Lower minumum volume level


Userlevel 3
The lowest volume is too high. I'd like to make use of the sleep-function of the play 3. Works flawlessly, but the lowest volume is still too high. Please set the lowest volume to be less loud, so i can fall asleep peacefully with some music.

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143 replies

Badge +1
Agree!
Userlevel 3
Can't be that i'm the only one running into this issue? 🙂
Userlevel 5
Badge +12
Also me, and I have written some posts on fade in & fade out step which are fixed and graceful.
It is indeed difficult to set or change low volume from the app (volume control is too small and maybe a +- should be added) and from the speaker (too high sensitivity).
Badge +3
Are you setting the volume on the device or on your phone?

I find that setting it on the device gives a very narrow range of volume. One minute it's loud and the next it's silent. Yet on mobile app you have a much greater range for volume.

I have no idea why the volume steps vary from device to mobile. It's a right pain as it means when I'm in bed I have to adjust volume on my phone instead of just on the device that's right there by my bed.
Userlevel 3
I'm setting it through both phone and sonos. Problem is, it turns off too soon. I'd like to have more steps at lower volume, so that i can set it a bit more quiet.
Userlevel 1
Totally agree !
Userlevel 1
I could not agree more - lack of this low level volume is the reason I need to kick Sonos Play:1 out of my bedroom - simply too loud to sleep with the music on. I need to say "welcome back" to my old Sqeezebox I guess.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Have you tried going into the equalizer setting and turning Bass and Treble all the way down.  That should lower the overall sound level of the speaker in general.
Userlevel 7
Badge +22
Make sure loudness is turned off as well in the equalizer
Userlevel 1
I did try both turning off loudness as well as bass and treble. Unfortunately it is still 50% too loud
Userlevel 3
Any news on this Sonos?

Still having nightly fights with my girlfriend about the volume levels :)

should be a quick fix, i presume?
I have the same problem on my Play 1. Minimum volume is too high!
I just listened to a brand new Play 1 and it seems Sonos fixed the issue on the newest ones... Why not on the older ones via firmware/software update?
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
I have the same problem on my Play 1. Minimum volume is too high!
I just listened to a brand new Play 1 and it seems Sonos fixed the issue on the newest ones... Why not on the older ones via firmware/software update?


The volume scale should be identical across all PLAY:1s running the same software. All of our updates are available for all players, so older PLAY:1 units can run the same software as one picked off the shelf today.

We don't have any direct plans available for changing the volume scale on players but I'll pass your concern over to our team for you.
Hi
Has the minimum level raised quite recently? We're on the BETA programme and on our Play:1 the level seems to be noticeably higher for us at bed time.

Chris
I have the same problem here.
The minimum volume level is NOT low enough. I can not imagine that this can not be fixed easily
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
There haven't been any specific changes to the minimum volume as of late, but I'll pass on the interest from you guys to the team. Just to get some more information to share, is there a specific player you've found to have too high of a low volume?

Also, have you gone into the EQ settings and turned off "Loudness"? It doesn't directly relate to the volume the player is at, but it can make a difference.
Hi Ryan,
I did not mention that problem was introduced by an upgrade or change lately. I observe the problem already from the beginning I bought the system. The lowest volume is not low enough.
When my tv is connected I do not observe the problem. When playing via spotify, tune-in or NAS the problem is always there.
Switching off loudness does not bring any solution.
Maybe to mention, I have a Sonos 5.1 system with playbar, sub and 2x play3
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
Thanks for the details RogerRabbit. Chriswisemanuk had asked above if the volumes had changed recently.

The TV volume tends to be a bit lower than music playback in general, but low volume should still be low. I'll pass on the feedback for you. Have you tried adjusting the volume in different ways to get it at the lowest possible setting? TV remote will adjust the volume or you could use the volume buttons on a mobile controller to get fine control over the adjustments over the volume slider. The volume will still have the same lowest volume options, but it might be easier to hit 3% instead of 5% using the buttons (as an example).
Hello Ryan, I tried to adjust the volume in different ways. I have the Sonos app installed on my iPad and iPhone. Using the slider or volume buttons on iPhone or iPad does not make any different. You are right that the volume out of the tv is lower. When the slider is on approx 10% the sound from the tv is almost off.
What I also observe (when using spotify or tune-in) is that there is no difference noticable between the last 2 slider steps before the sound is muted.
The highest volumes are too high, I never use them. I'd like te be able to fine tune the lower volumes in an easy way using my iPad or computer. My suggestion is two volumebars instead of one: one for the first 10% and one for the other 90% of possible volume. It's like being able to "zoom in" on the lower spectrum.
Userlevel 7
Badge +26
The highest volumes are too high, I never use them. I'd like te be able to fine tune the lower volumes in an easy way using my iPad or computer. My suggestion is two volumebars instead of one: one for the first 10% and one for the other 90% of possible volume. It's like being able to "zoom in" on the lower spectrum.

Interesting suggestion, I'll pass it on to the team for you. On the high end, I do know plenty of people who love upsetting their neighbors and playing some tracks as loud as possible. Thanks!
In my case we hardly ever use volumes in the highest 60% of the slider bar. We're mostly fiddling in the first few pixels to get a good background music volume.

My suggestion: It would be great if I could set the upper value of the slider in my settings. In that way I could use the entire range of the volume slider.
I run into the same issue. This is the reason why I have sold both my Play 5's. I used a Play5 in the kitchen and 1 Play5 in the home office. But for both rooms, the minimum volume was too loud. In my experience, the Play1 lowest volume is definitely lower than a Play5's. I now use a single Play1 in my office room and 2 Play 1's in the kitchen. A single Play1 in the kitchen (40m2) lacked "punch", so I placed an extra Play1 there. This improved sound, but now the minimum volume is too loud again... Guess I move back to the single Play1 in the kitchen. The single Play1 in the office (20m2) is perfect.

To my experience, the best volume finetuning/ lowest volume is obtained via the app (iPad/ iPhone). On the devices themselves, the volume "steps" are too big. I never use a Sonos (Play 1, Play 5, Connect:amp) above the 25% volume level.

My suggestion for improved volume control would be to 1) keep the single volume slider for the "big steps"; 2) next to that add an insert box which ranges from 0-100 (either a pull-down menu of free insert), for the "finetuning". The slider position should then change accordingly and vice versa. 3) Also, add a maximum volume increase/ "Party Blast" button which is standard in "non-selected mode". E.g., looking at my current Play 1 volume levels, it has a maximum volume level. If you guys implement the suggestions that I made under 1) and 2) for the range 0-50% of my current Play1, and add 50% by enabling this "Party Blast" button, then the slider gets double the accuracy already from which it has now.

Keep in mind, I would really like to buy/ have a Play5 for my kitchen but I am stuck to a Play1, just because of this minimum volume level issue! In simple English for Sonos Sales guys: this issue costs you sales, mr. Sonos! 😉.

The solution should be just software related, or is there a hardware reason that each speaker maybe has a minimum volume cut-off point?
I agree that the volume level needs greater control at the lower end. I have just moved from a Connect amp with Speakers and Sub to Play 1 and Sub.

I had no problems achieving a good listening level with the Connect and usually had it about a third of the way up. Now with the Play 1 set up the volume slider is barely moved from the bottom and fine control is almost impossible.

These threads on this issue are over two years old so it looks like Sonos will not address this, but i wish they would understand that not everyone wants to blast it out all the time and greater control at the lower end is a simple request that could be easily implemented.