Charles Esther
One of the more frustrating experiences when listening to music on streaming platforms is encountering drastic fluctuations in volume.
A track suddenly blasting at a high volume or fading into near silence can completely disrupt the listening experience.
YouTube Music is addressing this issue with its latest update, introducing a new feature aimed at delivering a more consistent volume across all tracks.
What Is the ‘Consistent Volume’ Feature?
The “consistent volume” feature, which is now being rolled out to YouTube Music apps for Android and iOS, is designed to prevent the stark volume differences between tracks.
Users often face the problem of one song being too loud and the next being too quiet, which can be particularly jarring when listening to playlists or albums that mix tracks from different sources or recordings.
This feature works by adjusting the volume of songs so that all tracks, regardless of their original recording levels, have a more consistent audio output.
While loud songs will still be loud and quiet songs will remain subtle, the feature helps balance tracks that may have been recorded or converted at significantly different volume levels.
The Background of the ‘Consistent Volume’ Feature
This update follows the “stable volume” feature already available across other YouTube apps, which aims to normalize audio levels.
YouTube Music’s version of this tool is similar to Spotify’s “audio normalization,” a feature designed to ensure that all songs play at similar volume levels for a more uniform listening experience.
The goal is simple: users shouldn’t have to adjust their device’s volume constantly while listening to music, and this feature provides a practical solution to that common annoyance.
How to Access the Feature
It appears that the “consistent volume” setting is being slowly rolled out to users, meaning not everyone will have access to it right away.
As of now, some users, including those at 9to5Google, have spotted the feature on their devices, while others, such as those at Android Authority, have not seen it appear yet.
To check if you have the “consistent volume” feature on your YouTube Music app, follow these steps:
- Open the YouTube Music app on your Android or iOS device.
- Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Navigate to Settings and then select Playback (Android) or Playback and restrictions (iOS).
- Look for the option labeled “Consistent Volume” or something similar.
If you don’t see this option yet, you may need to update your YouTube Music app to version 8.15.
If updates are pending, installing the latest version could bring the feature to your device.
A Feature That Has Been Highly Requested
The “consistent volume” feature comes as a welcome change for many YouTube Music users who have been vocal about the issue on forums like Reddit for years.
While this feature had been available in other streaming apps for some time, YouTube Music users have long requested something similar.
Although there has been no official announcement from Google regarding the rollout of this feature, its presence in the app suggests that it will soon be widely available to users, making their music-listening experience much more enjoyable and hassle-free.
Conclusion: A Step Toward Enhanced User Experience
As streaming services evolve, small yet significant updates like the “consistent volume” feature go a long way in improving the overall user experience.
Music lovers who have struggled with unpredictable volume levels will undoubtedly appreciate this change, as it brings consistency and comfort while listening to their favorite tracks.
