Bass enhancement versus more volume
Overall volume raises the entire signal. A bass enhancer focuses on lower frequencies, making kick drums, bass guitar, synths, and cinematic effects feel more substantial. If only the low end feels thin, boosting everything is an inefficient fix.
Match the setting to the output
Phone speakers, earbuds, over-ear headphones, car systems, and home speakers respond very differently. A setting that feels balanced in headphones may overwhelm a car subwoofer or disappear on the iPhone speaker. Tune while using the output that matters.
Start low and protect headroom
Bass contains a lot of energy. Large boosts can consume the available headroom and trigger distortion before the track seems dramatically louder. Increase gradually, listen to bass-heavy sections, and reduce overall volume if necessary.
Use EQ to remove mud
When bass loses definition, the problem often sits above the deepest frequencies in the low-mid area. Rather than adding even more bass, reduce the crowded band slightly. Vocals and percussion should remain easy to locate in the mix.
Choose a useful preset
Genre presets are starting points, not rules. Dance and hip-hop may emphasize the extremes, while rock or jazz can preserve more midrange. Start with the closest preset, then adjust for the actual recording and your device.