How to Improve the Sound Quality of Your Headphones

Let’s face it, sometimes our headphones simply don’t match the sound quality of a speaker.

While many accept the fact that the sound quality isn’t what it should be and try their best to adjust to the lower quality, a more rational thinker would aim to improve the overall sound quality of their headphones, which is entirely possible to do.

You can improve the sound quality of your headphones quite simply, actually. With these five tips, you are certain to see a significant difference with your headphones.

  1. Adjust The Settings

First and foremost, you can quickly improve the quality of the sound coming from your headphones by adjusting the settings. Most smartphones, including all Android and iPhones, have specific settings where you can adjust the volume balance, enhance the bass and control various volume options.

By adjusting the volume balance, you can ensure your sound is congruent with both your left and right ear. Otherwise, you may have one side playing much stronger sounds than the other, which can significantly hinder the listening experience when using your headphones.

After ensuring the volume balance is well adjusted, you can enhance the bass, which should also provide a much clearer sound overall. Most computers, tablets and even smartphones have the enhance the bass features, so be sure to take full advantage of it.

Lastly, be sure to play your music at the correct volume. While it can be tempting to turn your volume all the up, the sound quality is certain to suffer whenever you do so. By keeping it at a more reasonable volume, however, the quality will be better and your ears will thank you as well.

  1. Make Sure They Fit

It’s also important to ensure you have the right size headphones when attempting to improve the overall sound quality. Unfortunately, most headphones don’t fit the way they are meant to fit, and it usually requires a lengthy adjustment process to get them just right.


With that said, however, it is well worth it to take a moment and ensure your headphones are securely against your ear without being too loose or too tight and they cover your entire ear in a manner that keeps sound in without being diluted by outside noise.

If you use earbuds instead, then you should focus even more on ensuring they fit well. Oftentimes earbuds have a tendency to fall out or clog up and distort the sound. Be sure to keep your earbuds clean and with the proper ear pads. By doing so, the sound should come out much clearer and be a far more comfortable experience.

It is easy to ensure your headphones fit. If they don’t fit, you will know by the way they feel. If they are comfortable and sound clear, however, then you obviously did something right.

  1. Get a Quality DAC

You more than likely use a digital-to-analog converter, also known as a DAC, everyday.

A DAC is a device that converts digital audio information into an analog audio signal that can be sent to a headphone amp. Every smart device, including computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones, have a digital to analog converter, but they typically are fairly cheap and don’t provide very good sound quality.

By investing in your own digital to analog converter, however, you can significantly improve the overall sound quality in your headphones.

Quite honestly, investing in a digital to analog converter that is high quality and in very good condition may just be the best way to improve the overall sound quality of your headphones. While they can be somewhat expensive, it is certainly a sound investment to make if you use your headphones on a daily basis.

Most people don’t realize how effective a quality digital to analog converter can help increase the sound quality until after they try it, so do yourself a favor and invest in one to significantly improve the sound coming from your headphones, which you, as we all do, use on a very consistent basis.

  1. Improve The Quality of Your Cables

You may have never thought about the quality of your cables being a factor into the overall sound quality of your headphones, but it is actually a huge factor.

While many simply purchase the first cable they come across, improving the quality of your cables can have a significant impact into your listening experience. By purchasing quality audio cables, such as the Moon Audio Cables, you will see the benefits to the sound quality of your headphones immediately.

Therefore, do yourself a favor and throw out the old audio cables you were using, which probably are very old and outdated, and move into 2018 where sound quality from your headphones is supposed to sound clear.

Although most simply have low quality audio cables due to not realizing the importance, you now have no excuse. When sound travels from your electronic device to your headphones, it has to pass your cables, the middle man. If you have high quality sound coming from your electronic device and high quality headphones, but you don’t have the proper cables, you are doing yourself a real disservice and not experiencing headphone sound the way you should.

  1. Replace The Ear Pads

Last but not least, replace the earpads in your headphones if they are outdated or just simply poor quality.

While earpads main purpose is to serve as a comfortable buffer between your ear and the headphones, they can also help to improve the sound quality as well. As we have discussed, improving the way your headphones fit is one of the best strategies to enhancing the sound quality in your headphones. When your ear pads are outdated, torn or have holes, they allow outside sound in and can distort the sound coming from your headphones.

With a quality pair of earpads, however, you can  almost certainly ensure the sound is coming in clearly and outside sounds aren’t resonating in your ears as strongly.