# Is the sound level abnormally low on YouTube?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-sound-level-abnormally-low-on-youtube/428222
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 29, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-sound-level-abnormally-low-on-youtube/428222 "2007-11-29T20:56:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-sound-level-abnormally-low-on-youtube/428222/1 "2007-11-29T20:56:29Z")

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I have a Dell inspiron 2650 running Windows NT.

I have the volume turned up all the way (using the software volume tab at the lower right), but when I listen to a lot of stuff on YouTube (like the debates) I can just barely hear the speaker’s voice. I have the YouTube volume control turned up all the way, too.

I don’t have much problem with other sources… is YouTube just a quiet sound source? Is there another way to turn up the volume more?

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### Author: ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-sound-level-abnormally-low-on-youtube/428222/2 "2007-12-01T00:24:04Z")

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I have a Dell Dimension, XP, a year old. No problem like that.

I do have just one audio problem, but it’s kind of in reverse. When a web page opens a Windows Media plug-in, the volume control is always set about halfway. I can set the volume to max then and hear it normally, but the next time it comes up halfway anyway. Various resets I’ve tried have had no effect.

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### Author: ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2007, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-sound-level-abnormally-low-on-youtube/428222/3 "2007-12-01T00:47:26Z")

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Have you tried plugging in headphones? They always seem to increase the volume in my experience.

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### Author: ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)
#### Post date: [December 1, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-the-sound-level-abnormally-low-on-youtube/428222/4 "2007-12-01T01:40:39Z")

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[QUOTE=Inner Stickler]  
Have you tried plugging in headphones? They always seem to increase the volume in my experience.  
[/QUOTE]

Good idea. Maybe I’ll get myself an early stocking stuffer.