3 ms·

Would be funny, if this is as useless as the Windows volume mixer itself, because as a person with OK hearing, you need to regulate volume between 0 and 5 out o

Would be funny, if this is as useless as the Windows volume mixer itself, because as a person with OK hearing, you need to regulate volume between 0 and 5 out of 100, while on GNU/Linux distros you could use it just fine. Imagine that in a scene: A: Hey, somehow it is super loud when I use this to regulate volume. How come yours is set so high? B: Ha, that's because you are regulating volume on Windows, where it maps 1 to 1 to the software volume mixer! A: frustrated stare at their screen showing a Windows desktop B: Having fun with volume regulation going wuuuuiii

Mashimo 3y ago
Can not confirm. On my windows I often regulate the volume between ~20 - ~80%
lukevp 3y ago
Sounds like your hardware isn’t set right. The volume of your hardware device should be set so that it’s barely above comfortable listening volume when your device is at 100%, and then the device attenuation works from there. You probably have the hardware volume maxed out, which is also bad because it tends to run the amplifier all-out which will use much more power and generate more heat, as well as having lower dynamic range because you’re only using a subset of the amp’s range if you’re keeping it at a comfortable listening volume.
- zelphirkalt 3y ago
  I never have my hardware "maxed out". Usually barely 50%. But anyway, all of my Windows using friends have the same problem and find it equally ridiculous. Seems like whatever Windows does by default on our machines is just a not working so well default.
  - bongodongobob 3y ago
    I've worked with hundreds and hundreds of users over a decade and this is not a thing, no idea what you're talking abut. Learn to set your gain properly on your external amplifier, it's a you problem, not Windows.
    - zelphirkalt 3y ago
      Your experience does not invalidate my experience. I have had the same bad behavior across multiple versions of Windows, using multiple different loudspeakers, headsets and headphones, all the while it worked perfectly well in GNU/Linux distributions, where I can set volume like a sane person would, instead of like on Windows, where I need to micro management between 1 and 5 out of 100. The fact, that this is a well known issue, that basically all my friends know about, having it right now, and in the past using various audio output devices themselves, tells me, that it is not a "me problem", but actually something that in general does not work so well in Windows. They have all accepted, that Windows volume mixer simply does this and that there is nothing that they can do. They are not regular GNU/Linux users like I am, so they are stuck with that. Consider, that you might be in some kind of bubble, with your fortunate experiences. Consider, that maybe you did not understand the problem I am describing well. Since you are talking about "external amplifiers", makes me doubt, that you understand correctly what I am talking about. Note, that I have already stated, that I do not put volume externally to any maximum, like someone claimed earlier. So either you claim, that I am lying, or you do not understand what I wrote. Perhaps you should rather ask questions about the issue and try to be helpful, instead of going on assuming and pretending the problem does not exist, when it very much does and you simply seem blissfully unaware of it. I also find your tone quite in conflict with this site's rules. It is quite rude.
      - bongodongobob 3y ago
        I think it does invalidate it. Working for MSPs and contracting I've seen more in 10 years than someone at one company sees in their entire career. I've never heard of this issue ever. 100s of users > than your one anecdote sorry.
        zelphirkalt 3y ago
        Meh, not really. The same way I could claim that yours is also just one anecdote. Otherwise we would be in the business of comparing how grand an anecdote we each can come up with. But how about we add more anecdotes from other people? You will find a lot of posts online, if you search for something like: "windows volume mixer too loud". For example: [1]: https://old.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/lfi6yr/default_sound_volume_too_loud_even_with_windows/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/lfi6yr/default_s... [2]: https://old.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/e7j44w/minimum_volume_in_windows_10_is_too_loud/ https://old.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/e7j44w/minimum... (ooops, this person even mentions the 5% like I did, haha) [3]: https://superuser.com/questions/1760843/how-do-i-make-the-windows-10-volume-controls-more-reasonable-quieter https://superuser.com/questions/1760843/how-do-i-make-the-wi... [4]: https://superuser.com/questions/432040/how-do-i-lower-the-hardware-volume-volume-too-high https://superuser.com/questions/432040/how-do-i-lower-the-ha... (yep, juuust like I remember, even back to Windows XP this issue goes) As another data point, one friend of mine bought an external audio interface, because of these and other annoyances in Windows and now regulates the volume using that.
magicalhippo 3y ago
I normally use between 20 and up 50 when I want it loud. I've set my external amplifier to suit this. I keep 50 "normal max" because sometimes I can be useful to be able to quickly go temporarily to 80-100 for really weak sources, without fiddling with the application or volume mixer. That said, I have experienced what you mention when using an external headphone DAC/amp combo where there's been a mismatch between the output impedance of the DAC/amp and the headphones, and no option to adjust output impedance. But that's hardly Windows' fault.

Mashimo 3y ago

Can not confirm. On my windows I often regulate the volume between ~20 - ~80%

lukevp 3y ago

Sounds like your hardware isn’t set right. The volume of your hardware device should be set so that it’s barely above comfortable listening volume when your device is at 100%, and then the device attenuation works from there. You probably have the hardware volume maxed out, which is also bad because it tends to run the amplifier all-out which will use much more power and generate more heat, as well as having lower dynamic range because you’re only using a subset of the amp’s range if you’re keeping it at a comfortable listening volume.

zelphirkalt 3y ago
I never have my hardware "maxed out". Usually barely 50%. But anyway, all of my Windows using friends have the same problem and find it equally ridiculous. Seems like whatever Windows does by default on our machines is just a not working so well default.
- bongodongobob 3y ago
  I've worked with hundreds and hundreds of users over a decade and this is not a thing, no idea what you're talking abut. Learn to set your gain properly on your external amplifier, it's a you problem, not Windows.
  - zelphirkalt 3y ago
    Your experience does not invalidate my experience. I have had the same bad behavior across multiple versions of Windows, using multiple different loudspeakers, headsets and headphones, all the while it worked perfectly well in GNU/Linux distributions, where I can set volume like a sane person would, instead of like on Windows, where I need to micro management between 1 and 5 out of 100. The fact, that this is a well known issue, that basically all my friends know about, having it right now, and in the past using various audio output devices themselves, tells me, that it is not a "me problem", but actually something that in general does not work so well in Windows. They have all accepted, that Windows volume mixer simply does this and that there is nothing that they can do. They are not regular GNU/Linux users like I am, so they are stuck with that. Consider, that you might be in some kind of bubble, with your fortunate experiences. Consider, that maybe you did not understand the problem I am describing well. Since you are talking about "external amplifiers", makes me doubt, that you understand correctly what I am talking about. Note, that I have already stated, that I do not put volume externally to any maximum, like someone claimed earlier. So either you claim, that I am lying, or you do not understand what I wrote. Perhaps you should rather ask questions about the issue and try to be helpful, instead of going on assuming and pretending the problem does not exist, when it very much does and you simply seem blissfully unaware of it. I also find your tone quite in conflict with this site's rules. It is quite rude.
    - bongodongobob 3y ago
      I think it does invalidate it. Working for MSPs and contracting I've seen more in 10 years than someone at one company sees in their entire career. I've never heard of this issue ever. 100s of users > than your one anecdote sorry.
      - zelphirkalt 3y ago
        Meh, not really. The same way I could claim that yours is also just one anecdote. Otherwise we would be in the business of comparing how grand an anecdote we each can come up with. But how about we add more anecdotes from other people? You will find a lot of posts online, if you search for something like: "windows volume mixer too loud". For example: [1]: https://old.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/lfi6yr/default_sound_volume_too_loud_even_with_windows/ https://old.reddit.com/r/Windows10/comments/lfi6yr/default_s... [2]: https://old.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/e7j44w/minimum_volume_in_windows_10_is_too_loud/ https://old.reddit.com/r/techsupport/comments/e7j44w/minimum... (ooops, this person even mentions the 5% like I did, haha) [3]: https://superuser.com/questions/1760843/how-do-i-make-the-windows-10-volume-controls-more-reasonable-quieter https://superuser.com/questions/1760843/how-do-i-make-the-wi... [4]: https://superuser.com/questions/432040/how-do-i-lower-the-hardware-volume-volume-too-high https://superuser.com/questions/432040/how-do-i-lower-the-ha... (yep, juuust like I remember, even back to Windows XP this issue goes) As another data point, one friend of mine bought an external audio interface, because of these and other annoyances in Windows and now regulates the volume using that.

magicalhippo 3y ago

I normally use between 20 and up 50 when I want it loud. I've set my external amplifier to suit this. I keep 50 "normal max" because sometimes I can be useful to be able to quickly go temporarily to 80-100 for really weak sources, without fiddling with the application or volume mixer. That said, I have experienced what you mention when using an external headphone DAC/amp combo where there's been a mismatch between the output impedance of the DAC/amp and the headphones, and no option to adjust output impedance. But that's hardly Windows' fault.