Volume Randomly Increasing to Max


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I have a Sonos 5.1 setup consisting of a beam, sonos one x2, and sub. Recently when listening to Spotify on my iPhone XS (the only controller I have active in my household), the volume on the system raises to max volume when going to change the volume in the sonos app, or from the lock screen. I have only had the system for a few weeks and it seems to only do this when Spotify is active, not Pandora or while using the TV. Currently my system is on version 10.1.2, and my iPhone controller states the version is also 10.1.2. My system is currently connected via wireless, and not through Sonosnet.

I have seen in other forums that the work around is to disable hardware volume control and lock screen controls in the Sonos settings in the native iPhone settings app. But my question is, has this issue been permanently addressed yet in a sonos update/will it be in the future? Or does this have to do with possibly having a faulty system?

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114 replies

Userlevel 7
Hi Cwoods

Below are two links specific to Spotify that may resolve your issue. You can also try the following:

From a Sonos perspective
1. You can set a volume limiter for each room. However I don't think that's necessary as you say the problem appears to be Spotify centric.
2. You can also delete both the Sonos and Spotify apps and reinstall them. Again I don't think that's necessary; but worth a try.
3. Submit a diagnostic, post the reference ID in your post and then call Sonos Tech support

From an iPhone perspective
1.You can also set a Volume limit under Music in Settings. However I don't think that's necessary as you say the problem appears to be Spotify centric.

Spotify Links
https://community.spotify.com/t5/Desktop-Windows/Volume-changes-up-and-down-during-all-solng/m-p/141348#M35762

http://productionadvice.co.uk/spotify-same-volume-setting/

Let us know how things sort out. Cheers!
Userlevel 2
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Thanks for the response AjTrek1. The issue is not really volume normalization (different volume levels for each song by default), but merely the fact that sometimes when I am listening to music on Spoitfy, and go into the sonos app the volume just randomly increases to 100% without me even touching the slider or hardware buttons, or sometimes when only turning up the volume up and down just a tad. When this happens, I have to force close the sonos app, as changing the volume after it randomly goes to 100% does no good, it just shoots right back up to 100%. Others seem to have this issue as well, and it seems to only happen with Spotify.

I will submit a diagnostic when this issue happens again as its not consistent, just intermittent. But was pretty much wondering is there or will there be a permanent fix for this in the future without having to disable the lock screen and hardware controls in the settings? Or is this an issue with the hardware in my system?
Userlevel 7
I will submit a diagnostic when this issue happens again as its not consistent, just intermittent. But was pretty much wondering is there or will there be a permanent fix for this in the future without having to disable the lock screen and hardware controls in the settings? Or is this an issue with the hardware in my system?

Hi Cwoods

Submitting a diagnostic is a good idea and my recommendation.

You also mentioned that when you do the followingdisable the lock screen and hardware controls in the settings it seems to fix the issue. If that's the case I suggest you re-submit under another post outlining what your work-around has been. Then in that post ask if Sonos is aware of the issue and if so are they working on a fix. I'd post under "Ask a Question" as that will illicit the fastest response.

Also, I'd title the post with something like..."Spotify_Annoying Volume Increase_Is There a Fix?" then outline your issue and your work-around.

Let's us know how things sort out. Cheers!
Userlevel 1
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I have this problem with spotify when i switch to the Sonos system.

Steps to reproduce
1) open spotify app
2) adjust volume to a low level
3) pick my basement sonos system in the spotify stereo selection
4) SONOS VOLUME GOES TO 100

This is so frustrating I may have to delete Spotify.

While I realize the may be Spotify's fault, there's something sonos could do about this.

In the same way Android prompts me to go over a low volume when Bluetooth or Headphones are engaged, we could have a volume setting that requires answering a prompt to go beyond.

This is not the same as a volume cap. I still want to be able to turn the volume up high. However, I want the system to require a prompt to be acknowledged in the Sonos app to achieve > 80pct volume.
Userlevel 1
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I guess better idea would be if the sonos software ever gets a request to throttle directly to 100% from any level, from any source, this request should be denied.

What's the use case for needing instant max volume and not bumping it up a few notches first? I am guessing nobody has that use case but maybe I am wrong.
I am also having this issue on my iPhone X. Similar scenario as above: using Spotify on the phone, then switching to the sonos app to adjust grouping or individual speaker volume, and the sliders start going crazy, moving up and down seemingly randomly and spiking to near max volume.

This just happened to me and it was horrible.

It's happening to my system too... it's been doing it for about a month now.... really annoying!!!

I use the Sonos app to control my music and this has not happened yet, however, my wife uses her Spotify app and as soon as she opens Spotify when already playing through the Sonos it jumps straight to max volume. she doesn't like using the Sonos app as it shows my playlists and not hers (I don't know how to change that for her) so she uses her Spotify and she is getting frustrated which as you can imagine means I get it in the neck :-) I’d love to find a way to fix this for her…. 

This is happening to me now. I have little kids and it freaks them out everytime. I have an Android device and use Spotify and it happens randomly when I use my phone and switch between apps. I need this fixed asap.

Just had the same issue, using Spotify so definitely linked.

 

I opened the sonos app to submit the diagnostics, and that stopped playback restarted then kicked the volume to 100%

 

On the Move the max volume is mental so not ideal!!

Just had the same issue, using Spotify so definitely linked.

 

I opened the sonos app to submit the diagnostics, and that stopped playback restarted then kicked the volume to 100%

 

On the Move the max volume is mental so not ideal!!

This is definitely a Spotify issue, I’ve just set the limiter on the volume in the Sonos app, the Spotify jumped to Max in the spotify app, but only registered as 50% in the sonos app.

And please add my voice to the chorus: starting earlier this week (around October 21, 2019), my Sonos started suddenly maxing out the volume at unpredictable intervals.  My partner and I sleep while playing a Spotify white noise playlist overnight.  Three times this week the volume suddenly zoomed up.  When this happened last, it was literally in the middle of the night -- we were not using our phones, we were not fiddling with controls, we had no apps open, we were not sending any voice commands (our system is linked with Google assistant).  Needless to say, it was a traumatic experience to be woken up in the middle of the night by an ear-puncturing blast of white noise!

 

To the best of my knowledge, we have not changed anything in our system recently: no changes to set-up, no addition of speakers.  I haven’t been following closely if there have been recent changes to the iOS or Android apps.  

 

 

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I have a Beam in my living room and a stereo pair of Ones in my kitchen. This happened to me again last night while making dinner. It’s probably the fourth or fifth time since I set up my system that the volume maxed out. I got my system about a month an a half ago. I’m using Spotify but I might switch to Apple Music since this seems to be a Spotify issue. Has anyone had this happen with Apple Music?

Scott

Userlevel 7
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Hi everyone, we’re looking into this with Spotify as there may be an issue that can come up irregularly that causes the volume to change unexpectedly when using the Spotify app to control Sonos. If you notice this happening when you’re playing from a service other than Spotify, or when you’re using Spotify through the Sonos app, it may not be related to what we’re looking into. I’ll let you know when we hear more on that investigation.

I also have the same problems with volumes goes to max. Very annoying!

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I didn't have this problem over the weekend but I didn't use my Sonos very much. I did set volume limits to 60% as a work around. This is very annoying and if it isn't fixed I will probably switch to Apple Misic. 

 

I contacted Spotify and they just told me to delete my app and reinstall. Not very helpful, I had just done that after wiping my iPhone and iPad. 

I am having a similar problem playing Spotify to my 2x IKEA Sonos speakers (grouped) from my iPad and pc with volume normalisation between tracks - it’s very random but I will set volume at 50% and the next song will drop volume to 30%, so I turn it up then the next song will blast at 80% and so on. 
 

I have tried all the suggestions I’ve seen. Control volume thru Spotify, disable hardware/lock screen controls etc to no avail.

 

 

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Same thing happening to me.  I think it’s triggered when my phone restarts the Spotify app from the background.  It’s an older phone running Android 6 Marshmallow and for whatever reason, as of earlier this year it will close out Spotify when the phone display shuts off and then restart it when I wake it up.  That’s annoying itself, but the volume blasting problem only started happening in the last few weeks.  I have to bolt up from wherever I am and literally run to hit the pause button on one of the units. 

I unplugged my two Play 5s and plugged them back in, made sure both Spotify and Sonos were updated on both my phone and laptop, but for now I’m avoiding the Spotify app when playing on the Sonos because it feels like one of my ears that’s pretty close to the speaker when I sit at my desk has diminished hearing like when you go to a concert without earplugs….  Max volume seems like just an annoyance but it’s actually a health risk, please try to address ASAP!

Userlevel 5
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Hello

I have the same problem here since some weeks.

The Spotify app is changing Sonos volume.

This was not happening before.

I filed also an issue on Spotify community here but no answer yet:

 

https://community.spotify.com/t5/Android/Android-volume-High-on-Spotify-Connect-and-Sonos/td-p/4848566

 

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Had the same issue when using Spotify Connect to control my Sonos. Seemed to happen when Spotify had lost the connection to Sonos (maybe the app having been put to sleep by Android to save battery) and then reconnected.

I set up volume limits to 25-30%, and so far it does not seem to have happened again.

Userlevel 1

I've started getting it this past 2 weeks on my phone when using Spotify and either my beam or play 1.

 

I've had it happen when going back into the Spotify application as well as when I've been using another.

 

Just done a little test where the apixation had been background for 15 minutes, switched applications back to it and the volume switcher in the Spotify application jumped to max and then back down to where it was before visually but the volume didn't change.

 

Android version 9.  Patch PPWS29.116-20-11 from 1st September 2019.

 

Spotify app version 8.5.30.579 installed 29th October.

Perhaps try logging out and back into your Sonos Controller(s) in Settings/Accounts and do the same for the Spotify Service in Settings/Services and see if that perhaps fixes the issue. 

For what it's worth, it keeps happening to me too. I've not been able to work out any pattern, but it is quite frustrating. 

Userlevel 2

Same happening with my system. Submitted diagnostic to Sonos. 

Has happened now last two nights at nidmight. Playing from Spotify but not through the app. Using alexa to start the music on Sonos so don't think it has anything to do with mobile apps more the Sonos / Spotify service.