How do I make my beats louder on Android?

Many Android users want to increase the maximum volume output of their device for listening to beats, music, and other audio. Android imposes software limits on volume levels to help prevent hearing damage, which can frustrate users who want louder sound for their headphones or speakers.

There are a few reasons why Android users may want their beats and music louder than the system volume limit:

To compensate for headphones or speakers that aren’t very loud or sensitive

To hear detail, bass, and dynamic range better on high-quality headphones
To overcome noisy environments like buses, airplanes, or crowded spaces
Dissatisfaction with Android’s conservative volume limits compared to other platforms

Personal preference for really loud music listening

While exceeding safe volume levels can damage hearing over time, many users are willing to turn up the beats and deal with the risks. This article explores different methods to safely maximize volume on Android.

Understand Android’s Volume Limits

Android devices have a max system volume limit that caps how loud audio can play. This limit was added as a safety precaution to protect users’ hearing and prevent damage from excessively loud volumes.

Research shows that prolonged exposure to sounds over 85 decibels can lead to noise-induced hearing loss over time ^[1]. Many audio sources can exceed this level, especially when listened to with headphones directly in the ear canal.

To reduce this risk, Android introduced an absolute volume limit in Android 9 Pie. By default, media volumes are capped at safe levels to prevent permanent hearing damage. This applies to music, videos, games, and other audio played through the device speakers or headphones.

While this limit restricts maximum loudness, users can still adjust volumes freely within safer parameters. The cap helps guard against unintentionally turning up volumes to hazardous levels that could unknowingly damage hearing.

Use Volume Booster Apps

One easy way to boost the volume on your Android device is to use dedicated volume booster apps. These apps can amplify your device’s volume beyond the built-in maximum levels for a louder overall sound. Some top volume booster apps to try include:

Volume Booster – This simple, free app from developer Goodev allows you to boost your speaker or headphone volume beyond the normal limits. It has options for boosting media, alarms, and notifications.

Volume Boost+ – Volume Boost+ from XBooster can increase your volume higher than the max volume. It also has a built-in equalizer and bass booster for adjusting your sound.

The key benefit of volume booster apps is they provide an easy way to get louder volume without needing to purchase external hardware. However, be cautious of excessive volume levels, as they can potentially damage speakers or your hearing.

Adjust Audio Normalization

Audio normalization is a process that adjusts the volume of audio files so they reach a consistent loudness level. Enabling normalization on your Android device can help make beats and music sound louder and more uniform. Here’s how to turn it on:

Go to Settings > Sound and vibration > Advanced. Look for the “Volume normalization” option and toggle it on. This will normalize the volume across different apps and audio sources to roughly the same loudness level. Some Android skins like MIUI also have system-wide normalization features in their sound settings.

With normalization enabled, overly quiet or loud parts in songs will be adjusted so the overall volume sounds more consistent. This evens out volume differences between tracks so you don’t have to adjust volume as often. The audio signal is processed in real time to increase quieter sections and attenuate louder sections.

Note that normalization works within reasonable limits and won’t make soft whispering as loud as a blaring trumpet. There are also different normalization targets like -14 LUFS for streaming audio and -23 LUFS for broadcast. Normalization works best for minor to moderate volume differences between songs or audio sources.

While normalization can make beats and vocals more prominent, it can reduce dynamics and “punchiness” in some cases. Use the setting selectively based on your audio sources and needs. Consider disabling normalization if you want precise preservation of dynamics in classical music or live recordings, for example. Producers sometimes deliberately master music with wide volume variation.

Use Equalizers

One of the most effective ways to make beats and bass louder on Android is to use an equalizer app. Equalizers allow you to boost or cut frequency bands selectively, so you can turn up the low frequencies where bass and kick drums reside without affecting the rest of the mix.

There are many equalizer apps available on the Google Play Store. Some popular options include Equalizer & Bass Booster, Equalizer FX, and Wavelet. These apps provide graphical EQ controls allowing you to customize the frequency response.

To make beats and bass stand out more, try boosting frequency bands in the 80-200 Hz range by 3-6 dB. This range covers sub-bass and low frequencies where the beats and kick drums are most audible. You can also try slight cuts in the 1-5 kHz range to reduce mids and let the low end shine through more.

Just be careful not to overdo the EQ boosts, as too much can make the bass sound bloated or distorted. Gentle, narrow boosts around the key low frequency ranges will give beats extra punch and prominence in the mix.

Try Compression Effects

Compression is a type of audio effect that can be used to increase the perceived loudness of your beats. As explained by Icon Collective, “A compressor works by reducing the dynamic range of an audio signal. It accomplishes this by attenuating the level of loud sounds over a certain threshold while quieter sounds pass through unaffected” (source). By compressing the dynamic range, the overall level of the audio is brought up, increasing the perceived loudness.

There are a few ways compression can help make your beats sound louder:

Reducing peaks – Compression lowers volume spikes and loud transients, allowing you to boost the overall level of the audio.
Sustaining sounds – Compression helps sustain sounds like kick drums and basslines, making them more prominent in the mix.
Adding punch – Fast compressors can add punch and power to beats.

Parallel compression – Running a duplicated compressed track alongside the original uncompressed track can add thickness and loudness.

A moderate amount of compression on your drum bus, basslines, or full mix can help increase the punchiness and perceived loudness. However, be careful not to overcompress as this can make your beats sound crushed or lifeless.

Use External Speakers/Headphones

One of the easiest ways to make your beats louder on Android is to use external speakers or headphones that can play at higher volumes than your device’s built-in speakers.

High-quality over-ear headphones like the Philips Fidelio X3 and Marshall Major IV are designed to deliver booming bass and crisp highs at very loud volumes without distortion. These large headphones with 50mm drivers can go significantly louder than typical earbuds.

Portable Bluetooth speakers also allow you to pump up the volume more than your phone’s speakers. Look for speakers with large drivers, high wattage, and impressive frequency ranges to get the loudest sound. Position them near a wall to boost bass.

Just keep in mind that extended high volume listening can damage your hearing over time. Take breaks and avoid exceeding 50% volume for more than short periods.

Convert to Lossless Audio

One way to potentially increase the volume and loudness of your music is to convert your audio files to a lossless format like FLAC (Free Lossless Audio Codec) or ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec). Lossless audio formats use compression to reduce file size, but they preserve the original audio quality perfectly by not removing any information from the audio signal like lossy formats such as MP3 do.

Because lossless formats retain more of the original dynamic range of the audio, they may sound louder compared to lossy formats of the same song at the same volume level. According to discussions on Reddit and Apple support forums, users have noticed increased loudness with Apple Music streaming lossless versions of tracks compared to standard quality [1]. This effect may be particularly noticeable with poorly mastered or quiet recordings.

To convert audio files to lossless, you can use free audio converter tools. Just be aware this process is unlikely to make a dramatic difference for audio that is already encoded as a high-quality lossy format like AAC or Ogg Vorbis.

Warn About Hearing Damage

Listening to audio at excessively loud volumes, even for short periods of time, can cause permanent hearing damage. Prolonged exposure to sounds above 85 decibels can harm your ears over time, resulting in noise-induced hearing loss that may be irreversible. According to the CDC, an estimated 26 million adults have noise-induced hearing loss.

When you increase the volume on your Android device to unsafe levels, you are putting your hearing at risk. The sounds of boosted beats directly damage the sensitive hair cells in your inner ear that allow you to hear. Once these cells are damaged or killed, they cannot regrow, and you will experience permanent hearing impairment or irreparable hearing loss.

To avoid permanent injury, keep the volume at less than 50% of the maximum level on your Android device. Listen to music at no more than 60% volume for limited periods, and give your ears a break by removing headphones frequently. Any volume that makes your ears ring or feel pain is too loud. Protect your hearing by avoiding dangerously high volume levels that can lead to lifelong auditory damage.

Conclusion

There are several techniques that Android users can try to increase the volume on their devices beyond the normal limits. The key options covered in this article include:

Using third party volume booster apps like Volume Booster, Louder Volume Booster, and Boom 3D
Adjusting the audio normalization setting in developer options

Using built-in or external equalizers to boost certain frequency ranges
Enabling compression effects to boost quiet sounds
Connecting external speakers or high quality headphones

Converting audio files to lossless formats for increased dynamic range

While these techniques can help make audio louder on Android, users should be cautious of potential hearing damage from excessive volume. If the standard volume limits still don’t meet your needs, consider upgrading to external speaker systems designed for maximum clarity at high volumes.

Some additional alternatives for users who want more volume than Android allows by default include specialized volume booster apps not covered here, hacking the software, or upgrading to different devices or headphones that can play louder. However, hearing health should always be the top priority.