Volume Threshold On Latest 'Classic' iPod

senordingdong

Bought an 80GB one just before xmas to replace the 30GB one I had lost and I find that it has a much smaller volume threshold.

Seriously, alot of songs that I used to be able to listen to at half volume, I now have to listen to at almost full volume. It really annoys me because some tracks have a lower volume on them and then I can't turn it up because the shagg'n thing is already at full.

Has anyone else noticed this? And more importantly, does anyone know a way around it?

Kid Nothing

Was your old one by any chance American? European iPod's have their volumes limited to 87% of what it's capable off due to some EU law about hearing issues! I was able to change it on my Touch but i don't know if it's possible on the classic.

senordingdong

No, my old one was european too!

Creamy Goodness

no way around it i'm afraid, what gen was the 30 gig ipod, as i think this volume cap came in about the time apple released the ipod photo.

Lockster

One way that my improve the volume is to select all of your tracks in itunes, then while they are selected right click and select get info. In that menu somewhere there is an option for volume adjustment. Just drag this up a few bars and then resync the ipod.

This seems to work for me, the only problem then is every time you add some new music to itunes you have to remember to adjust the volume in the same way for the new tracks before you sync to the iPod.

I hope this helps.

senordingdong

Cremo wrote: »

no way around it i'm afraid, what gen was the 30 gig ipod, as i think this volume cap came in about the time apple released the ipod photo.

I only bought the 30gig last May so whatever generation was out then.

I'll give that a shot lockster, thanks.

Creamy Goodness

not to sure though but wouldn't highering the volume of the mp3 seriously degrade the quality?

senordingdong

I honestly have no idea Cremo.

pleasant Co.

funny thing about that "upping the volume" trick.... it doesn't work... the ipods maximum volume will be exactly the same.

What will happen with tracks you do the volume trick to is that the max volume will be reached at a lower position on the volume bar, once it hits taht point rasing the volume won't change.

Example: You up the volume a track in itunes, export it to the ipod, you then play that track on your ipod. The volume does indeed seem louder at lower levels, but you increase it to ~70% and it's really loud, you increase it further, no change, you put it to 100% - no change.

Effectively all you are doing is moving the position where the ipod will reach it's max volume.

senordingdong

I see, well now, that changes things.

dub_skav

Not sure if it supports the classic, but something like Gopod will take the limit off - I used it on my old 3G Ipod. May void your warranty though.

pleasant Co.

dub_skav wrote: »

Not sure if it supports the classic, but something like Gopod will take the limit off - I used it on my old 3G Ipod. May void your warranty though.

unfortunetly the classic is not yet supported by gopod, at the moment the only "workaround" is to buy a set of IEM's or noise cancelling headphones which will block out much external noise thus requiring you to listen at a lower volume.

Creamy Goodness

/me wishes all mp3 players came with IEM's so i don't have to listen to gareth brooks on the 84x when my battery dies

exiztone

With regards to this, I have one of the new Nanos and I detested the earphones that came with it, so I replaced with with some comfortable Senheisers.

For all my albums that came out on CD before the late 90s, I really can't hear a thing! Modern album mixing and remixing usually involves a heavy increase of the amplitude, but for older albums that don't need to be remastered, I can't hear a thing. I have my volume limit up to full in the settings and the main interface.

It wasn't as quiet with the original iPod earphones... but they're disgusting looking, unfomfortable and awkward to wear while walking. There should be an allowance for increasing the limit past the EU one for different brands of headphone.

musiknonstop

I also found the volume on the iPod classic too quiet, even quieter than on the iPod 5.5g, which is also volume-limited.

With Sennheiser CX300s I don't have any problem with the volume, but for bigger earphones (PX100 for example) , the iPod is just too quiet.

I bought the iPod radio remote which connects through the dock connector. This by-passes the EU volume limit.

zilog_jones

I'd highly recommend Sennheiser CX300s for this problem. They seem to require a lot less power than bogger headphones that you typically get with things (I think the standard iPod ones are crap TBH), and even compared to Sony EX71s (similar style yokes) they seem to need less volume. They sound great too - deffo worth the €40.

For all my albums that came out on CD before the late 90s, I really can't hear a thing! Modern album mixing and remixing usually involves a heavy increase of the amplitude...

It's not just an increase in sound levels on newer CDs - they use compression (not data compression) to make the CD sound a lot "louder", but this in turn sacrifices sound quality because clipping occurs at any loud elements in the music. Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Californication is a very apparent example of this over-loudening of CDs - it sounds awful. This is why FM radio these days sounds crap too.