The majority of us are in love with high-quality headphones and are tempted for the models that we hear from friends and from advertisements that claim certain brands or models are top of the line However, we seldom decide to test them and evaluate them on our own. On the contrary, many enjoy their headphones and are fascinated by ways to enhance their headphones’ quality of sound.
To enhance your sound experience with all headphone models it is first necessary to evaluate your headphone’s audio quality (as as described below) and then follow any of the hacks listed below to improve the sound quality of your headphone. I’ve done a variety of research online in order to come up with the 15 hacks that will make a an enormous difference in the sound quality of your headphones.
However, before you get to the next stage, I would like you to first understand the meaning of a good quality to help you become more informed and help make the following techniques easier to understand.
What Does A Sound Quality Mean?
There are many believing that good sound quality is dependent on the volume and quality of the music that is played through the headphones, however to make it easier I’m able claim that sound quality can be measured by the clarity, how well mixed, well-mastered and professionally produced a music track is.
How Can We Measure Headphone Sound Quality?
The quality of the sound can be assessed from two perspectives:
- Subjectively The issue is the listeners’ ability to assess and evaluate the sound of sources of media and their reaction to it, either positive or negative.
- ObsectivelyBut from this view, the quality of sound is measured using special instruments used to determine the accuracy and clarity, based in electronic methods.
To be a bit technical, when it comes to objective measurements, the quality of sound is determined by a variety of factors that can be electronically measured, such as frequency response, transient response THD, IMD distortion …etc. Such aspects are closely related to sound quality , however measuring the results this way is similar to evaluating the experience of driving in a car by measuring objectively the power, speed and oil levels, as well as gasoline levels .. So, as you will see, the results of objective measurements will not yield accurate results for humans as the results come from the perspective of an electronic device.
In the end, assessing the quality of a headphone’s sound is subjective and should be based on subjective experiences with the users, and of course looking at the headphone’s manufacturing quality, similar to the brand headphones, which usually are more sound-quality but for regular or low-end headphones you can tell by comparing the sound quality with other headphones, by listening to high-quality music that is played through an extremely high-quality music player using a corded headphone.
So, the sound quality can differ between people depending on the individual’s experience and the way they feel using their headphones.
Is There any Anyway To Improve The Sound Quality Of A Headphone?
No, no matter if you have a headphone or earbuds, I’m sure following the 15 hacks I’ve compiled for you, you’ll surely notice a difference in the sound quality of your headphones You can apply some of the tips, but you don’t use all of them but in the end, you’re will notice improvements.
15 Hacks To Improve the Sound Quality Of Your Headset (Headphone Or Earbuds)
These are the 15 actions (Hacks) which will help your earbuds sound better even if your earbuds are bulky or disposable:
HACK 1 – Use Relevant headphone sides to Your Ears
Always place the right channel on your right ear, and your left channel into the left ear, it’s evident and most likely that you’re wearing your headphones in this manner, but making sure that you’re wearing your headphone in the correct orientation will assure that you’re hearing your audio mixes (stereo) in the same way that audio engineers intended when they created this audio track.
HACK 2 – Repositioning Headphone Pads (Ear Cups)
If you’re using headphones that are on-ear, but not an in-ear pair and you are not sure, try moving the ear cups a little upwards and downwards, and then check if the sound quality improved. Many times we do not realize the slightest change in position can affect the sound quality.
HACK 3 – Changing The Ear Tips
Think about changing the ear points of your earbuds. this can affect how sound is absorbed through the inner ear. When you alter the ear tips, make sure you choose different ones, and then test them. you can also search for various earbuds. For instance you should try using ultra bass-sounding earbuds that can significantly improve the sound quality.
Earbuds users need to try out various sizes that will fit comfortably into their ears since our ears differ in terms of size and shape therefore, some earbuds may not be suitable for certain people due to production companies’ plans to make earbuds of one size that are universally compatible and aren’t practical.
Yet for some using the standard earbuds and their tips can be used for the majority.
HACK 4 – How Fit Is Your Earbuds In Your Ear Canal
This is a different issue related to tips for earbuds. To get the best sound quality The tips must create a an effective seal around your ear to ensure higher quality sound with clearer bass. This is since our ears come in various sizes, including our left and right ear So, you can experiment with different tips for earbuds included in the pack and then see which one will fit perfectly in the canal of your.
HACK 5 – Using Twist Ties To Properly Place Your Earbuds
If you’re either a jogger or power walker, it’s common that you’ll experience problems when walking or running that your earbuds aren’t fitting properly into your ear, thereby reducing the quality of your sound or occasionally they fall out. to resolve this issue and keep your earbuds in place, you can try a simple modification that involves adding a twist tie to each one , similar to the one in the image below that I designed.
HACK 6 – Enhance Audio Bass Of Your Headphone
If you’re looking to improve the quality of sound from the headphone you are using with your computer, you have another option that will enhance the sound bass of your headphones through the Microsoft Windows headphone settings. You can follow the following steps:
- Start by opening “Control Panel” then click on “Hardware and Sound” to start the dialogue box for sound.
- Select the option “Sound” – a list of speakers and headphones available will be displayed in the section “Playback”.
- Right-click your headphone on the list, and choose “Properties”.
- Go to for the “Enhancement” tab then on the next page, check for the option right next to “Bass Boost”.
- Click on “Apply” and “Ok”.
NOTE:
This option allows the lower bass frequencies be more powerful, and improve the audio quality.
Be aware that not all computers are disabled, so you might need to install a special software on your computer to adjust the settings of the EQ.
If you’re using an Mac system the following are the steps to increase your bass
- Go to iTunes>Window>Equalizer (or Option
- Adjust the bass setting or select an existing preset that you can use for your own preferences.
HACK 7 – Using A Dedicated Sound Card & Amplifier
As a complement to Hack 6 above this hack may be useful if you’re streaming music straight from your computer or laptop with the auxiliary input. In addition to Boosting the Bass like we have mentioned previously and you could also alter the volume mixer’s settings for more bass If you are using a dedicated sound card. You might want to try this high-quality and affordable sound amp. I am sure you’ll be able to feel the difference in quality of the sound.
HACK 8 – Use A Good Media Source Player
If you’re one of the many people who listen to music on a mobile device and you are interested in taking a close look at this hack point.
Smartphones aren’t considered to be the most reliable media source for audio with high-quality but that’s not because they’re produced as well as they’re promoting however, they were created to cater to the needs of users in the form of smartphones. This includes the speed of OS, screen resolution capacity, the high-quality materials, and other elements like body weight, weight as well as media and music features but that’s not the main reason for smartphones to make.
Therefore, using portable music players is much more effective in regards to sound quality, you may be amazed by the way music sounds using players like Cowon, FiiO, Sony, Astell & Kern …etc even if you use the most affordable one of the ones I listed and you can expect to hear an improvement in sound when compared to the phone you own.
HACK 9 – Change Your Headphone’s Pads To Leather Or Velour
If you own an affordable headphone, chances are that it’s far from the comfortable that you can get. some cheap headphones employ faux leather on their pads that block the sound and diminishing the quality of the sound.
In this situation it’s best to replace your existing pads with ones made from genuine leather or velour, which are available in several online shops and there’s nothing easier than purchasing a pair of these and then replacing them with the ones you currently have.
The replacement of your headphone earpads is easy to do, especially when you are replacing them with a new pair you have ordered, just:
- Remove the pads you are currently using. (If it isn’t being pulled effortlessly, it could be that there are screws, just employ a screwdriver for the removal of the screws)
- Replace the pads by applying the same technique with the reverse method.
In case you use headphones instead of earbuds this is similar to what I’m talking about it is about replacing your earpads with newer ones made from Leather or Velour to create more secure seals for your ears, thereby enhancing the bass sound of the Acoustic drivers, and preventing it from being absorbed and providing more bass.
HACK 10 – Adjusting Your Mobile EQ Settings
We mentioned earlier the fact that special media players can be more sound-quality than what smartphones can offer However when you use your smartphone to play music, you could make some adjustments to your phone’s sound settings to add the bass of the sound of your songs.
- For instance, for iPhones go to Settings then go to the Music tab (Settings > Music[Settings > Music].
- Scroll down to”EQ” (Equalizer) to see its settings via”Music > EQ.
- Choose for the the Bass Boosterthen close the settings and have fun :).
Picking the bass Booster is a great method to boost the bass you hear through your headphones or earbuds.
For Android smartphones:
- Click on Settings Then select Sound Settings (Settings > Sound & NotificationSound & Notification.
- Tap on Audio Effects.
- Adjust the bass low frequency settings to increase the bass volume on your headphones. This is as detailed in Hack 6 above regarding low frequency adjustmentfor low-frequency adjustment.
The above EQ settings on your phone will cause your low-end frequencies to be amplified, and will make the sound warmer.
Important: Boosting the bass frequencies needs to be done carefully as increasing low-frequency frequencies to increase the bass may cause the distortion of the high and mid range frequencies and cause noise dilution, so you need to alter the settings a bit and then check the music to check the effect.
Be sure that you should test your settings using an excellent quality piece of music.
HACK 11 – Using External Portable Headphone Amplifier
Utilizing the external amplifier on your portable device is superior to connecting the headphone directly with the media player. Additionally, it is more effective with high quality headphones. The amplifiers supply plenty of current to the headphones , and enhance the sound quality overall.
What makes the external amplifier for headphones matter? because it offers benefits that improve the sound quality , for example:
- Portable amplifier features an exclusive control panel for it can be adjusted to adjust the treble, the bass output or balance.
- It gives plenty of power to power your headphones and boost its impedance greater in its sound performance.
In addition, from my research, you’ll be stunned by the impact it makes. This external amplifier will take your headphone to a new level by elevating its bass to an ideal quality, and in conclusion, getting an external amplifier with a dedicated function is always a great option for superior sound quality. Otherwise you’ll compromise the sound your headphones can achieve from it.
In the end, if you are wearing headphones with high impedance You will require an amplifier that has a greater voltage range, but for low impedance headphones, an amplifier is needed that has more capacity for current and less the output imperceptibility. If you would like to know more about high and low impedance headphones, check out the information below on Hack 15.
HACK 12 – Clear Your Ear Wax
I know it sounds silly to add it in this article , but I was planning to include it since there are a lot of users who use their headphones on a daily basis and since earbuds are intended to sit within the canal of our ears and ear wax can be generated by the use of headphones for a long period of period of.
Also, having earwax within the ear canal (if this is the situation you’re in) may not allow you to take full advantage of the true quality of your earbuds or an over-ear headphone , for example by blocking the canal’s opening and letting the earbuds slip out of your ear, and causing them to not be properly sealed inside your ear.
Ear wax may also build up in your ear when you wash your ear with cotton buds. This is not recommended according to what medical professionals advise because the wax may be pushed through the ear canal toward the eardrum, thereby blocking it.
In the end everyone who is experiencing problems with their earbuds, such as not having hearing clear or not ought to consider checking their ears for wax, and then clean them using medical professionals.
HACK 13 – Using Earplugs, DIY Sound Proof Your Earbuds
Some earbuds have good soundproofing. Soundproof earbuds offer better isolation and higher quality sound that you’re seeking.
This hack, here is an easy and simple method to make your own earbuds that are soundproof at home with the earplugs made of foam. to make these earbuds yourself, follow the instructions belowinstructions:
- Make this foam earplug into the shape of a pancake.
- Make use of a mechanical pen to create a hole in the. (we make holes to let sound to pass through)
- Set the earbuds over your ears.
Now you can be listening to music of higher quality with the new, custom audio earbuds that soundproof.
HACK 14 – Listen To Songs From Audio CD For Better Quality
If you’ve have ever thought of improving the bass response of your music and your general listening experience, then you must consider Audio CDs. Listening to audio CDs is superior to listening with AAC or mp3 files with regard to quality, quality, and mp3 as well as other audio file formats that are created with software. They compress the audio files that came originally via an audio-CD or an original WAV file and saving them as AAC or mp3 files.
The concept behind this compression is to minimize the size of the audio file and attempt to squeeze the highest quality possible in the smallest possible size and the quality of the file is contingent on the codec used along with the volume of the bit rate of audio. For example, AAC files stand for Advanced Audio Coding which represents the codec’s name, which is an lossy compression codec. the file extension used for coded files is M4A. This means MPEG4 Audio, while MP3 is the format used by its codec, and the codec can be either MPEG-2 Audio Layer III or MPEG-1 Audio Layer III.
If you attempt to increase the bass volume on the audio files of mp3 low quality This can cause your bass sound muddy and heavy in the headphone experience.
The above-mentioned audio formats are lossy in quality due to the fact that they are designed to compress the original audio file however, they are not intended to compress WAV files, which is Waveform Audio File, this kind of audio file is called raw and generally not compressed, and the audio quality is similar to a different music file type FLAC that stands for Free Lossless Audio Codec, therefore, both audio formats are both very superior in terms of audio, however with a larger file size.
In our method audio CDs store audio tracks in an format known as CDA that is an uncompressed format for files created from the WAV files. This means that high-quality audio files originally recorded won’t be affected and that’s the reason listening to music on CDs will certainly make a huge difference in the quality of our headphones.
HACK 15 – Upgrade Your Headphone
If you’re planning to buy a new pair of headphones or earbuds, you must carefully review the information regarding low – and high-impedance headphones before purchasing any headphones.
Impedance is an extremely technical term that is based on mathematic equations as well as engineering details which are difficult to explain to ordinary users, however generally, you have to be aware that impedance is a factor in the kind of device you will connect your headphones with. It must be a match with both the impedance specifications to maximize the use of your headphone , and typically, it is necessary to ensure it functions correctly.
Two kinds of headphones’ impedance.
- High-Impedance Headphones: Impedance between 8 to 25 O Ohm, you can consider my best-selling headphone that is perfect for any occasion, situation and use .
- Hi-Impedance Headphones: impedance from 32 O Ohm to above.
Low impedance headphones require only a small amount of power from devices that play music to provide high-quality audio however, high impedance headphones require greater power to provide high-quality audio. For instance, the low impedance headphones work with devices for media such as smartphones or portable players …etc and the high-impedance ones are protected from damage when using overloaded power sources and are able to be used with a greater selection of audio and sound equipment. That’s exactly the type of headphones that professionals use in their studios.
How To Know What Impedance My Headphone Has?
Simply look in the headphone box for specifics as illustrated in the below image I snapped to show one of the latest headphones I recently purchased If you do not have a headphone in the future, simply look up the name of your headphone and model to get more details.
In the end If you’re using portable devices such as cellphones MP3 players, your tablet or PC, then choose low-impedance headphones. If you want greater bass volume and audio levels that are high-quality headphones, it is better to opt for high-impedance headphones, but be aware that you need an external amplifier for this.
Is The Headphone’s Sound Quality-Related To Its Price?
However, generally it is possible that not all cheap headphones are of poor quality, particularly in cases where the price is fair and not as expensive as $10 as an example. However, you must check them out and judge their quality accordingly.
However, for high-end headphones absolutely, they will produce premium sound quality, and are worth it if you’re an audiophile and want to make use of for a long time.
How To Buy The Right Headphone For Best Quality The Logical Way?
If you’re planning to purchase a new headphone, think about not just the price or the clarity and sound bass However, you should also take into consideration how you feel using it, the ease of use and your feelings about how excellent the sound quality is. This will be more crucial than what the market recommends. So try these suggestions:
- Place one headphone you might want you might want to buy over the top of your head.
- Enjoy your most loved high-quality music track.
- Check your emotional reaction to the entire experience. Remember your personal evaluation.
- You can do the same for any other headphones you may be searching for.
- When you have a pair of headphones that can give you near emotional reactions, it is best to pick the most affordable one.
If you’re the kind of person who is proud of the brand and the price of headphones, you may want to skip the sensible steps and instead opt to purchase a pair of expensive headphones.
For me I am a telecommunications and computer engineer who graduated from university in 2001. Since the time I was a student, I’ve had a long time working in telecommunications engineering in different areas, so my knowledge of the way that headphones’ hardware and sound solutions function is quite decent, however when it comes down to choosing the best headphones, I am in the most subjective way about the quality I experience as I listen to my favourite music, regardless of whether it’s cheap or high-end. One of my favorites headphones that I love using is from Koss. I purchased it a few years ago for about $70.
Conclusion
Improve the quality of sound from the earphones or headphones you use vary among people, some are focused on how loud they can be, while others concentrate on how clear the sound is and others are more focused on how much the bass can be improved. in all instances there are different ways and methods for achieving the above generally, as each of us has our own unique perspective of how to judge the sound quality of headphones and also to get the improvements you want, apply the previous 15 tips I’ve researched to help you.
Hey there mobile audio lovers! My name is Darlene R, founder and chief editor at headphonesfans.com. Ask any mobile audio fanatic, installer, or company rep what makes a good car speaker, sub or amp, or, better yet, why he or she prefers a certain brand over another, and be prepared to endure a litany of opinions, viewpoints, and passion-fueled perspectives. To be honest, mobile audio shopping can be a daunting task without a guide, so I’ve assembled what I feel are the best products to consider to make things easier for you. Welcome headphonesfans.com!
