System issue

Which music service(s) are you using, they all are different?

I am using Apple

I just noticed it also does that while watching TV. The volume goes up (very loud) and down

Doc,

When you say you’re using Apple, do you mean Apple TV hardware, feeding an unspecified TV?

I’m using Apple TV to feed both an LG and a Samsung, to an Arc, and I’m not seeing any fluctuations, using both Hulu and Apple TV. Can you provide more specifics.

I am using Apple subscription for music…. I do not have Apple TV

Ok, that’s useful. What speaker(s) are you playing on? What OS are these speakers running? What device is your controller on? What OS is running on that device? Have you uninstalled Apple Music from your Sonos, then reinstalled it? What kind of network are you running, and how are the Sonos connected to it? Have you unplugged all your Sonos devices from power, rebooted the router, waited two minutes, then plugged back in your Sonos devices, waited another two minutes, then tested? Have you called Sonos Support to discuss the issue? If so, what response did you get, as that might help us help you?

Since Apple Music is working well for so many people we need to discover what is going wrong with your setup. 

On the TV, what source are you watching on your TV when you get the volume changes? If you can replay the part where the volume changed, let us know if the volume changed at the same spot again.

Do,you have your Arc set up with your Sub? 

Are you using your Era or One speakers as surrounds? 

Are all Sonos using wifi or do you have some wired to Ethernet? 

I’ve suffered the same issue since the last update…

I cannot find a pattern, randomly, the music sounds insanely high just few seconds at the end of the song.

The setup is Arc - 300s - Sub3. Streaming through Amazon Music.

Making some tests, it only happens with Amazon through Sonos app, I don’t find the issue playing Spotify or AirPlay. 
It usually happens in HD tracks -last 12-8 s- or in Ultra HD -last 6-4 s- (but not in all of them) never in Atmos.

After two calls to support, check that the issue is not happening in the Amazon Music itself, just in Sonos one, uninstall Sonos app in all devices, reboot all the speakers, reinstall the app, reattach the Amazon service to the Sonos app, send diagnostics and invest one hour… I reach the level 2!

Level 2 asked me some more questions, another diagnostic and forward the case to engineering. 
Ill keep you updated.

Given that no one else seems to be reporting this, it certainly seems like a local issue of some type…but I can’t come up with a single thought as to why it’s happening at all, much less only on Amazon Music tracks. And given that Sonos uses the same ‘player’ software across all music streams, just pointing to different locations to get each, it certainly seems like it’s harder than average to point the metaphorical finger at Sonos, too. I’ll be interested in what level 2 support can find out. The only thing I can think of is some sort of interruption/data corruption in the stream you’re getting from Amazon…but that just really doesn’t track with ‘end of the songs’ much, either. 

Keep us posted, please. 

Oh, one thing to note (although it may not be relevant) is the server that Sonos contacts isn’t the same one that any other device (like Amazon Music apps) contact. Likely for tracking purposes. As to whether the data is the same or not, you’d have to speak with Amazon about, I have no idea if it’s different data sets or just a different port. 

Thanks for your answer. It’s quite strange, but as OP reported the exact same issue with Apple Music I don’t think the issue is in Amazon or Apple side. 

Level 2 just asked me the router model and some other missing information from the previous calls. We performed an additional diagnostic and the case has been forwarded to engineering, because the guy thought it should be a Sonos programming glitch.

I asked them to return to the previous SW version, but if OP had the issue one month ago and other Reddit users reported the same months ago, I don’t think it helps…

I listen to Amazon, stereo or Atmos depending on the Room I'm in and haven't seen this here.

Support is good at tracking down odd issues that only impact a few folks. With the diagnostic data they are far more likely to be able to see the cause than a user.

Returning to the 16.1 SW version would definitely help.

Have you got Crossfade on? Sometimes that can cause volume issues on transition between tracks.

Experiment with different Amazon settings, such as “Volume Normalization” and audio quality. Especially if Crossfade is enabled I can imagine some issues while changing formats during a Crossfade. Transitions between Dolby formats could be difficult.

I’ve it off in the Sonos app, and Amazon doesn’t have crossfade function, as far as I know.

Support has told me to change the DNS of the router, but same situation after change it. 
Desperate, I’ve started the whole system from the scratch, and the issue persists. 

So, now my option is to play Spotify and renounce to Atmos or keep using Amazon and pray to have a healthy heart. 

Thanks for the advice. I’ve tried but changing settings in Amazon doesn’t seem to work later in Sonos app. I mean, I modified the files quality or the Atmos/360 capability and nothing happens in Sonos app… it still reproduces in Atmos or Ultra HD, for example.

About the crossfade function, as far as I know, Amazon doesn’t have this feature available.

I may have missed it if mentioned earlier but the Sonos app has a crossfade option too.

I've been listening to Amazon, the "Sax Genius" Playlist on my 300 Pair for a few hours now with no issues. I did open the screen above to look at, but didn't change anything.  A few tracks later I got the very loud last few seconds problem here.

Two following tracks ended normally. Frustrating!

If it keeps happening I'll work on trying to isolate what started it and any possible cure.

Sorry to hear it, but also happy to know I’m not alone! Because it means that they’re going to pay attention if it affects more people! And the solution will come earlier. 

Could you try with Dire Straits - Six blade knife? It’s my testing track. Always happening no matter what I’m trying to do.

Which album? Amazon search finds many tracks.

Album is called also Dire Straits, from 1978.

Good you included the cover, there are two 1978 albums with it.

No problem with that track, tried the rest of them while I was there, also fine.

The spouse is not happy with you, she was enjoying her other saxophone music, apparently Dire Straits doesn't count. :-)

Edit, getting the volume bump on other tracks from the Dire Straits top songs list. 

Some of the albums of that era had no moment of music silence between “tracks”. The album side, or sections of the side, could be one continuous session recorded at a live performance.  In later years the ”tracks” were separated and compressed for release on CD’s and by music services. Without a moment of zero signal between logical “tracks”, I can imagine the signal compression software processing was not properly reset between what the humans consider to be the logical tracks. At the end of a “track” the compression algorithm would boost the crowd background noise, then be too slow to react when the new track started with a blast.

I’m sorry that I’m not expressing this very well. Consider the lead-in track on Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. If you were the compressor, how would you handle this track when you assume that you are processing for play in a noisy car?

Don’t know if this has anything to do with the Amazon Music issue.  Some of the songs in the Dire Straits Songs list are Dolby Atmos.  Don’t know if switching from HD-UHD to Dolby Atmos would cause a volume bump.