Pixel 2 XL
Distortion problem appears to be affecting the dual speakers on the Google Pixel 2 XL. REUTERS/Stephen Lam

The Google Pixel 2 XL had plenty of issues in its early days after its initial release. Now another problem is affecting the Pixel 2 XL, but this time it’s all about its dual front-facing speakers.

Many users of the Pixel 2 XL have reported that one or both of the dual speakers suffer from distortion, typically when set to loud volumes. However, the problem with the Pixel 2 XL speakers, in some cases, could still occur even when at lower volumes, even during phone calls, according to Android Police.

The speaker problem with the Pixel 2 XL has been affecting a lot of users. There are already tons of users posting on Reddit and on the Google product forums claiming to have encountered the same issue. The problem seems to vary, with no apparent consistency. Some of the distortion, buzzing or rattling noises would occur on one or both of the speakers and on different volume levels.

The issue with the Pixel 2 XL speakers isn’t just affecting music or video playback either. Some Pixel 2 XL users are experiencing the problem with the phone’s earpiece while having a regular phone call. The earpiece would emit buzzing distortions making it a bit more difficult to hear what a caller is saying. Again, some are only experiencing the issue at higher volume levels, while others are still experiencing it even when they turn the volume down.

Some users on the Google product forums said that they had their Pixel 2 XL replaced when they encountered the speaker problem. However, they also said that the replacement they got also had the same problem, as pointed out by Slash Gear.

The most common solution that has been suggested is to restart the Pixel 2 XL in safe mode and factory reset the device. Unfortunately, this doesn’t appear to solve the problem. Google hasn’t officially addressed the issue yet.

It’s now being speculated that the problem with the Pixel 2 XL speakers might be hardware related and may be the result of poor quality control. If that is truly the case, this means that Google won’t be able to fix it through a software update like with several other issues in the past. If users are experiencing this problem, they should try to get a replacement unit or just have it returned and get a refund if possible.

Google’s Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL have been plagued with issues ever since the handsets were released. One of the most talked about issues regarding the Pixel 2 XL was the bland colors on its P-OLED displays. Google was able to somewhat resolve the problem by including an additional color mode to increase the saturation on the display.