[sixz]

How do you adjust the minimum output sound level/volume ?


I have two options from the slider in the sound preferences in
the system prefs, output volume loud or mute.

Thanks - optimistically shouted out, in advance.

[wataru]

The minimum sound level is always zero; I don't think there is a way to change that, as that would prevent you from muting the sound. The maximum, however, is set by the slider at the very bottom of the Sound prefpane.

[sixz]

Originally posted by wataru:
The minimum sound level is always zero; I don't think there is a way to change that, as that would prevent you from muting the sound. The maximum, however, is set by the slider at the very bottom of the Sound prefpane.

I am sorry maybe I did not explain/phrase my question properly.


I can mute the system sounds volume by pulling
the slider to the extreme left - thats OK but if I
pull the slider once muted a tiny faction to
the right the volume is immediately very high. There seems
to be no gradual increase - just loud, very loud etc...


If I drag the sound menu extra slider down to the lowest
setting it's muted the system sound, but a little drag upwards
and it's loud again, too loud.

Just hoped there was something in the prefs or settings I was
missing in order for the minimum sound actually audible could
somehow be lessened.

[msuper69]

What type of hardware do you have that controls the audio? If it's non-standard Apple stuff maybe that's part of the problem.

I'm using a Cube with SoundSticks and the sliding control works like one would expect.

[Developer]

[Didn't know what I'm talking about]

[msuper69]

Originally posted by Developer:
I know what you mean.

The problem is that the system volume slider works linearly, i. e. going from 0 box to 1 box is the same change in sound volume as going from 1 to 2 or from 15 to 16. The human hearing however works logarithmically. That means we can hear differences in sound volume at low volume much better than differences in volume at high volume. That's why we hear going from 1 to 2 as much bigger change than going from 15 to 16. Real world example: If it's totally silent in a library and someone whispers that can be annoyingly loud. If you're standing at an airport under a starting Boeing and someone whispers that doesn't make a perceived difference at all - even though it's objectively the same increase in sound volume.

Apple fixed iTunes recently to have a logarithmic volume slider. But not the system slider.

Strange but the system sound works in a logarithmic fashion on my Cube. Dunno why but it does. I can drag the control and the sound changes even between the different click stops.

[Developer]

Originally posted by msuper69:
Strange but the system sound works in a logarithmic fashion on my Cube.

Really? Than scratch what I said above. Was nonsense.