USB headset sound too loud

Try Audio MIDI Setup (Utilities folder). Set "Properties For" to the USB headset, and adjust the Audio Output volume slider.

If that doesn't work, you could use Audio Hijack Pro to run the audio through an effect to reduce he volume
<http://www.rogueamoeba.com/audiohijackpro/>

I have the exact same problem. I have just bought a Plantronics Audio 510 USB headset.

The minimal volume is extremely loud. So I have done the same as you, turn down volume for apps that supports it: iTunes, youtube.. etc. However Terminal cannot adjust it's volume, so whenever it uses audio I get a chock. This is far from ideal.

I havn't been able to find any resources on how to turn down the master volume. The perfect solution would be if master volume could be set individually per device.

Is it possible that this device is plugged into an unpowered USB port (keyboard port)?
What if you pop it in a different port?
Maybe shut down mac before you make the switch.
There are hundreds of google references to this, but most of them are PC-based, and/or skype-based (skype has it's own volume controls somewhere in prefs...it seems)

The headset only works when it's plugged directly into my mac mini. There is no audio if I plug it into the keyboard.

Shuting down the Mac. Waiting a while. Starting it again. Then plugging in the headset. It doesn't change anything. The sound volume is still extremely loud.

Switching ports doesn't seem to be the solution.

I have tried Audio MIDI Setup in the utilities folder. Sane levels for Output Out is: 0.04 (-27,26 dB),
anything beyound this I will destoy my hearing. If I hit the increase-volume button one time, then the output out level goes up to 0.07 (-26,51 dB), and that is extremely loud. I cannot imagine how 16 increments in volume would sound like.


Previously I have used loud speakers plugged in via a Jack plug. Here the volume range is perfect.

So this problem seems to limited to USB audio devices.

In Audio MIDI Setup, I see that the my headset hasn't been recognized. It says: Unknown USB Audio Device. Perhaps original poster also had an unrecognized device.

On the package to my headset it says "plug-and-play ease", indicating that it's just to plug it in at it works. AFAIK there is a general category for Audio USB devices, so writing 1 device driver would be able to deal with most of these devices. Even though it's unknown it still knows how to output audio through it. Maybe the USB standard doesn't have a generic way of obtaining audio levels from audio devices, so Mac OS X just uses a common range. That range is just too wide for this particular headset.

If there is no GUI for controlling this range. Are there then a script for adjusting the range. Or would one have to write code for the audio API ?

Maybe you say that I should go to the manufacturer and ask them for a driver, but I guess they don't have one.

I havn't found answers by googling for this issue. The most relevant info I found is this thread.
I don't use Skype yet. I intend to use my headset for podcasting/screencasting.

I hoped that customizing the audio range would be a pretty easy thing. When I saw the Audio MIDI Setup window, I thought that this is the solution. It appeared that the Audio Out levels would be the master level, that defined the range to be used. However then I realized that the decrement/increment buttons, adjusts this level. So there is no master level in here.

I hope a solution can be found.

On MacosxHints, they describe how one can "rename" the device from "Unknown USB Audio Device" to something else, in my case "Plantronics Headset".

Selecting this "Plantronics Headset" device for output, allows me to adjust the audio range, so I am shielded from extremely loud audio. That's good.

However the buttons for increment/decrement volume on the keyboard, has no effect when the "Plantronics Headset" device is choosen. That's bad.
Normally Mute toggles on/off, and the increment button, increases the audio level, and the decrement button, decreases the audio level. The transparent overlay that appears when pressing these buttons still appears, but I cannot change the output level. It indicates that the output level is max.

Any ideas how to solve the remaining issue (getting the buttons to adjust the level)?

Message was edited by: Simon Strandgaard

So this problem seems to limited to USB audio devices.

Not all USB audio devices. I use an USB iMic for my audio output, and its volume is normal.

Using it as an "Aggregate Device" causes lots of line-noise, so I cannot use that idea. I am back to scratch where I started :-/