I got up at the daybreak to raise a volcano in Mexico, then binged on great local food and drink all afternoon. Lastly drifting back to my hotel late in the evening, it’s time to call it a night.
Impulsively, I grab my laptop computer. What better way to unwind after a long day than to see an excellent documentary? Unfortunately, the sounds of the city have not yet faded, and it’s not long before I understand I can’t hear half of the film over the roosters and “Banda” music roaring in the streets.
Whether it’s noisy next-door neighbors, neighboring traffic, or that pesky rooster that appears to be following you around Latin America, it can be difficult to hear what’s coming out of your laptop computer speakers. If you’re like me and have found yourself wanting the noise was just a little louder, this post is for you.
Beware, Mac and PC people. I’m going to walk you through how to crank your speakers up beyond their regular restrictions. Or, if you’re a Nigel Tufnel fan, turn them approximately 11.
Mac
Being a full-time Mac user, I first discovered how to amplify my speakers with a program called Audio Hijack, from Rogue Amoeba. This software application lets audio experts and hobbyists alike perform all type of helpful tricks, such as taping Skype calls for podcast interviews and recording the audio from a webinar.
The large power and suppleness of the user interface is astonishing. Follow the steps listed below just once, and you’ll be ready to crank your speakers approximately 4x their regular maximum volume booster windows * each time you open the program.
1. Open Audio Hijack
2. Click and drag the Applications obstruct into the main window
3. Select the Application you ‘d like to make louder from the drop-down menu
4. Repeat step 2 with the “Volume booster windows” module (under “Built-in Effects”.) Your primary window needs to now look like this:
5. Click and drag the “Output” module into the main window.
6. Set your output device to “Internal Speakers.”
7. Click the button in the lower-left corner of the program to run your audio through Audio Hijack.
8. Adjust the audio level to your hearts material using the Volume booster windows module. a good starting point is to choose the “2X” button under “Overdrive” and moving the volume booster windows slider up. If this isn’t enough, experiment with the “3X” and “4X” overdrive.
This is what your last settings must appear like:
Audio Hijack is available on Rogue Amoeba’s website for $65. There’s also a free, minimal variation you can try to ensure it works for you.
Note that if you do not need any of the other features that Audio Hijack offers, it’s worth taking a look at Sound Source instead. Developed by the same company, it offers all the same audio-boosting goodness as Audio Hijack at around half the price.
* The tech that makes this possible is intriguing, but without entering the nuts and bolts of it, this app will not harm your speakers. Nevertheless, I advise against blasting your Slayer collection at 4X for an hour, simply to play it safe. Stick to movies and YouTube.
Windows
To my discouragement, I found some Windows users might in fact have a much easier fix for this problem. Then I researched some more, and recognized that it’s a little bit more complex depending on what kind of sound card you have. That sounds more like the Microsoft I understand.
Don’t worry, there is a solution for you Windows folks– it’s just that you might need to try more than one of the following:
The Built-in Windows Solution
1. Open your Control Panel
2. Select “Sound” under Hardware and Sound
3. Select your speakers, then click Properties
4. Select the Enhancements tab
5. Check Loudness Equalization
6. Click Apply
If you made it to the end of all six steps without scratching your head, congratulations. You’re excellent to go.
If not, you probably got stuck at step four or five. Some sound cards apparently do not give you this option, or Microsoft believed it ‘d be too simple if all machines had volume booster windows equalization. In either case, there’s expect you yet.
PC Alternative # 1.
1. Open your Control Panel.
2. Select “Sound” under Hardware and Sound.
3. Select your speakers, then click Properties.
4. Select the Enhancements tab.
5. Select Equalizer.
6. Show up each EQ band.
7. Conserve this setting as a preset for easy recall * (Optional).
If you got stuck here, it was most likely on that darn action number 4 or five again. Thankfully, there’s still one more option.
PC Alternative #2.
1. Download and install this software: https://sourceforge.net/projects/equalizerapo/. Make note of the install place. You’ll require this later on.
2. Select your speakers under the Configurator window that will pop-up while setting up.
3. Reboot your computer.
4. Go to the location where you set up the software.
5. Select the “Config” folder.
6. Open the config text file. Delete whatever in the file.
7. Type the following into the document: Preamp: +10 dB.
8. Click Save.
The changes will work right away. You can modify the config file once again if you need to change the volume booster windows.
Get Us in Your Inbox.
Get our routine e-mail updates with the latest travel tech news, pointers, and articles. We’ll also send over our free 25-page guide, packed with helpful hints and guidance to get you began!
No spam ever, and you can leave any time. Our privacy policy discusses how we handle your personal information.Top of Form.
Bonus Tip for Mac and PC Users.
If you wish to view a motion picture you already have on your computer system and require a quick and free way to turn it up, you can download the VLC player. This lets you increase the volume booster windows of any file compatible with VLC, considering that the volume booster windows slider automatically lets you improve the sound output beyond 100%, without any setup needed.
And there you have it. If you have any issues, let me know in the comments!
