How to Make Headphones Louder on PC
There is no question that loud music holds a special appeal for many people. Researchers have identified some physiological reasons for why louder sounds are especially engaging to listeners. But aside from the pleasure of cranking up the volume on your favorite songs, louder than average sounds are important for people who are hard of hearing. Whatever is the case for you, you may find your headphones lacking when it comes to the higher end of the volume dial.
First, this article will delve into some basic facts about how headphones work. This tangent may seem unwarranted but bear with it, it will all be relevant by the end. Once that is out of the way, you’ll learn how to increase the volume of your headphones.
Some Basic Concepts
Headphones merely receive an analog signal and turn it into sound waves, so most of the legwork is done well before the signal reaches your cans.
Headphones have two basic dimensions which determine how loud they are: impedance and sensitivity. Impedance refers to the resistance that your headphones will present to the signal being transmitted. The sensitivity rating is a measure of how efficiently the drivers (speakers in your headphones) convert the audio signal into sound. So, from these two specifications, you can conclude that a lower impedance and a higher sensitivity will produce a louder sound.
It isn’t quite as simple as that but it is a roundabout way to come to the first recommendation – consider buying better headphones. If you are in a position to do so, this may be the best way to get more volume. Use what you now know and check the specifications on the headphones you’re buying to select a pair that suits you. Look for something with an impedance of 35Ω or lower and a sensitivity of 95 dB/mW or higher.
Headphone Amplifiers
You could also get a headphone amplifier. Your computer already has an amplifier, which is a part of your sound card. The amplifier’s job is, unsurprisingly, to amplify the audio signal. However, the average computer’s amplifier can only do so much. It has both physical and software limitations.
To bypass this constraint, you can invest in an external amplifier separate from the one on your computer. Any dedicated amplifier will have exponentially more power than what’s likely to be on your PC. The drawback is that they can be quite pricey. A reasonably priced model, which is also a favorite of audiophiles, is the Schiit Magni.
An amplifier will largely remove the physical limitations to how loud your headphones can go. If you’re going to plug the amplifier into your headphone jack (as opposed to a line out jack), consider that the audio signal you will be getting is already processed through your computer’s amplifier. This is not a problem, per se, but you should turn your computer’s volume to full and control the volume exclusively through the amp.
Amp/DAC Combos
Getting an amplifier can also improve the quality of the sound as you’re amplifying it. This is where a Digital Audio Converter tends to be very useful. DACs essentially replace your sound card from top to bottom, so the audio signal will be generated from the DAC. A solid option for an amp/DAC combo is Audioquest’s DragonFly series.
A DAC receives the digital signal from your computer and processes it. It’s likely to do a better job than the average sound card, so you will get both a fuller sound and better quality.
Software Limitations
A much less costly method to get more juice from your headphones is to “pre-amp” the audio signal with an application. Essentially, you can use a piece of software to process the digital signal before it gets to your sound card. This is when you can increase the volume. Once it arrives at the sound card it’s amplified normally resulting in a slightly increased volume. This isn’t a great option though, as it may reduce the quality of the audio.
There are many decent utilities available to do this, but the best one is Letasoft’s SoundBooster. All you really have to do is download and install the program. Once it’s installed, launch it and you can control the additional volume it generates from the notifications area of your Windows taskbar. The software offers a 14-day free trial, after which you will have to buy a license. If you’re undecided, you can email them and ask to extend the trial.
Sound Unbound
Short of making the environment around you quieter, these are the ways available to you for making your headphones louder. The cheapest fix is to download amplification software and hope for the best. Otherwise, you may have to spend some serious money on better headphones or a headphone amplifier. Even the loudest amplifier poses no threat to your headphones, but you can very easily cause damage to your hearing, so listen responsibly.
Are you loyal to a particular brand of headphones? Do you think super-high-end headphones justify their price? Tell us what you think in the comments.
iPhone Won’t Appear on iTunes
Read Next
