If there is one thing missing from my Macs that is definitely generational, it’s this. Loud sound. Sure, every Mac has speakers, and new Macs have better speakers than ever. If so, why is the sound so low?
It all has to do with my aging baby boomer ears. No, I don’t wear a hearing aid but my father does, so I know what’s on the way. I have family members who would chip in to buy me something to aid my ears but I found a better way. It’s called Boom 3D.
Old Boom, New Boom
To be honest about it, I don’t mind paying for software upgrades every few years so long as I’m upgrading into something new, improved, better, or with useful features that can justify the price tag. Developers need to make money. I need something worthwhile for my money.
Boom 3D is a new version of Boom 2 which succeeded the original Boom, and all versions have one thing in common. Loud. Or, rather, louder sound from the Mac’s speakers. In this case, the latest, Boom 3D, also have improvements in volume boosting, the equalizer, and some pretty nifty 3D surround sound that works better on headphones connected to the Mac than just the Mac’s speakers.
It’s one thing to just turn up the volume of the speakers or headphones, but it’s something else again to tweak the volume and frequencies in such a way as to improve the listening experience beyond the generic settings Apple makes available in System Preferences > Sound settings.
Boom 3D ups the Boom experience with 3D Surround Sound, a built-in audio player, a full array of equalizer presets (but you can set your own), an intensity control, and a built-in apps volume controller so you can control the sound emanating from any Mac app.
All that means you get sound customized for each app. Skype sound should be different than Spotify or iTunes. Ditto for games. Video sound is not the same and should be tweaked accordingly.
Boom 3D is one of those Mac apps you have to try, so there’s a 15 day free trial. Try it. If you can’t tell the difference in the sound coming from your Mac’s speakers or headphones, then you save some money. If you’re feeling the onset of age in your ears, then Boom 3D could give you the extra volume you want, along with a few tweaks that are fully customizable for your home Mac, and apps you use.