If all this talk of advanced music processing makes you uncomfortable, simpler audio enhancement is possible with equalizer apps like Equalizer by Audioforge ($3 on iOS) and Music Equalizer by PerfectionHolic on Android (free). Many of the profiles are free, but to get certain high-end profiles like Beats by Dre, you have to pay a few dollars in-app. The app’s main trick is tuning its behavior to suit your headphones using profiles.
On iOS, a slightly more subtle and gentle effect is offered by the free Audyssey Music Player app. LouderLogic, DFX Player and Headquake may not appeal to audiophiles because the processing they apply to music has such a bold effect on its sound. And Headquake is free, so there’s nothing to be lost by giving it a whirl. With hard rock, for example, it makes midrange sounds mushy instead of clean, and singers can sound like they’re singing in a toilet bowl.įor the right track, however, the effect is startling. You can control the effect by sliding icons on the screen to try to centralize the location of the sound and by adjusting equalizer levels for bass, midrange and treble.īut Headquake’s special effect doesn’t work well for all songs. But it includes a large “3d” button, which activates a whole new spatial dimension to sounds: You can actually get a sense of, say, the singer in a band standing in front of you while the guitar comes from the side. Like LouderLogic, the app synchronizes with the music in your iTunes collection. You read that right - it tries to manipulate a standard stereo music track so the music sounds as if it is coming from different parts of the room. Headquake uses a special-effects engine called Sonic Emotion to give sounds a 3-D quality. Headquake, a free iOS app, might be the most impressive. On the downside, the app’s interface is a bit clunky and not as polished or easy to use as it could be.
You can also precisely adjust audio levels and choose settings to suit different types of music. It makes music sound livelier, the bass notes warmer, than through a typical Android music app. But an ad-free version is available for $2. The app’s design is a little garish, and there are some pop-up ads in the free edition. Obviously, ALX works better with certain tracks. The ALX button automatically delivers this effect, but users can manually adjust the sound quality with audio equalizer controls when the phone is turned sideways. It gave movies theater-quality sound, even on headphones. LouderLogic functions just like the iPhone’s Music app and looks much like any other music-playing app, except for a large green button labeled “ALX” that turns on its “Audio Level eXtension” technology.ĪLX makes tones sound much warmer and vocals seem brighter. LouderLogic, free on iOS, is perhaps the most impressive audio enhancement app I have used. But thanks to a new generation of so-called audio enhancement apps, your music’s sound quality doesn’t have to entirely depend on your smartphone. YOU’VE probably heard musicians like Neil Young complain over the last few years about the sound quality of digital music.