Native volume booster

[ladybug]

Hey, I need an app for my Android but it will be an added bonus if it's available for iOS too, that will boost the volume above 100%. My bluetooth headphones are a bit quiet on some songs.but I need that app to basically work with my volume controls. So I don't go in the app to like fidget with it when I want to boost, I just turn up my volume with the volume buttons and it just continues going above 100% or something similar(or the 100% is louder now). I juts want to install it once and forget about it. Is there an app like that?

[BetteBalterZen]

Have you considered if your music streaming app have some sort of audio normalization feature? Could help boost low volume songs (in theory)

[ladybug]

10 minutes ago, BetteBalterZen said:

Have you considered if your music streaming app have some sort of audio normalization feature? Could help boost low volume songs (in theory)

Well, I use Apple Music I just checked it doesn't have that. It has sound check, which is off, but doesn't this make them quieter? Yup, just checked it does. Nothing else there for volume. 

[NinJake]

What bluetooth headphones are you using?

[ladybug]

Just now, NinJake said:

What bluetooth headphones are you using?

The Edifier W800BT Pro, these https://www.edifier.com/global/p/over-ear-on-ear-headphones/w800bt-pro

They go pretty ham on some songs but some of them especially Spatial Audio ones but not only Spatial Audio just are quieter because of said spatialness or something else I don't know. And they clearly have the power to be turned up because they have 32 Ohms impedance and also I have played with the eq and turned up stuff before, so they can be turned up, but now that I have set my eq the way I like it which might be the reason for the quietness I don't want to change it and I just want to amplify the volume as it is without altering the frequencies, and they do have an app but no volume boost or any other features like that there. 

[ladybug]

Oh and also they sound very quiet on the macbook in general with everything, so that's a separate problem but I guess we could focus on the phone first.

[NinJake]

It does state that they only support "hi res audio" when plugged in via usb-c. Have you tested this to see if they seem adequately loud to you while plugged in? Is it also possible you are losing your hearing a bit? I'd potentially want to ensure you aren't already blasting high decibels into your ear drums causing further damage... but only a doctor could let you know these answers.

 

If you're still insistent on getting some sort of volume boost, I'd look into the VLC player. I don't actually know if you can boost the audio for android/iOS but I know you can on the desktop versions, so I'd start there and see!

 

Edit: Here's a couple reviews of these from other sources. They don't specifically mention they don't get loud enough but do have some criticisms about the overall sound. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/edifier-w800bt.22917/reviews

[ladybug]

29 minutes ago, NinJake said:

It does state that they only support "hi res audio" when plugged in via usb-c. Have you tested this to see if they seem adequately loud to you while plugged in? Is it also possible you are losing your hearing a bit? I'd potentially want to ensure you aren't already blasting high decibels into your ear drums causing further damage... but only a doctor could let you know these answers.

 

If you're still insistent on getting some sort of volume boost, I'd look into the VLC player. I don't actually know if you can boost the audio for android/iOS but I know you can on the desktop versions, so I'd start there and see!

 

Edit: Here's a couple reviews of these from other sources. They don't specifically mention they don't get loud enough but do have some criticisms about the overal sound. https://www.head-fi.org/showcase/edifier-w800bt.22917/reviews

I think you double posted for some reason, maybe it was a bug whatever, um I don't know about my hearing, but I do tend to listen to volumes which are probably over the safe barrier sometimes, but I just don't enjoy the music as much otherwise. and the MacBook is definitely quiet even if you consider safe borders. I don't know about other devices but don't worry I am not going to blast unsafely loud volumes all the time I cannot say if I am or not usually but I know I shouldn't. I assure you that is not the issue though. I have even tested my hearing with these sound tests online and I could hear frequencies past 22khz.(a little bit). That is not the issue I believe. And it is a bit irrelevant. Because if I connect my wired studio monitors I can definitely turn up the volume to unlistenable level, ok not from my phone but the MacBook is definitely not quiet then. Even the phone is very loud. And yes, I know they have a cable and it will probably be louder with the cable but I just want to have more volume from the wireless. I know that because of Bluetooth that might be a limitation but that's the point that's why I am looking for ways to overcome that. I know if I was just ok with a basic volume booster app I wouldn't even post here but I am looking for ways to do it as if the device natively supports it. So vlc is not an option because what if I want to listen to a song on Youtube on my MacBook?  It is difficult and I am aware there might not be a solution right now, but that's why I am asking. To make sure if there is I don't just overlook it. Thank you for helping anyway, don't worry about me I am fine, if there is a solution, please post, or if there is not also please let me know. I just don't want to bother with third party software that requires input every time I need to turn up a song that's all. I want it to just sit installed and let me turn up the volume of my device as if it's not there. Oh by the way studio monitors are AudioTechnica ATH M70x and they have 35 ohms of impedance so these should be able to get even louder technically but probably because of Bluetooth they are not. I don't want to use cable though that just defeats the purpose I could just use my studio monitors then.

[ladybug]

also if there is a random script on GitHub or something like that I am willing to use it. One that does what I want. Or if someone can and is willing to write one for basically free(5 bucks is all I have for that) I spent my budget, I would also love to use it.

[Mark Kaine]

VLC? Goes to 200% iirc

 

(Music warning )

 

 

 

PS: also if you have a Sony phone you could try turning on DSEE

 

I'm using like "high end" sony inears from like 1999 and I'm amazed how good DSEE is, with or without headphones tbh ! 

 

(also just tested it DSEE beats 360upmix by a country mile!) 

[ladybug]

On 5/4/2025 at 11:49 PM, Mark Kaine said:

VLC? Goes to 200% iirc

 

(Music warning )

 

 

 

 

PS: also if you have a Sony phone you could try turning on DSEE

 

I'm using like "high end" sony inears from like 1999 and I'm amazed how good DSEE is, with or without headphones tbh ! 

 

(also just tested it DSEE beats 360upmix by a country mile!) 

ok vlc works maybe for the Mac but it also doesn't because what if I want to listen on YouTube or from my Apple Music app? So it's just too limiting, the purpose of this is without making it more inconvenient.  About the upscaling I didn't think upscaling did volume as well, I thought it only did audio quality to be honest. And I am happy with that, but I have Samsung it has some UHQ upscaling option I will try that I guess, thanks!

 

UPDATE: Samsung doesn't allow you to use that option for Bluetooth headphones. So basically I think I will have to return my headset and just buy a more powerful one. I guess look closely at the db output levels in the specs when I am choosing my next headset.