm going to ask a refound.they say is the same of spark40, but it is not the true.
