Top 5 Ways How to Make your Headphones Louder

Are your headphones no longer providing the same loud, high-quality sound as they did earlier? There are many ways to increase the volume of headphones, but not all of them are effective and safe for your device.

In this article, we looked in detail at 5 effective ways how to make headphones sound louder.

Keep in mind that there are signs that you certainly need to buy new headphones, which we will also mention in our article.

5 ways how to increase the volume of your headphones

Way 1 — Clean your headphones

Cleaning the headphones is not only a way to increase the volume but also a necessary ritual to keep your headphones in good condition. Ear wax can interfere with the playing of loud and high-quality sound, and bacteria multiplying on dirty headphones can lead to an ear infection. Therefore, you should clean the headphones at least once a month. 

How to clean earbuds 

Earbuds are headphones that are not designed to fit inside your ear canal as they have no ear cushions as in-ear headphones have. In most models, they are one-size-fits-all. 

What you need: 

• Two soft cloths
• Dish soap or soft detergent 
• Warm water

Below are instructions for quick and high-quality cleaning of headphones. Do not immerse the headphones in water, even if they are waterproof. This can damage them.

1. Turn off the headphones
2. Take off all removable tips
3. Mix a small amount of soap with water
4. Dampen one of the cloths in soapy water and squeeze it out so it does not get too wet
5. Gently wipe the earbuds with a damp cloth
6. Wipe the headphones with a dry cloth
7. Let them dry for 30 minutes

How to clean in-ear headphones

In-ear headphones are designed to fit inside your ear canal. Unlike earbuds they have ear cushions, often of different sizes. This allows fitting the headphones as comfortably as possible.

What you need: 

• Two soft cloths
• Dish soap or soft detergent 
• Warm water
• Wax removal tool
• Mounting putty

Below are instructions for quick and thorough cleaning of the in-ear headphones. Be careful: if you put headphones in water, you can damage them.

1. Turn off the headphones
2. Take off all removable tips
3. Mix a small amount of soap with water
4. Dampen one of the cloths in soapy water and squeeze it out so it does not get too wet
5. Gently wipe the headphones with a damp cloth
6. Wipe the headphones with a dry cloth
7. Clean the speakers with a wax removal tool
8. Remove the dirt residue, if any, with the help of mounting putty by pressing it to each speaker several times
9. Clean the removable tips with a damp cloth
10. Let headphones dry for 30 minutes

How to clean over-the-ear headphones    

Over-ear headphones have large ear cups that fully encompass the ears. Headphones of this type better protect against ambient noise.

What you need: 

1. Two soft cloths
2. Dish soap or soft detergent 
3. Warm water
4. Cotton swabs

The following instructions will help you clean over-the-ear headphones safely and thoroughly. Beware of water getting into the headphones to avoid breakage.

1. Turn off over the ear headphones
2. Take off all removable tips
3. Mix a small amount of soap with water
4. Dampen one of the cloths in soapy water and squeeze it out so it does not get too wet
5. Take a cotton swab and also dampen it in the mixture
6. Wipe with cotton swabs all small or hard-to-reach places
7. Wipe the headphones with a damp cloth
8. Wipe the headphones with a dry cloth
9. Let them dry for 30 minutes

Way 2 — Change equalizer settings on your device

Adjusting the equalizer settings will allow you to choose exactly what you want to hear louder (such as vocals, bass, or other). This is an ideal option to increase the volume of the headphones with the ability to adjust the sound exactly the way you want.

How to do it on iOS

1. Open “Settings” on your device
2. Tap “Music”
3. Tap “EQ” in the Playback section
4. Select the equalizer settings you like best

How to do it on Android

1. Open “Settings” on your device
2. Tap “Sound & Notification”
3. Tap “Audio Effects” and switch it on
4. Tap the Equalizer drop-down to pick a preset

How to do it on Windows PC

1. Go to Start > Control Panel > Sounds
2. Connect headphones to your PC, turn on any music, and double-click the active sound device
3. Click the “Enhancements” tab 
4. Check the Equalizer box
5. Check the “Immediate mode“
6. Try presets and choose the ones you like

Way 3 — Buy a headphone amplifier

Another way to make your headphones louder is to use a headphone amplifier. This device is installed between the sound source and headphones and allows you to get clearer, more detailed, and dynamic sound.

How to choose a headphone amplifier

1. Decide a budget 

We recommend setting aside around $ 100. If you have powerful headphones, you can increase your budget to $ 200 as they require a more powerful amplifier to ensure the highest quality and loud sound.

2. Determine if you need an all-in-one: amplifier and digital-to-analog converterA digital-to-analog converter converts a digital audio signal into an analog one so that your headphones can then create sound (DAC)

You need it if the sound card or the DAC on the device does not work. These problems can be recognized by the fact that the sound is played quietly, of poor quality, and makes noise and crackling.

3. Determine which amplifier you need: portable or desktop

We recommend choosing a portable if you want to listen to music on the go, and a desktop — solely at home.

4. Determine the impedance and sensitivity of your headphones

Headphones with high impedance (over 100 Ohm) or with low sensitivity (below 97 dB) need an amplifier. Headphones with a sensitivity of more than 100 dB do not need an amplifier. These indicators of your headphones you can find on the Internet and in instructions.

Way 4 — Download the volume increasing app 

You can also download the app to amplify the sound. There are many such applications on the Internet, but not all of them perform the promised functions. When choosing an application, we recommend paying attention to the rating and user feedback. Below, we have selected the best volume-increasing apps for different operating systems.

Apps for IOS

• Equalizer Pro+
• SonicMax Pro
• KaiserTone Audio Player +HiRes

Apps for Android

• Super Volume Booster
• BlackPlayer Music Player
• Volume Booster GOODEV

Apps for Windows

• Boom 3D
• Letasoft Sound Booster
• FxSound

Way 5 — Turn off the volume limit on your device

The Volume Limit is a fixed maximum volume level at which you can listen to music or other audio. One way to make headphones louder is to increase the volume limit or turn it off.

How to turn off the volume limit on IOS

1. Head to the “Settings”
2. Tap “Music”
3. You can see the Volume Limit. Turn it off, or increase it by moving the slider to the right

How to turn off the volume limit on Android

1. Go to “Settings”
2. Click on the Sounds and vibrations” section
3. Click the media setting and adjust it

How to turn off the volume limit on Windows PC

You can adjust the volume by clicking on the speaker symbol on the control panel or by using the volume keys on the keyboard

1. Go to the “Control panel”
2. Click “Hardware and sounds”
3. Click “Adjust system sound” 
4. Adjust the sound as you like

Signs that you need to buy new headphones

Unfortunately, sometimes no methods work, and the only option is to buy new headphones. However, you should not be upset, because currently there are many high-quality and loud headphones in different price ranges.

Signs that it’s time to upgrade your headphones are:

1. Your headphones distort sound at high volumes
2. Your headphones are uncomfortable
3. The wires of your headphones are loose or cut
4. The headphone jack or plug is damaged
5. Your headphones do not play sound

Summary

If you don’t like the volume on your headphones, you don’t have to buy new ones right away. You can try the following ways to improve the sound of the headphones: thorough cleaning, changing the equalizer settings on your device, purchasing a headphone amplifier, downloading an application to increase the volume, or turn off or adjust the volume limit on your device. Using these methods will help you enjoy the high-quality and loud sound.

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