Songs Play at Low Volume with Sonos

[r-willis]

I have a playlist created on pandora and play it on my sonos system via desktop.   Random songs play at much lower volume than others.  I can increase the volume but when that song is done, the next song plays at regular volume and is not considerably louder as it is playing at normal sound.

mod edit: changed title for clarity

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @r-willis. 👋

Thanks for posting about this.

Something to keep in mind is we don't alter music equalization on Pandora from how it appears on the original releases, unlike terrestrial radio, which compresses the entire broadcast. As a result, some songs sound louder than others. However, we do use the Replay Gain technique that encodes a fixed volume adjustment into the mp3/mp4 header so that the actual player (web browser, phone or device) can adjust volume just as the track begins playing. If there are vast differences, it could also be due to different instrumentation or arrangements causing different apparent levels of volume where the actual decibel levels are the same.

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Could you share a bit more about what you're experiencing?

• Is this a new issue or has this happened for bit?
• Also, does this also happen when you stream your tunes from the Pandora Desktop App for Windows 10?
• Or, does this only occur when you connect to your Sonos device?
• Lastly, are you using the Sonos controller app?

Let me know. 🎧

[SarahMooreClick]

This has been happening a ton to me as well.   Streaming or playlists it doesn't matter.   It's awful, there is no rhyme or reason for which songs are loud and which quiet.   I play straight from the app plugged into my receiver and over my speakers on my house.   I'd like to just hit play and go about my day but I am constantly having to go back to my receiver and adjust the volume.  I thought it was my android so I got a new android device and downloaded pandora again and it still happens, so I swapped my devices out one more time, and it still happens constantly.    It is a fairly new issue, I'd say it started happening a lot late February or very early March 2021.

[AlyssaPandora]

Hi there, @SarahMooreClick. 👋

Sorry to hear that you're having trouble with the volume during your listening sessions.

Could you tell me a bit more about your set up?

• Are you using a Sonos device?
• Or, are you using a different receiver? If so, what is the make and model?
• Does this happen when you listen exclusively from your Android device too?

Let me know. 🎧

[SarahMooreClick]

I'm not even sure what a sonos device is.  My receiver is a Pioneer VSX-1122, it happens when I listen from the Pandora app on my ipod, or my android devices.   It didn't used to happen at all.   It just started in late February or very early March.