If, like me, you research every gadget purchase to the Nth degree, it can be super depressing when said product arrives and it's perfect... except for one, tiny thing. Usually that thing escaped detection because it only rears it head once you actually use your new shiny. In my case, it was a set of SoundMagic E10 earphones to replace my busted EarPods. The problem? They vibrate.

iOS/Android: You might want to listen to different types of music depending on your mood. SoundR helps you find music based on genre, activity, and how you're feeling.

Videos on Facebook are about to get a whole lot louder. Thanks to the Facebook app's upcoming update, videos will start playing sound automatically as you scroll through your feed. Here's how to disable it.

Mac: If you want to change which mic is being used on your Mac or swap to different speakers, you can always option-click the sound icon on your menu bar and pick whatever you need. If you want more control of those options, SoundSource 3 is the app you want.

Recording quality audio all comes down to preventing major problems from the start. This guide, from NPR's Rob Byers and NPR audio engineers, will help you avoid recording problems, as well as fix editing and mixing problems.

We've seen little DIY volume knobs before, and they're a handy way to add means to finely adjust the volume on your computer. Instructables user Trochilidesign's made their own, and it's pretty futuristic looking.

Chrome: We've all been there -- you open a site in a new tab, and it starts playing audio in the background. Or worse, you open it in the foreground and it starts a video in some random corner of the page while you read an article. Silent Site Sound Blocker puts an end to that nonsense for good.

Video: If you're looking to create a quiet recording environment without breaking the budget, a stack of old towels might be all you need.

Chrome: If you tend to bounce between a lot of different videos or sounds online, you know how much a pain it can be to have sound coming from multiple tabs. Smart Tab Mute ensures only one tab can play sound at a time.

Factoids that can save your life, free travel posters for outer space and how air traffic controllers keep planes in the air all wait within in this week's Lifehacker Thinking Cap.

Android/iOS (Beta): You probably use your phone as an alarm clock, and you may even use it to play music isntead of a generic alarm tone, but what if you could use your favourite speakers or home stereo to wake you up instead of your phone's tinny speakers? That's what Sleepcast does.

If you've ever heard your own voice played back on a recording and thought "do I really sound like that?" you're not alone. Most of us at least cringe when we hear how we sound to others, and The Science of Us explains why, and what it says about us.

Mac: Not all apps have the same base volume, and sometimes one app likes to really scream at you while another is too soft. Volume Mixer allows you to independently control the volume of apps.

Listening to music in your back yard is easier than ever thanks to the proliferation of outdoor speakers, but which ones offer the best sound and the most features? This week, we're looking at five of the best, based on reader nominations.

Windows: If you use your computer to record audio, or just want to get the best quality audio possible, SoundCheck allows you to test your hardware in a lightweight app.

For many people, a little background noise is helpful to calm down and focus. In some cases, it's also a boost to productivity. Noisli is a site that allows you to create your own set of background sounds by combining clips of rain, water and wind.

Smartphone speakers are rarely loud enough, especially in public places. Instructables user urant has created a pocket-sized megaphone that amplifies your music. The best part? It fits in your wallet.

Having your iPhone (or other iDevice) blasting at full volume is not only annoying for others, it can potentially damage your hearing. If you're using an iPhone (or iPod), you can restrict and lock the volume with a simple tweak.

We've all been there: you're starting up your computer at night, or in class, and you cringe in embarrassment as your computer's startup sound reverberates loudly through the room. Here's how to prevent that from ever happening again.