Low Volume Control Very Poor

  • 4 February 2018
  • 19 replies
  • 1991 views

Userlevel 4
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The lack of sensitivity of the low level volume control makes adjusting the volume at low level very difficult/impossible.

We like to have music playing softly in the background at times.

It is difficult to adjust the volume to a easy listening soft level. Often it is either off or too loud.

I tried various methods on all the devices I own to adjust the volume and nothing gives adequate level of control.

Searching here on the community for "low volume control" indicates that there are many people complaining about this problem.

Why won't Sonos change the response curve of volume controls to give more granularity at lower end of curve to allow all of the Sonos customers that want to enjoy the music at a low level the ability to easily set the volume at a desired level.

All of you out there that have this same request please put in a Feature Request to Sonos to "Change response curve of volume controls to give more granularity at lower end of curve" lets see if we can get this done.

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19 replies

Userlevel 7
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Hi, jpfarrell. I find that muting the volume, then tapping on the slider once, to the right of the "dot", produces an almost inaudible level of sound. Have you not found this to be the case? Can you try that for me and let me know? I will be sure to forward your request regardless. Many thanks, let us know if you need anything else.
Userlevel 4
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Hi Edward R, Thanks for the reply.

I tried your suggestion but honestly do not see much difference in the control of the volume. I have different players in different rooms and getting them set to a pleasing volume is still very difficult.

I don't understand why Sonos can't provide a fix for this issue.

As you likely know, this have been discussed on this forum by many people for over a year. This exact same issue of no control at low volume.

I have to keep all the slider volume controls within 5% or less of the entire volume control length. Never do I have the volume over 25% even when we want it loud.

Can't a software fix be issued to allow an option of better control a lower end of volume scale?

thanks,

jpfarrell
Userlevel 2
Hi there,
I've been having the same issue with my Play 1s and it's driving me nuts. Typically, i can't play music in my bedroom on the evening because I can't lower the volume to something decent. I have the choice between too loud and no sound whatsoever. That happens whether i use the Sonos application or the volume button on the speakers. I'm literally thinking about switching to another brand because this is so annoying and so basic to fix.
Can we get an update please ?
Thanks.
Userlevel 4
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I've been asking for this for a long long time. Why can't Sonos do something about this? If you google this topic you will find many people with the same complaint.

SONOS????????
Userlevel 1
This is really anoying indeed, And should not be too difficult to solve, but at least we need more likes on the orignal post to get Sonos attention....
Userlevel 4
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I can't understand why Sonos can't make this simple mod????????????????
Userlevel 2
FIXED IT.

I went ahead and got myself a nice, cheap, water resistant, little Bluetooth box from Bose. Every evening, I turn off my Sonos and run the Bose from my phone. Works like a charm. Sound is great and volume control actually works.

Pathetic, I know. But true story unfortunately. Thanks for nothing, Sonos.
Userlevel 4
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I agree....Sonos support to loyal customers has really changed for the worse...can't understand why they would ignore all of us?????????
For many of us this feels like a parallel universe. Like Edward R, I find the music almost inaudible if I slide to zero then tap once on the slider to set minimum volume. Perhaps our hearing is going.
Userlevel 2
John B, how are from your speakers to you sit/lay when you listen to your Sonos? My room is quite small so the two P1 speakers are right next to the bed. I imagine if my room were bigger, that wouldn't be that much of an issue. That said, I've never owned a piece of audio equipment that I couldn't set to a minimum volume that worked for me before.
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This lack of volume control at low levels and ZERO customer support really sucks. Anyone have a good suggestion for a different competitors brand that doesn't have these problems but still has the good qualities of Sonos?
Totally agree. Sonos you're really letting your customers and your brand down on something that should be easily fixed. Socks up, get smart
@sonos: any news on this topic? Best solutions that the volume control is logaritmic: on the left side: expand the slide difference and reduce the volume width. Moving to the right: reduce the slide diffrence and expand the volume difference . It’s like in the old (not digital) days when you use logaritic potentiometers for volume control.
@sonos: any news on this topic? Best solutions that the volume control is logaritmic: on the left side: expand the slide difference and reduce the volume width. Moving to the right: reduce the slide diffrence and expand the volume difference . It’s like in the old (not digital) days when you use logaritic potentiometers for volume control.I am not at all sure that it is a linear scale now, but whatever.... Have you picked up the points that:

1. Tapping the bar rather than trying to slide gives quite fine control
2. Setting a maximum volume increases sensitivity.
Hi John, yes indeed it is better now
SOLUTION: Set the maximum volume limit for a specific room under Settings > Room Settings > [Room] > Volume Limit.
The volume scale then adjusts accordingly.
#Feature Request: Better Volume Control at Low Levels (I think a numerical control would be better to adjust lower volume levels)
Userlevel 2
It's still really hard to control at low levels. At night with others asleep, you need fine grain control to keep up with music that needs just a hair more or less volume. But the UI amounts to trying to drag tap or click a circle within a small portion of the volume slider, with inadequately small gradations.

Setting the max volume is a hack... I don't want to have to unduly limit this for when it's time to wail the tunes.

C'mon Sonos this irritating issue has been requested for 8 years. The solution is well understood, as others above have pointed out above. Can you fix it?

Changing the maximum volume does NOTHING to change the lowest volume setting. It just makes you increase how far up the slider bar you have to set your volume in order to go from mute to sound. Sonos, this is really aggravating. (Not to mention the fact that my paired speakers regularly unpair themselves so one goes mute...yet the volume is still loud enough on the lowest setting to be too loud.) First world problems but still really annoying.