Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphone often face a situation where the standard volume of speakers becomes insufficient. This can occur while watching video in a noisy place, when talking on speakerphone or during games. The device, released in 2019, is equipped with a multimedia speaker, the quality of which can subjectively decrease over time, or it is simply not enough for comfortable use in modern conditions.
Fortunately, the MIUI operating system that powers the smartphone provides users with a wide range of tools to fine-tune the audio output, including standard methods that are available to everyone via the standard menu, as well as more advanced methods that require access to engineering settings. In this article, we will explore all possible solutions to the problem of silent sound.
Before we go to radical measures like installing third-party software, we need to make sure that the basic settings of the device are correctly executed. Often, the cause of quiet sound is trivial system limitations or the wrong configuration of the equalizer. We will consider each step of optimization, so you can choose the most suitable for your use case.
Basic adjustment and verification of physical factors
The first step should always be to diagnose the physical condition of the device and the basic software sliders. Make sure the volume control is twisted to the point. To do this, press one of the volume buttons on the side of the Redmi Note 8 Pro body and press the gear or three dots that appeared on the screen to unfold the full scale. Check all the sliders: Multimedia, Sound, Alarm, and Notifications.
Often owners forget about the cleanliness of the dynamic grille. In the Redmi Note 8 Pro, the main multimedia speaker is located on the bottom end, and the conversational speaker is located on the top, combined with the proximity sensor. Dust, pocket pile and skin fat can clog the mesh, reducing the volume by 30-40%. Carefully walk a soft toothbrush through the speakers holes, but do not use sharp objects.
It's also worth checking if Do Not Disturb or Silence mode is activated, which can limit sound notifications. In some cases, the problem lies in the case: a thick silicone or a poorly perforated casing can block the output of the sound wave. Take off the case and check the sound level again.
- 🔊 Check to have the Multimedia slider lifted to maximum in the side menu.
- 🧹 Clean the speaker mesh with a soft dry brush from dust and contamination.
- 📵 Make sure your Bluetooth headphones are turned off if you’re listening to sound through them, not through a speaker.
- 📱 Remove the protective case to exclude acoustic shielding.
Configure the built-in equalizer Dolby Atmos
Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is equipped with software support for Dolby Atmos technology, which not only creates a surround sound effect, but also allows you to significantly increase the overall volume. These settings are accessed through the Settings menu → Sound and vibration → Sound effects. Here you can choose from one of the ready profiles or adjust the sound manually.
To maximize amplification, switch to Custom mode, which gives you access to a ten-band equalizer, and lift all the sliders up, but do it carefully to avoid severe distortions (wheezing) at maximum volume, and pay special attention to the average frequencies, because that's where human speech is.
The audio effects menu also includes the option “Record Improver” and “Earphone Virtualization.” Enabling virtualization can add volume when listening through external devices, but it affects the built-in speaker less. However, activating the Smart Amplifier feature (if available in your version of MIUI) allows the system to dynamically increase quiet areas of tracks.
Secret Presets of the Equalizer
Importantly, aggressively adjusting the equalizer can lead to a quick battery drain, as the processor will be more active in processing the audio stream. If you notice that the phone has started warming up when playing media, reduce the number of active sliders or go back to the profile "Normal".
Using the Engineering Menu to Enhance the Dynamics
The most effective way for advanced users to access the menu is to change the settings through the MTK Engineer Mode. Since the Redmi Note 8 Pro is based on the MediaTek processor, this tool allows you to directly control the amplification of the audio track. To enter the menu, open the Phone app and type the combination # #3646633#.
After you log in, go to the Hardware Testing → Audio → Audio Debugging tab. Here you will see the Scenes script list. To increase the volume of the media, select Speech Enhancement or look for Media mode. In the window that opens, you will find the Digital Gain setting, and increasing this value directly affects the signal level fed to the speaker.
⚠️ Attention: Changing the parameters in the engineering menu can lead to the speaker wheezing or its complete failure when overloaded. Remember the initial values to be able to roll back. Do not exceed the Gain values above 6-10 dB.
When you change the settings, you press the Set button to apply the settings. The changes take effect instantly, so you can immediately run a test video or track to evaluate the result. If the sound becomes too distorted, return the Gain values to the original values.
☑️ Safe work in the engineering menu
Application of third-party amplifiers
If the built-in features aren’t enough, Google Play Store apps designed specifically to amplify audio are the leaders in this niche, including Volume Booster GOODEV, Super Volume Booster, and Bass Booster & Equalizer, which act as a software filter overlaid on top of system sound.
The principle of their work is to programmatically increase the amplitude of the sound wave. In the settings of such programs, there is usually a gain slider (Boost), which can be adjusted from 20% to 60% or higher. However, it is necessary to understand that software amplification inevitably introduces digital distortions. The sound becomes louder, but can lose its purity and detail.
When using such boosters, it is critical to monitor the temperature of the device. Software amplification creates an additional load on the audio chip and the Redmi Note 8 Pro processor. Prolonged use of the maximum boost can lead to overheating of the bottom of the smartphone, where the speaker is located.
- 📲 Download a proven application, such as Volume Booster GOODEV.
- ⚙️ Set the gain level no more 20-30% first.
- 🔋 Watch for heating of the body during long listening.
- 🚫 Avoid using boosters while charging your phone.
💡
Use booster apps only for short-term volume ups, such as hearing an important snippet of video. Continuous maximum amplification reduces the life of the speaker.
Comparison of volume-raising techniques
The best method depends on your goals and technical literacy. For the average safest user, the option will be to set up the equalizer, while enthusiasts can experiment with the engineering menu.
| Method | Efficiency | Risk to the device | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleaning the dynamics | Low/Mediocre | Absent. | Low. |
| Dolby equaliser | Medium | Minimum | Low. |
| Booster applications | Tall. | Medium (heating) | Low. |
| Engineering menu | Maximum | High-pitched | Tall. |
If a speaker is physically worn out or damaged (for example, a plume has moved away or a coil has burned), no adjustments will return to its former power, in which cases hardware repairs are required at the service center.
💡
The combination of cleaning the speaker and competent equalizer setting gives the best balance between volume and sound quality without the risk of breakage.
Resolving Typical Sound Problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the sound is not just quiet, but intermittent or hoarse even at medium volume. This may indicate a software conflict in the shell of MIUI. Try to reset the audio settings. To do this, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Reset and Reset → Reset settings Wi-Fi, mobile Internet and Bluetooth. This action will not affect your personal data, but update network and audio configurations.
Another common problem is codec conflict in certain applications, such as Telegram or WhatsApp. If the sound is normal in other programs and the sound is quiet in one, the problem is to optimize the application itself, in which case cleaning the cache of a particular application through the Settings menu → Applications → Application Management will help.
⚠️ Attention: If after all the manipulations, the sound remains quiet and distorted, and the speaker is heard cracking, there is likely a physical breakdown of the speaker membrane.
Also check the operating system version. Xiaomi periodically releases updates that fix audio track bugs. Go to Settings → About the phone and check for updates. Sometimes a rollback to a previous firmware version (if you recently updated) can solve a sudden sound problem.