Renowned Enthusiast I

Spotify volume decreased?

Forum|Forum|1 year ago
May 10, 2025
82 replies
5159 views

Hello everyone,

Lately, I've noticed the volume level seems lower when integrating Sonos and Spotify. I've tested this on several Era 100s, Fives, and Sonos Ones, and I find myself needing to increase the volume significantly compared to last week. Do you know if there have been any recent changes to the Spotify integration volume? This occurs whether using Spotify Connect and the Sonos app. Do you have the same feeling?

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Pinned Reply By Mike H

Hey hey folks! Someone on Reddit called this out as well, so I did some digging to investigate what has changed. The short answer is that the volumes is perceived lower due to volume normalization.

Now for the longer answer:

Spotify gives us a volume normalization gain value to apply to each track. Earlier this year, we began applying this gain value whenever users use Spotify Connect. This change was needed because it helps with cases like loud advertisements that play between tracks, which can be very apparent and annoying, especially for free users. They might have experienced a jarringly loud ad when all they wanted was to listen to some chill, relaxing music.

Most of the gain values provided by Spotify are negative, which means they lower the volume. That’s why many users perceive this decrease in volume as a drop in quality, which isn’t the case.

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K

kdth_jhspk69Author

Renowned Enthusiast I

Hey hey folks! Someone on Reddit called this out as well, so I did some digging to investigate what has changed. The short answer is that the volumes is perceived lower due to volume normalization.

Now for the longer answer:

Spotify gives us a volume normalization gain value to apply to each track. Earlier this year, we began applying this gain value whenever users use Spotify Connect. This change was needed because it helps with cases like loud advertisements that play between tracks, which can be very apparent and annoying, especially for free users. They might have experienced a jarringly loud ad when all they wanted was to listen to some chill, relaxing music.

Most of the gain values provided by Spotify are negative, which means they lower the volume. That’s why many users perceive this decrease in volume as a drop in quality, which isn’t the case.

It would be great to have a setting in the Sonos app to change this behaviour. E.g let me choose to use or ignore the gain value. Spotify is my primary music service and I generally play via the Spotify app and use Spotify Connect.

As a side note, the lower volume seems way more noticeable at times as if the normalisation gain is different on the same tracks on different days. E.g a bit random!

Yes, in the last few days I have also noticed that. The normalization is higher or lower depending of the day. Very, very strange...

A

Anonymous

Hi there,
I’m new to using Spotify Connect and also new to this issue. When playing Spotify music directly through the Sonos app, to me it sounds completely different, like night and day, compared to using Spotify Connect.

I’ve read a few things about gain settings, but to me it almost sounds more like a compression issue. In the Sonos app, you can adjust the compression setting to Auto or On, but could Sonos please add a third option to turn compression completely off?

I believe that might solve this problem, though I could be wrong.
Any thoughts on this?

Airgetlam

Sonos plays what it is handed by the originating server, or it plays nothing at all. Any ‘differences’ you may be hearing are due to the source of data, not Sonos doing any ‘compression’.

Bruce

A

Anonymous

Understood. But if the source data is identical (Spotify Lossless), why the difference in sound quality? The playback via Spotify Connect sounds muffled and restrained, while the Sonos app provides a much clearer and more vibrant output.

Airgetlam

Perhaps ask Spotify, since they’re providing the data? Normally, I’d suggest that they’re two different sources (servers), so they may not be the same data, but someone wanted to argue the fact. And, if as you say, they’re both lossless, then I’d think they’re the same. But since Spotify is serving the data in both cases, it may be worth asking them.

Bruce

A

annedouwe

Lyricist I

I’ve just got a Move 2 and tried both the app and Spotify Connect. The difference is huge: volume is much lower and quality worse with Spotify Connect. Playing the same songs through the Sonos app makes them clearer and more vibrant.

Using AirPlay also improves quality compared with Spotify Connect.

U

Ultima

Lyricist I

I’ve just got a Move 2 and tried both the app and Spotify Connect. The difference is huge: volume is much lower and quality worse with Spotify Connect. Playing the same songs through the Sonos app makes them clearer and more vibrant.

Using AirPlay also improves quality compared with Spotify Connect.

I confirm using AirPlay retains quality and volume levels, crisp n clear 👌

P

pjbs

Lyricist I

Has there been any updates on this issue?

I've been dealing with it since the start of last year and it's very annoying.

M

mbnatafgi

Lyricist I

We need a toggle in Settings to customize this behavior. Having to readjust volume every time I switch between TV & Spotify Connect (which is pretty frequent throughout the day) is just as bad of an experience for subscribed users as it is for Free users who can experience loud Ads between tracks. Jumping from Spotify Connect to TV audio can be very loud too and annoying to the people sharing the household if volume wasn’t adjust before playing TV.

P.S. It’s insane to expect people who are buying premium speakers, such as Sonos Arc Ultra, to not have a premium music service subscription, and favor/tailor the experience accordingly.

Mike H

Retired Sonos Staff

Has there been any updates on this issue?

I've been dealing with it since the start of last year and it's very annoying.

Yup!

Nothing major, but I got word we are looking at a fix at the moment and should have it ready to launch within the next few months, provided we don’t hit any bugs with the implementation, of course. There is no fixed date yet, but I’ll make sure we call it out once the fix is ready.

How we survive is what makes us who we are - Rise Against

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