Question re TRRS, TRS hardware and firmware

[julian_hughes]

Question: I have a Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G. Like any modern phone with 3.5mm jack its audio port is designed to work with TRRS i.e. headset with mic. In the past it also worked absolutely fine with all my headphones and IEMs with 3 pole TRS, but didn't work well with headphones intended for use with Apple TRRS - the sound was OK, the mic's stop/play was OK but the volume controls didn't work. Since the latest firmware update it now works great with all my non-Apple TRRS headphones and IEMs and IEM cables but now doesn't play nice with TRS 3 pole. The Apple specific stuff is still the same: no volume control but toggling play/pause is OK. Is it possible that a firmware update can modify the way the hardware deals with physical electric connections like these? Or am I more likely experiencing a hardware fault coinciding with the recent firmware update? Any ideas?

 

[staticV3]

Is it possible that a firmware update can modify the way the hardware deals with physical electric connections like these?

Yes.

Or am I more likely experiencing a hardware fault coinciding with the recent firmware update?

Possibly.

Any ideas?

Just to be sure, I'd try cleaning the headphone jack, or give the phone to a repair shop to have them clean the jack.

If the firmware update really did remove TRS compatibility, then you could buy a CTIA splitter, plug it into the phone, plug your TRS headphone into the splitter's headphone jack, and then you should have sound.

 

[YEGG57]

Question: I have a Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G. Like any modern phone with 3.5mm jack its audio port is designed to work with TRRS i.e. headset with mic. In the past it also worked absolutely fine with all my headphones and IEMs with 3 pole TRS, but didn't work well with headphones intended for use with Apple TRRS - the sound was OK, the mic's stop/play was OK but the volume controls didn't work. Since the latest firmware update it now works great with all my non-Apple TRRS headphones and IEMs and IEM cables but now doesn't play nice with TRS 3 pole. The Apple specific stuff is still the same: no volume control but toggling play/pause is OK. Is it possible that a firmware update can modify the way the hardware deals with physical electric connections like these? Or am I more likely experiencing a hardware fault coinciding with the recent firmware update? Any ideas?

There are 2 specs for TRRS
1. Plastic to tip = mic, ground, audio1, audio 2
2. 1. Plastic to tip = ground, mic, audio1, audio 2

I think Apple used the "less used" variety for its "proprietary crap" It may be possible to get a TRRS Male and TRRS female pigtails and reverse the 2 leads closest to plastic housing.

 

[solderdude]

Apple uses their own version of the CTIA standard, android uses the OMTP standard.

3.5 mm headset: Accessory specification | Android Open Source Project

source.android.com

CTIA vs. OMTP: Similarities, Differences, and Features | The Cables Land

TRRS is a type of audio cable that stands for Tip, Ring, Ring, Sleeve connectors. It follows two standards, which are CTIA and OMTP. The main difference between the two is that their ground and microphone rings are switched. They might seem like the same but when you try to use Apple earbuds on your

thecablesland.com

Newer (non apple) models sense what headphone is plugged in (mic resistance is much higher than driver resistance) change the wire routing to the TRRS socket accordingly so non-apple devices these days usually work fine (with full functionality) with both apple CTIA and OMTP compliant headphones.

 

[staticV3]

Apple uses their own version of the CTIA standard, android uses the OMTP standard.

In typical Apple fashion, the CTIA standard is not backwards compatible with regular TRS jacks as the mic/inline remote will be connected in series with the drivers, resulting in awful sound quality
So headsets that use the CTIA standard can only be plugged into modern, "smart" headphone ports that expect a TRRS headset.

OMTP headsets on the other hand will sound right, no matter if they're plugged into a headset port or a traditional stereo port.

With Apple's endorsement, the objectively worse CTIA standard has inevitably become the de-facto standard.

 

[solderdude]

Yep, apple wants to be different and if possible incompatible with other brands. It is somewhat of a victory that Apple is forced to use USB-C in the coming models.
I assume they might even make their new Apple products so they don't allow just any accessory to be usable.