How to set equalizer in VLC player Android?

VLC media player is a popular open-source, cross-platform multimedia player developed by the VideoLAN project. With over 3 billion downloads, VLC has one of the largest install bases of any media player (Source).

VLC includes many advanced features like equalizer presets, audio and video effects, skins, and the ability to play a wide variety of media formats. The equalizer allows you to adjust the frequency levels of audio playback. This lets you customize the sound to suit your preferences and audio equipment.

Using VLC’s equalizer presets or creating a custom preset can provide benefits like:

Boosting low/high frequencies to improve clarity
Reducing harsh midrange frequencies like vocals
Fixing audio issues in recordings

Tailoring sound for different genres like pop, jazz, rock etc.
Compensating for limitations of speakers/headphones

With VLC’s robust equalizer controls on mobile, you can enjoy optimized audio tailored to your taste on the go.

Locate the Equalizer

To locate the equalizer in VLC for Android:

Open the VLC app on your Android device.
Tap on the menu icon in the top left corner to open the side menu.

Select “Settings” from the menu.
Scroll down and tap on “Audio.”
Under the Audio settings, select “Equalizer” to open the equalizer interface.

The equalizer allows you to adjust the sound frequencies to customize the listening experience. We’ll cover using the equalizer controls next.

Understand the Equalizer Settings

The equalizer in VLC player has several bands that allow you to adjust the audio frequency levels. The main bands are:

Bass – The lowest frequencies, responsible for the deep low sounds.

Midrange – The middle frequencies, controlling instruments and vocals.
Treble – The highest frequencies, adding brightness and clarity.

In addition to the main bands, the equalizer has several other frequency bands you can tweak. Each band has a slider that goes from -12 dB to +12 dB. Reducing a level cuts that frequency, while increasing it boosts it. The center position is 0 dB, which leaves that band unchanged.

VLC includes preset equalizer profiles for common listening scenarios. For example:

Flat – No frequencies adjusted, balanced sound.
Pop – Boosted bass and highs, common for pop music.

Rock – Prominent midrange for vocals and guitars.

The presets provide a quick way to optimize the sound for different audio content types. You can also create your own custom presets by adjusting the band levels manually.

Choose a Preset

Presets are predefined equalizer settings that optimize the sound for certain genres or use cases. They shape the frequency response curve to boost or cut specific frequency ranges. This allows you to easily select an equalizer setting tailored for the type of audio you are listening to, without needing to manually adjust each frequency band.

Some common presets included in VLC that are worth trying first are:

Classical – Emphasizes mids for orchestral music.
Club – Boosts bass for electronic dance music.

Full Bass and Treble – Maximizes low and high frequencies.
Full Treble – Brightens sound by boosting highs.
Soft – Reduces presences and sibilance.

Spoken Word – Focuses on clear midrange for podcasts and audiobooks.
Vocal Boost – Intensifies midrange to highlight vocals.

These presets provide a starting point to get better audio balance. You can then further customize the equalizer settings if needed.

Create a Custom Preset

The key to getting the perfect sound in VLC is creating a custom equalizer preset tuned to your preferences. Here’s how:

Tap on the equalizer button to bring up the settings. You’ll see a number of vertical sliders, one for each frequency band. Drag these up or down to boost or cut bands. For example, to add more bass, drag the lower frequency sliders up. Or to make vocals clearer, slightly boost mid-range frequencies.

Balancing different levels takes some experimentation. While boosting bass may sound appealing at first, too much can lead to muddiness. Try dragging the lower bands up just a bit, then adjust mid and high frequencies until you find a pleasing blend. The goal is to get an even, balanced sound across lows, mids and highs.

Once you have your custom EQ setting dialed in, tap the save icon in the top right corner to add it to your presets. Come up with a memorable name like “Clear Vocals” or “Bass Punch.” Your preset will now be available alongside the default ones for easy access anytime.

Don’t be afraid to tweak and adjust your custom presets. It takes time to train your ears to pick out subtle frequency differences. Have fun experimenting until you land on equalizer settings that make your music shine.

Edit Existing Presets

VLC player comes with several built-in equalizer presets that you can customize to your liking. Here’s how to edit and save a preset:

Select a preset you want to edit – for example “Classical” or “Pop”. Tap on the preset name to open the equalizer settings.

Make adjustments to the preset by dragging the frequency sliders up or down. Boosting or reducing different frequency ranges will change the overall sound.

Once you have tweaked the preset to your liking, tap the “Save” icon in the top right corner. Name your custom preset and tap Save.

The edited preset will now be available alongside the default options. You can create multiple custom presets this way.

If you want to start over, tap “Reset” to return the preset back to its default settings. Then make edits and save as a new custom preset.

Be careful not to overwrite the default presets. Either save your edit under a new name or reset to default before selecting another preset to modify.

Reset the Equalizer

If you want to restore the VLC media player equalizer to its default settings, you have a couple options:

To reset the preset equalizer settings in VLC for Android:

Open VLC and go to the Playback screen.

Tap the equalizer icon in the bottom right corner.
Tap the “Presets” drop down menu at the top.
Select “Reset to defaults” to reset the equalizer presets.

This will restore the preloaded presets like “Flat”, “Classical”, “Dance”, etc. to their original settings.

To completely reset the equalizer and delete any custom presets you’ve created:

Go to Settings > Audio > Equalizer.

Tap “Reset to defaults” to reset all presets.
Tap “Delete” next to any custom presets to remove them.

This will restore the default VLC presets and remove any custom ones you’ve made. The app stores presets locally on your device, so deleting them here will permanently remove them.

Resetting the equalizer can help if you’ve made changes and want to go back to VLC’s original audio settings. Just use the reset options to restore the defaults.

Test and Adjust

The final step is to preview your audio with the new equalizer settings and to fine tune as needed for different types of audio. It’s a good idea to test your settings with various genres of music or audio that you commonly listen to. For example, play a song with prominent vocals and adjust the midrange bands if the vocals sound too bright or muted. Try a song with a heavy bassline and tweak the lower frequency bands if the bass sounds boomy or lacks impact.

Keep in mind that there is no universally perfect equalizer setting, as you may want slightly different settings for rock music versus classical versus talk radio. The key is to listen critically and make small adjustments to get the sound profile you prefer. The equalizer gives you the control to customize the audio output, so take the time to experiment until you arrive at settings that provide pleasing and balanced sound for your listening tastes.

According to audio experts, “The process of tuning and adjusting equalizer settings requires patience, but can help optimize the audio experience in your car” (Crutchfield). As you make tweaks, it’s helpful to A/B between the old and new settings to identify differences. Trust your ears and don’t be afraid to experiment until the equalizer settings sound just right to you.

Troubleshooting

Some common equalizer issues in VLC player Android include no sound, distorted or muted audio, and problems with presets not working properly. Here are some troubleshooting tips:

Check audio device settings – Make sure your Android device volume is turned up and VLC audio is not muted.

Reset the equalizer to defaults – If a custom preset is causing issues, reset the equalizer which will restore default settings (see this guide).
Close and restart the app – Sometimes restarting VLC can resolve temporary audio glitches.
Update VLC app – An outdated version of VLC can cause problems, so update to the latest release.

Change audio output – Try switching the audio output in VLC settings from stereo to 5.1 surround sound or vice versa.

If you have tried the above fixes and are still experiencing equalizer issues in VLC, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the app to reset all settings. Make sure you have the latest VLC player from the Google Play Store or App Store. Also try updating your Android OS and device drivers.

In most cases, audio issues in VLC on Android can be easily resolved with some basic troubleshooting. But if problems persist, it could point to an underlying device, operating system or app bug that may require advanced troubleshooting or support from the VLC development team.

Conclusion

In summary, the key steps to setting the equalizer in VLC player on Android are:

Open VLC and go to the Audio settings.
Tap on the Equalizer option to open the equalizer settings.

Choose one of the presets like Classical or Dance if you want a quick option.
Or tap on each frequency band like Bass or Treble to create a custom preset.
Adjust the frequencies to your liking and tap Save to save a custom preset.

Test your audio with music tracks to hear the changes.
Go back and tweak the settings until you get your preferred sound.

A few additional tips for customizing your audio:

Boost the Bass and Treble slightly for more impactful sound.
Reduce muddy Midrange frequencies if the audio sounds unclear.
Cut higher frequencies like 8K or 16K Hz if the audio sounds too bright or harsh.

Don’t boost too many high and low frequencies to avoid distortions.
Listen on different audio equipment to test how your preset translates.

With the built-in equalizer in VLC, you have lots of flexibility to tune the audio playback to match your preferences. Experiment with the settings to find what sounds best!