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Jmmanin Author

Level 1

45 points

Bluetooth Headphones Too Loud

I just got a pair of Sennheiser Urbanite XL Wireless headphones from Amazon and, while I really do like them, the lowest volume setting is still way too loud. I tried to fix this by enabling Sound Check and turning on the Volume Limit in Settings>Music>Playback but those only seem to work for wired headphones. I've also tried to play with the EQ but none of the presets lower the volume without also messing with the amount of bass/treble. I've run out of ideas at this point and would welcome any help. Thanks.

iPhone 6, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on Apr 14, 2016 11:53 AM

Top-ranking reply

T7McD

Level 1

4 points

Posted on Apr 10, 2017 4:22 AM

If anyone is still having this issue, and uses Spotify: Navigate to Settings, click on Playback, and under 'Equalizer', lower all the settings to lower the volume. Instant gratification for most wireless earphones/headphones.

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74 replies

Apr 14, 2016 4:51 PM in response to Jmmanin

With a BlueTooth headset there are 2 volume controls; the buttons on the phone will adjust the volume, and the headphones themselves also have a volume adjustment. Try lowering both of the controls.

Jmmanin Author

Level 1

45 points

Apr 14, 2016 6:09 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Thanks for your reply. I have tried changing the volume on both the phone and the headphones but adjusting the volume on the headphones changes the volume on the phone directly (the volume indicator appears up and changs with the headphones).

Apr 30, 2016 10:36 AM in response to Jmmanin

Im having the same issue with the same headphones. . Did you find a fix to this problem?

Jmmanin Author

Level 1

45 points

Apr 30, 2016 1:35 PM in response to Duskygrouse

I have not found a solution, but I think I have found the source of the issue. I think it has something to do with the headphones' volume directly controlling the volume on the iPhone. I tried the headphones on a friend's Android phone and I was able to set the volume on the phone and independently modify the volume on the headphones. This allowed for a much larger range of volumes (both loud and soft). I don't know why the volumes are connected when using the headphones with an iPhone though.

ptySteve

Level 1

4 points

Dec 5, 2016 2:23 PM in response to Jmmanin

I have the same issue - but with the Atomicx W203 bluetooth headphones, when I adjust the headset's volume control all it does is change the volume on my iPad - and it goes from mute to way too loud. Can anyone tell me if it's NORMAL for the headset volume controls to directly control the iPad's volume setting? How would you connect two headphones when the individual users want a different volume setting?

deggie

Level 10

167,333 points

Dec 5, 2016 4:44 PM in response to ptySteve

Look at your headphones, there should be a separate volume control somewhere. The volume controls, play switch, etc. on the controls in the cable are designed to use the AVRCP profile to control the iPhone.

ptySteve

Level 1

4 points

Dec 5, 2016 6:24 PM in response to deggie

Yes the headphones have a separate volume control, BUT all they do is change the iPad's volume setting (more little squares). Example (probably a bad one) - when I pair the same bluetooth headphones with my TV and I change the volume with the headphones' control it doesn't change the TV's volume it only changes the headset volume. Is that not how it works with a iPad/iPhone?

deggie

Level 10

167,333 points

Dec 5, 2016 7:06 PM in response to ptySteve

The volume controls on the BT headset control that is on the cable, if it is AVRCP compatible, will control the volume, play, pause, forward, answer call, etc. on the iPhone when they are paired. If the headphones have a separate volume control on the headphones themselves they would normally control the headphone volume alone. It is dependent on the headset and what profiles are in use.

Dec 17, 2016 7:10 PM in response to deggie

Great. We all agree that the headphone controls the iPhone volume.

Back to the original problem. Lowest setting is too loud.

What to do?

Ideally turn off the connection between the phone and headphones and let me process the columns independently.

At a minimum give me a volume limit that actually works with BT.

I mean, seriously. Are you *trying* to make me move to android? I've been complaining about this issue since the 5S.

Dec 18, 2016 7:52 AM in response to Jeremy Winston

So, I just tried out my daughter's Sony MDR-XB950s, and the volume control on the cans are independent of the iPhone controls. I was able to get a nice low volume.

My LG Tone HBS-730 still links its volume control to the phone.

I'm not sure if this is a BT profile thing. The profile allowing media control (who's name escapes me for the moment) doesn't actually include volume control. It must be a different profile.

deggie

Level 10

167,333 points

Jan 22, 2017 7:09 PM in response to Andy McCracken

Actually it did. I have 5 sets of BT headsets and I don't have this problem with any of them. If it was an iOS bug wouldn't it affect mine?

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,725 points

Feb 3, 2017 7:18 PM in response to Jeremy Winston

Well, I have Bose headphones with a single volume control (the one that controls the iPhone) and I can adjust all the way from silent to earsplitting.

Feb 27, 2017 5:30 PM in response to Pattyannep

The problem is your headphones. I've had over a dozen different BT headphones with my 10 years worth of iPhones and I'm currently rotating among 3. None of them have been too loud.

deggie

Level 10

167,333 points

Mar 18, 2017 1:03 AM in response to Chatasme

Have you update the firmware on you headphones to the latest version? v6.0.019

Chatasme

Level 1

4 points

Mar 18, 2017 1:34 AM in response to deggie

None available Reggie.

It has to do with the steps in Bluetooth volume within ios I guess. Over Bluetooth it is much larger than when I connect my wireless headphone with a cable to the iPhone.

Bluetooth Headphones Too Loud