How To Make Your Earbuds Louder: A Step-By-Step Guide
With the increased popularity of earbuds, there is an increased expectation for them to have optimized sound quality. It can be a frustrating experience if they have a relatively low sound quality and might leave you scouring the internet on how to make your earbuds louder.
It is a common experience for some earbuds users to experience this problem, but that does not mean that it’s over. With simple remedies, their sound quality can improve to be better than how they were when bought.
If you can barely hear sound on your earbuds even after turning your volume to the max, you are missing out on the crisp details from the sound source.
There are several benefits to having louder earbuds. Improved retention and stress relief are common benefits audiophiles enjoy when using high-quality loud earbuds.
To help you solve this problem you are experiencing, I have written a step-by-step guide on the easiest ways to make your earbuds louder and get your desired audio quality.
How To Make Your Earbuds Louder: A Step-By-Step Guide
Let’s get into the top 5 ways you can make your earbuds louder.
1. Modify Media Volume on Your Device
Most of the time, the dumbest and easiest solutions to a problem can be the quickest fix. If your earbuds are connected successfully, then the reason why you are experiencing low volume can be on your audio source device software side.
Your phone’s operating system could have changed the media volume settings when you connected your earbuds, leaving you to struggle while using them. To solve this problem, you can:
Increase Media Volume
Increasing the volume of your connected device is the first step you should resort to before trying any other method. The process is quite simple as it could take only a few seconds to solve your problem.
There are four volume settings on your device: media, alarm, ringtone, and call volume. A low media volume on your connected device will affect your earbuds’ general volume. Here are the steps on how you can adjust the volume on your device:
Press either volume button, which is usually located on the right-hand side of most devices, and the volume slider will appear.
To access the volume menu, Tap on the three dots on top of the slider.
You will have access to the four-volume settings available to adjust. Make sure that the media volume is as high as you would prefer.
This method of increasing the device’s volume settings applies to most smartphones. If the media volume setting can’t get as high as it can, check on your phone manufacturer for specific instructions for your device.
Disabling Absolute Volume
The absolute volume feature was introduced in earlier smartphones to give users accurate control over the audio volume of their devices. When turned on, it synchronizes the system volume to match that of the wireless-connected device. To turn it off, you need to:
Go to Settings, then tap About Phone or About Device.
Tap on Build Number seven times
Go back to the Setting Menu and tap on Developer Option
Look for a field titled Disable Absolute Volume and turn it off
Clean earbuds are convenient for getting high-quality audio. Since they are exposed to dust and wax from the ear canal, your earbud’s sound quality will be compromised by the accumulated debris over time.
This does not mean that they can no longer be used, as with simple steps, you can clean them to improve the sound quality as if they were new.
Confirm The Problem Is The Earbuds
Before starting the cleaning process, you need to use another pair of earbuds to confirm that the low volume problem you are experiencing is earbuds, not the source audio.
It is commonly possible that there can be another issue leading to low volume, and eliminating the possible issues will help you save time.
Check for Wax
One of the main problems you will encounter when trying to figure out how to make your earbuds louder is earwax. After using the listening device for a while, bits of gunk will settle on the earbuds, and a superficial glance at them will confirm this problem.
Though the tips might look relatively clean, removing them from the earbuds will show you the severity of the problem.
Brush the Surface
Before you start the cleaning process, make sure your earbuds are disconnected. Use a stiff material such as a toothbrush to work the surface of the earbuds.
Make sure you do not use too much pressure as it might push the gunk further into the earbuds, making it tougher to fix.
Rub Alcohol Using a Cotton Swab
After removing the debris using a brush, take cotton swabs and dip them into rubbing alcohol for further cleaning. This will sterilize the earbud’s surface and remove any remaining wax. The alcohol will also assist in restoring the earbuds’ appearance.
3. Adjust Equalizer Settings
Equalizer has been an important tool for many audiophiles as it has been used to create a preferred balance between frequencies based on the listener’s environment.
While many equalizers used to be hardware-based, technology has changed that, and we can access digital versions for easier manipulation of the settings.
Though changing the Equalizer settings for your earbuds will not technically increase its overall volume, you will be able to hear the quieter parts of your audio more clearly. Here are a few simple steps on how you can access the settings on your phone:
Go to Settings, then tap on Sound and Vibration.
The equalizer settings can be in different menu options depending on the phone’s manufacturer. It would be best if you search the term Equalizer using the search bar on the top of your phone’s screen.
After opening the setting, drag all the sliders to set all frequencies to the maximum.
While dragging the slider to the maximum will give you a louder volume than the one you were previously experiencing, it does not necessarily mean it is the best.
Understanding how to adjust the setting for the various uses of your earbuds will enable you to experience audio differently and uniquely.
Most digital equalizer settings have preset frequencies for beginners to use. They are created for specific types of music, and you can choose types like Rock and Jazz.
This eliminates time wasted researching the best frequencies to set your equalizer when listening to a specific genre of music.
4. Boost The Volume Using an App
Another way to make your earbuds louder is by using a volume booster application. Though adjusting the volume and equalizer setting on your phone will assist in increasing the volume output, the booster app will offer significantly better results.
Applications have better audio settings and increase the volume limits. This will enable you to surpass the manufacturer’s maximum volume.
You will be able to hear the difference between normal audio settings and boosted settings. This is how you can boost your audio volume on a smartphone:
Download Application
This is one of the most important decisions you will make when trying to boost your audio’s volume. Since there is multiple software for increasing an audio’s volume, researching what would best suit your needs can take time.
Some of the notable applications you can use include GOODEV and Equalizer FX.
Boost The Volume
Once downloaded, grant the application permission to access your phone’s settings. Simply follow the instructions displayed on your phone’s screen to get started. For most phones, you will only need to adjust a few settings and then restart your phone.
After you have granted the booster app all the permissions required, you can customize the audio setting to levels you are comfortable with. Before making a final commitment, you can download and install multiple applications to know which works better with your earbuds.
Having the best-fitting ear tips for your earbuds also plays a major role in the sound quality you get. These tips can help isolate the sound from the outside and make your earbuds louder due to the lack of background noise.
This is commonly referred to as noise isolation, but it is just simply passive noise cancellation.
Since there are different materials for making ear tips, I recommend using foam tips as they can increase the audio volume by 10 Decibels.
Since they are not slippery like their silicon or rubber counterparts, they can seal off your ear canal and prevent noise from interfering with your listening experience. Some of the reasons why you should use foam tips include:
Comfort
If you spend long hours using earbuds, you will need ear tips that are comfortable enough. Foam tips are generally comfy as they are engineered to fit perfectly in the ear canal and stay in place for hours.
The material used can adapt to the user’s ear canal and stay in place even if you work in a tough environment.
Sound Quality
As mentioned earlier, foam ear tips provide exceptional sound quality. The good seal in the ear canal affects the playback frequency of earbuds as it increases their bass response.
The idea that all ear tips have similar sound quality has been disproved by the use of foam, as it can adapt to the ear canal’s shape, providing a better listening experience compared to other materials.
Last Words
If you were wondering how to make your earbuds louder, then the article got you covered through five simple steps. No matter the earbuds’ brand, the following steps can provide results when you need the volume to be cranked up for a better listening experience.
Hopefully, the tips will help you obtain better volume from your earbuds. From simply cleaning them to downloading booster applications on your phone, it proves that there is an array of solutions to your volume problem.
If the problem persists, the best solution is to change your earbuds and get an active noise-canceling kind. These earbuds use advanced technology to reduce the background noise from your surroundings.
They help make the earbuds sound louder, especially when working in noisy environments such as construction sites or mowing your lawn.
Which of the five tips did you find useful? Was the low problem you were experiencing solved? Let us know in the comment section below.
Is a musician and journalist with over 13 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands. Ray loves getting nerdy about everything from guitar gear and synths, to microphones and music production hardware.
