X88 Volume adjustment, sound and EQ issues

[johnbydesign]

Hi, I seems to have some issues with my new X88 speaker in that;

1. The volume buttons on the top only adjust the input source and not the actual volume.

2. The EQ settings in the SongPal app make no recognisable difference to the sound (they do on my X77).

3. Overall the sound doesn't seem right, it's shallow with very little bass (very noticeable compared to my X77 and X55).

4. I cannot initialise the speaker using the Vol - key and Stands.

I had thought the sound might warm up as the speaker bedded in but there's no change as yet. It has a couple of software updates in the 2 weeks I've had it, no change to these issue though.

Any help/steer would be great. If anyone has an X88 it would good to know if these has depth and bass/took time to bed in.

Thanks

[stegabilly]

Just purchased the X88 for a fantastic price at Currys PC World. Was giddy to get it home. It sounds terrible. On closer inspection the left side speakers and woofers seem to be dead. The centre speaker and two right hand side ones seem to be fine, but it obvs sounds terrible.

Updated immediately and running firmware 1.60.2994 - as only came across issues after Googling the issue.

Is this the problem everyone else has. Mega disappointed. Have contacted Sony Support.

[jumpsuit]

Hiya

Any reason you didn't get Curry's to exchange them?

If you purchased them recently it may have been a quicker solution for you.

[stegabilly]

It was a clearance item. End of line. The last of the available new boxed stock.

[jumpsuit]

Hiya

Does that mean it was sold to you with the understanding

you wouldn't be able to return it or get a refund from them?

(Or didn't they have any more stock to exchange it?)

[garydhooper]

If you have an X88 with the firmware issue is there no way of updating the firmware to the correct version using a USB stick?

Or is the issue that once you have upgraded the firmware to a faulty version the speaker identifies itself as an X99 so "rejects" a firmware upgrade for an x88 via USB?

On Sony's website it lists two different ways to upgrade the firmware via USB:

https://www.sony.co.uk/electronics/support/portable-speakers-srs-series/srs-x88/downloads/00014808

Do either of these work once the bad firmware has been uploaded?

[erie78]

Just found this thread, I think mine elsewhere with the same problem...

Tried contact SONY in Ireland but phone number seems forward to wrong residential number in UK.

+353 (0) 14073341

from : http://services.sony.ie/supportmvc/en/Contact/Email

please help

[DANIA108]

Hi im looking for firmware 1.60.2935 or older, maybe somebody downloading firmware to computer?

[mattspiro]

Hi, do you still have firmware 1.60.2935?  The later upgrade (August 2017) caused a problem where the speaker is out of time with other airplay devices.  If you could send me a link that would be great!  Thanks.

[raktimskywalker]

Dear mattspiro,

Unfortunately the device doesn’t allow rollback to previous update. It is stated somewhere on the Sony site or manual. So if you try going back using USB the device won’t simply recognize the update ☹ Sadly no one can help in this regard. Only way is go contact customer care.

BTW Airplay or such other protocols are generally two way communication. Therefore you might alter or update software application on the other device that is rendering audio to the SRS-X88

Regards

[imiqbal]

Sorry to revive an old thread but was this ever solved?

Sony continue to roll out FW, the last being 2021

File Name

• Firmware update 1.60.3351 for SRS-X88

I forgot I had this speaker and left it in storage but it still sounds very odd even with this update and still has the incorrect button mapping and is recognised as X99 by bluetooth devices

I think the problem with these units was an earlier firmware must have overwritten the Network Card driver which causes the speaker to behave oddly.

Sony must have inadvertently distributed the X99 driver within the X88 FW.

Now that I understand this, I have reached out to Sony for a fix. It should simply be a matter of a manual USB re-install and it really should a FOC service for all owner. It was an issue caused by auto Sony FW install and not owners.

Otherwise the speaker is fantastic and built to last, so no reason for Sony not to continue to support this fix for all the owners that have had this problem.