Volume? What a joke!

[Mattclip+]

I know there's a load of other posts out there relating to this, but having just bought a clip+ yesterday I am really disappointed, and wanted to share!

It arrived by post, and before rushing down to the station I put a load of spoken word and music onto it in anticipation of the journey ahead of me. I was really looking forward to testing it out after all the great reviews I'd read when selecting it.

I'm using a pair of Koss PortaPro open backed portable headphones - one of the best selling and best low cost models of headphones of all time. Imagine my dismay when, once settled in on the train and turning on the clip+ for the first time, I discover that on full volume my music is almost inaudible. Over the noise of the train and background hum of the cabin making out the lyrics was barely possible.

I have good hearing. My MP3's are all at a normal level. The headphones work perfectly on every other device I've tried. Why is the amp driving the Clip+ so weak?

When I got home I listened again in a silent room. The volume is just acceptable, although picking out subtleties still a strain. But out and about, over traffic or the normal bustle of life, the highest volume was nowhere near adequate. I cannot imagine a situation when anyone would ever turn the volume below the maximum. The volume buttons might as well not exist.

I do not want to have to buy an external amp to increase the volume - why should I? I don't like in-ear headphones; they're uncomfortable and much more dangerous. I am intelligent enough to decide whether music is damaging my hearing or not, and whether I want to take that risk. Why doesn't the Clip+ fulfill such a basic function as to be loud enough to hear!

[Marvin the Martian]

Check your settings, and make sure the player's region is set to North America....EU settings attenuate the volume choices. Once you've established North American settings, you have a choice of normal or high volume, choose high.

Beyond that, the PortaPro, like the KSC75, is a 60-ohm headphone that is not especially sensitive.....so it will require turning up a Clip+ a little bit more. Out in public, you have to accept the fact that these are open-backed headphones, so they will not isolate any outside sound.

[Mattclip+]

A precursory hunt through the settings don't show an easy way of changing to North America... do I need to restore factory settings or format it to make the change?

[head2head]

Restore factory settings (this will preserve all your music) and then select North America or Rest of World.

[pavian]

I had the same problem too, also with porta pro I think restoring factory settings should do the job, but im not sure because it was few months ago... Or install Rockbox, its better than OF

[skip252]

Sounds like you may have your region set to Europe in the firmware. Or your headset may not be completely plugged in. My Clip+ with a set of Portapros will deafen you in short order.

Make sure the headset is completely pushed in. The first full connection may take a bit more force than you would expect. Then check under Settings=>Volume=>. If you don't see a Normal/High option you are on the European settings. If so go to Settings=>Reset All. Confirm the choice. When you are asked to select a region pick any one other than Europe. In the Volume menu you should see the High/Low option. You know which one to pick.

Marvin's right, the Portapros aren't a great choice for riding public transportation. When I tried to wear mine on the buses and trains the open design let in enough noise to wipe any music out. When the Clip is set properly I enjoy rhem at home. It does need a bump or three in volume to match some of my other 'phones but there's still plenty left I feel like damaging my hearing a bit.

[Mattclip+]

That is much better! Thanks.