Haven’t noticed any change.

I don't understand. In an Era 100 before around volume, now around volume 50. It's very strange.

Have you called Sonos Support directly to discuss it?

When you speak directly to the phone folks, they have tools at their disposal that will allow them to give you advice specific to your network and Sonos system.

I'll call support! Hoping it's just me, but wanted to check if it's a wider issue?

Doesn’t appear to be, there have been no ‘me too’ posts in this thread, or separate threads about it. 

Yes, I have exactly this problem with Era 100s, Beam Gen 2 and Symfonisk Frames. Only on Spotify and only since a couple of weeks ago. I get the geeling the quality reduced too, but I can't be 100% sure on that.

Sonos Radio appears to work fine so must be something specific to Spotify..

I don’t imagine it would make a difference but going to suggest it - is it worth turning on or off Enable Audio Normalisation in the Spotify app just in case it applies it to your whole account, even when streaming via the Sonos app, which impacts in some way the gain coming through?Maybe try with it on, and also with it off, and see if there is any difference - giving it time to kick in.

(This option has an effect when streaming directly to the speakers via Spotify Connect of course, but just wondering if there is some backend impact this option has too for streaming through the Sonos app...)

I am having the same issue. Volume needs to be turned to around 50 to be as loud as 25 used to be. Did you find a solution when you called support?

Over the years there have been many complaints about the output level vs the numeric setting. There are complaints about “too loud at low settings”, “louder than model XXX at the same number”, “I need to turn it up to XX, YY, ZZ and I should only need QQ”, etc. Eventually, the developers accommodate one complaint group and change the behavior (unannounced) of one or more models in an update. This immediately triggers complaints from the other groups. Eventually the developers side with another group in an update and the complaints shuffle.

One strong complaint, when the new required setting is higher than the former, is that the unit is “not as powerful as before”, because a higher number is required for their usual output. This is not strictly correct because the power output at 100 is still the same. Even if the acoustic output at a low setting is the same for all speakers, the speakers in large rooms will seem quieter. This identical output cannot be maintained at loud levels because the larger speakers can deliver more acoustic output. It would be silly to limit the acoustic output of the larger speakers to that of the smallest speaker.

Previously Spotify connect and Sonos app had no difference in quality and volume when set at the same level, prior I remember testing this so purely used Spotify connect given interface. Since the last week or so I noticed Spotify didn't sound as loud at my normal volume (20) had to turn up to 40 which would normally be very loud for everyday usage. The sound still wasnt as clear as I remember it, so Switch over to Sonos app and playing the same song it sounds like it used to and what I expected and volume range was correct could listen at 20 and 40 again was loud and clear. Hoping it is just a bug at this point. I don't want to stuck using Sonos app.

Yeah, that's exactly what's happening with my setup. I can't figure out if it's Spotify or Sonos messing things up.

I've been having the same issue. The sound volume sounds noticably lower if I play music on the Sonos speakers via Spotify Connect, but has its normal volume if I start playing Spotify via the Sonos app or through the Spotify smart TV app.

Do you know if this must be fixed by Sonos or Spotify? Because happens using Spotify Connect.

Has anyone contacted to Sonos support to check this issue?

Not yet. Was going to do more comparison tests with my other non sonos system see if it is a spotify connect issues next week when I got time. It will probably be hard to prove prior it sounded better on spotify connect as I have no videos/evidence of how it was prior other than my own experience.

I've contacted to Sonos support checking Spotify from Sonos app, Spotify Connect and Spotify Airplay. Only happens with Spotify Connect, so their conclusion is that is a Spotify issue (what a surprise). I'm quite concerned that this issue began coinciding with the most recent Sonos software update.

Given that Sonos plays what it is handed, including volume of the source settings, that’s not overly surprising. If Spotify has changed what they’re sending from the Spotify server, Sonos doesn’t ‘know’ that to make adjustments. 

Hi ​@kdth_jhspk69 et al

Thanks for your post!

I am sorry to hear of this issue you are having with streamed music from Spotify sounding quieter than other sources.

We’d like to look into this for you all. Please be aware that although Spotify’s Loudness normalization page states that third-party speakers do not perform normalisation, we in fact do perform this step. Perhaps the issue lies there, somehow.

I’d like to ask you all to please reboot any speakers/players where you have encountered this volume issue, whether playing via the Sonos app or the Spotify app, then recreate the issue, and finally submit a support diagnostic. Once you have done so, please reply here stating that you have performed these steps, and please include the name of the room where you played, and state which app you used to initiate the playback. Please do not post any diagnostic numbers on the public forum.

Thanks.

Edit: Correction - we don’t not apply normalisation with Spotify, though we do with some other services.

Done, I've sent you a message with the info. Thanks for your interest in this topic.

Yes, using Spotify Connect all the normalization, quality, etc controls in the app are disabled the moment you connect to the speakers.

I am facing the same issue, its not only limited to Spotify it is also for Apple music. Volume needs to set at 50-60 for music streaming but for TV 20-30 is enough. I have arc ultra + sub. 

Hi ​@savadgan 

I’d be wary of comparing TV audio with streamed audio - there is no reason to expect two such different sources to be at the same gain level on the input.

Having said that, 50-60 does sound quite high if 20-30 is fine for TV.

Please follow the steps I gave in my previous post, thanks.

And please also compare some more streamed sources - do radio stations play at a higher perceived volume than Spotify and Apple Music, for example?

Are you playing via the Sonos app or via Airplay and Spotify Connect? If the latter then ensure your device volume is turned up enough before adjusting the Sonos speaker volume.

Completed diagnostics and sent you a PM with #

Thanks for the reply. 

I’ve followed the steps mentioned in the previous post, but unfortunately, the issue still persists. The low volume problem happens across all streaming platforms — including Sonos Radio.

I also tried adjusting the volume settings as suggested by Rhonny, but that didn’t make any noticeable difference. 

Hi ​@savadgan 

To be clear, the instructions I gave were not an attempt to fix this issue for you, but instructions for you to follow that will give us more data about the issue through customer-submitted diagnostics from the Sonos systems affected. You have not submitted any diagnositcs that I can see.

As you are reporting that this issue is more wide-spread (affecting more services) than the other users here, it is even more important that we get diagnostic from your system. Please follow all the instructions in my above, highlighted post to give us what we need to investigate this issue. Thank you.