Q: I just bought Sony SRSP11Q speakers to use with my iPod. The volume is very low and the speaker instructions say to use the device’s volume to control the speakers. I cannot figure out how to get to volume settings on my iPod.
– Scott
A: To change the volume of a song while playing it on any full-sized iPod or iPod mini, simply run your finger around the Scroll Wheel or Click Wheel. You’ll see the display on the iPod screen change, and you’ll see a volume bar that shows you the relative volume as you raise it or lower it. On an iPod shuffle, press the + and – volume buttons on the front control ring to adjust volume.
It looks like the Sony SRSP11Q speakers are “passive” and therefore require power and volume control exclusively from the iPod, which means that they won’t have very strong output, and will likely drain your iPod’s battery quickly, too. If you plan to use your iPod with external speakers that are capable of adjusting volume on their own, you might want to consider buying a Dock. The Dock has a line-out jack on the back, which provides cleaner sound that is not affected by the iPod’s built-in amplifier.
