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Making headphones louder on a PS4 controller

How could I go about doing this? I thought about connecting an amp to the headphone jack of the controller, then the headphones to the amp. Would this work? I've already messed with the settings on the PS4 and it's not loud enough for me. I was looking at the MixAmp Pro since it was recommended to me in a similar thread I made.
 
Using a Mixamp, you'll be bypassing the controller completely. It accepts the signal through an optical cable (from your PS4 to the Mixamp). The Mixamp has its own volume control with a wide range. Works great for me.
 
Oh, so it would have to be directly connected to the PS4? I was hoping I could hook it up to the controller because my headphones are wired.
 
Oh, so it would have to be directly connected to the PS4? I was hoping I could hook it up to the controller because my headphones are wired.

Yes, the optical cable runs from the PS4 to the Mixamp, and your headphones would be connected to the Mixamp. Would there be a problem with cable length?
 
Yes, the optical cable runs from the PS4 to the Mixamp, and your headphones would be connected to the Mixamp. Would there be a problem with cable length?

Yeah, I have a cat that would not be able to leave it alone, haha. I was hoping to keep it wireless via the controller so I didn't have to buy wireless headphones.
 

Gray Matter

Member
I have the same problem and it's really annoying, I use my Bose headphones when using my PS4 and it's not nearly as loud as the headphones can be. Hopefully Sony fixes this.
 
Yeah, I have a cat that would not be able to leave it alone, haha. I was hoping to keep it wireless via the controller so I didn't have to buy wireless headphones.

If that's the case, I think almost any amp would do. Doesn't have to be a Mixamp (unless you want better audio quality + game sound/voice mixing). A small portable amp would probably work fine. I don't really have a more specific answer than that lol, not too versed in amps.
 

Ogawa-san

Member
Since you asked in the pulse elite topic earlier:

If you use either pulse elite/gold with the audio cable, they'll work like a regular wired headset so you don't need to turn them on. But you can turn them on to enable bassimpact, and that also makes them work a bit like an amp. It's how I get around my 3DS' lowish volume.
 
for anyone who is still struggling with hearing other players, i ordered the turtle beach ps4 cable and it didnt work..............until...........i accidentally yanked my cable out of the mic jack by one pole on the cable. and bam!, i can hear everyone.

thats right, two out of three poles inserted eleviates all problems. looks like two pole was the way to go the whole time. push in all the way and then back out until you feel resistance again. you heard it here first.
 
The FiiO E6 looks like exactly what I was hoping to find. I'll check that one out.

Since you asked in the pulse elite topic earlier:

If you use either pulse elite/gold with the audio cable, they'll work like a regular wired headset so you don't need to turn them on. But you can turn them on to enable bassimpact, and that also makes them work a bit like an amp. It's how I get around my 3DS' lowish volume.

Good to know. I haven't made my mind up about buying them but I'll remember that.
 
for anyone who is still struggling with hearing other players, i ordered the turtle beach ps4 cable and it didnt work..............until...........i accidentally yanked my cable out of the mic jack by one pole on the cable. and bam!, i can hear everyone.

thats right, two out of three poles inserted eleviates all problems. looks like two pole was the way to go the whole time. push in all the way and then back out until you feel resistance again. you heard it here first.

This is.. odd. Tried two pole adapters and cords and they never worked. Ordered the Turtle Beach PS4 Cable, plug it all the way in, and it works perfectly.
 
This is.. odd. Tried two pole adapters and cords and they never worked. Ordered the Turtle Beach PS4 Cable, plug it all the way in, and it works perfectly.

It works for me as well. Had to order it because I use an old Mixamp 5.8 that can't get Astro's firmware update. Though I have to crank the master volume to like 70% and balance heavily toward voice.
 
I use big over the ear headphones plugged directly into the controller. With the PS4 on hold down the PS button and there's an adjust devices option headphone volume. Or do you already have this at max and are still finding it too quiet? o_0
 
I use the stereo Xbox One headset Microsoft sells, and just out of curiosity seeing this thread I decided to turn the volume up all the way in the settings.

If that isn't loud enough for some of you, I recommend you see a doctor immediately. I'm perfectly happy with 50% of the volume. Max volume is unpleasantly loud.

Don't forget folks, if you damage your hearing there is no fix for it.
 
I use big over the ear headphones plugged directly into the controller. With the PS4 on hold down the PS button and there's an adjust devices option headphone volume. Or do you already have this at max and are still finding it too quiet? o_0

Yeah, it's already at max and not enough.

What I'm wanting to do, and this will probably sound silly, is put ear plugs in and then have headphones on that are really loud. The reason I want this is because I live in an apartment and the noise around me breaks my concentration while playing a game. When I play on my PC it's not a problem because I'm able to crank the volume way up through settings (while wearing ear plugs).
 

K' Dash

Member
I use the regular Xbox One headset Microsoft sells, and just out of curiosity seeing this thread I decided to turn the volume up all the way in the settings.

If that isn't loud enough for some of you, I recommend you see a doctor immediately. I'm perfectly happy with 50% of the volume. Max volume is unpleasantly loud.

Don't forget folks, if you damage your hearing there is no fix for it.

This.
 
Yeah, it's already at max and not enough.

What I'm wanting to do, and this will probably sound silly, is put ear plugs in and then have headphones on that are really loud. The reason I want this is because I live in an apartment and the noise around me breaks my concentration while playing a game. When I play on my PC it's not a problem because I'm able to crank the volume way up through settings.

Uh....wha?
 
I use the stereo Xbox One headset Microsoft sells, and just out of curiosity seeing this thread I decided to turn the volume up all the way in the settings.

If that isn't loud enough for some of you, I recommend you see a doctor immediately. I'm perfectly happy with 50% of the volume. Max volume is unpleasantly loud.

Don't forget folks, if you damage your hearing there is no fix for it.

Agreed. When I tried it yesterday I had to knock it down to slightly less than half; it's extremely loud.
 
I use the regular Xbox One headset Microsoft sells, and just out of curiosity seeing this thread I decided to turn the volume up all the way in the settings.

If that isn't loud enough for some of you, I recommend you see a doctor immediately. I'm perfectly happy with 50% of the volume. Max volume is unpleasantly loud.

Don't forget folks, if you damage your hearing there is no fix for it.

Some headphones are harder to drive than others.
 
Uh....wha?

I've got very loud neighbors and I just can't play anything when they are around. So, what I do is put ear plugs in which blocks all of that noise and then I put on headphones and turn them way up so it's like I'm hearing everything normally. It's the only way I'm able to play games sometimes.
 

alr1ght

bish gets all the credit :)
You can't just say "my headphones are loud enough" when you're not using the same kind of headphones as OP. Many different factors at play.
 

melos

Member
Yeah, it's already at max and not enough.

What I'm wanting to do, and this will probably sound silly, is put ear plugs in and then have headphones on that are really loud. The reason I want this is because I live in an apartment and the noise around me breaks my concentration while playing a game. When I play on my PC it's not a problem because I'm able to crank the volume way up through settings (while wearing ear plugs).

Man, that's tough. There's nothing I hate more than noisy neighbors….Have you tried any of the noise canceling headphones?
 
I've got very loud neighbors and I just can't play anything when they are around. So, what I do is put ear plugs in which blocks all of that noise and then I put on headphones and turn them way up so it's like I'm hearing everything normally. It's the only way I'm able to play games sometimes.

This seems like you're over-complicating your solution. Shouldn't a good set of noise cancelling headphones do the trick without the unnecessary extras?
 
Man, that's tough. There's nothing I hate more than noisy neighbors….Have you tried any of the noise canceling headphones?

This seems like you're over-complicating your solution. Shouldn't a good set of noise cancelling headphones do the trick without the unnecessary extras?

No, I haven't tried noise canceling headphones. I'm pretty ignorant about this kind of stuff.

Edit: Actually, I thought the headphones I use were noise canceling but apparently not. I'll look into getting a good pair of those before I check out that amp.
 

Ogawa-san

Member
Stupid question, but have you tried closed circumaural headphones? It's the kind that goes around your ear, not on top of it. They isolate background noise well enough, so source volume doesn't need to be high.
 
No, I haven't tried noise canceling headphones. I'm pretty ignorant about this kind of stuff.

I'm not a knowledgeable source on headphones really but there should be some reasonable choices in that vein. Essentially they're designed to minimize or eliminate outside noise, preventing it from distracting from the sound. I'm sure there are Noise Cancelling gaming headphones but they might be expensive. You might also find non-gaming specific headphones that are noise cancelling for cheaper. Not sure if they'd be completely wireless though.
 
I'm not a knowledgeable source on headphones really but there should be some reasonable choices in that vein. Essentially they're designed to minimize or eliminate outside noise, preventing it from distracting from the sound. I'm sure there are Noise Cancelling gaming headphones but they might be expensive. You might also find non-gaming specific headphones that are noise cancelling for cheaper. Not sure if they'd be completely wireless though.

Have not tried these myself so can't speak for em but they sell headphones like these for construction so I would imagine it would work for noisy neighbors.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-Tek4-Audio-Plus-Noise-Suppression-Headphones-RP4530/100671268
 
Stupid question, but have you tried closed circumaural headphones? It's the kind that goes around your ear, not on top of it. They isolate background noise well enough, so source volume doesn't need to be high.

I had to Google what that is and the headphones I use (Sennheiser HD201) fall into that category. I'm happy with them but outside noise leaks in easily.

I'm not a knowledgeable source on headphones really but there should be some reasonable choices in that vein. Essentially they're designed to minimize or eliminate outside noise, preventing it from distracting from the sound. I'm sure there are Noise Cancelling gaming headphones but they might be expensive. You might also find non-gaming specific headphones that are noise cancelling for cheaper. Not sure if they'd be completely wireless though.

There's a topic in OT dedicated to headphones so I might ask over there. I'm going to read some reviews on Amazon first. But that's what I'm going to try first.

Have not tried these myself so can't speak for em but they sell headphones like these for construction so I would imagine it would work for noisy neighbors.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Ryobi-Tek4-Audio-Plus-Noise-Suppression-Headphones-RP4530/100671268

Oh, nice. I'll look into these as well.
 

Atomski

Member
You can't just say "my headphones are loud enough" when you're not using the same kind of headphones as OP. Many different factors at play.

Some people may also have hearing problems already such as I. Ive had hearing loss since I can remember. Its one of the very reasons I quit console gaming is cause there wasnt really any good options for voice chat on any platform for me. I could never understand people very well on headsets at all. Yet I moved to PC and the audio codecs are better and I have more options for volume.. next thing I know I hear people crystal clear. Hearing that volume is still pretty shitty is pretty discouraging....
 

terrible

Banned
I use the stereo Xbox One headset Microsoft sells, and just out of curiosity seeing this thread I decided to turn the volume up all the way in the settings.

If that isn't loud enough for some of you, I recommend you see a doctor immediately. I'm perfectly happy with 50% of the volume. Max volume is unpleasantly loud.

Don't forget folks, if you damage your hearing there is no fix for it.

Some headphones simply won't get as loud as others without an amp. I'd be surprised if I got much more than a whisper out of my Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm headphones when plugged directly into the controller.
 

TAJ

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Some headphones simply won't get as loud as others without an amp. I'd be surprised if I got much more than a whisper out of my Beyerdynamic DT880 600ohm headphones when plugged directly into the controller.

I tried some JVC supra-aural headphones that are 36ohm and even those were quiet as a mouse fart at max volume. And my hearing is very good, incredible for my age. (according to tests by my doctor)
The output is just that weak.
 

Geneijin

Member
I tried some JVC supra-aural headphones that are 36ohm and even those were quiet as a mouse fart at max volume. And my hearing is very good, incredible for my age. (according to tests by my doctor)
The output is just that weak.
Ohms are generally a decent indicator of how much power is needed, but you also have to take into account the sensitivity. Although, even with that said, I wouldn't be surprised if the output on the DS4 is less than an iPod given how terribly short the battery life is already.
 

Reallink

Member
Ohms are generally a decent indicator of how much power is needed, but you also have to take into account the sensitivity. Although, even with that said, I wouldn't be surprised if the output on the DS4 is less than an iPod given how terribly short the battery life is already.

Oh I'm sure every aspect is vastly inferior to any iPod (or any Apple device for that matter). No doubt the DAC and amp are the cheapest garbage they could source given its a tertiary function in a video game controller. It does drives 32Ohm 102dB/1mW fine, 75% volume produces a comfortable loud.
 
I took a leap of faith today and ordered a Prif Cresendo 1 amplifier/ battery extender after getting a set of HyperX Cloud II headphones on Boxing Day and noticing they are a little quiet plugged into my PS4 controller. Previously I had the Sony Playstation Pulse headphones which were great and loud but the cheap plastic finally broke and I didn't wanna shell out more money for another temporary solution. They lasted about 3 years and as an avid game collector all my stuff is well taken care of so it was pretty shitty when it happened.

To be fair I was born without a left ear drum so maybe the HyperX Cloud II headphones are not as quiet for everyone but after doing a bit of research and turning up the sound on my PS4 Spotify I know these headphones can be louder and still retain the wonderful sound quality they produce. Why Sony can't fix the headset companion app to be used for 3rd party headphones (I tried) is beyond me, but until they can build a set of headphones that physically last they won't be getting anymore of my money.

The HyperX Cloud II's are probably the most comfortable set of headphones I've ever owned, super light and even more comfy especially after throwing on the velour foamy ear covers. I picked them up at BestBuy for $99.99 cad and they've been worth every penny. If I'm being objective on rare occasions the sound has cut in and out while plugged into the PS4 controller but I'm assuming thats just the controller sound and not the headphones themselves.

My other option was Hyperkin Siren Headphone amplifier but the reviews didn't look so great. If what I went with turns out to be shitty I may look into the Fiio amp's I'd seen mentioned here.

I should get my Cresendo 1 amp towards the end of January so I'll post back then with my findings.
 

Wonko_C

Member
This might be a dumb question: I like headphones but worry about damaging my hearing. How do I know if my headphones' volume is loud enough to be hazardous?
 

Miasma

Member
I have the same problem and it's really annoying, I use my Bose headphones when using my PS4 and it's not nearly as loud as the headphones can be. Hopefully Sony fixes this.

Its not something sony can "Fix" The PS4 Headphone jack just doesn't provide enough power to drive your Bose headphones as people have recommended in the thread a Fiio Portable mix-amp will do the trick its also what I use.
 

Rellik

Member
Its not something sony can "Fix" The PS4 Headphone jack just doesn't provide enough power to drive your Bose headphones as people have recommended in the thread a Fiio Portable mix-amp will do the trick its also what I use.

Yeah, the controller is pretty trash for audio. That's why I have an amp hooked up to my PS4 Pro via optical and then headphones to that.
 
Its not something sony can "Fix" The PS4 Headphone jack just doesn't provide enough power to drive your Bose headphones as people have recommended in the thread a Fiio Portable mix-amp will do the trick its also what I use.

I've gotta believe Sony could fix it a little bit cause somehow Spotify managed to do it through just their software and just enough I might add, that I would be satisfied.
 

Sosokrates

Report me if I continue to console war
Thats odd, i use cloud x 2s on my ps4 and i use it at about 70% max volume levels.
Its perfectly lound enough.
 

Sosokrates

Report me if I continue to console war
I have a launch PS4, wonder if that makes a difference?

I have had the newer ps4 original (the one with the matte finish instead of gloss) and now a PS4 pro and its been exactly the same.
Its all based on software I think so it should not be different based on models

Is The jack is all the way in? Are your headphones not loud with other sources, like your phone?
 
I have had the newer ps4 original (the one with the matte finish instead of gloss) and now a PS4 pro and its been exactly the same.
Its all based on software I think so it should not be different based on models

Is The jack is all the way in? Are your headphones not loud with other sources, like your phone?

Hey sorry for the delayed response, I decided to try a few things last night, my Xbox One, my Windows Surface Pro 3 and everything else was noticeably louder. When I plug in my headphones to the PS4 controller I've confirmed it is plugged in all the way.

I'm thinking its probably quieter for me cause of the missing my left ear drum thing. We'll see how this Prif Cresendo 1 works, apparently its been shipped.
 

BANGS

Banned
Have you gone into system settings and made sure that device volume is high enough? I can't imagine headphones not being loud enough lol I turn mine DOWN all the time...
 
Have you gone into system settings and made sure that device volume is high enough? I can't imagine headphones not being loud enough lol I turn mine DOWN all the time...

Yup, did that too. I've got about 40% hearing in my left ear as I have the middle ear but was actually born without a left ear drum so I figure thats it.
 

Miasma

Member
Yup, did that too. I've got about 40% hearing in my left ear as I have the middle ear but was actually born without a left ear drum so I figure thats it.

You are not listening to what I am saying, The audio jack on the PS4 controller does not provide enough power to drive the headphones so they wont get as loud because of the resistance. If you want them louder you are going to have to run them through an amp.

Its not a software issue.
 
You are not listening to what I am saying, The audio jack on the PS4 controller does not provide enough power to drive the headphones so they wont get as loud because of the resistance. If you want them louder you are going to have to run them through an amp.

Its not a software issue.

Got ya, thats the plan.
 

CeeJay

Member
Either a headphone amp or lower impedance headphones is the only way to increase the volume of them if you have them up to the full volume setting on the console and they still aren't loud enough. Higher impedance headphones will be very quiet, something around 30 ohms is ideal to plug straight into the controller and get decent volume levels. Anything over about 80 ohms and they will almost certainly require amplification to get acceptable levels out of them.

Edit: @Cloudstrife_ca. I see your HyperX Cloud II are 60ohm which I would say would be right on the cusp of what some would find acceptable or un-acceptable audio levels. Its certainly understandable that they would be too quiet if you have a hearing disorder.
 
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