Volume level

I've got the black MacBook. Was wondering if anybody noticed that their speaker volume level is really low? If I want to hear anything from the MacBook itself I have to crank the volume up max to hear anything dicernable. When I hook them up to external speakers, which are set to almost maximum volume, I have to set the MacBook volume half way up to hear it at a decent level. Basically, it seems like the volume levels are set pretty low.

I have an iMac also and I only have to set it to 5 bars, with the external speakers at about half way to get the same volume levels.

volume

hi

i agree new macbook audio seems lower than our g4 ibook

blinding fast though this is what we want intel has made a

very big speed jump just moving about on the net etc.

regards

Yes, the maximum volume is lower than my old thinkpad. It's loud enough for most things, but if I'm trying to watch a DVD and there's background noise it can be annoying not to be able to hear it. If it's just me, though, headphones are useful. Otherwise, speakers, or route it through my hifi.

I thought about starting a thread about this but figured it has been discussed before. The most strange part for me is that even hooked up to the DJ booth at my bar (where the volume can be put quite high), if the volume is at half you can here almost nothing with the upper few 'clicks' raising the volume exponentially. I used to adjust the volume using the f3/f4 keys but they now offer too little in the way of precise control. I wonder if there is anyway around this? I do miss the volume and precision of the 17" PB.

Marlow

The internal speakers would have to be my only complaint about my MacBook. They totally suck

I don't mind them too much, I think they're actually a little better than my G4 iBook.

But you're not going to great internal speakers on most laptops, let alone an entry level one so I can't complain.

My MacBook's speakers are half the volume (at most) of the last two laptops i've owned. I spend the better part of my day listening to music and podcasts, and it annoys me to no end. Sometimes headphones or external speakers just aren't an option.

speakers

i might try something like these

http://us.kensington.com/html/5462.html

I can't remember where I read it (may have been on here) but apparently if you install WinXP via bootcamp the max volume is louder. Seems something to do with the internal volume levels in OSX. Maybe this gives hope that it could be fixed with an OS update?

speakers

hi

a good tip that works in itunes is to
open from the itunes window - equalizer
max the pre amp slider.

this will make itunes much louder
well i found it did.

regards

brendan67 said:

hi

a good tip that works in itunes is to
open from the itunes window - equalizer
max the pre amp slider.

this will make itunes much louder
well i found it did.

regards

Click to expand...

that actually helped a lot, still not quite as loud as I'd like it to be at times, but what can you do? I might have to go out and buy some external speakers, but this will do the trick for now... Thanks!

I don't know that it will be the same on a standard MacBook, but noticed that my MacBook Pro's volume now goes much louder with the 10.4.9 update. Maybe it's just me, but when I first got it, I thought "that's as loud as it goes?", but after that 10.4.9 update it seems a lot louder than I had noticed previously.

brendan67 said:

hi

a good tip that works in itunes is to
open from the itunes window - equalizer
max the pre amp slider.

this will make itunes much louder
well i found it did.

regards

Click to expand...

Fab tip, thank you!

I am having the same issue...I got the laptop because of its protability but have now resorted to watching DVDs on my girlfriend's Compaq. I am very embarrassed to say the least.

I am surprised there is no software patch/hack out there to increase the sound output.

cazabam said:

I can't remember where I read it (may have been on here) but apparently if you install WinXP via bootcamp the max volume is louder. Seems something to do with the internal volume levels in OSX. Maybe this gives hope that it could be fixed with an OS update?

Click to expand...

Yup its true, I have noticed this exact thing when Booted into XP.

cwa107 said:

I don't know that it will be the same on a standard MacBook, but noticed that my MacBook Pro's volume now goes much louder with the 10.4.9 update. Maybe it's just me, but when I first got it, I thought "that's as loud as it goes?", but after that 10.4.9 update it seems a lot louder than I had noticed previously.

Click to expand...

my 2.0 coreduo macbook certainly did get a volume boost from the 10.4.9 update. i usually only leave it at 1-5 bars on the slider now.

Some users have reported it being too loud.

Apple are apparently fixing this in the next update, 10.4.10.

Anyone know a way to increase the volume (or preamp) in Quicktime? Some movies that I download are encoded in AC3, and the volume is very low. The speakers are one of my major complaints about the MBP. I sometimes have to use my wifes 3yr old Compaq because the JBL speakers on it put the MBP to shame.

Hmmm..I may have to try these suggestions. It's definitely annoying because this is probably the lowest sound I have noticed out of all the machines I have owned.

So are you guys saying that even with external speakers plugged into the headphone socket, the volume is low? This is no good...