Is your volume all the way up but your headphones or earbuds are still too quiet?
Learn how to make your headphones louder so you can get back to enjoying your tunes and shows!
Hearing Safety Reminder
Listening to your headphones too loudly can lead to hearing loss!
Doctors suggest that audio volume should be under 85 dB for everyday headphone listening.
If a friend sitting by you can hear your headphones, the volume is probably too loud for the health of your hearing.
First Things to Check
To make your headphones louder, ensure that they're:
Clean: Here’s a guide on how to properly clean earbuds and headphones.
Connected: If they're wired, make sure they’re plugged in. If they're wireless, check your settings to see if they're connected to your device’s Bluetooth.
Well-fitted: For over-ear headphones, the foam pads need to create a seal around your ears without obstruction from glasses or hair. For earbuds, consider switching to foam tips, which easily shape to your ear and block outside noise better than silicone tips.
Change Volume Settings
Most smartphones, computers, and tablets have a feature that limits volume, but this can be adjusted in settings.
While the steps may vary between devices, the TikTok below describes a method for changing your iPhone's volume limits:
Check out this article for Android devices.
Equalize It!
An equalizer (EQ) allows you to adjust the balance of different sound frequencies.
For example, you could boost the bass for a deeper sound (below 500 Hz), or increase the midrange (500 Hz to 2 kHz) and high frequencies (above 2 kHz) for better vocal clarity.
Many Bluetooth headphones and earbuds have a companion app with a customizable equalizer.
Some streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music provide an equalizer.
You can also download third party equalizer apps to your device.
image courtesy of the author
Use External Hardware
If your headphones or earbuds are wired, you could use an external amplifier to make them louder.
How an amplifier works:
You connect your headphones to the amplifier, which then plugs into your device through a cable.
It enhances the audio’s volume without creating distortion.
It not only raises the level of volume, but it can improve the sound quality.
Quiz
Emily loves listening to music but wishes her wired earbuds were louder. She doesn’t want to compromise the quality of her favorite songs, so what should she do?
Take Action
Now that you know how to make your headphones louder, make sure they're performing at their best!
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