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Ask HN: Why is the default audio volume 100?
Almost all volume controls start at 100% by default. Whose idea was that? By the logic of volume regulation, it will certainly be too loud.
- fuzzfactor 2y agoMaybe by this measure if you "turn it up to 11" it wont hurt your ears?
- h2odragon 2y ago"almost all" probably counts a lot of phones, tablets, and "devices" with minuscule, minimalist speakers that cannot produce non-distorted sound at any loudness no matter what the volume setting is. most people don't care. they may or may not be able to perceive a difference. they want a "hear better" knob and this is what they have so they assume that's what it is.
- sixthDot 2y agogood question. That should go from -60 to 0. Oh well let's say from -80 to 0 ;)
- pestatije 2y agobecause it is understood youll regulate the volume with the headphones/loudspeakers own control
- bezo226 2y agoThe mere fact that an application provides you with a volume control suggests the idea of regulating volume with it. If the intention was to always use the headphones/loudspeakers' own control, why include a volume control at all?
- beardyw 2y agoBecause more people will complain about no sound than too loud sound. 100% probably means "as stored or received" l. Most sounds provided will be adjusted to be somewhat inside the ceiling before you get distortion. But perceived volume is dependent on many things like frequency. And audio compression, where volume peaks are lowered to allow the whole thing to be made louder is often used for ads, so they sound much louder.