How a bass booster works
A bass booster raises the level of the low frequencies, usually below about 150 Hz, while leaving the rest of the sound unchanged. It uses a filter called a low shelf: everything under the chosen frequency gets louder by the amount you set. The tool processes the file in your browser and makes sure the extra bass does not push the signal into clipping. Your file stays on your device.
Choosing frequency and amount
| Frequency | What you feel | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 40–60 Hz | deep sub-bass, a rumble you feel more than hear | electronic music, hip-hop, film on good speakers |
| 60–100 Hz | punch of the kick drum and bass guitar | most pop and rock music |
| 100–150 Hz | warmth and body | small speakers, laptops, voices |
For the amount, +3 to +6 dB is a clear but natural boost. +9 dB and more is a strong effect. Very large boosts make the music sound muddy and tire the ears.
Listen on the device you will use
Bass depends strongly on the speaker. Phone and laptop speakers cannot reproduce frequencies below about 100–150 Hz at all, so boosting 50 Hz on a phone only wastes level and can cause distortion. For small speakers, boost around 100–150 Hz instead. Headphones and car stereos reproduce deep bass well, so a 60 Hz boost is effective there. If possible, check the result on the device you will listen to.
Avoiding distortion
- Bass needs a lot of energy. A small boost in dB can raise the peaks of a loud song above the limit. The tool controls the output level so the boosted file stays clean, but very strong settings can make loud parts sound compressed.
- Modern songs are already loud. If a track is heavily mastered, a moderate boost works better than a strong one.
- Cut mud at the same time. If a boosted song sounds unclear, lower 250 Hz a little in the equalizer.
More ways to shape the sound
Bass boost is not only for music. A voice recorded with a small phone microphone often sounds thin; a light boost of +2 to +4 dB around 120–150 Hz gives it more warmth, as on the radio. For video, a little extra low end makes explosions, engines and music beds sound bigger, but keep dialogue clear by not boosting below the voice too much. If a recording has rumble from wind or traffic, do not boost the bass at all: the rumble would get louder too. Clean it first with the high-pass filter in Noise Reduction.
For precise control of all frequencies, use the 10-band equalizer. To make the whole file louder, use Increase Volume. For a headphone experience where the music moves around you, combine the boost with 8D audio.