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Currently, when using headphones on my MacBook Pro, the volume goes from completely silent at 0 bars fairly loud at 1 bar (6%) very loud at 2 bars (13%) and everything above is painful. (Unless I, for each application that provides its own slider, changes the volume of this to about 4-5%, which is annoying and risky)

I'd like to adjust the "base volume" for all applications on the computer, lower it radically, so that, when I use the global volume buttons, 50% is about comfortable 75% would be somewhat loud; e.g., I can actually use those buttons to fine-tune the volume (not just toggle between pain and no sound as it is now).

Are there any hidden configuration setting (or configuration files; I use Linux at work, so I don't mind hacking configuration files either) where I can globally modify the sound level, so that the volume buttons are actually usable?

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  • I have the same issue with my iPhone but there 40% is loud and anything above 60% is painful (unless a track is mixed very low), but I can live with that (at least it has some steps i can use not just 3); and I assume it's impossible to modify that without jailbreaking it.
    – Stein G. Strindhaug
    Commented Mar 20, 2012 at 14:36
  • ...if anyoune wonders I have very sensitive ears, and my headphones have fairly low impedance too ;)
    – Stein G. Strindhaug
    Commented Mar 20, 2012 at 14:39
  • No way around that I know of, but you can increase the volume gradually by pressing Shift-Option-VolumeKey or going to Audio MIDI Setup.app in Utilities.
    – slhck
    Commented Mar 20, 2012 at 14:45
  • Yes, that's the closest to an answer I've found, but that is not a solution, it still relies on awkward key combos, or awkward pixel perfect positioning of a slider. But there ought to be a setting that can make the volume buttons functional as volume buttons. Now it's just a "no sound", "loud", "pain" switch... :P
    – Stein G. Strindhaug
    Commented Mar 20, 2012 at 14:52
  • See also: apple.stackexchange.com/questions/19146/…
    – Spiff
    Commented Mar 20, 2012 at 18:05

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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One option would be to route audio through Soundflower. It requires running an additional background process though, so it's probably overkill unless you also need to do something like apply filters to the sound output.

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  • A bit overkill maybe, but I if I don't find an simpler solution I'll try it! :)
    – Stein G. Strindhaug
    Commented Mar 20, 2012 at 20:27

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