Music always sounds better when played loud! However, some headphones don’t flaunt enough juice to deliver louder sound outputs. If that sounds like your headphones or if your headphones just aren’t as loud as they used to be when you first got them, this informational post is for you.
Try Cleaning Your Headphones
Before using volume-boosting apps or resorting to amps, try cleaning your headphones first. It’s probably blocked by all the wax and oil produced in your ear canal due to excessive use. This is a step that we highly recommend if your headphones used to sound louder when you first got it.
Volume aside, we advise cleaning your headphones on a regular basis because the lingering oil and wax can expose your ears to bacteria. All you need to clean your headphones is a cleaning cloth or a paper towel, some soapy water, hydrogen peroxide, and maybe a clean toothbrush.
Before you begin cleaning your headphones, we highly recommend that you resort to the user’s manual in order to check if there are any special instructions regarding how to disassemble and clean your headphones. Most manuals have such instructions, but if not, we’ve got you covered.
First, you want to remove the ear tips and soak them in soapy water, preferably warm water, for around 5 minutes. Grab a cotton swab and use it to clean the inner parts of the tips from any oil, wax, or dirt. Then, put some hydrogen peroxide on a clean cloth, wipe the tips, and let them dry.
Your next step is to clean the earbuds themselves. For this, you’ll need a dry toothbrush so that you brush the mesh screens while facing them downwards. This will help get rid of any build-up dirt or debris. Use hydrogen peroxide to wipe them and then dry them using a paper towel.
If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, you can use a hand sanitizer or just alcohol. Try your best not to soak wet the cloth you’re using to clean the earbuds, as it might damage them if any fluid finds its way beyond the mesh area. After they’ve dried, reassemble your headphones together.
Adjust the Playback Settings on Your Device
Making your headphones louder is sometimes as simple as effacing any preset volume limits. It differs from one device to another, though. We’re going to cover how you can do so on iOS and Android devices, as it’s beyond the scope of this article to cover every single device out there.
For an iOS device, you need to head over to the main settings menu and select “Music.” You’re going to scroll down until you see the “Playback” option. Do you see the “Volume Limit” option? Click on it and you’ll be able to customize the volume limit on your iOS device to your liking.
If you have an Android device, you need to head to settings, select “Sounds,” then “Volume.” It will populate a tab that highlights the different volume levels dictating different functions on your phone. All you need is to find the “Media” setting and adjust it to make your headphones louder.
Utilize Volume-Boosting Applications
There’s a range of volume-boosting apps that you can resort to if you’re using an iOS or Android device. For an iOS device, SonicMax Pro Music Volume Booster, Equalizer Pro Volume Booster, Equalizer+ are among the best volume-boosting apps that you can use. Any of them will do.
For Android devices, try Volume Booster Pro or Volume Booster Sound Equalizer. There are lots of other apps that you can find on each platform’s app store (Google Play or Apple Store). Try a few ones and see which app works best for you. But what if you’re using a laptop/desktop?
If you’re using a Windows device, try utilizing software like DFX Sound Enhancer, Equalizer Pro, and Breakaway Audio Enhancer. We suggest that you inspect the EQ settings on your computer before resorting to any software. Just play around with the settings until they meet your needs.
Try Using a Headphones Amplifier
If you’ve tried all of the above-mentioned steps and none of them seem to be working, we might be looking at an underpowered pair of headphones. To overcome this issue, you can invest in a standalone headphone amplifier. It’s not the most economical option, but it’s still an option.
It’s worth noting that headphone amplifiers are usually compatible with high-quality headphones only, specifically over-ear headphones. In other words, if you have a pair of earbuds, you’re a lot better off buying new, powerful headphones, as investing in an amp won’t be a viable option.
If you own a pair of high-quality over-ear headphones that you’d like to boost using an amp, you must inspect the impedance level. If the impedance is high, like in planar magnetic headphones, an amp will be useful. For lower impedance levels around 20-25 ohms, an amp won’t do much.
Consider Buying a New Pair of Headphones
We understand that you’re reading this article looking for ways to boost your headphones, but if your headphones aren’t really of high quality, no matter what you try, the sound output won’t get significantly better. Low-quality headphones will remain low-quality headphones no matter what.
If none of the above-mentioned steps seemed to make any difference, it’s time that you invest in a new pair of headphones. We strongly recommend looking into sound-isolating headphones as they offer a highly immersive listening experience without the need to blast them at max volume.
Final Thoughts
If you have a pair of high-quality headphones that aren’t performing as well as they used to, we can guarantee that one of the steps provided in this article will help them go back to their former glory. If you’re using low-quality headphones, you should consider investing in a new pair.