Best Settings for VLC Media Player for Listening to Music!

Best settings for VLC Media player for listening to music: Just clickbait or real?

More often than not I find myself in a dilemma where I am one of those people who try to mix too much art and technology. In my personal opinion, Art and technology are two sides of the same coin and the way forward is only when we mix both of them together in order to create a fusion of something new.

Music itself is one of those things that is progressing rapidly as technology is moving forward.

A lot of changes on the technological front are making a foray into music and making sure that Music as we know it is constantly evolving with the day.

But the real truth is that often what we hear from various sources is nowhere as close to what the artists originally made in their studios. How can a person appreciate good music if they can’t hear what the artists originally made? So guys today here we are at Inspire2rise with our article on the best settings for VLC Media player for listening to music.

Why the need for the Best settings for VLC Media player?

Products like BeatsAudio and Audiophile-grade headphones exist only because there is a huge demand for people who really want to experience music like it, they want to feel the music as it was created by the artists and that feeling of being there right in the studio when magic is being made.

When you are hearing music you are often hearing compressed quality tracks and few of us like me who listen to FLAC or WAV music i.e. lossless music know that our default media players and their default settings aren’t that great to experience music in its pristine glory.

But with a few software side enhancements and tricks you can make your music sound better and using good quality headphones/earphones also helps in improving the overall sound quality of the music that you are experiencing.

So here are a few tweaks for all those people who use VLC Media Player either on Windows, Mac, or Linux. These settings would be the same for all of these platforms.

• Fire up your VLC Media player.
• Now Go to Tools > Effects and Filters > Audio Effects Tab
• Now go to the Graphics Equalizer tab. Enable it.
• Check the 2-Pass option. In the graphics equalizer tab select the “POP” preset, this makes your music sound warmer and somewhat natural, but if you prefer heavy bass then you can select the “Full Bass” preset.
• Go to the Compressor tab, enable it, and then close it.
• If you really want to then you can fiddle with the slide bar controls on the settings but these settings are sort of generic and would definitely give a richer tone to most of your music!

How do I get Better Audio Quality on VLC?

Did you know that with a few simple adjustments, you can significantly improve the sound and visuals of your media files? We’ll show you how to achieve a cinematic experience with Dolby 5.1 surround sound and near-3D video quality.

• To begin, launch VLC and navigate to the Tools menu at the top.
• Select Preferences from the drop-down list, and a new window will appear.
• Locate the Show Settings button at the bottom of the window and click on it.
• Check all the options in the Audio section, and then move to the Right side of the window.
• Look for the Force Dolby Surround Detection option and switch it to ‘On.’
• Next, set the Stereo Audio Output Mode to Dolby Surround.
• Go to Audio resampler on the left.
• Now make sure you set the Speex Resampler to 10 instead of its default value of 4.
• In SRC Resampler, set the Sampler conversion rate type to “SinC function (Best Quality)”.

How do I make VLC play HD smoothly with the Best Quality?

For quality, you can try the following changes:

• Now, focus on the video aspects. In the Left sidebar, find the Filters option under Video and click on it. Scroll down and enable the Grad Fun Video Filter.
• Click on filters on the left side list and choose “sw scale” from the list set scaling mode to “SincR” Click on save to apply all changes
• Finally, select the Save button to apply all the modifications.

In case you run into non-smooth video playback issues then you can try these fixes for resolving video latency issues in the VLC media player.

1. We’ll start by examining the file format.
2. Next, we’ll discuss disabling hardware acceleration.
3. For those using a Windows operating system, we recommend switching the power plan to high performance.
4. Moving on, let’s look at disabling the in-loop deblocking filter.
5. After that, we’ll adjust the caching value.
6. Furthermore, it’s essential to reset the VLC preferences from time to time if you have messed them up with too many changes.
7. Finally, we might need to update or even reinstall the VLC media player itself in case the installation has corrupted.

Is VLC good for playing music?

VLC houses everything necessary for playing media files within its compact framework; meaning no additional codecs need to be downloaded or installed alongside it.

As a result, VLC ranks among the most convenient and practical music players out there since it’s capable of seamlessly playing nearly every type of audio file right after installation.

What is the best equalizer setting for VLC Media Player for Bass?

Below 200Hz, adjusting any frequency on the equalizer will result in a noticeable change in the bass. That means all frequencies below 200 hz need to be boosted manually.

Using VLC, start by raising the 60Hz frequency. As you boost this particular frequency, the bass will simultaneously become more pronounced.

What if I am just starting with VLC Media Player?

If you are new to computing or just new to using VLC in general enhancing your music listening experience in the VLC media player can be quite rewarding, as VLC is a versatile media player with a wide range of features and settings that can improve playback quality, manage your music library, and even apply various audio effects.

Here’s a comprehensive guide to getting the most out of your music listening experience on VLC:

1. Optimize Audio Settings

• Equalizer Adjustments: Access the equalizer in VLC by going to Tools > Effects and Filters > Audio Effects tab. Here, you can adjust the equalizer to enhance the music according to your preference. VLC offers several presets tailored to different music genres, or you can manually adjust the bands to fine-tune the sound.
• Compressor: The compressor can be found in the same section as the equalizer. It helps even out the audio level by minimizing the difference between the loudest and quietest parts. This is particularly useful for listening to recordings with varying volume levels.
• Spatializer: This option allows for a more immersive listening experience by giving the sound a sense of spatial depth. Experiment with the settings to find a balance that works best for you.

2. Adjust Playback Speed

If you’re listening to audiobooks, lectures, or even some genres of music, adjusting the playback speed can be useful. Go to Playback > Speed and select your desired speed. This doesn’t affect the pitch of the audio, thanks to VLC’s real-time pitch correction.

3. Use Visualization

Visualizations can add a visual element to your music playback, making it more engaging. To enable visualizations, go to Audio > Visualizations and select one. VLC offers a variety of visualization styles, from spectrums to geometric patterns.

4. Manage Media with Playlists

Organize your music files using VLC’s playlist feature. You can create, save, and load playlists to easily manage your music library. To create a playlist, just drag and drop files into the VLC playlist window, and then save it by going to Media > Save Playlist to File.

5. Audio Effects for Fun

For a more playful audio experience, explore the Audio Effects tab under Tools > Effects and Filters. Here, you can play with various effects like pitch, echo, and more to add a unique twist to your music.

6. Use Hotkeys for Convenience

Customize hotkeys for frequent actions (like play, pause, next, volume up/down, etc.) by going to Tools > Preferences > Hotkeys. This makes controlling playback more convenient and enhances your listening experience.

7. Update VLC and Audio Drivers

Ensure you’re using the latest version of VLC and that your computer’s audio drivers are up to date. This can improve compatibility and potentially enhance audio quality.

8. Explore Third-Party Plugins

VLC supports plugins that can add new features or enhance existing ones. Explore VLC’s plugin directory or community forums to find audio enhancements or new visualizations.

9. Experiment with Output Modules

Advanced users can experiment with different audio output modules to see if they notice an improvement in quality. Access this in Tools > Preferences > Audio > Output modules. Be cautious, as changing these settings can sometimes lead to playback issues.

10. Adjust Audio Hardware Settings

Finally, don’t forget to adjust your speaker or headphone settings outside of VLC. Many devices come with their own software for enhancing audio output, which can complement VLC’s adjustments.

By exploring these features and settings, you can significantly enhance your music listening experience in the VLC media player. Remember, the best settings depend on your personal preference, your hardware, and the type of audio you’re listening to, so don’t hesitate to experiment.

How to Set VLC Media Player as Default Player on Windows?

To set the VLC Media Player as the default player in a Windows machine, follow these steps:

Windows 10

1. Open Settings:
   • Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings window.
2. Go to Apps:
   • Click on the Apps section.
3. Default Apps:
   • In the left-hand menu, select Default apps.
4. Set Default by File Type:
   • Scroll below & click on Choose default apps by file type.
   • Find the file types you want VLC to open (e.g., .mp4, .avi, .mp3, etc.) and select VLC Media Player from the list.
5. Set Default by Protocol:
   • Scroll below & click on Choose default apps by protocol.
   • Find the protocols you want VLC to handle (e.g., http, https, etc.) and select VLC Media Player.

Windows 11

1. Open Settings:
   • Press Windows Key + I to open the Settings window.
2. Go to Apps:
   • Click on the Apps section.
3. Default Apps:
   • In the left-hand menu, select Default apps.
4. Search for VLC:
   • Type VLC in the search bar under Set defaults for applications.
5. Set File Associations:
   • Click on VLC Media Player in the search results.
   • You’ll see a list of file types and protocols that VLC can handle. Click on each one and select VLC Media Player to set it as the default.

Alternative Method (Applicable for Both Windows 10 and 11)

1. Right-click on a Media File:
   • Right-click on any media file (e.g., a video or audio file) that you want to open with VLC by default.
2. Open With:
   • Select Open with & then click on Choose another app.
3. Set VLC as Default:
   • In the window that opens, select VLC Media Player.
   • Check the option that says Always use this app to open .[file extension] files.
   • Click on OK to complete this.

By following these steps, you can set VLC Media Player as the default media player for your Windows system.

How to Set VLC Media Player as Default Player on MacOS Systems?

To set VLC Media Player as the default player on a macOS system, follow these steps:

Method 1: Set VLC as Default for a Specific File Type

1. Find a File of the Type You Want to Open with VLC:
   • Locate a file of the type (e.g., .mp4, .avi, .mp3, etc.) that you want to set VLC as the default player for.
2. Open the Get Info Window:
   • Right-click on the file.
   • Select Get Info from the context menu (or press Command + I).
3. Change the Default Application:
   • In the Get Info window, look for the Open with: section.
   • Click on the dropdown menu and select VLC Media Player.
4. Apply to All Files of This Type:
   • Click the Change All... button below the dropdown menu.
   • Confirm by clicking Continue in the prompt that appears.

Method 2: Set VLC as Default for Multiple File Types Using Finder

1. Open Finder Preferences:
   • Open Finder.
   • Go to the top menu bar and click on Finder, then select Preferences.
2. File Types:
   • In the Finder Preferences window, go to the Advanced tab.
3. Open All File Types with VLC:
   • There isn’t a direct option to set VLC as the default for all media file types in Finder Preferences. However, you can repeat the steps in Method 1 for each file type you want VLC to handle.

Method 3: Use VLC to Associate File Types

1. Open VLC Media Player:
   • Launch VLC Media Player.
2. Preferences:
   • Go to VLC in the top menu bar, then select Preferences.
3. Show All Settings:
   • In the Preferences window, click on Show All at the bottom left.
4. Set File Associations:
   • In the left-hand sidebar, select Interface.
   • Click on macOS under the Interface section.
   • Check the boxes for the file types you want VLC to handle.
   • Save your changes and close the Preferences window.

By following these steps, you can set VLC Media Player as the default media player on your macOS system.

How to download VLC Media Player?

You can easily download the VLC Media player from Videolan.org’s official website. Always try and download from the official sources as third-party sites might have tampered files.

Just Google search for VLC Media Player download and depending upon whether you encounter sponsored results or not. The link from Videolan dot org is the one you should click on. Then depending on the system you have to download and install the appropriate version and you are good to go.

So, guys, this was all for our post for Best Settings for VLC Media player for music and audio. In case you liked this post then don’t forget to hit the like button and do share our posts across your social profiles!

Stay Inspired to rise fellas and keep fiddling with your settings, musical Nirvana might just be a click away!

Do check out our playlist on audio products (headphones, earphones, microphones), etc. on our official YouTube channel:

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• How to learn songs on guitar quickly
• How to bulk rename files in Windows without any software

Aditya Nath Jha

Aditya Nath Jha is an Engineer from New Delhi, India. His areas of interest include Gadgets, WordPress, speed optimization & latest technology. When he is not busy blogging he loves to write poetry, compose his own songs and has a taste for music! Find him on Facebook, Twitter, Linked in, Instagram. And watch his videos on YouTube.