iPod classic volume restriction

Does anyone have any idea how to increase the volume? would getting a copy of the US firmware help? does anyone know of headphones that are very sensitive?

It has been difficult to bypass the EU volume cap in the ipods sold to the unfortunate customers in this zone.

You could try either using inline boosters (I purchased one from the company at http://www.boostaroo.com/) or trying noise canceling earphones (good ones cost as much as the ipod itself).

I can barely hear mine either, it should be up to me how loud I would like to hear my music.

You are not in Europe and you don't have the volume cap. If you can barely hear your US model you either have a headphone, iPod, or hearing problem. I'd start with the headphones, try a different pair.

I bought a 80g 6th Gen ipod classic in september 08 and found out I could barely hear the music with max volume turned on in the street...Paris is noisy
so I bought the in ear apple headphones which proved better but the volume is still quite ridiculous
then I backed up to reset...because of some software problems...trying to uncap the volume with the freeware stuff at the same time...the ipod crashes during simple itunes operations although I didn't do anything funny to it
I have apple care for my imac and was very satisfied with apple services
I paid 200 euros for a model that got improved a month later, that doesn't play music loud enough without havin ever been warned about that **** I am not supposed to read every forum before I buy apple products...and despite the new headphones, and if I want assistance on my ipod the shop takes it off me for two weeks for diagnosis and apple can't fix the problem

For those that have not heard/read, the EU volume limitation was not a decision Apple made on its own. The EU has mandated a volume cap on all MP3 players sold within their jurisdiction. Apple is merely complying with local laws.

I was after a new 120Gb iPod classic to replace my 30Gb. I heard about the EU (French, actually I believe) volume cap so took my 30Gb and my Ultimate Ears sound isolation headphones to my local Comet store and did a side-by-side comparison of my iPod and the new classic. I honestly could not believe how quiet the classics are at full volume. I could hear the assistant talking a few feet away!!! With my 30Gb and my headphones I can't have the volume over about 60% or it blows my head off!
As I understand it, this was a French law but Apple decided to make all iPods in Europe have the same volume cap - is this true.
I decided NOT to buy one in the UK. Luckily for me, I'm going to the US next week so will pick up a non-nanny-state un-restricted version from there. Had I not been going to the US next week I would have bought a different mp3 player that COULD have any volume cap HACKED.

EXTREMELY ANNOYED APPLE USER!!

Can't Apple provide an update to allow us 'responsible' adults to choose our own sound levels?!

While you are right that the French caused this to happen, it is in fact an EU regulation and is required on all such devices sold in the EU. While earlier iPods could in fact be hacked with software that removed the EU Cap, Apple had to make changes to ensure the EU people that this would not happen. After these changes the people who had written the software to remove the cap said it was too difficult to write software that would remove it.

You will have the same problem with other portable music players designed to be used with headphones that are sold in the EU.

Your shouting should really be, "EXTREMELY ANNOYED EU RESIDENT".

And no, Apple cannot break the regulation and provide an update to remove the cap. Unless they want to no longer sell Apple products in the EU.

Be sure you also audition the US Classic with your UEs prior to purchase. Some people who bought them also complain they aren't loud enough. Of course this could be that they have already damaged their hearing.

Yeah, you're right - EXTREMELY ANNOYED EU RESIDENT.

But I bet the MS Zune could have its volume cap hacked for those "responsible adults" who decide THEIR mp3 player isn't loud enough.

Does anybody from Apple ever comment on these threads?

PS:
I'm wondering whether it'll be worth bringing a suitcase full of US spec iPods back and flogging them on ebay??

Given Microsoft's ongoing antitrust problems with the EU it is a pretty safe bet that the volume cap is in firmware and also cannot be capped.

There are some employees who volunteer their time here and answer technical questions but not policy questions since they are not management and the Terms of Use prohibit discussing Apple policy.

What would they say anyway? That they are going to continue to abide by the EU requirements? How would that help?

I would do some checking before you decide to smuggle in iPods. First, is there enough demand, second what is the duty/limit on the numbers you can bring in, third, will you be charged with violating the volume cap if caught.

Look on the bright side, in 30 years everyplace but the EU will be spending all their cash on hearing aids.

Just as an FYI - prior to the EU regulation, Apple's initial response (to the French law suit) was to include the volume limit option under settings. This would be the solution for the "responsible adults" about whom you speak. However, the EU regulation has explicit limits on maximum allowable volume. If the limit was easily hackable, that would defeat the purpose of the law. A maximum is a maximum. Like it or not, Apple (and Microsoft, SanDisk, etc.) has no say in the matter.

I understand what you are saying. However, what I was getting at is that if the volume cap was 'hackable' then those of us who want an iPod (or other mp3 player) with a reasonable volume could modify them. Apple would not be breaking any EU legislation as they would still only sell iPods with a volume cap in Europe.

In the age of the internet, these laws do seem a little crazy - I can just purchase one from the States or Hong Kong or wherever. My sister-in-law lives in California - She said she knows quite a few British expats that have bought US-spec iPods and sent or brought them back to Britain. As I mentioned in a previous post, I'm going to the US next week so I'll pick one up there so it's purely academic as far as I'm concerned.

I've just spoken to a friend of mine and mentioned this discussion. He told me that he's purchased a miniature headphone amp for his iPod Classic to get the volume to a 'listenable' level. It seems that those who are determined will get their music to the volume they want regardless of this legislation.

If you look at the second post (from Tattenbach), you will see a link to an inline booster.

It is true you can purchase an uncapped iPod in the States. Until the EU either has jurisdiction in the US, or they make it illegal to actually own an MP3 player without the volume cap,there is little they can do. However, for most people, it is a little cost prohibitive to purchase a US model.

As far as adding a hack to disable the cap, if it is hackable, then the cap does not really exist and Apple would probably be mandated to change their design to make it unhackable. And, in my experience, it is usually kids who figure out hacks first, not "responsible adults". As far as inline boosters are concerned, there is a difference between a person adding a new piece of external hardware and Apple actually enabling their devices to surpass legal limits.

Is this law "crazy"? Perhaps. Is big government getting too involved in our personal lives? In many cases, they are. But, it is not Apple's fault that these laws exist and one should not expect Apple to risk breaking the law and suffer the consequences.

I too am frustrated by this volume restriction. I have a 120GB ipod classic and I am just about satisfied by the volume when I listen through my seinnheiser in ear headphones. However, I also connect my ipod to my stereo system through audio jack leads that connect via the headphone socket. When I do this I find I need to turn the volume on my stereo up to near full to get any decent sound - and I have a fairly powerful amp and speaker set up. What I really want to know is if this volume restriction also applies when you connect an ipod up to one of the modern ipod speaker systems that connect through the bottom connector? The ipod obviously restricts the volume going out through the headphone socket but does it do the same to the bottom connector socket? I would need to know this before I go out and buy one of these so that I won't be wasting my money on something that is barely audible. Hope somebody can help.

I'm not an expert, but if your dock acts as a true line level interface with your stereo (like your tape deck or CD player), then the volume cap should not come into play since the volume is being controlled only by your stereo. However, if your dock connector is linked to the volume control on the iPod, then it probably would be adversely effected.

Hi! From what i've experienced, if you just go to "settings" on your ipod and click master volume or the part where you can control your volume, you just raise it all the way. Also, you can get really nice headphones but they're pretty expensive. If worst comes to worst you can just listen to it through speakers. Hope it works out for you!