Contributor I

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Minimum Volume is too loud to enjoy background music

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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 SAnswer

Retired Sonos Staff

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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S

Sounding

Trending Lyricist I

We have playbar in lounge and One in kitchen. So, having Voice Control via One is not convenient anyway. That’s why I bought an Amazon Flex to enable voice control on playbar.

Ken_Griffiths

Not sure if I am missing something - but we have Sonos One with Alexa, and asking for volume to 1 actually sets to 10%. Similarly asking for 1% sets to 0 (muted). 5 (%) = 50%.
Besides that is on Play One. I don’t seem to be able to use One to set Playbar volume.

Any ideas?

Install SVC alongside Alexa and try it with that assistant. Alexa does not have the granularity level of volume control like SVC. Alexa works with integer values where the scale is 1=10% volume level. It’s unfortunately how the Amazon assistant works on Sonos. SVC can be installed alongside aswell and that allows volume values between 1% upto 100% - so maybe give that a try.

S

Sounding

Trending Lyricist I

Not sure if I am missing something - but we have Sonos One with Alexa, and asking for volume to 1 actually sets to 10%. Similarly asking for 1% sets to 0 (muted). 5 (%) = 50%.
Besides that is on Play One. I don’t seem to be able to use One to set Playbar volume.

Any ideas?

Install SVC alongside Alexa and try it with that assistant. Alexa does not have the granularity level of volume control like SVC. Alexa works with integer values where the scale is 1=10% volume level. It’s unfortunately how the Amazon assistant works on Sonos. SVC can be installed alongside aswell and that allows volume values between 1% upto 100% - so maybe give that a try.

Not sure what you mean by ‘Install SVC alongside Alexa and try it with that assistant’?
Can you clarify, please?

We have Alexa added in S2 Sonos app. Do you mean another app? Or…?

Ken_Griffiths

We have playbar in lounge and One in kitchen. So, having Voice Control via One is not convenient anyway. That’s why I bought an Amazon Flex to enable voice control on playbar.

I dont really think I can help you. Maybe add a portable Roam to your lounge with SVC installed, or just use the Sonos App and volume limiter (if required), or perhaps see if the TV remote volume control itself will help.

You can temporarily add SVC to the Kitchen ‘One’ at least, just to see if it provides you with the volume granularity required and if so, then get the Roam installed on a Qi charger in the lounge.

Ken_Griffiths

@Sounding,
SVC is ‘Sonos Voice Control’ - it’s available to install alongside Alexa via the S2 Sonos App - goto ‘Settings/Services & Voice’ to add the assistant to your Sonos One and/or see this LINK.

See this link too for the available SVC syntax:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/list-of-voice-requests-for-sonos-voice-control

S

Sounding

Trending Lyricist I

SVC is ‘Sonos Voice Control’ - it’s available to install alongside Alexa via the S2 Sonos App - goto ‘Settings/Services & Voice’ to add the assistant to your Sonos One and/or see this LINK.

See this link too the available SVC syntax:

https://support.sonos.com/en-us/article/list-of-voice-requests-for-sonos-voice-control

Thank you.
I installed svc on One and it does provide that granular control. Hey Sonos seems to be a bit temperamental though. Not always understanding commands. Useful to be able to group and ungroup speakers via voice too - although more a novelty with new toy!

Something like Roam is probably the way forward. But for now max volume setting and tv remote is a decent workaround. Thanks again.

L

LordAttilas

Lyricist III

So my Sonos where flawless since the last 6 years. I have 9 Sonos speakers, mainly using Apple Music service and no voice service of any sort. Since some time I just found that the minimal playback volume (Setting it at 1 without any max volume limit) is pretty loud and just cannot use the system when kids a sleeping and using the S2 Controller.

I have found that using AirPlay to my Play:5 grouped with all other speakers is my only way to play at much lower volume. Official Apple music Airplaying to Play:5 at volume 10/100 is about the same than S2 app with Apple service at volume 1/100.

Please fix this issue, the speaker are definitely capable playing lower volume. Look like to me that Sonos is pushing out too much products recently and crippling the basic feature that made them standout. Keep Sonos good for music and TV...

T

Traveller

Have you used the maximum volume, I note you mention it. I find it great at allowing more control over low volumes. Seems to me they have fixed the issue as Ryan above notes. Loud volume if or when you want it - great control over low volume at the flick of a virtual switch.

Richard

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LordAttilas

Lyricist III

Have you used the maximum volume, I note you mention it. I find it great at allowing more control over low volumes. Seems to me they have fixed the issue as Ryan above notes. Loud volume if or when you want it - great control over low volume at the flick of a virtual switch.

Well with maximum volume set at 50% it does help with the slider that is more precise but if we set volume at one the sound is muted. If I set max volume at 25% I then have muted volume for step 1,2 and 3. And still at the first step the sound is heard it is still way too much lound.

However I found yesterday that it was the Apple Music service sources that is louder that others. If I use the YouTube music service for example I have much better lower volume at 1/100 compared with Apple Music.

Might be good for Sonos to add a “Per service” volume ratio or something like this to have consistency between different music source. So it might not be Sonos fault finally (Sorry about that Sonos !) but still I have no control to fix it other than streaming with Airplay out to grouped speaker.

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Supertramper

Lyricist I

The minimum volume actually depends on the streaming service. While it might not be SONOS fault, they have the power to fix the issue through their app. And they should.

Here is a workaround for iOS + Spotify users: Open the Spotify app, go to “playback” settings and set the volume level to “quiet”. If you then stream from Spotify via AirPlay, the minimal volume will be pleasantly quiet.

Hope this helps some of you.

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