Hanoi headphones
Posted: October 18, 2012 Filed under: Hanoi, Reflections, travel | Tags: Hanoi, headphones, noise 5 Comments »It’s a constant irritation to me that my headphones won’t go louder.
It occurs to me that the volume limiter is there to avoid future lawsuits from prematurely deaf users but it probably doesn’t end there. Does the hardware provider, in my case an Android phone, have the same fear? What about the podcast providers – I can barely hear Kermode and Mayo above the general Hanoi noise. Three layers of people being overly cautious about noise leaves me straining to hear the conversation.
During my first time in Hanoi my xe om routine was – headphones on, cigarette lit…okay let’s go. The music had to be cranked up as loud as possible just to hear even the beat over the traffic but it was never quite loud enough.
Sometime after I left Hanoi I dug out my old iPod, pressed play and recoiled at the noise. What couldn’t compete with the Hanoi din was louder than I could handle back home.
If your phone is rooted, try Volume+ (Volume Boost) on Google Play.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.TEST.android.lvh
Just realise the app is free from the developer website. Forum registration required to download.
http://androidaudiohacks.com/?page_id=16
Requirements
* An Android device running Gingerbread (Android 2.3) or higher
* Custom ROM (Not fully required but is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
* Root Access (Required for In-Call settings, NOT for anything else but is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
Must admit I’ve no idea how to root a phone or even why I should do it? How do I do it? What happens if I get it wrong?
I’ve stopped even trying to listen to my headphones when I ride the bus (long distance). It makes the 3-4 hour journeys rather boring without my videos, but I simply can’t hear them. For some reason, the bus owners think they need to have a dance club in the bus.
Same at the gym – recently asked if they could turn the music down as everyone was wearing headphone anyway and you could hardly hear your own choice of music. The next day it went down to 1, then up to 5 and then turned up to 11 again the following day. Back to r and b at full volume.