Boosting Sound Level

The maximum sound level on my Acer Aspire One 532 running Win 7 Starter is very low almost to the point of inaudibility. This makes listening to MP3 files or watching video files pointless, even via headphones. When I first got the netbook I did find an obscure setting that made the sound very loud indeed, but I have since re-installed the o/s and now the sound is low again and I can't find that 'boost' setting again. Please can someone advise me on this please? Many thanks - Chris Brady

 

Did you do a clean install? or did you use the restore software?

If you did a clean install, goto the acer site and update your audio drivers. Just recently did this with my D250 which gave me access to a graphic equaliser so now I have pretty decent sound on mine.

 

Aha - I did a restore. I do have an equaliser - but that only adjusts frequencies. I need a total sound boost to hear the MP3 files and audio tracks on video files.

 

Actually, an equalizer adjusts amplitudes, not frequencies. Which is exactly what you need for a 'total sound boost'.

You're probably going to have to troubleshoot this problem yourself. Your original post says that your sound is nearly 'inaudible', which is not something any of us have experienced, especially with headphones connected. The internal speakers aren't as loud as some of us want, but they are nowhere near as bad as what you are describing.

 

Found the solution. The Acer Aspire One 532's loud speakers are very quiet - on my netbook - even with the volume set at maximum. Tweaking just about everything has failed to raise the volume so that any DVD / CD or file could be heard even in a quiet room. This was especially a problem when trying to use Windows Live Movie Maker - trying to sync. a sound track was impossible.

But then I purchased a DVD-Writer/Reader and needed a codec pack to drive it. I was advised to download and install this pack: K-Lite Codec Pack 6.3.0 <http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm> it came along with Media Player Classic. [Note that 6.3.0 might not be the latest version]

Installing and configuring Media Player Classic (actually for the second time - my revert to OOTB had apparently removed the first installation) I then found that there is a setting which allows for the speaker / earphone sound to be boosted.

So to boost the sound: Start up Media Player Classic. Click on View / Options / Internal Filters / Audio Switcher. Set (check) the following options: Enable built-in audio switcher filter # Normalize # Regain volume. Then slide Boost: to maximum (far right). Click on Apply (bottom right).

This 'boost' feature is either an option within Media Player Classic &/or the codecs from the codec pack. I'm not sure. But the sound is well boosted when playing a video or audio file / disk through Media Player Classic.

Unfortunately the sound is still too low - almost inaudible - when using Windows Live Movie Maker or when playing anything through other media players.

 

As previously said, use the graphic equaliser in the realtek control panel. It WILL boost total system volume if you raise all the bars in the equaliser. It has worked for many people. Myself included.

 

I have raised all the Realtek Sound Effects Equalizaer bars to the MAX and only got a slight increase in Sound volume