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9 Effective ways to Make Headphones Louder

By December 8, 2021
Make Headphones Sound Louder
9 Effective ways Make Headphones Sound Louder

Whether you use a phone or your computer, you want the audio quality to be perfect. When you try to listen to music, videos, or podcasts when the audio is low, it is easy to miss something. Additionally, if you need audio for your work, whether you are a transcriptionist or create music, you need to hear all the fine details of your work.

Sometimes the headphones you are using do not seem to be getting the job done. You want to make them louder but do not know-how. Read on to discover how to make headphones louder. We tried all available solutions on the internet to increase the headphones audio output. Finally, we have listed all the tips that can help your headphones sound louder and crispier.

1. Check for Damaged Parts

Not all headphones are built to the same standards, and sometimes minor drops and knocks can damage them more than you thought was possible. Moreover, if your headphones are older, they may have bent or broken components. This happens when you use your headphones a lot, but it can significantly affect how loud your headphones sound. 

Often, the headphone plug will be bent, and you have to finagle it in the port to get a good connection. When the sound starts coming through your headphones, you believe all is well. However, the audio quality is probably not what it could be. 

There are a few components of both your headphones and your device that you should check. If you notice any of them are damaged or broken, it could be the reason your headphones do not sound very loud. 

  • The headphone plug. The headphone plug can get bent for many reasons, and you will probably never realize it is bent until it is too late. While a bent headphone plug will not always lower audio, it can make a good connection with a device difficult. This can cause the audio transmission to suffer. 
  • The headphone jack. Likewise, the headphone jack on your device can be damaged, whether it is your computer or phone. If the jack is damaged, it can affect the audio output. 
  • Check the wires. Check to make sure the cables of your headphones are not frayed or cut in any way. This can disrupt the audio output. Moreover, it can make the audio quality drop. 
  • Check the headphone earcups. When you drop your earbuds, it can make the earcups shift out of place. While this may not seem serious, consider this: when this happens, it can disrupt the drivers on the inside of the bud, leading to audio loss.  
  • The connection. Ensure the connection is tight and firm between the headphones and the device. Of course, if you have wireless headphones, this will not be an issue.
Damaged Headphones

Checking these components is a great first step to take when getting your headphones to get louder. If the parts are damaged, you will know that the audio connection is disrupted. However, there may be some troubleshooting involved to make sure it truly is a damaged part. 

2. Clean the Headphones

Whether they are buds or cover the whole ear, headphones can get dirty. Yet, many people forget to clean them. Consider how it can be difficult to hear sound crisply when your ear fills with earwax. The same is true for your headphones. Consider what can get your headphones dirty:

  • Dirt
  • Dust
  • Earwax

Take a look at your headphones and see if they are dirty. When dirt or dust, or earwax get lodged into the headphone, it can affect how it operates. It can block, like a shield, the sound going into your ear. No matter how much you turn the volume up, if they are dirty, they will block the sound at least partially. 

Clean Headphones to improve audio quality

How to Clean Your Headphones?

If you have never cleaned your headphones before, you may not be sure how to start. However, cleaning your headphones is relatively simple. You just need a few things to clean your headphones. 

  • Alcohol wipes. With some alcohol wipes, you can wipe down the headphones’ exterior (or earbuds). This will remove any dirt or dust on the outside of the headphones. 
  • Cotton swab and rubbing alcohol. Dip the cotton swab in some rubbing alcohol and use it to clean the crevices of the headphone. This is how you will remove any deep-residing earwax or dirt. You do not need to apply much pressure when you do this. 
  • Dry cloth. You can pat down the headphones and wipe any excess dirt away using a dry cloth. 

You can also remove the earcups and soak them in water mixed with soap if you have earbuds. Make sure to rinse them when you are done. 

Before using your headphones again, make sure that they are completely dry. You will want to air dry your headphones after cleaning them. This is also important to note if you have disassembled your headphones. Once your headphones are clean, you can check if the audio sounds louder. 

3. Make Sure Any Audio Limitations Are Off

Many devices, especially smartphones, have audio limitations as part of their settings. These settings are designed to protect your ears. Remember, listening to music at a very high volume can permanently damage your hearing. There are safe levels to listen to audio with, and these limitation settings are designed to keep the audio levels below them. 

However, these limitations can be turned off. You will know that your smartphone has limitations when you cannot fully turn up the volume on the device. You will notice that the slider cannot make it up. 

If you did not know that your smartphone had a volume limitation, you might not be sure where the settings are. Turning off audio limitations is relatively simple, but it slightly differs between Android devices and iOS devices. Some Android devices will not have a limitation option. 

If you have an Android device, you can find the limitation, if there is one, in the “Sounds and Vibrations” menu. However, if you have an Apple phone, you must follow these steps to disable the limitation. 

  • First, navigate to settings and open it
  • Then, navigate to the music settings
  • Once in the music menu, you will see upon scrolling down that there is a volume limit. If this is enabled, you need to toggle it off.
  • Once you have toggled the volume limit off, you can drag the slider to increase the limit of the audio. If you want to have the full audio range, then be sure to drag the slider to the right.

Once the limitations are turned off, you should hear a noticeable difference in how loud your headphones are. 

4. Turn the Volume up in Your Apps

While this may sound obvious, it can be overlooked. You may turn up the volume on your device to 100, but you can still get a little more volume when you turn up the volume sliders in the apps you are using. 

So, if you are using Spotify, be sure to turn the volume slider up all the way. If you are using your computer, and are watching videos on YouTube, make sure the volume slider is up in the video you are viewing. 

One example of an app where the audio settings will differ from your device’s settings is Spotify. Spotify has several options that can make your headphones sound louder. 

  • Equalizer tool. Spotify has an equalizer tool wherein you can change the audio layout. You can create your settings or use a preset. This tool can help boost the bass in the audio or increase the treble to create a better listening experience. 
  • Volume level. Besides the slider next to the song you are playing, you can also go into the playback settings and tell the app you want the volume level to be “loud.” They also have options for “normal” and “quiet.”
  • Audio quality. There is a setting menu for audio quality. In this menu, you can adjust the audio quality you are listening to. The default is “automatic,” but you can set it up to “very high.” It has options for both Wi-Fi streaming and cellular streaming. 

Each app is different, so it is important to check the settings in each one. However, by maximizing the volume on both your device and your apps, you will increase the volume of your headphones. 

5. Check the Quality of the Audio Files

If your headphones seem quiet, but you are not sure why it may not be your headphones at all. Sometimes the audio file you are playing is corrupted or subpar. When an audio file is corrupted or low-quality, it will not sound as good when listening to it. It may even sound quieter. 

This is why checking the audio files you are using is essential. A sound file needs to have a high bitrate to sound good—a low bitrate results in poor quality sound. Your audio files may not be high quality, even if you think they are. 

Here is how you can check the bitrate of your audio files to see if they are of sufficient quality or not.

  • Right-click the audio file and then navigate to “properties.”
  • Once you have clicked “properties,” you can navigate to “General Tab” and then “Type of File.” 
  • You can then click the “Summary” of the audio file and select the advanced settings button. Once there, you will see the option to view the file’s bitrate.

Moreover, there are programs you can download, such as Spek, that can help you even further see the bitrate of an audio file. Remember, just because an audio file claims to be high quality does not mean that it is. If you have issues with quiet audio on your headphones, it could be because they are not the quality they say they are. 

6. Use a Third-Party App

Another way to make your headphones louder is to use a third-party app. If you have a problem, there is most likely an app for your problem in the App Store in today’s world. There is a multitude of audio-boosting apps available for you to download. 

But how do these apps work? When you download one of these third-party audio-boosting apps, they will essentially override the maximum audio levels of your device’s settings. When you use an app, it will make the audio sound louder in your headphones. 

It is important, however, to research the apps before you download them. Some will not work well, and you do not want to waste your time uninstalling the app and then try a different one. However, some of the most popular ones that people use to get their headphones louder. 

  • KaiserTone Audio Player (for Apple)
  • AmpMe (for Apple)
  • Equalizer Pro Volume Booster (for Apple)
  • Ultimate Volume Booster (for Android)
  • Equalizer FX (for Android)
  • Volume Control + (for Android)

These are a sample collection of some of the apps available. If you find another you like, download it, but make sure that the reviews are good and that it has a proven track record of working properly. 

7. Use an Amplifier to Make Headphones Louder

Headphones are like mini-speakers. If speakers can use an amplifier to boost their sound, so can headphones. You may find that an amplifier is just the thing you are looking for. 

These amplifiers are small and can be used with your headphones to help amplify the audio transmitted into them. However, you should not use an amplifier if your headphones are earbuds, as these headphones are usually lower quality and do not respond well to an amplifier. 

Consider these elements before investing in an amplifier for your headphones to make them sound louder. 

  • The impedance of the headphones. If your headphones have a low impedance rating, usually less than 300 ohms, then you should probably skip the amplifier. This will be true for earbuds as they have a low impedance rating, which means an amplifier will not be able to boost it much at all. 
  • The type of headphones. You need to consider what kind of headphones you own. However, if you own headphones covering, it is important your entire ear. It most likely has a higher impedance rating, which means an external amplifier can work. 
  • Your budget. Some amplifiers can get expensive, and you need to consider how much money you want to invest in them. Sometimes it is better to use that money for higher-quality headphones. 

Devices already have amplifiers built into them. However, these amplifiers are not always going to be the strongest. It is advantageous to consider an external amplifier to get the most you can out of your headphones. 

use An Amplifier to Make Headphones Louder

8. Change the Settings

While you may have changed the settings in the apps you are using, what about the device itself? Whether a computer or a smartphone, your device will have audio settings that you can change to get the most out of your headphones. 

The volume settings on your computer or phone will have many options for you to adjust. When you change these levels, you will be telling your device how you want it to behave with the audio you are playing. Some settings you may find include:

  • Equalizer tools. Equalizer tools will work the same as the equalizer tool you find in Spotify or other apps. It will allow you to adjust the audio experience on your device. 
  • Volume adjustment. Many times, your device’s audio is not set at maximum. In the audio settings, there will be sliders that allow you to adjust the maximum volume your device will output. 
  • Limitation controls. As mentioned earlier, limitation controls exist on many devices. Turning them is vital if you want to reach the maximum audio levels your device is capable of. 

These settings will directly correlate to how your headphones process the sound being sent to them. If you want your headphones to sound louder, you need to look at the settings on your device. 

9. Get New Headphones

Unfortunately, there is no foolproof way to make your headphones louder. You can enhance the audio and adjust the settings to get the maximum audio output available, but sometimes your headphones will just not be up to the task anymore. 

If you have tried everything, but your headphones still are not louder, or are not at the level you desire, you should invest in a quality pair of headphones.

But what should you look for in a quality pair of headphones? You need to look at several components to ensure you are getting a pair of headphones that will do what you want them to do. 

  • Impedance level. You want to make sure your headphones have a high impedance level. This will ensure that the audio coming through is clear.  
  • Construction. You want headphones that are correctly built. Research the brands to see which uses the best materials. Moreover, you want headphones that cover your entire ear. They will also produce better sound than earbuds. Headphones with a sealed back also have enhanced audio quality. 
  • Noise-canceling feature. Often, your headphones sound quieter because of the ambient noise around you. Noise-canceling headphones will mitigate that ambient noise, which will make your headphones sound louder. 

Making your headphones louder can be done, and you can get a lot out of them with a little patience. However, sometimes a new pair of headphones is the best option. 

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