High Volume Warning

[ABigPurpleGoose]

I have an iPhone 5 running iOS 7.1. I often listen to music on my phone using headphones. iOS 7 added a "High Volume Warning" when increasing the volume past a certain point. Quite a nice feature. However, when the device is locked and the volume is changed when in the yellow/red section of the bars, the screen lights up. I find this really irritating, especially when listening to music on a journey at night (when I need the volume to be high for it to be heard over various noises in the cabin.) I can't find any way of turning this off? I was hoping for it to be changed in the iOS 7.1 update, but it wasn't.

Is anyone else really irritated by this feature? Has anyone found a way to disable it?

 

[antiprotest]

Settings >> music >> volume limit?

Not sure if that's it. I've never had it on. But this feature has been there since my 3GS so maybe you're talking about something else.

 

[ABigPurpleGoose]

Settings >> music >> volume limit?

I would like to be able to access all of the volume range. The warning kicks in around 60-70%. In iOS 6 I would have been able to turn the volume all the way to 100% without the screen lighting up. I wish iOS 7 would do this too. Thanks for your input

 

[swordfish5736]

I would like to be able to access all of the volume range. The warning kicks in around 60-70%. In iOS 6 I would have been able to turn the volume all the way to 100% without the screen lighting up. I wish iOS 7 would do this too. Thanks for your input

I think he's saying go to settings -> music -> volume limit and see what the slider is set to.

 

[Julien]

Settings >> music >> volume limit?

Not sure if that's it. I've never had it on. But this feature has been there since my 3GS so maybe you're talking about something else.

I think this maybe a European mandate that can't be overridden. I'm US so may be off base.

 

[MinEderPlayz]

I know this issue, it has nothing to do with volume limits. iOS 7 simply warns you when turning up your headphone volume, give it a try. Unfortunately, only thing you can do is dim the screen to the lowest brightness available... No other way afaik.

 

[C DM]

I think this maybe a European mandate that can't be overridden. I'm US so may be off base.

There's definitely that.

 

[sunking101]

From someone who suffers from severe tinnitus, I would advise you to heed the warning.

 

[zorinlynx]

From someone who suffers from severe tinnitus, I would advise you to heed the warning.

Some headphones are inefficient and require higher volume levels to generate a comfortable listening level.

I've seen this issue with higher end full-sized studio headphones before; they need to be turned up to 70-80% to sound normal. Earpods get loud around the 40-50% mark.

So the warning is silly without knowing what headphones are connected.

 

[sunking101]

Some headphones are inefficient and require higher volume levels to generate a comfortable listening level.

I've seen this issue with higher end full-sized studio headphones before; they need to be turned up to 70-80% to sound normal. Earpods get loud around the 40-50% mark.

So the warning is silly without knowing what headphones are connected.

Fair point.

 

[ABigPurpleGoose]

I mainly use Bose Ae2i (over ear) headphones. They're lightweight and don't cancel much noise so do need to be turned up quite high. More often than not I don't need to up the volume past the limit, so I'll just live with it.

If this is an EU recommendation, does anyone have any experience of other (non-Apple) devices that incorporate the same volume warning system?

 

[richwoodrocket]

Settings >> music >> volume limit?

Not sure if that's it. I've never had it on. But this feature has been there since my 3GS so maybe you're talking about something else.

This feature isn't in the us. It's exclusive to Europe.

 

[antiprotest]

High Volume Warning

This feature isn't in the us. It's exclusive to Europe.

I'm in the US. Or by "this" do you mean that the OP refers to something that is different from what I mentioned? OP's "this" and not my "this"?

 

[richwoodrocket]

I'm in the US. Or by "this" do you mean that the OP refers to something that is different from what I mentioned? OP's "this" and not my "this"?

I'm in the us too. By this I meant the high volume warning.

 

[curiosity]

The warning is totally useless. I use 32 Ohm on-ear Headphones. 100% is most certainly not too loud, especially since I leveled the volume of all my songs using Replay Gain down to 89 dB (altering the streams). Apple doesn't care about advanced users. They want you to use the included standard headphones, which have just 16 Ohm AFAIK, and to listen to unlevelled 'loudness war' songs, targeted at 100 dB. It's ridiculous.

 

[C DM]

The warning is totally useless. I use 32 Ohm on-ear Headphones. 100% is most certainly not too loud, especially since I leveled the volume of all my songs using Replay Gain down to 89 dB (altering the streams). Apple doesn't care about advanced users. They want you to use the included standard headphones, which have just 16 Ohm AFAIK, and to listen to unlevelled 'loudness war' songs, targeted at 100 dB. It's ridiculous.

Seems like EU imposed this limit.

 

[curiosity]

Limit or warning? Or both?

 

[Nyy8]

Limit or warning? Or both?

It's a warning you can crank up your headphones to 100% your choice, probably to cover their butts for some type of EU law.

 

[elfary]

High Volume Warning

It's a warning you can crank up your headphones to 100% your choice, probably to cover their butts for some type of EU law.

EU recommendation consists of two limits (calculated with bundled headhones):

- 85 dbs (which you can by pass by toggling to off the eu limit switch
- 100 dbs (which you can not by pass unless you jailbreak and tweak the amp gain).

Since iPads don't include bundled headphones they are not capped because you can do the math to meet the levels.

As stupid as it gets. As the EU is really.

If you want the details the CENELEC has them all (http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/archive/safety/projects/index_en.htm#mp3)

Since 2013 european ipods and iphones are capped. Ipads escaped cause the arent sold with earphones. If you want the real headphone amp performance either you buy a non european unit or you jailbreak yours.

 

[JDrummond]

I know this issue, it has nothing to do with volume limits. iOS 7 simply warns you when turning up your headphone volume, give it a try. Unfortunately, only thing you can do is dim the screen to the lowest brightness available... No other way afaik.

Well, this might be a bit late, but I thought I'd chime in anyway for lack of any useful info elsewhere - in iOS 8, there is an EUVolumeLimits.plist file with an upper and lower limit. Change both of these to a value of 1 and you will no longer see any warning and your screen will not light up when you go over the prescribed level.

You would of course, have to jailbreak to allow access to edit this file. You need to change the values in two places:

"/System/Libary/Frameworks/MediaToolbox.framework/Default/EUVolumeLimits.plist" AND "/System/Libary/Frameworks/MediaToolbox.framework/Nxx/RegionalVolumeLimits.plist" (Replace xx with whatever folder number is present)

Open both and set the upper and lower values from "0.83" to a "1". Reboot and the warning should be gone. If not, you may also have to edit the RegionalVolumeLimits.plist in the same location in the same way.

Tried and tested on my own device as I was tired of the screen lighting up. I hope this helps someone anyway.

 

[stewlewis]

A long investigation EU Volume limit.

Is this topic still active?

I have a UK Iphone 5
It has the \settings\music\volume limit\EU volume limit toggle.

As others have said it's quiet, especially with high ohm non apple headphones.

I used TaiG to jailbreak.
I use Ifunbox to copy files to and from PC
I use plist editor pro under Windows to edit the files.

I have a SPL/RTA audio prog on the laptop and a jack lead from iphone headphone to laptop.

Freashly restored IOS 8.1.2:
Playing white noise mp3 EU volume limit ON and calibrate the RTA software to 85db.

original:
//system/library/frameworks/mediatoolbox/framework

/N42/EUVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.0</real>
<key>LowVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.63</real>

/N42/RegionalVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.90000000000000002</real>

//system/library/frameworks/mediatoolbox/framework

/default/EUVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.83999999999999997</real>
<key>LowVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.59999999999999998</real>

/default/RegionalVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.83999999999999997</real>

Full volume RTA=96db
EU volume limit on RTA=85db

editing:
//system/library/frameworks/mediatoolbox/framework

/N42/EUVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.90000000000000002</real>
<key>LowVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.63</real>

/N42/RegionalVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.90000000000000002</real>

//system/library/frameworks/mediatoolbox/framework

/default/EUVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.90000000000000002</real>
<key>LowVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.63</real>

/default/RegionalVolumeLimits.plist
<key>HighVolumeLimit</key>
<real>0.90000000000000002</real>

Full volume RTA=97.5db
EU volume limit on RTA=85db
(same files in both locations, default and N42)

deleting:
Both files in /default
Full volume RTA=97.5db
EU volume limit on RTA=85db


Changing:
Values to 1, in all or either files in both or either locations:
Full volume RTA=97.5db


Deleting and restoring:
restore original files to /default
delete both files from /N42
Full volume RTA=99db !
BUT, switching EU Volume Limit toggle crashes/restarts IOS
Stopping and starting a track causes volume to go to zero, manually turn back up.
Turn volume of to full gives high volume warning and orange bar, has to be turned up again.

I did not install Openssh or change any file permissions during this, it didn't seem to matter.

Anyone know how to get:
Full Volume to 99db and the EU Toggle switch still work?
That seems to be the max from the phone, unless anyone knows different?
Which if any of these files are in place on a US/Non EU phone?
If they are in place on US phone, contents?
I have read to restore via VPN from itunes with a US IP, does this work? Does it have any regional impact on cellular etc?

*the db values are examples, just a reference on laptop.

Searches bring up lots, yet not much info on the limit removal. A lot of old stuff too, the internet's getting full of old crap. Archive is good, old crap is misleading.

 

[stewlewis]

I followed these instruction from another forum:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/682937/iphone-5c-and-5s-audio-output/300#post_10413365

The Full volume limit is now RTA=99db
With the EU volume limit toggle on the RTA=73db

Cool, I thought, maybe the EUVolumeLimit.plst number is a percentage of the slider and the top of the slider is now 1.2 as opposed to 1. When toggling the EU Limit the volume slider does indeed jump to about halfway rather then 3/4.

But, exiting settings and music apps and running them again the limits reverted to as I had them set in the previous post.

Full=97.5db
EU=85db

 

[JDrummond]

I followed these instruction from another forum:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/682937/iphone-5c-and-5s-audio-output/300#post_10413365

I have to thank you for posting these directions from another forum. Unlike the suggestions from other sources that changing the value in RegionalVolumeLimits alone would be enough to notice a change in volume, I myself did not notice any difference. The only thing I ever managed to do was remove the warnings through the post above.

These instructions do the actual proper job of derestricting the amp on the phone itself, which is ultimately what is required to truly remove the restriction.

Not sure why you still need the "EU Volume Limits" toggle functioning when the whole idea is to remove the restriction in the first place. Having tested following running through the instructions provided, the toggle does indeed work. Is your question specifically about what the phone sets as the limit when the toggle is enabled?

 

[stewlewis]

Do you have it fully working then?

Mine seemed to revert limits after closing the music app and restarting it.

Or possibly restarting the phone.

It could be me, I'm going blind with file editing or swapping.

Do you have original files under the frameworks and only changes to the celestial?
If so do you have means to upload the 5 files?
Do you have a UK phone?

 

[JDrummond]

Do you have it fully working then?

Mine seemed to revert limits after closing the music app and restarting it.

Or possibly restarting the phone.

It could be me, I'm going blind with file editing or swapping.

Do you have original files under the frameworks and only changes to the celestial?
If so do you have means to upload the 5 files?
Do you have a UK phone?

Restarted the phone a few times to check and everything seems fine. I can definitely tell when it is enabled and when it isn't. Belt and braces, as well as installing the "EU Volume Limit Disabler" tweak (as I couldn't get rid of the warnings by manipulating the values in the two Frameworks files in both default and NXX once I'd upped the gain in Celestial), I did also just pop 1.3 as a value in each of the files, but I don't think it makes any difference. Was working fine before this.

I could upload the 5 files, but the Celestial one is exactly as one member has posted a screenshot of in the other forum - I did also enable "canExceedEUVolumeLimit", although it doesn't mention this specifically. The Frameworks files just have 1.3 in each value, but again I don't think these take effect if you install the tweak from Cydia to remove the warnings.