Mi 10 earpiece (low) volume


Dec 3, 2020
871
182
Hello, I have a question for a very long time. Is the volume of the mi 10 earpiece rather low, even at max? (Earpiece is the speaker used for calls.) It's probbaly my fault, because when I applied the uv glass on my screen I think I spilled some on the earpiece grill and it may have caused the issue. The thing is, I ~just had bought the phone and flashed the rom, so I ~hadn't tried the earpiece. My ~9years old Htc seems to have much higher volume than the mi 10, so it is kinda weird (~only recently I put in a sim to make calls in my mi 10). When I'm outside it's very hard to understand the other during calls.

I've tried to clean the grills (spent a lot of time) by using alcohol, acetone, heat, those "cleaning apps", brushes with alcohol etc.

I'd like to mention that inside of those grills, using a (x50) cheap/pocket microscope, I can see something like a slime which I can move it a bit with a needle. It may be glue residue.


If it's the glue, I have a few questions:

1)To replace the grill do I have to replace the whole screen? In the online stores I've checked, the ~only product that shows the grill is the screen. ~Not even the middle frame.

2)Can I remove the grill with heat? I have an air soldering iron that could probably work well. If it's possible, then how do I put it back?

It's a nice phone, but not being able to make proper calls is a bit annoying... (Tape the holes well before applying glues people..) And changing the screen costs around 200€.
 
Turns out the earpiece mesh is on the middle frame, not onto the screen. Found it thanks to the video and this image form an ali3xpress listing (for some reason the word aliexpr ess is blacklisted). Lol it would probably be easier if it was on the screen... I could probably get a glue, take our the frame and clean it or buy a new one for ~20€. Either way, the middle frame is probably the hardest to clean/replace, as you have to remove almost EVERYTHING from the phone (screen, sensors, battery back, battery, motherboard, etc.)... Uff, be careful when you apply loca glue people..
 
Ufffffff... Update:
I thought about giving it a try..
Removed the rear glass, motherboard, cameras, connectors etc and then the screen..
The screen got split in 2 and the front glass probaly took a polarizer film or something and the screen ~is just black... I found later on the internet that taking apart super amoled displays and replacing the glass only is probably the most dangerous type of screen replacement, due to many thin films etc...

Result: There was sealing glue under the earpiece mesh lowering the volume (didn't manage to try if now it's any better) which I removed, but kept it just in case. The other speakers have holes with a very thin and dense cloth or plastic mesh, so it's probably not much resistant against water anyways. And now I'm left with a split screen that probably can't even sell to reduce the repair costs. The whole screen online costs around 170 euros and if I take it to a repair shop it may cost me 200+ euros. I may post some pics at least so others know what's under the screen and earpiece.
 
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Sorry for your phone! I'm on a similar situation too, not exactly but due to same cause.
Actually my earpiece mesh was melted by the glue when I applied by myself a curved screen protector fixed with an UV loca glue. In my case the earpiece volume was not affected, so the earpiece membrane have same intensity.

Let me write my entire experience with this kind of screen protector with UV glue.

Actually I had 2 attempts to apply the screen protector. Always I tried to be very careful with the glue, I cleaned all the phone sides before placing the phone in UV light. I placed on top, on bottom and over the buttons of the phone tapes to protect that areas from the glue, but was not enough, the glue dripped under the tape.

1. On the first attempt, the glue had ruined my buttons, all buttons where damaged: volumes and power buttons. All buttons seems to be from metal but, buttons press on the micro-switches with some rubber fits, those were melted and the 1 of 3 micro switches were distroyied, the volume up. I ordered from Ali Express 2 sets of buttons and I replaced the ribbon cable and buttons.
Unfortunately the applied glass was not properly glued and after 3 weeks, the replacement buttons didn't arrived yet, it took 4 weeks to arrive, so the screen protector was almost lose. Most probably because the glue was not enough exposed to UV light ~5 minutes.

2. Because the screen protector became lose, I decided to replace the screen protector with a similar one. At the second time I tried to be even more careful with the glue. This time I didn't have problems with the buttons, but after some days I noticed that the earpiece mesh was disintegrating. I took a sharp needle and I tried to clean up the mesh residue from there.
As a consequence is that the whole earpiece hole is open like on the attached image. I'm not sure if there is another layer of fabric/mesh inside of the earpiece or there is nothing, only the membrane of the earpiece. I placed there a thingy strig of sponge for couples of months, but at the maximum volume the sponge had produced vibrations. So I removed the sponge and for almost a month the hole remained open.

So actually that's my question is there something which is protecting the earpiece membrane or the membrane itself is exposed directly?
Should I be worried by the hole being open and should I try to cover with something? I was tempted to order a frame to replace whole frame like you.

I'm asking that because I'm trying to not reopen yet my phone just to check that, for the moment the earpiece is working properly in my case.
 

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Sorry for your phone! I'm on a similar situation too, not exactly but due to same cause.
Actually my earpiece mesh was melted by the glue when I applied by myself a curved screen protector fixed with an UV loca glue. In my case the earpiece volume was not affected, so the earpiece membrane have same intensity.

Let me write my entire experience with this kind of screen protector with UV glue.

Actually I had 2 attempts to apply the screen protector. Always I tried to be very careful with the glue, I cleaned all the phone sides before placing the phone in UV light. I placed on top, on bottom and over the buttons of the phone tapes to protect that areas from the glue, but was not enough, the glue dripped under the tape.

1. On the first attempt, the glue had ruined my buttons, all buttons where damaged: volumes and power buttons. All buttons seems to be from metal but, buttons press on the micro-switches with some rubber fits, those were melted and the 1 of 3 micro switches were distroyied, the volume up. I ordered from *********** 2 sets of buttons and I replaced the ribbon cable and buttons.
Unfortunately the applied glass was not properly glued and after 3 weeks, the replacement buttons didn't arrived yet, it took 4 weeks to arrive, so the screen protector was almost lose. Most probably because the glue was not enough exposed to UV light ~5 minutes.

2. Because the screen protector became lose, I decided to replace the screen protector with a similar one. At the second time I tried to be even more careful with the glue. This time I didn't have problems with the buttons, but after some days I noticed that the earpiece mesh was disintegrating. I took a sharp middle and I tried to clean up the mesh residue from there.
As a consequence is that the whole earpiece hole is open like on the attached image. I'm not sure if there is another layer of fabric/mesh inside of the earpiece or there is nothing, only the membrane of the earpiece. I placed there a thingy strig of sponge for couples of months, but at the maximum volume the sponge had produced vibrations. So I removed the sponge and for almost a month the hole remained open.

So actually that's my question is there something which is protecting the earpiece membrane or the membrane itself is exposed directly?
Should I be worried by the hole being open and should I try to cover with something? I was tempted to order a frame to replace whole frame like you.

I'm asking that because I'm trying to not reopen yet my phone just to check that, for the moment the earpiece is working properly in my case.
Aw come on, those uv glues ~just destroy stuff...
Currently it's a bit hard to reply properly (needs some time), but my phone is fixed and they gave me the old frame+screen so I can provide some good pics and explanations later.
PS. I may take it to them to apply the uv glass. ~Hope they don't cause issues like me..
 
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Sorry for your phone! I'm on a similar situation too, not exactly but due to same cause.
Actually my earpiece mesh was melted by the glue when I applied by myself a curved screen protector fixed with an UV loca glue. In my case the earpiece volume was not affected, so the earpiece membrane have same intensity.

Let me write my entire experience with this kind of screen protector with UV glue.

Actually I had 2 attempts to apply the screen protector. Always I tried to be very careful with the glue, I cleaned all the phone sides before placing the phone in UV light. I placed on top, on bottom and over the buttons of the phone tapes to protect that areas from the glue, but was not enough, the glue dripped under the tape.

1. On the first attempt, the glue had ruined my buttons, all buttons where damaged: volumes and power buttons. All buttons seems to be from metal but, buttons press on the micro-switches with some rubber fits, those were melted and the 1 of 3 micro switches were distroyied, the volume up. I ordered from *********** 2 sets of buttons and I replaced the ribbon cable and buttons.
Unfortunately the applied glass was not properly glued and after 3 weeks, the replacement buttons didn't arrived yet, it took 4 weeks to arrive, so the screen protector was almost lose. Most probably because the glue was not enough exposed to UV light ~5 minutes.

2. Because the screen protector became lose, I decided to replace the screen protector with a similar one. At the second time I tried to be even more careful with the glue. This time I didn't have problems with the buttons, but after some days I noticed that the earpiece mesh was disintegrating. I took a sharp middle and I tried to clean up the mesh residue from there.
As a consequence is that the whole earpiece hole is open like on the attached image. I'm not sure if there is another layer of fabric/mesh inside of the earpiece or there is nothing, only the membrane of the earpiece. I placed there a thingy strig of sponge for couples of months, but at the maximum volume the sponge had produced vibrations. So I removed the sponge and for almost a month the hole remained open.

So actually that's my question is there something which is protecting the earpiece membrane or the membrane itself is exposed directly?
Should I be worried by the hole being open and should I try to cover with something? I was tempted to order a frame to replace whole frame like you.

I'm asking that because I'm trying to not reopen yet my phone just to check that, for the moment the earpiece is working properly in my case.
OK, I'm back with some proper photos (even did focus stacking). So, under the earpiece hole you have there is a small "cavity"/"tunnel" and has its other end on the back side. On the other opening there is a bit of a probably t7000 glue (the sealing glue they ~use) and the earpiece (which is in a "module" where the top speaker is also mounted near) sits on top of it. The speaker has a very thin mesh (probably made of cloth or plastic). Thus, yours is kinda exposed. But the other 2 speakers ~only have that cloth/plastic mesh, so you probably don't make it much less waterproof (it already isn't). To change it, you would probably have to remove the glass back, unplug the battery and then remove the screen. You'd need to buy the mi 10 middle frame (~25euros) for that.
BUT you'll probably damage the screen in the process. Super amoleds are probably the worst. They have very thin films (polarizer etc. I think the digitzer is also a film glue onto it) and they can easily be damaged/split. You'll probably have to pay ~250euros to fix your screen as the original screen ~comes with the middle frame making it even more expensive and even if you only have somehow damaged only the front glass withoun any film, they may not risk it (the front glass costs around 30euros). What you may have to do is tell them to replace the middle frame only, if they can take the risk of removing your screen. (Ask them to keep the old frame and give it to you because you ~get spare buttons/cables/fingerprint sensor etc. and can play with it.) Otherwise it may be left like this. You may want to put a tiny piece of tape or something if you want to protect it, but anyways.
I've realised that it would probably be much eassier if I had given it from the start to the repair shop to apply the uv glass themselves. I told them to apply it after they fixed my screen with the glass I had already bought and they ~told me the glue inside was unsuitable (probably) due to the bubbles which would stay under the glass and produce a bad result. They used their own glue.
I ~didn't know loca glue was corrosive btw, wow.
Btw, after they changed my screen I asked them to give me the old one (they ~were going to recycle it!) and now I ~caan test my skill and try to glue and glue the old screen on the old frame. I had bought ~all the tools apart from the heating pad (had an air soldering iron, but the pad was probably better). This, coupled with ~no experience ~caused this.

If you want to see the insides of the phone and how some probably experienced people repair the device, some good ones are these (mi 10 pro is very similar to mi 10):
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(very nice quality)
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(russian? Well, ~as long as he tears down the device...)
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(seems to be russian again :emoji_sweat_smile:)
Please ~don't try to remove the screen on your own, they make it look easy.
(Btw I almost cut some part of the wireless charger coilon the back, phew it's ~OK...)

Now the ~fun part, Mi 10 anatomy! I'm providing some pics I took. (Btw, my earpiece is much louder now and the buttons more clicky!)
 

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Huge thanks for your time and details!

I'm not going further with phone disassembly, not worth for me the effort and costs.

I opened my phone twice, first to try to repair buttons and at the second time to replace broken buttons, as I mentioned before, but at that time the earpiece mesh was intact, so I didn't looked at the earpiece area.
I opened last time in April, when I replaced the buttons and contacts ribbon. I attached an image took on March, with my phone dissembled first time when I succeeded to fix temporary power and volume down buttons, the volume up was lost for good.
I glued back with B-7000 the battery cover after each opening attempt and I'm surprised that the pressure sensor reacted like the phone is sealed, even now with that earpiece hole opened.

My worries was related mostly with the possibility that the dirt from my pocket (small fabric lint) can enter to the phone trough the missing earpiece mesh.
 

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Huge thanks for your time and details!

I'm not going further with phone disassembly, not worth for me the effort and costs.

I opened my phone twice, first to try to repair buttons and at the second time to replace broken buttons, as I mentioned before, but at that time the earpiece mesh was intact, so I didn't looked at the earpiece area.
I opened last time in April, when I replaced the buttons and contacts ribbon. I attached an image took on March, with my phone dissembled first time when I succeeded to fix temporary power and volume down buttons, the volume up was lost for good.
I glued back with B-7000 the battery cover after each opening attempt and I'm surprised that the pressure sensor reacted like the phone is sealed, even now with that earpiece hole opened.

My worries was related mostly with the possibility that the dirt from my pocket (small fabric lint) can enter to the phone trough the missing earpiece mesh.
Haha, the display cable said "C" to me, while yours says "S". About the earpiece, I think you could either put some b7000 in that opening (I think it had that glue intentionally under the mesh, but it may lower the sound and I ~dunno if it will somehow flow back to the earpiece speaker, causing further issues, maybe avoid it) or (carefully?) clean it from time to time with a vacuum cleaner. Another option may be to put a very tiny piece of tape on it and keep it in place with the case you use (if you use one, otherwise it will probably leave once you put it in your pocket).
 
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