Month: May 2006

So, living in a house with other people can sometimes be hard when you like to enjoy your music on the louder side but it is late a night. To compensate for this inconvenience, I’d like to share a few ways to enjoy full music whilst not bothering the others.
If you use headphones and have external speakers (preferably 5.1 or higher) playing the music simultaneously and synced, you can simulate hearing very full music without sacrificing quality or disturbing others. Over the past few years, have learned 3 ways to accomplish this task.

Universal Prerequisites: a computer, iTunes (latest version), external speakers, headphones

A.
(Platform Independent) Prerequisites: iPod*, iPod Dock
*This known working with the following iPods: 3G iPod (4 buttons), 4G iPod (click wheel), iPod mini. Not tested with iPod 5G (with video).

1. Connect the external speakers to the line out port of the iPod dock.
2. Place iPod in dock.
3. Play song and adjust external volume (as desired) using external volume controls (i.e. remote control, volume pad)
4. Lower iPod volume using wheel.
5. Connect headphones to headphone jack and raise volume to desired level.

B.

(PC Only) Prerequisites: Audio Card, Headphone jack that can be enabled simultaneously with external speakers

1. Lower external speaker volume using external controls.
2. Connect headphones and increase volume to desired level.
3. Remove headphones from ears and adjust external volume to a low level (as desired).
4. Put headphones back in.
*You can get even more control by adjusting the headphone volume (usually system volume).
**For best results, disable all system sounds.

C.
(Platform Independent) Prerequisites: Airport Express (with firmware V6.3 or higher), headphone jack
1. Enable “Multiple Speakers” in the Airport Express selector.

3. Lower external speakers & iTunes volume and play a track.
4. Raise iTunes volume to desired headphone level.
5. Raise external speakers volume to desired level.
6. Put headphones back in.
*You can get even more control by adjusting the headphone volume (usually system volume).
**For best results, disable all system sounds.

This unique method of listening to music gives you the ability to experience the fullness of music you enjoy while maintaining the sound clarity and not disturbing others.