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(Commercials) OUCH! Far too loud!

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(Commercials) OUCH! Far too loud!

I was listening to some soundtracks. Sometimes they tend to have a little dynamic so i cranked up the volume... Then, from nowhere there was a fully normalized commercial for some plastic-compressor-pop. This hurts
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Marked as solution

Here is a solution I found that has worked for the problem with the ads being so loud:

 

Set the volume on the Spotify application at the maximum, then adjust the volume of the computer or speaker device.   I have done this for several years and it works.

View solution in original post

29 Replies

Hey 🙂 Welcome to the community!

 

Currently there is no way to control the volume of Spotify adverts relative to the music you are listening to. 

There are a few thread overs on the Ideas Exchange on this topic, such as this one which I would suggest you share kudos and comments on.

 

Peter

Peter
Spotify Community Mentor and Troubleshooter

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If this post was helpful, please add kudos below!

I have not used Spotify for the last few days because of the stupid ads being so loud. I was tempted to listen today, and thought I'd check this forum and see if they got it under control. They have not, so Pandora here I come.

What good is this forum if they don't read it and know about the problem? This is useless. Cheapens an otherwise good service.

Volume on Ads nearly blows out my ears. Seems like a sneaky tactic to get people to switch to premium

I echo Ookami's complaint, Peter.  I'm listening to Spotify on my PC at work.  I have the music to an acceptable discreet level, but have to rush to turn it down when a commercial comes on.  Is there no possible solution to this problem?  It will be a deal-breaker to using Spotify at work if this can be solved.

 

Thanks,

Eric

I'd say that this sort of strategy is acceptable, but posing a health risk is not.

 

Free product or not, Spotify is still responsible for not causing harm out of negligence (or worse if done on purpose, tho I don't think this is the case), and I doubt that this can be handwaved by users accepting the terms of service.

 

But really, this just happened only recently with very few commercials, I am sure it's just a technical problem. Still, health hazards must be addressed and resolved promptly, before someone gets harmed.

agree regarding health issues

I find this is still an issue. I have seen it brought up elsewhere where that there is a setting where you can normalize playback of audio. This is nice if importing other music/audio into spotify (may seem far fetched but example, literally newborn baby cry is something I have had on my phone from when my child was born and it brings a smile to my face once I realize what it is,...obviously not a song. And not a usual commercial. 🙂

But Even when you turn on the volume equalizer, the commercials are exorbitantly too loud. They are so loud, they are not just distracting and disruptive but they are startling to the point I know by the time I figure out why I just got blasted with noise the commercial is nearly over. This also is a reason to not click on the sponsors as I do not want to support anything that is such a poor tactic of advertising.

I have never seen commercials this extensively louder with other audio and video sites.

It is a shame, and yes, I think it may be a ploy to get people to buy premium. But at the same time, it also raises question of spotify's overall stability of audio playback, and is a disincentive to buying.

I never thought I would every say this, but I actually think spotify commercial volumes are WORSE than those on TV. which is why I have to keep the mute button nearby my kids shows when they watch. I would hope spotify can improve this, especially if this is to be a service that is more all encompassing. It is only fair to try to listen to it on free before paying for it. Blasting commercials for alcohol or other things that are so loud it hurts my ears (let alone ears of someone younger)

I have also tried too use sportify on computer at my work in clinic for nice background music. The commercials are so bad we had to turn it off. Unfortunate.

There was another thread post which talking about adding in normalization of sound, I suspect this might be the settimg to make audio same levels "set the same volume level for all tracks";

 

If this is what prophead, you are referring to, unfortunately makes no difference.

 

I am not sure if you are referring to same issue or not, but since I saw in separate thread thought I would reference it

 

 
 
Garage Band
prophead
 
Posts: 24
Registered: ‎03-11-2015
 

Please put back the missing "Level Normalization" setting as it completely destroys Desktop playback quality.

Everything else is unimportant really. Its like asking for feedback on the steering on a car without an engine.

 

It has gotten crazy loud recently, even Spotify commericials so don't tell me you dont have control. I may have to switch to another product.

One possible workaround at least for the desktop client is to enable the advanced Preferences option "Same volume level for all tracks". And/or if your sound card software / driver has an option to enable a similar volume normalisation or levelling in its extended settings there. I use this on my Realtek HD Audio soundchip, because it also helps a lot when watching movies which have dialogues in a whispering volume and sound effects at earpiercing levels. You can always disable it when exclusively listening to music with a lot of dynamics like classical music where the constant volume up and down would disturb it.

Yeah, I'm about ready to give up SPOTIFY untill they fix this anoying problem

Thats it, *uck it, Im outta here. Commercials are too darn loud. Byeee Spotify

this is really freaking annoying when you have yer volume low then  a commercial comes on at full volume rlly **bleep**ing annoying when you trying to sleep lostening to solfegiio sleep tones.... kinda counter intuitive if you ask me fix that **bleep** it makes me furious and i close spotify and go to youtube yer definetly lposing alot of people because of this...

So, there continues to be no solution to this problem? Again, agreeing with other comments in this thread that this is a health concern (the advertisements are UNREASONABLY loud) and make listening to Spotify at work quite a nuisance. I would not recommend Spotify to others based on this. While I understand why the advertisements are there, why is there an option to normalize volume across all songs but none to normalize commercial volume? It seems outrageous that this problem continues without a solution after this was made aware to Spotify in 2012. 

Marked as solution

Here is a solution I found that has worked for the problem with the ads being so loud:

 

Set the volume on the Spotify application at the maximum, then adjust the volume of the computer or speaker device.   I have done this for several years and it works.

This is bullshirt.  I am at a worksite where the volume of the radio is loud to begin with. When these commercials come on, my speakers distort. Distortion ruins speakers.  Is spotify going to buy me a new radio?  I fekkin' doublt it.  Fix this issue or I'll go back to Pandora!

Also, if Jackson Brown (the most recent loud **bleep** ad) were to come around in my area none of the 20 people who listen on the work radio would attend that concert JUST BECAUSE of the loud ads.  Pass that on to your ad wizards.  That sh*t isn't working.

 

I suppose no one at spotify actually looks at these though.

This is not a solution at all to the loud commercials because they are still loud no matter how you set up your gain structure. You are in essence telling me to to turn down my computer every time the loud commercial comes on.  I"m already doing that; I shouldn't have to.  It is damaging my speakers every time it comes on and distorts.  Distortion kills speakers.

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