atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Other TDM Phone Systems Vertical Telephones & Systems SBX Speakerphones

We have had a recurring problem with the volume on the 4024 speakerphone. Lots of customer complaints about really bad clipping. We have always told them to turn the volume down on the speakerphone and it usually helps. Had a customer complain today that on conference calls, turning it down makes it difficult to hear, makes sense. Anyone have any ideas as to a fix, other than asking these people to invest in a Polycom? Thanks

Unfortunately there isn't anything else you can do to prevent audio clipping when using the SBX phones for conference calls. They're not full-duplex and not designed to have multiple parties talking at once. If it's also happening on normal speakerphone calls with only one user talking, they have to be rustling papers or making noise near the mic, even typing on a keyboard can do it. I would say it's either a user problem at that point, or like you already recommended the volume is too high and feeding back to the mic.

The slightest ambient noise is a problem with the SBX phones so basically, its a cheap phone that behaves like one. I have already told the customer that he is going to need to get a Polycom so no huge deal. The quality of the 4024 phones is an issue, we have had quite a few switch hook failures to date.

I can count on one hand the amount of hook switch problems we've had out of the hundreds of phones installed. It may have been a bad batch, which I wouldn't doubt. Not to say we haven't had other problems with the 4024's (crushed/loose pins in the line cord port for one), but generally they're a decent phone. Better than the old Comdial DX-80 phones in my opinion. Only thing I cannot stand are the ring tones; one good tone out of 12 is just not acceptable.

This is FOR SURE not the only phone that acts this way. Most phones that I've worked with, that were manufactured in the last ten years have had problems with sensitive mics on the speaker phones. They all have been sensitive to ambient noise, frequencies of PC noise, UPS noise, florescent light ballast noise, etc, etc. If it's a conference scenario---get them a Polycom or a Konftel. There's a world of difference between a phone made especially for use as a conference phone---and just a speakerphone. I have customers who just love the Konftels. One customer has 3 of them. I always thought that the best speakerphones made were the old Merlins and the NT 7310s. JMHO. We have an Allworx system in our office. I have to put the phone on MUTE in order to dial out most of the time. My location, I guess, is noisy (I really don't think it's THAT noisy)--and that's my only solution, so far. The phone is duplex and sounds good both ways, but in dialing--the mic is so sensitive it picks up ambient noise and echoes, I guess---while I'm dialing. Not a problem with the Mute on. I even had problems with a squeeky chair for a few months, until I oiled it. If your customers don't want to cough up the money for a good conference phone---then using the MUTE key when not talking, is probably the only solution. Good Luck.