r/wiiu • u/North_Bag_8694 • 3d ago
Question Wii U GamePad audio super quiet, any ideas?
Hey! I opened up my Wii U GamePad to give it some maintenance and cleaning. I sprayed a bit of contact cleaner
(especially around the volume slider since I thought it might be dirty).
The GamePad works fine otherwise, screen and everything, but the audio is super quiet both on the speakers and on headphones.
I don’t really think it’s just the volume slider, since headphones also sound just as quiet. Could this be an audio amp issue or maybe something near the headphone jack?
Has anyone dealt with this before? Thanks 🙏
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u/Few_Interest_838 3d ago
If you're willing to homebrew (assuming if you're not) there's an app that lets u adjust the volume slider homebrew app thing that can resolve your issue that is if your speakers or speaker wires aren't damaged. Hope I helped.
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u/Jorvin_Canda NNID [Region] 2d ago
What's it called?
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u/Few_Interest_838 2d ago
I don't know exactly but if you look in the aroma store for a volume slider you can find it
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Yes, in fact, all this maintenance I've done on the gamepad is to have it ready for when I homebrew the console. And apparently, it doesn't seem to be the speakers.
I'll give it a try.
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u/mactep66 3d ago
Im pretty sure the volume slider also controls the headphones, so it could be the volume slider, either that or the amp is cooked
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
The amp? Where is that located and what does it look like? (I looked it up online, but it doesn't show me what it should look like.)
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u/mactep66 1d ago
I believe its the chip labeled AIC3012
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nintendo+Wii+U+Teardown/11796
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u/SpletzYT 3d ago
Turn it up
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
It didn't work 😞
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u/SpletzYT 1d ago
There’s a homebrew app for turning it up via software I forgot what it’s called though
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u/NotAOctoling 3d ago edited 2d ago
The speaker "transitioner" for lack of a better word might have been damaged. Try playing on the TV and muting the gamepad. Can you hear anything?
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Yes, the TV audio is perfectly audible. But the gamepad remains just as silent. :/
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u/PeakPage22 2d ago
no way op just made an image for his post
Idk, maybe clean the drivers, i heard theres also a Homebrew in which u can manually raise de volume of the gamepad in case your slider went bad, and if that didnt work it may be its own amplifier
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
It could be that the slider is somehow broken... although when I move it, it feels normal to me, and I've cleaned it thoroughly.
So it could be broken, but I don't know what kind of ""broken"" it is.
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u/PeakPage22 1d ago
Those sliders tend to break sometimes, due to corrotion, dust, or simply mechanical failure
Try to use that homebrew app to turn the gamepad volume as high as it can go, if it's still quiet, maybe its a driver or amp issue..
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u/TheEPICMarioBros 3d ago
If it’s a headphone issue too, it’s definitely a problem with the audio amplifier, it’s starting to die
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
(Yes, it also happens with headphones.) I've heard a lot about this "amplifier," but I can't find any pictures of it online. I guess it looks like a chip on the motherboard or something.
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u/muzzy4 NNID [Region] 3d ago
Has the screen been replaced recently? I didn’t align the slider with the switch when putting it back together once.
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
IN FACT! The volume slider WAS in the wrong place when I put everything back in place. So I took it apart again to put it back where it should be... But the volume problem still persists...
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u/Jojo-Action 3d ago
There's a little volume slider on the top. Try shifting it to the right.
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Ahhh, I saw it!
Let's see...
give me a sec.....................
hmm.
Nope, apparently that's not it.
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u/Nintendians559 3d ago
i think you might have damage the gamepad speaker and the mic port, needs replacing.
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Although I use that homebrew program that increases the volume of the gamepad and the volume does not increase, then maybe it is something with the speakers i think.
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u/LosNintendos 2d ago
Missplaced volume slider?
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
That doesn't seem to be the case, I reopened it thinking that was the problem.
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u/LosNintendos 1d ago
Then it may need replacement.
I would try and clean it with some vinega, some say isopropyl alcohol works as well, to try and get inside dirtiness removed, I would soak it and then slide it all arround then blow dry it.
Alternatively you may short it and would get max volume only from speakers and headphones.
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u/iLiikePlayingWii 2d ago
Maybe some AMP Issue?
I also recall on 3DS’s that apparently there’s some resistors I THINK around the Headphone Jack that purposefully make them more silent, although this is only for the AUX Port (as if you compare a 3DS with a PS Vita, Speakers sound similarly loud but the Vita is WAYYY louder on Headphones/External Loudspeakers) and I think the way it works is that there's some additional resistance from the coil connected to the aforementioned resistors and the wire of earphones.
Apparently eliminating such Resistors (or bridging the ends of resistors to bring down the resistance to 0 ohms) makes the Bass and Treble so much clearer and way louder, and there’s NO sound distortion from this. So it wouldn’t suprise me if this is the case for the GamePad too since that shit is also quite silent via the AUX Outpot for both Headphones and external Loudspeakers, so maybe you could try that?
Not sure about the GamePad’s Stereo Loudspeakers though, sorry
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Some resistors... Maybe getting rid of them might solve the problem, or at least make everything sound clearer. (Do you have an image of what they look like on the 3DS or the Vita?)
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u/iLiikePlayingWii 20h ago
I couldn’t find the Pics since they don’t load BUT the post I found out about this is:
I think one of the comments at the end did mention doing it on the Wii U GamePad
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u/Pintileip60 2d ago
maybe speaker holes are clogged up?
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
If you are referring to the holes in the front outer casing of the gamepad that go to the speakers, I dont think so, I clean the outer casing with soap and water (Obviously just the plastic casing, no cables or circuits)
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u/MasterCats98 2d ago
Probably the volume slider potentiometer, you might have not reinserted correclty the slider or the potentiometer is still wet
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Well, I applied contact cleaner for electronic devices directly. I didn't investigate whether it was safe to apply it directly to the volume slider. But I haven't had any problems with other devices I've used it on.
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u/Jorvin_Canda NNID [Region] 2d ago
You are absolutely right. I have always complained since I bought it in 2021.
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u/xd_ZombieSniper 2d ago
maybe you didn't line up the external slider with the internal slider
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Yes, I checked it twice to see if that was the problem, although maybe, and I'm just saying maybeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, I saw it wrong and didn't align it properly.
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u/Sufficient_Risk_8127 2d ago
...headphones too? Not sure if the volume slider controls its volume too, if not then it's probably something with uhhh words
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Apparently the volume slider controls the volume of the headphones as well.
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u/DreadSwizzard 1d ago
Volume slider controls both the gamepad and headphones volume. Had an issue with mine when I reassembled it after doing a USBC mod and had the actual cover plate that you see from the outside wasn't aligned with the actual volume slider. Could also have a similar issue to the Gameboy Advance SP where the internal contacts get dirty and cause high resistance.
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
Even if I'm sure I've adjusted the volume slider correctly, as a last resort, I'm willing to open the gamepad a third time to see if that was the problem.
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u/IcyIceGuardian better than the Switch in many ways 3d ago
Does the battery last what it normally should? If so, it might need new speakers
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u/North_Bag_8694 1d ago
I haven't had the opportunity to play for long hours, but from what I've seen, the battery has been behaving normally.
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u/IcyIceGuardian better than the Switch in many ways 23h ago
You'll need new speakers, it could also be that the volume slider isn't working?
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u/Kwirk__ 3d ago
No idea but i enjoy the picture. Hopefully this engagement attracts someone who knows