Sansa E260 sound volume not loud enough

[Arty]

My e260s sound volume does not play loud enough for me.
I don't think it's a fault with rockbox software, I think it's just the way the hardware controlled by the Sansa or Rockbox software normally works.  I use cheap earphones because they break just as fast as expensive earphones. I don't want to have to shop around for more sensitive earphones, just to compensate for the low output level from the e260 radio.

I would like to know if anyone else thinks the radio in their e2xx plays too softly, and if anyone knows if there are any settings in the Rockbox software that I can set to make the radio volume louder?

If there isn't any menu settings, is there a way to change the Rockbox code to get more output volume from the e260 hardware?

I wasn't happy with how loud the MP3 files played either, so I just used the Rockbox equaliser and set all the sliders to +12db, and now the MP3s play loud enough, but I don't think the equaliser settings affected the radio volume as much or at all, because it still sounds too quiet even when the the radio numerical volume says +6db 

I also can't see the purpose of having such a large number of steps from minimum to maximum volume. On my e260 once the volume gets to about -36db it's no longer audible in a normal ambient environment, why the volume control extends down to -74db is a mystery, maybe if I sat silently in an anechoic chamber for a few hours I might be able to hear down to -70db 

[Llorean]

Those of us with undamaged ears find the greater range helpful. With open headphones I listen at -35 to -50 pretty regularly at home, and if I use isolating in-ear ones I need to get much quieter.

At the levels you're listening you are absolutely causing damage to your ears. You should consider getting isolating headphones or in-ear earphones so that you can be kinder to your ears, and listen at lower levels.

[GodEater]

Yeah - completely agree with Llorean - if you have to turn your music up that loud either your hearing is very very poor indeed, or you own the most useless headphones ever.

[Arty]

Thanks for the replys. Please don't worry about my hearing.
I don't have the packaging that my earphones came in which specified their sensitivity so I can't give claimed data. I can say that I've previously used these earphones on a Sanyo AM/FM radio, and a Sony AM/FM radio and in both cases the output volume was satisfactory for me. On that basis I think the earphones are capable of what I consider satisfactory performance.

My only concern is the limited maximum volume of the, RADIO only, on my new e260.
I've read that in some markets the e260 may not have a radio function, but for anyone who DOES have the radio, could they tell me if they notice a difference in the maximum output level from the e2xx when playing music files compared to when playing the radio?

What about anyone who knows how the rockbox software interacts with the radio, audio codec, output amplifier chips, etc.  inside the e260, can they tell me if there is a difference in how the software controls the volume settings for those bits of hardware?

[dangerousd777]

The sound volume also varies on the volume of the file.
Mine are about mid level, so I have to listen a little higher than Llorean but lower than Arty.

If your files don't play loud enough, try converting and amplifying the volume just enough for your preference.

[yapper]

Or use ReplayGain 

[PaulPosition]

Wow, sorry to say this but.. 

please.read.before.you.post.

Twice did the OP say he is specifically talking of the Radio output volume which is, to his ears at least, much lower than music played from files.

[dangerousd777]

Set the Treble and Bass volumes up to 24 dB in sound settings (That's what I did and why I keep mine lower than it would normally be, also it makes it sound a bit better)
It'll make the music louder, and then just turn off the equalizer.
If that doesn't help get more sensitive ear buds.

This should work for Radio, because I know it does me.