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If your Beats headphones are not performing as you expect them to, there can be many reasons for this. Below we will explore some of the common issues you might have and some of the things you can do to fix them.
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What Causes Beats Headphones To Sound Quiet? (6 Reasons)
There are a number of issues you could have that will make your Beats headphones sound quieter than usual. You’ll have to follow a process of elimination to determine exactly why – you may even have multiple issues affecting your audio experience.
1. Your Device Has Limited the Volume
Listening to loud music through your headphones for extended periods can damage your hearing. For this reason, device manufacturers often incorporate a means of limiting the volume.
This is mostly an issue on smartphones, regardless of what brand or operating system you are running. The device may notify you, but sometimes it will automatically enable a volume limiter.
2. Your Earbuds Are Dirty
Earbuds have a tendency to collect earwax which can clog them up, resulting in them not sounding as loud as they should. You might not notice the wax or simply assume that because you clean your ears that you won’t have a problem with wax.
Our bodies produce earwax to help protect them from anything that might enter the ear, and wearing earbuds can cause your body to produce more earwax than usual.
3. Bluetooth Interference
Wireless devices are great since they can allow you to leave your device on charge or on your desk while you go about your business.
With the number of wireless devices in existence, you may experience interference between them, causing your music to sound quieter than usual. This is especially true when multiple Bluetooth devices are within range of each other.
4. Low Battery
If your wireless headphones’ battery is getting low, it might cause them to sound quieter than usual.
A low battery can translate to lower volume because the headphones simply do not have enough power to drive the speakers as they usually would.
5. Damaged Wire
On a wired pair of headphones, the connection is dependent on the cable that connects to your device. Manufacturers do their best to design the wires so they are resistant to damage, but over time they can degrade to the point where they aren’t working as well as they used to.
Even if your wire appears to be in good condition, there may be internal damage causing a poor signal between the playback device and the speakers in your headphones.
6. System Equalizer Is Altering the Sound
If you are listening to music on your phone, most devices these days have a built-in equalizer that can affect the volume.
While an equalizer can be handy if you want to boost the bass or otherwise alter the way your audio sounds, it will apply a system-wide effect that can impact your listening experience. This is usually separate from the volume limiter but can have a similar effect.
5 Easy Fixes for Quiet Beats Headphones
Now that we have explored some of the things that could be affecting the volume of your headphones, it’s time to look at some of the things you can try to solve the problem. Be warned – listening to music for extended periods at high volumes can cause hearing loss.
1. Disable the Volume Limiter
The first thing you can try to make your Beats headphones louder is to disable the system volume limit. The steps that follow will depend on your phone’s operating system.
Disabling Volume Limit on Android
Please note that the below steps may have slight variations depending on which brand of phone you have. Each manufacturer typically has a slightly different operating system.
Disable the volume limit on Android as follows:
- Open Settings.
- Open Sound and Vibration.
- Open Volume.
- Click on the 3 dots at the top right of your screen to open the menu.
- Make sure the slider switch for Volume Limit is in the off position.
Disabling Volume Limit on iPhone
Thankfully, for iPhone users, the following steps will be universal due to Apple’s platform being used across all devices.
Disable the volume limit on iOS as follows:
- Open Settings.
- Open Sound & Haptics.
- Select Headphone Safety at the top.
- Click on the slider switch next to Reduce Loud Sounds to turn it off.
In the sound menu of your device, you should also look out for an equalizer option and ensure it is disabled. Due to the number of different devices in existence, this is outside the scope of this article.
2. Charge Your Headphones
As explained earlier, your headphones may not have enough power to produce the volume levels you desire.
Make sure your headphones are fully charged before use. Allowing the battery to dip below 30% may cause them to sound quieter than usual.
3. Clean Your Earbuds
If you are using earbud-type Beats, you may notice, to your shock and horror, that the small hole the sound is supposed to come through is caked up with earwax.
Clean your earbuds by gently removing any wax buildup using a toothpick. To remove any waxy residue, you can use a little rubbing alcohol on a Q-tip.
4. Re-Pair Your Headphones to Your Device
Bluetooth connections sometimes degrade inexplicably, and many users find relief by simply re-pairing their headphones to their devices.
Re-pair your Beats as follows:
- Go to your Bluetooth settings on your device.
- Select your Beats headphones.
- Select Forget Device.
- Reset your beats – follow this guide from Apple; the method will depend on the model you have.
- Pair your device again.
5. Replace Your Headphone Cord
If your complaint is related to the performance of your Beats when connected via a cable and in the back of your mind you know that the cable you have has seen better days, you are likely in the market for a replacement.
Get one of these QKIP Beats 3.5mm Headphone Cords (Amazon) to replace yours if you suspect it is the cause for low volume. It features 1 straight connector an 1 L connector so the phone-side connection won’t get damaged in your pocket.
Conclusion
Hopefully, at this point, you have managed to figure out the issue causing your Beats headphones to sound quiet. Wireless technology is convenient but can be susceptible to interference, or your device may be limiting the sound to protect your hearing. You may do well to heed your device’s advice – hearing loss could also be a factor.