Fix for low max volume on euro pods!

[aktive]

THIS FIX IS FOR MAC IPODS ONLY, sorry windows users. Maybe one of you windows guys can try a similar thing and post your results.

This is a fix for the low max volume on the OLD 5Gb, 10Gb and 20Gb ipods this WILL NOT WORK for the new generation ipods.


I live in the UK and ever since firmware 1.2.6 my maximum volume on my ipod has been reduced. This is the same on all ipods in europe, this is due to a european law that states that the maximum output level for personal audio devices can't exceed 100db.

This is a fix to put your ipod back to the loud volume while still using the latest 1.3 firmware.

1. You need to set everthing on you mac and ipod to a US location. (date, keyboard, etc, you can do this through the international section of system preferences. Remember to set your timezone to somewhere in the US)

2. Then log out and log in again, don't skip this otherwise it won't work. This is the most important step. DONT move onto step 3 unless you have set everything on your mac to US mode AND logged out and in again or this fix WONT WORK. Your mac has to think it is in the US :)

3. Downgrade to version 1.2.1. Version 1.2.1 can be downloaded from the below link:

http://archives.wincoll.ac.uk/~apple/OSX/Apple/iPod1.2.1Updater.dmg.bin


If you have previously installed 1.2.6 or a later, type "rm -rf /Library/Receipts/iPod*" in the terminal (without quotes), otherwise an alert window will pop up, saying that you can't install an older version over a newer version.
Remember restoring your ipod will completely erase all the files on your ipod, but you can easily re-sync after this fix is complete.

Now you have restored the factory defaults of your iPod (with the version 1.2.1) your iPod will show version 1.2.1.

4. Now update your iPod to version 1.3, you need not to do a restore. Updating is ok.

5. Your max volume should be higher now, and you can put your timezone and location settings back to your locale.


This worked perfectly for me and the volume is so much better now, I think its safe to say that my max volume may have increased by as much as 60-70%!!!!

Hope this works for you, feel free to post any questions that you have and I'll try to help.


Best Regards,

Aktive

[aktive]

Did this work for anyone else? It worked for me, just wanted to know if others had sucess.

Or maybe everyone's got new ipods and noones bothered :(

[fruxo]

another way to fix on is to just change the volume on the mp3 file.. i used MP3gain (http://www.geocities.com/mp3gain/) to change all the songs on my comp to the same volume, since some songs are lower then others, and it works perfect, and it doesnt degrade the sound quality..

edit: this is on my pc btw

[aktive]

Yeah, thats a good idea. However, the volume increase is astounding without the euro limiter.

The iPods in europe are limited to max 100db, once you use this fix it goes back to the original 103db. This may not sound like a huge jump, but the decibel scale is logarithmic so for every 1db increase the volume doubles.

So as you can see 103db is a whole load louder than leaving your ipod as it is with the lower volume.

Obviously, a lot of people aren't going to be bothered about the extra volume. However, when I used to travel on the train before the fix, even on full ipod volume I could hear some background noise (and this is with the in-ear sealing MDR-EX70SPs). Now I can have it on as little as 65% volume and not hear any outside noise.

Just makes me wonder why apple doesn't give people the option of whether or not they want the limited volume instead of imposing it on them - stupid european laws. :P

[caterinka]

I'm going to migrate this post to the Mac forums, since it's Mac specific. :)

[AptMunich]

I have a u.s iPod but live in Germany so i haven't experienced the problem, but shouldn't it just be possible to download updates from the us apple website and install them on a european iPod for PC?


I've only ever used apple's us website for all my updating needs (except 1.3 of course which i got from someone in these forums!!!)





???

[aktive]

The problem is that since ipod software 1.2.6 and upwards the updater just one file for everyone.

Which basically means that everyone downloads the same file and the updater detects where you are and what software to install. Thats why you need to use the fix I posted to make the ipod updater think your in the US and not in europe. Then you get the loud volume.

Hope this helps,

Aktive