How to fix headphones with low sound

If you’re an avid music listener, figuring out how to fix headphones where one side is quieter than the other has been a lifelong struggle. However, your quest is almost at an end, my disciple. There is light at the end of the tunnel. And if not, you will have to buy new headphones like the rest of us.

But what’s the problem with your headphone volume? Is it a technical problem, a manufacturing malfunction, or have you broken them in your sleep? These are all viable reasons. So, let’s find out why one side is working and one side isn’t.

Why is my Headphone Volume Only Working on One Side?

There is nothing more frustrating than when your headphone volume is louder in one ear than the other. It’s the sort of thing that can send a sane person to a mental asylum. It can destroy the listening experience to the point of meltdown.

Throwing yet another pair of headphones into the trash is the standard response, but let’s not be too hasty. Let’s find the root cause of the issue before we plunge more plastic into the ocean. Therefore I recommend that you go through the following steps to find the issue…

Swapping Earbud Sides

You know the problem could be you, right? If you are wearing earbuds, it might be sensible to switch the buds from left to right or vice versa. It could be that you have a hearing problem with one ear.

Wax buildup is commonplace for those who wear headphones regularly. This is one reason why the volume could be lower in one ear is quieter than the other. If you still have an earbud problem, then the issue is with your headphones, not you.

Checking for Dusty and Dirty Headphones

Dirty headphones could be the reason why the volume is quieter on one side of the headphones. If your headphones have mesh protection, dust can easily get inside and is difficult to see or shift. Dust can disrupt the flow of sound waves. Before you throw them away, look to see if you can clean inside the mesh. That might help.

Checking for Shorted Wires

In the quest to find out how to fix headphones, consider that it could be a manufacturing problem, and there is an issue with electronics. A shorted wire is a common malfunction that can happen to headphones, new or used. If you bought the product this way, you can probably get a refund depending on the policy. But in all likelihood, you did it.

We listen to our music in all manner of strange and contorted positions. And it’s also commonplace to sleep with our headphones on. In all these instances, the wires are forced to twist and conform to all manner of positions. This can lead to shorted wires. It’s the most common complaint in regards to faulty headphone volume.

How to Fix Headphones Where One Side is Quieter than the Other – Finding Solutions

Now we have researched the possible issues that affect the volume of your headphones; it’s time to find some solutions to the aforementioned problems. So, here are a few simple fixes that could sort your problem in a matter of minutes and could save you from buying more headphones.

Changing your Headphone and Media Settings

If the volume on one side of your headphones is louder than the other, you could connect them to a media player to check the balance. Or check directly via your headphone device. There is a chance that the balance volume in your media player settings is predominantly set to one ear.

Go to the settings on your media player, and ensure that the balance controller is set to the middle directly between L and R. You can also check the volume lever. Manually toggle the volume up and down.

For Android users, you can simply go to your headphone settings to adjust the volume. Alternatively, Apple users can use this route: General>Accessibility>Move Down to Hearing Section>Ensure Balance is Centered.

Cleaning your Headphones

It never hurts to keep your electronic products clean. We would suggest that you clean your headphones right away. It doesn’t take long, and it could save you dollars in the long term. Safely clean and remove any grime or dust buildup that could be affecting the sound. If you have headphones with a mesh cover, lightly blow to remove dust particles.

Taping Shorted Wires

We wouldn’t usually suggest that you play around with wires, but this is for headphones, not a tripwire bomb from WWII. You can gently tweak the affected wire until you hear full sound return.

Once you have found the sweet spot, try and hold it securely in place while applying electrical tape to solidify its position. That might just do the trick. It’s an old-school fix but very effective.

Finding the Best Headphones to Purchase

If all those solutions do not work and you still have volume issues with one ear, you will have to bite the bullet and buy some new ones. Here are some of the best headphones and earbuds in the marketplace, as recommended by myself and other industry experts.

Looking for Great Headphones or Earbuds?

We have the reviews that can help you find what you need. So, check out our in-depth reviews of the Best Headphones Under $200, the Best JBL Wireless Headphones, the Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds, the Best Skullcandy Earbuds, the Best AptX Bluetooth Headphones, and the Best Earbuds under $100 on the market in 2022.

You might also enjoy our comprehensive reviews of the Best Bluetooth Headphones Under $100, the Most Comfortable Headphones, the Best Earbuds for Running, the Best Lightweight Headphones, the Best Headphones for Rock Metal Music, and the Best Headphones for Cycling you can buy.

And don’t miss our handy guides on How to Fix Sound Delay in Bluetooth Headphones, How to Use Two or More Headphones On PC or Mac, and How to Fix a Loose Headphone Jack for more helpful information.

How to Fix Headphones Where One Side is Quieter than the Other – Final Thoughts

It can take some serious troubleshooting. We need to find out whether it’s a product and manufacturing issue or an issue with your hearing. The high probability is that you have somehow shorted a wire without realizing it. Or it could be a problem with your media or headphone settings.

If the problem persists after following our suggested tips and quick fixes, you will have to buy some new headphones. That’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes, I’m afraid.

Until next time, happy listening.

Headphones are necessary for monitoring and mixing, however, they can be inconvenient when the sound is too quiet.

This blog post will go through some of the most common reasons why your headphones may not be loud enough, as well as how to fix them.

We’ve all experienced the problem where the headset is too quiet or one earpiece is louder than the other, especially when using wireless headphones or earphones.

So, in this article, I will discuss the probable causes of your headphones being quieter than usual, as well as how to resolve earbud silence difficulties.

Quick Answer, Why are my Headphones so Quiet?

The first thing to do is check the balance of your media player; it may be set to one side more than the other; also check if there is any loose connection in the jack socket if you are using a wired headphone; consider checking if one side of your earbud is dirty, or the audio file you’re playing is playing one side quieter than the other; if none of these solutions work, try switching your headset sides, left on the right ear and vice versa.

fixed-Bluetooth-headphones-connected-but-have-no-sound/

Reasons Why Headphones Are Quiet

Hearing Problems

This could be the main reason you believe your headphones are too loud or too quiet. Long-term exposure to loud music and noises can harm your hearing.

Even if the volume is the same, it may get to the point where it is no longer loud enough for you.

Some Earphones or Headphones have a low volume

Another cause might be this. Not all headphones or earbuds are created by the same company. As a result, there will be disparities in music, sound, call quality, and so on.

Faulty Drivers for Headphones or Earbuds

The main equipment that generates sound – might be faulty or damaged. This happens when the device ages, falls to the ground, gets wet, has loose wiring, and so on.

The problem might be anything that causes the driver to become faulty and have low loudness.

Problem with Audio Files

What I mean by an audio file issue is any type of audio file that you are playing, whether it is mp3 or Wav or any other file type, and regardless of the file type, I am targeting the quality that audio in that file has been recorded or trans-coded, in other words, the audio you are playing may be encoded with a low volume so that no matter how much volume you increase it will remain relatively low to you.

Ear Wax Problem

Your ears may have wax in the ear canal, which limits sound transfer to the eardrum and, as a result, reduces sound volume as well as quality, and this could happen in one or both ears.

Remember that using earphones for an extended period of time will cause your ear to develop ear wax.

Problem with Cleaning Earbuds

Because you have been using your earphones for a long time, they are likely to become dirty, causing the speaker grid to become clogged with wax, preventing the music from being generated precisely.

Problems with Wireless Headset Connectivity

This could happen with any type of Bluetooth headphones or earbuds; these are electrical devices that occasionally freeze or disconnect from your mobile or media player device via Bluetooth connection, so you may notice your wireless headset becoming quieter or one side becoming quiet due to a connectivity or pairing issue.

Problem with a Plug or Socket

This only applies to wired headphones; it is common to hear noises or have headphones that sound strange due to a loose connection between your headphone plug and your mobile or device socket as a result of either the low quality of the headphone or of using it many times over a long period of time; additionally, while putting your mobile phone in your pocket, the socket may have some dust or sort of cotton particles that remain inside the sock.

Easy Ways to solve Earphones being Quiet

1. Check that your Headphones are properly plugged in

Check to see whether your headphone jack has a loose connection. It can be difficult to discern, but plugging and unplugging the headphones a few times while listening to them may do the work.

If this does not resolve your low headphone volume issue, or if it simply mutes one side of the sound, there is a problem with the cables inside or in the headphone jack.

If you have an Apple device and a lightning cord, try connecting the headphone connector to your computer instead of directly into the phone to see if that solves the problem.

2. Examine your Device’s volume settings

Check that your sound settings are set to maximum volume. Check the volume on whatever device you’re using to send audio to the headphones to ensure it’s not too low. If you’re monitoring the output of a mixer, ensure sure all of your audio settings’ levels are turned up.

Plug up your headphones again and try playing audio with the volume set to maximum.

3. Increase the volume of your headphones

This may seem obvious, but ensure sure the volume dial on your headphones is cranked all the way up. If you don’t have a volume control for your headphones, crank them all the way up in whatever device you’re using (phone, computer, etc).

Volume controls can become clogged with dust or grime, making it difficult to lower the volume. Move the joystick up and down a few times to free any dust particles that may be trapped inside.

The only disadvantage of having your sound volume set to maximum is that it may degrade sound quality. This is why you should experiment with your volume control to achieve the ideal balance of sound quality and volume.

4. Experiment with a different set of headphones or earbuds

If the other options above don’t work, try switching to a different pair of headphones. You could also try the problematic headphone on another device or with a different sound source. This may aid in determining the source of the problem and resolving it. If you’re looking for a new pair of headphones, see my other post about headphones for monitoring.

5. Examine your Ear fit

You might notice that the fit of your over-ear headphones or earbuds isn’t quite perfect. Make sure your headphones are positioned in or around your ear canal, rather than merely on top of it, to assist filter out extraneous noise and allow you to hear more clearly.

The sound waves will be muffled if they are too large and loosely seated in your ears, and you will need to dial up the volume.

Due to a lack of space for air circulation, you may feel pressure against your eardrums if they are too small or tight. To offer extra space, consider placing some cotton or other material within the ear cups.

6. Disable any noise-canceling functions

Check to make sure no noise-canceling features are on. This can muffle the sound from your headphones, making them appear quieter than they are.

Turn off any noise-canceling features in your device’s settings, or adjust the level so that you can hear ambient sounds like cars passing by or people conversing on their phones nearby. You might be interested in my post about headphone static.

7. Examine your Bluetooth connection

If you use a Bluetooth headset, the volume may be low due to a poor connection. Check to see if your battery is fully charged. If this is the case, try switching locations or turning them off and on again. If it doesn’t work, try changing Bluetooth sources – these are normally available in the settings menu for your device or Bluetooth transmitter.

8. GooDev Volume Booster for Android

A fantastic program with a simple user interface. If you’re having trouble with your headphone’s loudness, this is a must-have. The app is compatible with all devices running Android 4.4 or later.

9. iOS version of Boom

The best approach to increase the volume on an iOS smartphone is to unlock the maximum volume limitations in the Settings app. Here’s a video by LoFi Alpaca that shows you how: How to Increase the Maximum Volume on an iPhone! (2021)

Boom is yet another software that has a plethora of functionalities. It can function as a replacement for the default music player, an equalization, and a volume booster.

Final Thoughts on Why Headphones are Quiet

It can be incredibly frustrating when your headphones suddenly become silent. No one wants to invest in an audio device that appears to perform well until it begins to do half of the job for which it was purchased. As unpleasant as this occurrence is, it is also rather common.

Recommended:  Why Do My Headphones Keep Disconnecting? [Answered!]

For example, if you’re listening to music on your iPhone and your headphones aren’t correctly plugged in, the audio will most likely cut in and out or have a substantial volume drop. Check to determine whether your headphones are correctly plugged in and if the audio is still muffled.

1. Problem With an Audio File
2. Issues with Connectivity (Bluetooth)
3. I Have an Ear Problem
4. Configuration Issues
5. I Have an Ear Problem

Maintaining the cleanliness of your audio device is a vital preventative strategy. If you’re listening on an iPhone or another smartphone with a headphone jack, make sure to clean it out on a regular basis.

Audio ports are a constant receptacle for dust and other filth, which might influence the volume level of your headphones over time. This also applies to your headphones and earbuds.

If you listen to music using earbuds, remember to clean the eartips on a regular basis to remove wax buildup and other chemicals that can destroy the hardware over time.

Internal wiring in headphone cables can fray or twist to the point where your connection diminishes. While it may not always be obvious, you may notice that when you jiggle the wire around, the volume level drops. This is an indication that your cable needs to be repaired or replaced.

To avoid volume loss and hardware degradation, keep your connection untangled and store your wired headphones appropriately.

If your headphone still quiet headphone, consider adjusting your volume limit or find a Bluetooth speaker to connect to. You can also consider having noise-canceling headphones so loud noise won’t be a problem.

We hope that this article is helpful for you! Leave us feedback!

FAQs About Troubleshooting Quiet Headphones

If you have an Android, go to settings and then select the sound section. You’ll be able to hear the various sound settings. Click the media settings button and modify it to your liking. You can do so while listening to a song since the music will direct you to the correct settings.

Clean your earbuds.Modify the sound balance setting.Examine the wires for any damage.Clean out the headphone jack slot.Examine the mesh for any obstructions.Using a different pair of headphones, test your phone/device.Switch the sides.

Restart your computer or device.