Lower minumum volume level

It's too loud but it doesn't stop you sleeping? How can it be too loud if you fall asleep listining to it.

Is tweeting an effective and useful channel of communication with anything? Wouldn't an email been rather better?

I assume you will get your alternative products on a trial, learning from your past mistakes, to see if they meet your volume criteria. Please post back what you decide upon, especially for the saving of groups.

I found this thread and I have the same problem that the minimum volume is too high.

@Sonos, Is there a hardware limitation through an analog volume control IC or is mixing done completely done in software before D/A conversion happens. If later, it shouldn't be too difficult to fix that in software?

Cheers
Roland

I am new to Sonos with two Play 1 units. I also find the minimum too high. For starters, try reducing the current minimum level 3 - 6 db. "Bothering support", on this issue I feel is called constructive criticism, a way for concerned companies to improve products. I really like the products but why not make improvements. Please don't rest on the past successes. Remember the customers who do not complain typically do not return.

I bought Play 1 for my bedroom. I also find minimum volume (1%) level bit too high. Music can also be heard at hallway through closed door.

That's a bit weird that someone said that alarm at 27% is fine. If I'd to use that, it would also wake my neighbours up. I guess at 5% it would wake up anyone that has normal hearing. So there are probably some differences between units (or sevices, I'm using Spotify).

Same for me here. Lowest volume is still too high (at night working at my desk). I suggest that rather than having a linear scale/progression, the volume follows some exponential curve where it progresses very slowly at lower volume and much more at higher volume. In my understanding this would conform the ears perception (dB) of volume.
http://www.rfcafe.com/references/popular-electronics/images3/understanding-decibels-nov-1958-ppoular-electronics-2.jpg

Me too. Bought a Play:1 for my bedroom to use sleep function. Unfortunately, lowest volume is to loud indeed. Please fix

HELLO SONOS: Can you please fix this issue!? What's up with ignoring so many people/customers with the same issues?? This has been an issue and a tread for more than 2 years now. It's simple, So get on with it - pls. Also- how very kind it would be to respond thoroughly to the remarks in here. People spend a lot of time and energy addressing these issues, the least you can do is to acknowledge your customers and answer. Thank you.

It doesn't look like they're actively participating in this forum. Has anyone tried to raise a ticket with support and refer to this thread?

Rgds

Yes. I did that.

iclaushansen wrote:

Yes. I did that.

any response from them?

yeah same here, low volume steps just too loud. Use several Sonos setups in different places to get to sleep(play1, 3 ,5 etc all too loud). Control by Macbook,iphone/ipad app, first step from 0 is just "boom, on". Switched loudness off, bass and treble to minimum, doesn't help.:(

Don't know how or why, but it seems that the issue is getting worse with time... 😠

Michael_144 wrote:

Don't know how or why, but it seems that the issue is getting worse with time... :@

I know, yesterday I've opened a case at sonos, let's see! Maybe we all should, so it gains visibility within sonos!

sti wrote:

Michael_144 wrote:

Don't know how or why, but it seems that the issue is getting worse with time... :@

I know, yesterday I've opened a case at sonos, let's see! Maybe we all should, so it gains visibility within sonos!

Yep, they replied back that they will forward it to their R&D team as feature request!

As we all knoe how this works, such feature request require a big number of customer requests!

I encourage you all to open a ticket at sonos support, its straight forward! Just emailaddress and description. https://sonos.custhelp.com/app/ask

Together we might be able to get this changed!!

You guys saying the "issue is getting worse with time" -presumably you are saying the minimum volume is getting louder?

If this is the case why not use a noise meter (Best use an iPhone or iPad as Sonos already have calibration data for those). Select a track from your library and measure the SPL background and with your track playing - Note the location of your phone and orientation relative to the speaker and the time of the track.

Do this every few weeks to see if you can actually measure the issue getting worse.

Hi,

I'd like to bump this tread. Got 2x Play 5, a Playbar and a sub installed this July and it is really annoing not being able to play music on a low "background" level the way I could with my old "analogue" system. In fact it is so annoying that I would hesitate buying all this if I knew at the time (all things comsidered it takes a bunch of money to buy this). Please can Sonos consider checking out if this could be made right?

Many thanks!

Rasmus

Rasmus fahlen wrote:

Hi,

I'd like to bump this tread. Got 2x Play 5, a Playbar and a sub installed this July and it is really annoing not being able to play music on a low "background" level the way I could with my old "analogue" system. In fact it is so annoying that I would hesitate buying all this if I knew at the time (all things comsidered it takes a bunch of money to buy this). Please can Sonos consider checking out if this could be made right?

Many thanks!

Rasmus

Can I just make sure I understand this? You put surrounds on 'Ambient' for music play, you put the volume slider to zero then tap once on the volume bar to edge it up the minimum amount. And that is too loud for background music?

Yes, even if I would have the ambient mode on. I don't like to have that when I play music however since less music is distributed through the Play5s as compared to the soundbar and the crisp in the Play5s is uncomparable to the soundbar. Its just not as premium of a sound. When thinking of it, isn't it a bit strange that the ambient mode redistribute the sound among the speakers in this way.. 🙂

Is there any further response from Sonos on this? I have a stereo pair for daytime use and would like to be able to also use it very quietly at night but the minimum volume is too loud.

Use the controller on the app or computer. Slide the volume control button all the way to the left, the mute lights on the Sonos unit will glow green. Tap to the right of - not on - the button once. The light will go away, but nothing will be heard to meet your definition of quiet, it will be quieter. Keep tapping to the right until the sound levels RISE to meet your expectation of quiet. Job done, you don't need a Sonos reply. If the above however does not meet your needs, you do, because you have a hardware defect.

Unfortunately that’s not right, but I appreciate your help. I’m already on the lowest volume using the app (using the same method as you said) but it’s still too loud. And it can’t be a hardware defect as I have two speakers (stereo pair) and both are at the same volume level.

I find it hard to believe these speakers can’t go to a lower volume, which is why I wanted a reply from Sonos to understand if this is being considered or if I’m going to have to return it (I don’t want to! I love the sound during the day but they are too loud for night time background use in a small room). Turning off Loudness helps but then I have to dig through menus every night and switch back each day.

My stereo pair that sits on my desktop needs more than one tap away from mute for me to hear anything from the speakers even when sitting close to it at the desktop. There are some rare exceptions based on the song/recordings; for example Big Mama Thornton belting out Hound Dog where the mastering level is also higher than normal. But in my bed at some distance away, even she would need more than one tap.

I am sure you will probably get a Sonos response to this, but the chances are much improved if you raise a ticket with Support for the issue.

John B wrote:

May I ask if you have tried the following on a phone controller? Slide the volume bar to zero. Then tap the volume bar once instead of trying to slide it back. For me this produces a volume level that is almost inaudible, and lower than I have been able to achieve with any other method.

It isnt just I that say this.

Kumar wrote:

My stereo pair that sits on my desktop needs more than one tap away from mute for me to hear anything from the speakers even when sitting close to it at the desktop. There are some rare exceptions based on the song/recordings; for example Big Mama Thornton belting out Hound Dog where the mastering level is also higher than normal. But in my bed at some distance away, even she would need more than one tap.

You are lucky. I play meditation music over a distance of 1 meter from an overhead position, and - using the exact same technique as you described - the music is intolerably loud if instruments are used in the composition (wind going through the treetops is still audible - and pleasant). Using the volume buttons move the sound level up 5 ticks and that's enough to have a party in the bedroom!

BoredofBalham wrote:

I must applaud your sensitive hearing. I wish mine worked that well.

I am puzzled a bit though. If you find the lowest setting as suggested by John B as being too loud then playing the speakers at 20% volume must be, to others standards, positively deafening for you. I find the lowest volume setting on a pair of Play 1 and also on a pair of Play 5 to be very quiet amd much quieter than any back ground noise.

Ah, these ageing ears...

It isn't just I that is lucky.