I couldn't get the same effect just using the arrow keys with or without shift - but instead, using the control key with the up and down arrow keys will change the volume, and shift-control-up arrow will make it go quite loud. (In the meantime, I also discovered that command-up arrow will take you up a directory, and command-down arrow will take you 'forward' one directory if applicable.)

To see the volume level with the extra-loud level added in. This is an old trick with Quicktime that dates back to the original versions of the early 90s.

The only thing I can figure for this, is if the quality starts to suffer when you turn it up, and you can make it very loud, then QT must have a preamplifier that it's not telling us about, and the normal volume control affects the "power amp" equivalent! Meaning that it should be possible to crank the preamp VERY high and keep the power amp low so your eardrums don't burst, and then play something loud - and POOF! instant distortion! Of course it will probably sound utterly horrid because it's not tube or transistor amplification, but software, which will probably sound like digital audio clipping (i.e., wraparound, also known as "*terrible* sounding"). QT is full of all kinds of awesome features like this! =)

Speaking of shift; something I had not noticed before is, that if you raise or lower your volume with the volume buttons, while holding down shift, no alert will sound. Anyone know how to make that the default mode? (Or point me to the hint describing this, if I have missed it.)

That's a hint! I hate it when I'm listening to something and have to adjust sound level: bing... bing... bing... I now know how to avoid it, thanks to you! Kudos!

I think that's worthy of posting on its own...with full credit to the author, of course!

-rob.

WOAH! that is sweet, it definitely is a pre-amp because if you use<at least on a macbook> the volume down key after the 3rd bar the volume you can really notice that it doesn't scale down linearly.
My question is, how do you apply this pre-amp across the board? Itunes especially could use this, as the macbook speakers are really limited and not even loud enough in a relatively quiet room.
The distortion isn't even that bad surprisingly...the high and low ends get a bit fuzzy but definitely tolerable. Also, what is with apple constantly crippling their products?

Speaking of shift; something I had not noticed before is, that if you raise or lower your volume with the volume buttons, while holding down shift, no alert will sound. Anyone know how to make that the default mode?