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StefSonos
Contributor I
January 27, 2017
Answered

Minimum Volume is too loud to enjoy background music

The minimum volume on a Play 1 for instance (volume level 1) is too loud to let the music play as background.
It's "no music" or "too loud music" on volume level 1 Nothing in between. Ideally I could lower the music volume like an old amplifier. It's as simple as that. We use the Sonos system on the lowest volume side and the minimum volume is just way too high. I'm surprised that nobody else raises this.
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    Ryan S
    Ryan SAnswer
    Retired Sonos Staff
    October 9, 2018
    Hi everyone, starting today with Sonos 9.2 there's the ability to use the mobile controller for Android or iOS to set a maximum volume for each of your Sonos players. The reason I bring it up in here, is that if you have the maximum volume set at 50%, the whole volume bar will still go from 0-100, but 100% will now reflect what your volume limit is set to. This has the added benefit of being able to get more granular control of players at low volume, as the volume steps will scale up or down with the max volume.

    So, if you never set your players above a certain volume, this is a great chance to improve the control at lower volumes. Play around with it and see if this helps.
    Mark good posts by pressing the like button, and select the best answer on questions you've asked to help others find solutions.
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    186 replies

    Stuart_W
    Stuart_W
    World-Class Superstar
    January 27, 2017
    You aren't the first so Sonos are aware that a few customers note this.
    Arc + Sub (Gen 1) + 2 x Play 1/ Stereo Play 3s/ Era 100 Stereo in Kitchen, One Stereo in Bedroom, Play 1 stereo pair in Study, Play 1in Bathroom, Sonos Move 2
      Peksi
      Lyricist III
      January 27, 2017
      I would also enjoy more control for low volume levels.
        JeremyShorr
        Contributor I
        January 28, 2017
        I feel like I'm missing something here.

        I do tend to listen to music loudly, so I went up to my bedroom to test quiet music on a play:1.

        Using the slider I can go from total silence to so quiet it can't be heard in a quiet room unless near the speaker and on up incrementally.

        What am I not understanding?
        Peksi
        Lyricist III
        January 28, 2017
        I don't have ipad or other tablet in use. Those may have larger volume control, I don't know.

        When I use the app in my phone, the control tends to be too small. It's difficult to control the volume with my large fingers especially in the low end. It would be great to zoom in to the controls, giving more room for small adjustments. Or the app could be used horizontally as it would give more space for the volume control, meaning larger volume slider.

        When using the PC app control is very small as well.
        DietmarL
        Lyricist I
        February 4, 2017
        Same here, PLAY:1 in the bedroom: the minimum volume is too loud, trying to lower the volume the music is off then. No matter if controlling through iPad, iPhone or the volume button on the PLAY:1
          Piotr_5
          Lyricist II
          February 18, 2017
          Lowering minimum volume is the most wanted feature for me these days. I have tried iPhone and iPad controller as well as - on the speaker. Level 1 is much too loud for background music, especially during night. As a long time Sonos user I could see this is coming back over and over again and it is still not solved. Sonos, please...
            johncanter
            Enthusiast II
            February 18, 2017
            I feel like I'm missing something here.

            I do tend to listen to music loudly, so I went up to my bedroom to test quiet music on a play:1.

            Using the slider I can go from total silence to so quiet it can't be heard in a quiet room unless near the speaker and on up incrementally.

            What am I not understanding?

            Did you do this at 3am in the morning? If you did this during the day the there would be too much ambient noise.

            Set your alarm, try again and report back.
              Kumar
              February 19, 2017

              Using the slider I can go from total silence to so quiet it can't be heard in a quiet room unless near the speaker and on up incrementally.

              What am I not understanding?
              I don't understand either; and control, that I just tried on the Mac, works well too. One has to keep tapping with the cursor arrow on the left or the right of the button to have it move in incremental small steps that give fine enough control. Dropping volume this way on the Android with a finger tapping to the left of the button is a little difficult though, because of how close the mute button is to the slider button at low volumes.
              PS: and what is Level 1 - no such thing marked or indicated anywhere, AFAIK.
              HighEndMusic
              Prodigy I
              February 22, 2017
              To get to the lowest possible volume, I slide the slider all the way to the left (zero volume) and tap on the line once to the dot's right. Is this how everyone is doing it?
              Kumar
              February 23, 2017
              That's a good way to do it, but when I just did it on my Mac controller at my desk in a quiet room, with speakers flanking the computer and close to my ears, it took me a couple of taps - more like 4 - before I could hear music with some clarity. Hence I remain puzzled as to why this too loud complaint is made.

              And the same results from my handheld.
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