I would like Sonos to add a volume-leveling/volume-offset feature that allows users to compensate for differences in loudness between different sources and between different stations or streams within the same source.
The problem
Different Sonos sources often have substantially different perceived volume levels. For example, switching between a TV input, Line-In, a music service, or another source can result in a significant change in volume.
Even more importantly, different radio stations or streams from the same source can have different volume levels. Switching from one station to another can therefore cause the volume to suddenly become much louder or quieter, even though the Sonos volume setting has not changed.
This is particularly inconvenient when listening to radio stations, because the listener has to repeatedly adjust the volume whenever changing stations.
Requested feature
Please add configurable volume offsets/normalization at multiple levels:
- Per source: Allow a user to specify a volume offset for each source.
- Per station/stream: Allow a user to specify a volume offset for individual radio stations or streams where the source provides a station identifier.
- Remember the adjustment: Sonos should remember these offsets and automatically apply them whenever that source or station is played again.
- Optional automatic normalization: Ideally, Sonos could also offer an automatic loudness-normalization option that attempts to bring different sources and stations to approximately the same perceived loudness.
For example, if i listen to my Samsung Frame TV, I must raise the volume to between 50 and 65, then I switch to stream Chilltrax throughMyTunerRadio, and I must lower the volume to between 8 and 14. Needless to say, that if switch is not done in a very specific sequence, it give VERY UNPLEASANT RESULTS throughout the house
Why this would be useful
This would make switching between sources and radio stations much more seamless and eliminate the need to constantly reach for the volume control.
The goal is not to change the maximum volume capability of the system, but simply to maintain a consistent perceived listening level when the underlying audio sources have different output levels.
This seems like a relatively small software feature that could significantly improve the listening experience.
