Quiet sound on a computer - ways to increase the volume. Quiet sound on the computer, causes and solution to the problem

The safest headphones are on-ear or monitor. If we talk about technical characteristics, sensitivity has the greatest influence on sound volume. But indicators such as power and resistance also matter.

You will need

- headphone characteristics;
- any audio editor;
— driver;
— portable headphone amplifier.

Instructions

Check the headphone parameters: power, sensitivity and resistance. More powerful does not always mean louder. The sound volume directly determines the sensitivity of the headphones, which should be at least 100 dB. Otherwise, difficulties will arise when working on portable devices. Please note that resistance and power are inversely proportional quantities. Standard headphones are rated at 32 ohms, and devices with a resistance of 16 ohms have increased acoustic power. Which means they sound louder. If high-impedance headphones are connected to a portable player, the sound will be barely audible. Their purpose is stationary Hi-Fi and Hi-End equipment.

Check the internal volume settings on your audio player. Turn the equalizer settings to maximum. Please note that this may also increase noise. If there is a regulator on the headphone cord, look at what position it is in. Set it to maximum.

Reinstall the drivers if they are available for your playback device. Typically this is done on computers. Check the volume settings that exist in the control panel. Move all the levers up to the maximum level.

Test the headphones with other sound sources. Perhaps the problems lie not in them, but in what they sound like.

Use audio editors to improve the sound quality of your files. Even the simplest programs are suitable for increasing the volume, for example, Free MP3 Cutter and Editor, mp3DirectCut, Music Editor Free. But be careful! Some editors can only increase volume by limiting the signal level and narrowing its dynamic range. And this affects the quality of the resulting sound.

While working at a computer or laptop, you use a headset to listen to audio recordings individually. And you have already come across the question more than once - how to increase the volume in your headphones? Let's consider several options.

When connecting headphones to a jack on any device, make sure that you insert the jack all the way until you hear a characteristic click. On the monitor screen in the lower right corner there is a system tray in which the headphone icon will appear. Don't forget to immediately increase the volume using the control located on the headset cord.

When using headphones to watch movies and listen to music, you have the ability to adjust the volume in the player at your discretion.

If you have made sure that the volume on the headphones and in the program is increased, but the volume is still not enough, then the last option comes to the rescue. Go to your computer settings through the Start menu and select Control Panel.

Find the “Sound” section and open it. The “Headphones” item must be activated in the context menu. Double-click on the icon with the right mouse button, and the properties of your headset will appear in the next window. In the “Advanced Features” tab, select “Volume Leveling” and check the box.

Here you can immediately try increasing the volume of sounds. To do this, click “Listen” and feel the difference. Before closing the window, do not forget to press the “Apply” button and then “OK”. Only in this case the changes that have occurred will be saved.

If the above methods do not help you increase the volume, test the headset on another device; perhaps it’s time to replace the headphones or computer sound card, or reinstall the sound drivers.

Even a new laptop can have weak sound. This is due to the fact that modern models, despite their high performance, do not have strong speakers. This primarily applies to budget laptops. Even more often, users encounter low quality audio tracks in individual applications, audio or video files.

How to improve the sound in each of these cases?

Quiet sound on the computer: reasons

We will look at both obvious problems that can be solved within a few seconds, and serious difficulties that interfere with the usual use of your PC.

If the computer is far from new, and various sound devices have been inserted into its connectors for many years, then the deterioration of contact, and with it the sound, can be considered a natural phenomenon. However, when trying to make your headphones louder, check the volume control. Connect the device to another PC to see if the headphones or speakers are faulty.

Tip 1: Disconnect the cable connector and then connect it again. Reconnecting will reveal problems with the socket or plug.

If your speakers break down, you should consider buying their portable counterparts. Mini models are highly mobile. You can use them as an addition to your tablet or smartphone. But keep in mind that the minimum power value for lightweight portable devices should start at 3 W. Higher values will be required for those who are going to listen to music in places with extraneous noise. The number of speakers indicates whether you will hear stereo or mono sound.
If the headphones are working properly, you can make the sound louder by correcting the system settings. From the Start menu, go to Control Panel. In the window that appears, select “Sound”. Then find your headphones in the list that opens. In the next context menu, select “Additional features”. Here you will need to find a list of effects, and then check the “Volume equalization” item in it. These simple steps in some cases help no worse than a headphone amplifier.

Tip 2. If you do not want to understand the settings of various software products, then purchase headphones with low impedance. The last property is the key to higher volume.

Driver problems

The lion's share of software problems with PCs is somehow related to drivers. Experts identify 4 groups of problems:

developer errors (this kind of problem can be solved by updating);
driver mismatch with OS version;
incorrect driver settings;
driver conflicts (“the opposing side” is often different multimedia devices).

First, you should make sure your audio driver settings are correct. As an example, we use the well-known Realtek. Refer to the “Control Panel”, you will need the “Hardware and Sound” section, where the mentioned software product is located. Then check each tab. No line should be lowered or muted. Don't miss filters and surround sound.

If the sound has become quieter due to drivers, then try to update them. Special utilities will help you with this.

The SlimDrivers software product will speed up the update

The named utility will scan the OS and provide a list of direct links to new driver modifications.

OS capabilities also allow you to test and update the driver. Use the following step-by-step instructions.
Use the Control Panel.
Open the tab responsible for “System and Security”.

Open the "Sound, Game and Video Devices" section.
Please refer to your sound card driver.

Fig.2. From the pop-up menu, select Update Drivers
Fig.3. Update audio driver (Realtek)

In Device Manager, next to drivers, there should be no additional characters, especially exclamation marks. The presence of such symbols indicates driver errors. You will not be able to increase the volume, because in such situations, as a rule, there is no volume at all.

Problems with settings

This refers to OS settings. Before attempting to change anything, play the audio file. This will make it easier to control the volume of the sound, because you will hear the changes immediately.

Then go to the “Control Panel”, in the “hardware and sound” item. To increase the sound on your computer, you will need the options: “manage audio devices” and “adjust volume”. In the last tab, the user can adjust the sound in different applications. In the first tab you will need to determine the device through which the PC plays sound. Select the item you want, such as speakers, and open the device properties.

The following tabs will help you increase the sound on your computer:

levels (to increase the sound, raise the sliders to the maximum level);
special (uncheck “Limited output”);
improvement (check the “Loud Compensation” box and uncheck the remaining items).

How to improve sound on a computer: using utility software

Special utilities are an interesting alternative to additional acoustics. They are worth using if you don’t like the sound when watching a movie or listening to an audio file. Similar shortcomings are typical for audio and video content downloaded from torrents.

But before you turn to such tools, make sure that it is not possible to adjust the sound using standard Windows OS capabilities. After all, the utility will increase the sound only if there are no serious problems with the hardware or peripheral devices. And be sure to try opening the file in another player. Among software video devices, experts often highlight VLC.

Tip 3. As soon as playback starts in VLC, move the corresponding player slider. Note that its maximum volume is 200, which is much higher than in many similar devices.

The following programs will help you boost the sound on your computer:

Sound Booster

This program can increase the volume by 1.5 times

This works for both browsers and Skype. In this case, the sound quality will not be affected. The utility does not load the processor and RAM. After installation it takes up no more than 10 MB. The named volume amplifier is fully integrated into the OS. Thanks to this, changing the sound reproduction is carried out using the Windows slider. Among other conveniences, Sound Booster is distinguished by the presence of sets of hot keys. You can create combinations yourself.

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This amplifier will not only help make the sound on your computer louder, but will also improve the quality of playback of movies, music and any other sounds.

Let's look at the list of the main functions of this software product.

3D Sound. This is surround sound. The sound will be available to the user from all sides.
Equalizer. The multi-band equalizer gives the user absolute control over frequencies.
Channel management. This component of the program allows you to organize a concert with the effect of a “live” performance. Not every computer sound amplifier provides this effect.
Speaker correction. This mechanism is responsible for the resonance of the speakers.
Atmosphere. This effect is a set of reverberations that simulate the sound from a telephone booth, well, etc.)
Fidelity. Manager for restoring frequency and intensity that were lost during recording.

Audio Amplifier

The named utility is designed to process files with problematic sound

A few clicks will quickly change the level and tone of a video or audio file. The conversion process lasts a matter of seconds. This tool is not only responsible for amplifying the sound, but also helps to equalize the volume of the selected list of files. This eliminates the need to adjust the volume of the speakers. The named program for increasing the sound on a laptop will make it easier to prepare for events that require a constant volume level.

SRS Audio SandBox

The specified sound amplification program turns the speakers into a real audio system

The list of functions includes improving the sound quality of built-in speakers, producing 3D sound and highlighting voices during movie viewing. You will feel the difference in sound already at the first start. It is worth mentioning that this utility provides individual sound settings for games and movies, taking into account the characteristics of the genre (action movie or melodrama, RTS or action).

Even with a weak sound card or average quality headphones, a significant improvement in sound quality is possible. On smartphones, just like on computers, there is special software for this.

Before you start adjusting the sound settings, check the operation of the headphones themselves:

the cause of the malfunction may be the usual contamination of the thin metal mesh covering the speakers, which may interfere with the passage of sound waves; in this case, you just need to wipe it with alcohol;
if the fit is not tight, the sound quality may deteriorate; try moving the position of the headphones and check if any changes occur;
check if they both work or if the sound comes from only one earphone: the wire may be damaged;
If the conductors are not tightly connected, a characteristic rustling sound may appear.

Recommendations: How to properly set the equalizer (for headphones)
, How to make the sound in headphones louder: on a computer and phone
, Simple and effective ways to increase bass in headphones

Setting up on a computer

To get to the sound settings menu, in most versions of Windows you need to click in the lower left corner of the screen Start - Control Panel. In Windows 8, you need to move the cursor to the lower right corner, wait a few seconds and after the vertical menu appears, select Settings - Control Panel.

In the menu that opens, select the Sound icon.

To begin, double-click on the Headphones line and after the window appears, go to the Levels tab, click the Balance button and adjust the sound volume of each headphone.

On the Additional Features tab, check whether the “Volume equalization” checkbox is checked. You can try changing the settings on the Advanced tab. Here you can change the bit depth, sound frequency and immediately listen to the changes by clicking the “Check” button.

The sound quality largely depends on the initial settings: for example, there will be an echo if the “hall” effect is used. If you're using headphones, it's worth connecting to surround sound - you may find listening with a spatial sound effect more satisfying.

Please also note that if you connect headphones, for example, to the rear panel audio input, and a different device is selected for this input in the driver settings, the sound will be distorted. Therefore, be sure to check that the device is installed correctly.

Changing equalizer settings

Even the simplest players, including standard Windows Media, have a built-in equalizer in which you can adjust the frequency range. To do this, you need to launch the program itself and right-click on the menu Additional Features - Equalizer.

By experimenting with the engines in the window that opens or using a ready-made profile, you can select the appropriate frequency for playing a specific audio or video file. Please note that your settings will only be used in this program, but will not affect sounds played by other sources.

The most popular VLC player (you will need to install it on your computer separately) has a large number of effects and filters. You can equalize the sound strength in it by going to the Tools - Effects and Filters menu. Any of the equalizer settings can be saved if desired.

To adjust the 10-band equalizer, you first need to turn it on by checking the box in the upper left corner of the panel (Audio Effects tab). Even if the source file is recorded with poor quality, by selecting settings, changing presets, and adjusting low frequencies in this program, you can significantly improve the sound quality.

To improve the sound, you can download a special plugin, for example, DFX Audio Enhancer. The program can significantly improve the frequency characteristics of audio. The program will help you simulate a subwoofer, give a 3D effect, create a special listening atmosphere, etc.

Setting up sound on your smartphone

They are different for each phone, but the principle is the same:

You can increase the volume in the Settings – Sound section; here you can increase the sound strength separately for the ringtone, alarm clock and media files (videos, music, games); more advanced phone models have noise reduction modes;
using the settings of a standard Android player: most of them have ready-made options for each genre of music, you can independently adjust the frequency range, select mono or stereo mode, add surround sound and effects, etc.;
engineering menu: a hidden application that can be entered using a set of commands; It is strongly not recommended to do this in the absence of special knowledge.

Please note that some audio settings may not be available without connecting headphones.

Programs for smartphones

There are programs that can improve the sound only in headsets and add visually surround 7.1-channel sound. For example, Razer Surround, considered one of the best. Since the perception of frequency is individual for each person, the program allows for simple independent calibration and adjustment of audio signals.

General setup of a sound device on Android can be done using:

Headphones Equalizer: a program that allows you to automatically adjust the sound for a specific headphone model;
EQ Music Player: Refers to the multi-functional tuning tools; can enhance bass, work with sound in games, videos, etc.;
“Music equalizer”: a program that can debug an audio signal for any musical genre;
"Music player" with many functions and a user-friendly interface.

The sound pressure level is indicated vertically on the frequency response graph; in world practice it is expressed in decibels (dB). The values can be relative or absolute in SPL (Sound pressure level). If the values are given in SPL and what voltage or power level is specified, then the sensitivity of the headphones can be calculated. Knowing the sensitivity of the headphones, you can calculate how loud the headphones will play when a certain signal level is supplied.

Different headphones, when supplied with the same signal level from the amplifier, play at different volumes. Headphones with high sensitivity play loudly, and headphones with low sensitivity play quietly.

The graph shows headphones with different sensitivities; for further example, let’s take the headphone resistance to be 32 Ohms. This is important in order to relate the power output of the amplifier and the sensitivity expressed in relation to power rather than voltage. Below is a visual chart.

Dependence on sensitivity
	high sensitivity headphones (green)	headphones with above average sensitivity (yellow)	headphones with medium sensitivity (red)
to voltage at 1 kHz, IN	133	121	108
Sensitivity towards to power at 1 kHz, mW	118	107	94
Voltage supplied to headphones to achieve a volume of 120 dB, V	0.23	0.8	3.6
Power supplied to headphones to achieve a volume of 120 dB, mW	1.6	3	405
Ratio of amplifier operating time from the same battery	1 time	2 times	250 times
If the amplifier's maximum voltage level for 32 Ohms is 0.3 V / 3 mW, then the maximum headphone volume will be equal to, dB SPL	122	111	98

Sensitivity with respect to voltage is taken directly from the frequency response graph, where the graph lines intersect 1 kHz, the value in dB is taken on the vertical scale. In relation to power, the value is separately recalculated. Knowing the sensitivity is necessary both for calculating the maximum volume that headphones can develop when using a specific amplifier, and for calculating power consumption.

To convert sensitivity from dB/V to dB/mW and vice versa, a table is provided below.

Sensitivity ratio dB/V and dB/mW
	95 dB/mW	98 dB/mW	100 dB/mW	105 dB/mW	110 dB/mW
12 Ohm, dB/V	114	117	119	124	130
16 Ohm, dB/V	113	116	118	123	128
24 Ohm, dB/V	111	114	116	121	126
32 Ohm, dB/V	110	113	115	120	125
50 Ohm, dB/V	108	111	113	118	123
85 Ohm, dB/V	106	109	111	116	121
100 Ohm, dB/V	105	108	110	115	120
300 Ohm, dB/V	100	103	105	110	115
600 Ohm, dB/V	97	100	102	107	112

If the headphones on the frequency response graph at 1 kHz cross the vertical value of 125 at 1 kHz and the headphone resistance is 50 Ohms at 1 kHz, then look at the line for 50 Ohms. The value of 125 can be seen in the 110 dB/mW column, which is the sensitivity of these headphones in the dB/mW ratio. If you know that the headphones have an impedance of 85 Ohms and a sensitivity of 105 dB at 1 kHz, then look at the line for 85 Ohms and the column for 105 dB/mW, we get a value of 116 dB/V. At this level, the vertical value of 116 dB at 1 kHz will cross the frequency response graph.

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The sensitivity of the headphones is often written in the passport specifications. However, due to the lack of a strict standard for the design of the measuring stand, the sensitivity is not comparable between different manufacturers. For example, Sennheiser CX 550 Style II and AKG IP 2 have the same sensitivity, but the passport data indicates 114 dB/1V at 1 kHz for CX 550 and 123 dB/1V at 1 kHz for IP 2. At our stand, the sensitivity of the headphones was 128 dB / 1 V at 1 kHz. A natural question arises: if the data differ so much, is it worth paying attention to sensitivity? Because each manufacturer often uses one stand for certain types of headphones, then thanks to our measurements it is possible to make a relative correction for sensitivity. It should also be taken into account that different manufacturers measure sensitivity at different frequencies, for example Sennheiser and AKG give sensitivity relative to 1 kHz, and Beyrdinamic according to the IEC 60268-7 standard - 500 Hz, which gives different results for different frequency responses of headphones. The manufacturer can also indicate the average value for a certain frequency range or, conversely, the peak value over the entire frequency range. The manufacturer can provide sensitivity adjusted for the loudness of the sound presented not for a harmonic signal, but for a noise signal. In this case, the sensitivity value will be lower by 9 dB.

High sensitivity values relative to 1V should not be scary. If the sensitivity of in-ear/plug headphones turned out to be 130 dB/V, and at the same time the headphones have a resistance of 32 Ohms, then in terms of mW it will be only 105 dB, a similar figure can be seen on many boxes. For example, let's look at the maximum output voltage of an average player.

Most players produce only 0.2~0.3V at low-impedance loads, which allows the pressure in these headphones to reach only 110 dB. However, this value is valid for a sine wave, and for a musical signal, taking into account its energy density, the value will drop by about 9~12 dB and will be no more than 101 dB. In the metro the noise level is 95 dB. It turns out that the earbuds/plugs will play only 6 dB louder. An additional difference will be made by the sound insulation of closed-type plugs.

It is also important that sensitivity gives fairly approximate data on how loud the headphones will play.

The example shows headphones with formally the same sensitivity of 114 dB/V for both 500 Hz and 1 kHz. However, it is clear that in one model the low and high frequencies are raised in the frequency response (orange graph), while in the other, on the contrary, the low and high frequencies are overwhelmed (blue graph). As a result, the first headphones will play subjectively loudly, while the second ones will play quietly, despite the formally identical sensitivity. For this reason, you need to focus specifically on graphs with frequency response, while sensitivity data without frequency response may not show the full picture.

The stand as such can be tuned in different ways, by noise in open or nominal space, by sine or other signal. Depending on the method, the values will vary, and the differences can reach up to 10 dB or higher. Preference is given to subjective expertise when tuning on sinuses in the low-frequency region and narrow-band noise at high frequencies. Our stand is calibrated for pink noise with a frequency range of 300 Hz - 2 kHz with a subjective comparison of the signal volume between headphones and the speaker system.

This allows you to evaluate the volume of certain headphones in accordance with the speaker systems. Using this method, it was previously recommended to subjectively calculate the frequency response of headphones in GOST 28728-89 (direct measurement method - comparative frequency response of headphones in a free field).

It is worth paying attention to the fact that there is no strict standard as such, and this allows manufacturers to indicate data for marketing reasons. You can indicate greater sensitivity for better sales of a certain model, as more sensitive, or you can underestimate the value so that health authorities do not reproach it for contributing to hearing loss in young people. Also, some manufacturers may quote the sensitivity of headphones based on the sensitivity of the capsule, without taking into account that the final sensitivity of the headphone assembly will be different. Therefore, the data on the boxes should be approached with caution.

We offer the results of measurements taken under the same conditions, which allows data to be correlated with each other. Particular attention should be paid to the fact that the sensitivity for large headphones and earbuds/plugs is measured under the same conditions, which allows you to compare the sensitivity of the headphones with each other.

It is impossible not to mention the measurement error. Depending on the fit of the headphones, the final value may fluctuate around 3-4 dB. For full-size headphones, the final frequency response is the average value between the frequency response for the right and left headphones. So the data looks like 103 ±2 dB/V.

There are studies whose results determine the relationship between loudness and values in SPL

SPL values in dB
Sound/Volume	dB
Hearing threshold	0
The ticking of a wristwatch	10
Whisper	20
Wall clock sound	30
Muffled conversation	40
Quiet street	50
Normal conversation	60
Noisy street	70
Health hazard level	80
Pneumatic hammer	90
Forge shop	100
Loud music (at a disco, concert)	110
Pain threshold	120
Rivet, siren	130
Reactive plane	150
Lethal level	180
Noise weapon	200

These values refer to volume levels for acoustic systems, taking into account damage to internal human tissue from low frequencies. In headphones, low frequencies affect only the eardrum and do not affect other parts of the body - the heart, liver, muscle tissue, etc. Therefore, in headphones the threshold for maximum volume is generally higher, but you should still remember that listening for a long time at high volume will not do any good. The table also shows the values for harmonic signals. Because the musical signal is close to noise in spectral density, then in general the volume of the musical signal is reduced by 9 dB (from the ratio of the energy density of sine and noise, for sine - 3 dB, for noise - 12 dB).

The presentation of voltage sensitivity is convenient because you can clearly evaluate the dependence of volume on the applied voltage. A step of 6 dB gives a voltage change of two times. The dependence of the volume change on the applied voltage is logarithmic. When choosing headphones, you can also conclude that if headphones A have a sensitivity of 100 dB, and headphones B have a sensitivity of 106 dB, this means that headphones A will play at the same volume as headphones B, if the amplifier volume is set for them twice as high.