Standard Audio Volume

oufc1976

oufc1976

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Not a thread to discuss the various pros and cons of each audio upgrade option, but to discuss a specific observation I've made.

Playing via any source but most obvious via iPod, there is a noticable increase in volume from 0 through to 25. But 25 to 35 seems to have a minimal affect.

iPod volume set to max, input volume set to max and GALA is OFF.

When you go from 25 upwards there appears to be a momentary increase in volume but then it drops off.

I'm happy with the overall results from the standard system, but it feels like it's being stifled at the top end.

Anyone else notice this?
 
I value (what's left of) my hearing, so I doubt I'll ever go as high as 25, let alone anywhere near 35 (I have the Audi Sound system anyway). :sm4:

It may well be that there's a limiter in there somewhere, though.
 
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OT-but Seriously i havent got a straight foward answer on the Bass from the audio system.Standard vs Audi Sound System vs B&O?Especially the b&o id like to know about since that is what I went with.Does it have a strong low bass so that i wouldnt need to put it to 25 volume?
 
Back to the OP's question I've noticed something similar. I play all my music through my BT on my nexus 5 through Spotify. I have my music pretty loud for example volume 25. When there is an instrument it stays on pretty loud and then the base kicks in it turns itself down. It's like it's reached the max output volume and won't go any louder. It's like when you have a crazy old system and you turn it up its distorted and crackly. Well it's like the mmi is stopping itself from doing this.
 
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If you'll excuse the pun this sounds very much like a limiter is in place, as I said before. Probably the amp is designed to do that so that it doesn't go into self destruct, or at least heavy clipping/distortion if the output becomes too much for it.
 
When I listen to radio the volume is usually at either 2 or 3... when I listen to music from my phone i usually go to around 5. Why on earth would you want to turn it up to 35 ?
 
Schizophonic said:
Back to the OP's question I've noticed something similar. I play all my music through my BT on my nexus 5 through Spotify. I have my music pretty loud for example volume 25. When there is an instrument it stays on pretty loud and then the base kicks in it turns itself down. It's like it's reached the max output volume and won't go any louder. It's like when you have a crazy old system and you turn it up its distorted and crackly. Well it's like the mmi is stopping itself from doing this.
Click to expand...

I noticed mine doing this with the volume going down automatically, as if it's stopping itself from blowing the speakers, I tend to play my fav tunes at around 25, no higher usually
 
Anarch said:
Why on earth would you want to turn it up to 35 ?
Click to expand...
To feel the music... I can understand people not liking loud music, but good, loud music becomes visceral. I have the *** - it goes loud but not visceral loud (where you feel the objects around you move). Some people get loud music, others do not.... one of the reasons I live in a detached house is to not annoy neighbours too much :)
 
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deolanp said:
OT-but Seriously i havent got a straight foward answer on the Bass from the audio system.Standard vs Audi Sound System vs B&O?Especially the b&o id like to know about since that is what I went with.Does it have a strong low bass so that i wouldnt need to put it to 25 volume?
Click to expand...

You can adjust the bass and the sub output from the tone menu. You'll be able to pump up the bass a bit... most users have said the bass is a little lacking and most users on the B&O topics have suggested they've increased both bass and sub output. It's not going to be thumping like a decent sub with independent amp but enough to satisfy most people.
 
Schizophonic said:
Back to the OP's question I've noticed something similar. I play all my music through my BT on my nexus 5 through Spotify. I have my music pretty loud for example volume 25. When there is an instrument it stays on pretty loud and then the base kicks in it turns itself down. It's like it's reached the max output volume and won't go any louder. It's like when you have a crazy old system and you turn it up its distorted and crackly. Well it's like the mmi is stopping itself from doing this.
Click to expand...

Yup, exactly as you describe. Makes sense that it doesn't want to blow the speakers, but that suggests to me that the speakers have been poorly matched to the modest internal amplifier.
 
Anarch said:
When I listen to radio the volume is usually at either 2 or 3... when I listen to music from my phone i usually go to around 5. Why on earth would you want to turn it up to 35 ?
Click to expand...

My hearing must be damaged then because I'd barely hear anything at 2 or 3! :)

But it's not that I consistently listen to music at 35, I was just testing what the system was capable of and made the observation.

That said, the source material dramatically affects how much you have to crank it up. CD and Lossless are more than loud enough at 25, but I've noticed that reduced bitrate MP3s need an extra push from the amp.
 
Think I may have cracked it.

I realised I had some of the same music on my SD that I had on my iPod. And when I played them I didn't have the issue.

So I unplugged the iPod and discovered I had the "Sound Check" setting on.

I was under the impression this only affected the headphone circuitry but I've done a couple of miles with it off and the issue seems to have gone.

On the way home tonight it was so bad it was like someone was turning the volume up and down quickly.

Fingers crossed it's sorted
 
That's the sound limiter embedded in your ipod. If the music tries to surpass a limit your 'sound check' setting will stop this. Like someone mentioned on this thread. It's the mmi internal amp that is stopping sound going through the speakers at a certain frequency.
 
Schizophonic said:
That's the sound limiter embedded in your ipod. If the music tries to surpass a limit your 'sound check' setting will stop this. Like someone mentioned on this thread. It's the mmi internal amp that is stopping sound going through the speakers at a certain frequency.
Click to expand...

I understand what the setting does on the iPod and assumed it had an affect. But you are right, as today I tested leaving the volume up at high levels and adjusting the bass. As the bass increases, the volume decreases. So it's definitely some soft of control from the amp.

Just going to have to find a way to get used to it!
 
I think that many mp3 players these days, possibly due to EU rules, have limits to prevent damge to your ears when using headphones...
 
Somebody should just try ptesting this with a song from the sd card with no possiblity of a 'limiter'....thenwe,l know if its the car or the ipod for sure
 
You can adjust the dB output of the system with VCDS by increments of 3dB I think, so in other words your current full volume (say 35) will then be 25 enabling you to turn it up further.
 
This is beginning to proper do my Swede in now.

CD playback seems ok, but both SD and iPod show the same trait.

Thing that's making me question it all again is that it's happening and normal volume levels too, it's just harder to pick out
 
On my A4 the radio has completely different eq and volume settings to either of my media sources, could it be that simple? If not I'd say it was down to your source music files.
 
Audi Toby! said:
On my A4 the radio has completely different eq and volume settings to either of my media sources, could it be that simple? If not I'd say it was down to your source music files.
Click to expand...

99% sure the settings are universal and (edit: NOT) media specific.

Agree with constvoid as never had volume that high. Volume 17 once was as loud as I could bear.

John.
 
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Even the wife noticed it today at normal volumes. It's as if the GALA control is knackered
 
arad85 said:
Not sure what you are saying here, but I think different inputs have different tone settings....
Click to expand...

I was thinking exactly the opposite. ie they are universal settings regardless of source (at least on non-tech pack)

Curious who is right - that's the beauty of a forum ;-)

John.
 
Can't believe some people listen to music on 2-3 or 5 max?
I listen to the B&O at 45 (max is 49) sometimes :haha:
 
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Some of the 'tone' settings are unique.

So for the standard system, Bass and Treble are per source.

But fade and GALA are the same across all sources. Which makes sense.

Can't comment on *** or B&O but the standard system highlights poor recordings and bitrates.

I've tested a number of formats on iPod, SD Card and the CD player itself, and lossless via iPod is clearly the best sound...even better than CD which suggests a fairly mediocre CD transport is fitted.

The upside of CD playback though is that it doesn't appear to suffer from this volume issue I have. Although that could just be that the CDs I've tested to date aren't putting strain on the amp
 
Only going to suggest getting it read with VCDS for fault codes in the Radio and Sound System modules as this will shop up more than just a generic fault code finder will, up to you mate.
 
Audi Toby!:2126811 said:
Only going to suggest getting it read with VCDS for fault codes in the Radio and Sound System modules as this will shop up more than just a generic fault code finder will, up to you mate.
Click to expand...

Fair shout. Is there a thread on here that explains how to do it and what kit you need because I know squat about VCDS
 
Well, after putting up with this problem for a couple of weeks now, it has finally beat me in to submission.

So, I've removed all non-lossless music from my iPod and turned the bass down and so long as I don't push the volume to the max, it's fairly stable.

I checked retrofit prices and it's a non starter! (Been quoted £3k by one company just for ***!)

For my non-lossless music I will just put that on to an SD card, so I am forced to make a conscious decision on quality when changing source; the standard system is so transparent though that it makes most of it painful to listen to.

The thing that bugs me most about this whole thing is that I originally specced the car with ***, but was given a June delivery date. Got offered the option of the exact same car in two weeks if I dropped the ***. A bit of a regret now. Although to be fair my car I had died 3 days before I picked up the Audi, so I probably made the right decision in that respect.
 
Didn't realise it was down to your quality. Ive had so many problems with quality since I've changed the B&O, it really highlights bad music quality from the good! I will only ever use 320 Kbps in MP3 as it is a good compromise between quality and storage capacity. 44,000 kHz sample rate minimum.
 
Audi Toby!:2134979 said:
Didn't realise it was down to your quality. Ive had so many problems with quality since I've changed the B&O, it really highlights bad music quality from the good! I will only ever use 320 Kbps in MP3 as it is a good compromise between quality and storage capacity. 44,000 kHz sample rate minimum.
Click to expand...

Its not cured by sticking just to Lossless, but with a tweaking of the bass it at least becomes tolerable. And that's the best I can describe it...tolerable.

It's easily the worst audio system I've ever had. Not because it's just plain bad, but because it's ridiculously fickle.

My wifes standard set up in her new Corsa is better in so much that it's consistantly listenable and doesn't dictate to you how loud you should listen to your music.

The Audi system tortures low bit rate music and runs for the hills when you dare turn the volume up.
 
mjcourtney said:
Tone settings are individual to the media source. Or at least, they are on my tech pack with B&O.
Click to expand...

Must be only on tech pack. My none tech pack has one universal tone setting regardless of source.
 
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