Playback Volume - widespread issue

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

So I’ve done a little research on this and it appears that there are 100’s of threads out there regarding this same exact issue but not many solutions that actually work.

I have a HTPC with PMS on it and I watch my videos on Roku and Xbox One/Xbox 360. Whenever I watch a movie/tv show through Plex, the volume is horrendously low. For instance I watch normal programming at lvl 20. I have to turn the volume to 50 if I’m watching something through Plex.

This happens on any device that I’ve tried so far. This happens for any type of content as well meaning no matter how I got the content to put on my server.

If you google this, there are 100’s of threads but no official response from Plex on how to fix this and/or why it’s occurring. I don’t even know if Plex actually has support staff, do they?

Anyways, if someone could help. I’d appreciate it and be willing to test out different ideas.

3 Likes
2

I have the same issue. Plex is unusable on my laptop due to low volume…

Every other media player works fine with the same content…

3

How exactly do we get support? I understand that it’s free so maybe the general public wouldnt get support but you’d think they have an actual support team for PlexPass at the least. I’ve been a Plex user for over a year now and this is one of the biggest problems that I’ve seen. The support staff is literally non existent.

2 Likes
4

There is 673 pages of unanswered questions here… holy crap

2 Likes
5

Any support here?

6

@thach1ef said:
Any support here?

The support you will get is directly proportional to the quality of the question and the amount of needed information provided.

Your statement the there are 100’s of threads about low volume may be true but I do not remember even one that was found to be related to Plex. The vast majority of Plex users have little or no volume problems and the ones that do have problems have related the the range of volume not to the volume simply being low.

I suggest reexamining your setup and eliminating variables to try to isolate the problem to whatever is causing the issue.

My setup does not have any volume problems and I have Rokus, Fire TV, Shield TV and computers and those all have acceptable volume levels and all content, Plex and other, plays and the same level.

Details about exactly how you have things connected and how your content is encoded would probably help the folks here to help you. Also log files, without verbose logging turned on, also might be helpful to the folks here.

Plex manipulates the volume very little and most of the time what is in the file is what is passed directly to the playback device.

1 Like
7

Many times the setting of the device makes all the difference.

AFTV, for instance. Having only Stereo Speakers it makes little sense to send AC3 5.1 to a system that can’t use it. If I do send AC3 5.1 I get very low volume. If I instruct AFTV to deal with only Stereo, that happens in the device, and suitable volume is achieved. Same with Roku, My Android Phone, ect., ect., ect.

Sometimes, mostly with the dreaded DTS (that is immediately converted to AAC 2.0 LC, AC3 2.0 or AC3 5.1 upon arrival) volume levels are difficult to manipulate by any means the device offers. In these cases they are passed through Xmedia Recode for an audio normalization process bringing the base levels up to 89db. This is usually sufficient to cure any audio ailments - but the occasional item (the one that was created by idiots) does refuse to cooperate. There’s little left to do at that point. Crank up the volume or pass it through Windows Loudness equalizer, then through VLC, through the wire to the TV.

Yep, that last one is a work-around to be sure.

If you’re using an HTPC running Windows - wellllll… turn on that Loudness Equalizer in the Playback device properties. If you’re using PMP or anything that’s actually running on the HTPC - problem solved.

Wouldn’t it be nice if Plex could do that on it’s own? I suppose, but it would also be nice if Plex could transcode DVDs without destroying them, so if you are successful at getting Plex involved with your audio - don’t be surprised if it all sounds like:

The moral of this story is - fix your audio by any means necessary before it goes to Plex for playback - or buy high-end audio systems that have some form of Dynamic Range Compression built right in - like the Windows Loudness Equalizer (that does a sweet job, BTW… too bad about that VLC/Wire thing though).

1 Like
8

I’ll definitely try and give more details, but to be completely honest a lot of what you are asking is beyond my knowledge.

The files are mp4 's and when played on a computer the sound is fine. However when I play them through Plex on either Xbox one or Roku, the volume starts very low. As I said in the initial post, if I normally watch TV on 20, I have to put these up to about 50 to hear them. Is there another way to test these other than through my computer that would help?

As far as how things are connected. I have a HTPC sitting in a closet running PMS and this has all my movies on it. There is no keyboard, speakers or mouse attached, I do everything via RDP but that’s very minimal. The HTPC is wired connected to my in home network. I then have my living room with a TV, XBox One, DVD player, chromecast, etc setup. I use Plex via Xbox One’s app. I also have a tv setup in my bedroom with Roku and use the app there. Results in both locations are the same.

I’m not familiar with Plex logging but Ill try and research that to get that info.

Juice, thank you but most of what you wrote was not something I really could follow. I did however try and look for the Loudness Equalizer on my playback settings and there was no option for that.

2 Likes
9

I’m having this issue with desktop app. The volume is very low. If I watch in the browser via Chrome there is no problem and the sound is fine. Same with VLC, no problem.

10

@thach1ef said:
Juice, thank you but most of what you wrote was not something I really could follow. I did however try and look for the Loudness Equalizer on my playback settings and there was no option for that.

It will only be on your Windows Box and will only react to things that play on the Windows Box - PMP, VLC, etc.

Right click the little ‘speaker’ icon in the system tray, select ‘Playback Devices’, select the device from the list that has the green check next to it, select ‘Properties’, under the ‘Enhancements’ tab, check ‘Loudness Equalization’.

From the sounds of it you do not have a HTPC, you just have a PC serving an Xbox and other assorted devices (like most of us) - none of which will be able to make use of Windows Loudness Equalization.

Until/When/If Ever Plex decides to do something with the audio more than a ‘boost’ on some devices if the audio is being transcoded, all alterations to the audio levels will have to be made by you - the viewer - with a third party device or program outside of Plex.

This is really quite easy with Xmedia Recode, but few will take the time to learn how or take the time to make it happen by actually running their files through the program.

Even then Xmedia Recode does NOT employ Dynamic Range Compression (the best option for low voices). It merely brings up the overall audio levels - that usually run 10 to 20db lower than the industry standard of 89db. That alone will help with low volume generally. Few will actually do it, have to ride the volume control on the remote and complain about it (because it is annoying).

:slight_smile:

1 Like
11

Just curious, what would be the determining factors between a HTPC and what you described?

So yeah, I went into the options like you said and it’s not there. I don’t have speakers attached to this device so there is no playback device.

You said something about low voices, I want to make sure we are on the same page, this is not that. I’ve had that before with movies. This is simply movies going through Plex having overall volume low.

So you are suggesting that I run all my videos thru Xmedia Recode to boost the audio? I have no problem doing that, but I’d really like to find out the reason this is happening. I’m not doing very much on my end to manipulate these files. It seems fairly straightforward to me that Plex is doing something to cause this issue. Then again, I’m no expert and I admit that.

12

Most multi-channel material be it DTS or AC3 5.1 or anything really, usually have an overall gain of about 75db (+/-). If you have a sound system designed to accept these various multi-channel audio streams that may be OK and it may not. It depends on your system I suppose. Processing this material in the audio system may do something to it and make it OK. Couldn’t tell you. Over here at my house 75db is whisper quiet.

When things get shoved into a stereo environment - TV Speakers, External Speakers… whatever… and there is no multi-channel capabilities 75db is low, considering the industry standard for a well saturated audio stream is 89db. The result, as you may guess, is low volume. If that audio is in Direct Play Plex is unable to do anything. Some client devices and their Plex apps offer an ‘Audio Boost’ option, but that ONLY works if the audio is in Transcode. Audio gain can NOT be manipulated without actually changing the gain of the audio stream and that requires encoding - either on the fly with Plex’s transcoder or by some other means outside of Plex. Xmedia Recode, for instance.

With Xmedia Recode you have options you do NOT have in Plex - like setting the gain level to what works with your system. My system likes 89db. That’s what I feed it. I’ve got a wonder of Chinese (stolen) Technology (Cheap-Ass TV) with external speakers Frankensteined onto it. I have reasonable control over the Volume from 4 to 20 on the remote. 20 to 100 makes little difference, but if I get the gain to 89db 15 to 20 is the sweet spot.

Plex’s ‘Boost’ is the poor man’s shotgun approach to fly-swatting. It’s possibilities include: Small, Medium, Large and HUGE. What does that equate to? I haven’t got a clue and it’s very likely Plex doesn’t either and if they do they haven’t bothered telling anyone. If I use this Nuclear Audio Option I might get reasonable levels, get blown through the picture window, or have to use subtitles to read the audio I can’t hear. PITA? You betcha!

I know what my system wants, I tell Xmedia Recode to give it to me, it does, it’s over in a few moments and I can get on with my life.

An HTPC is going to be a box sitting near your TV - that you are usually in control of with an MCE Remote of some kind (10 foot system - or whatever they’re calling it). Those things can control PMP, Plexweb, OpenPHT, etc and they’re usually connected to the main TV with a wire(s).

These days that’s kind of a Dinosaur and many simply call their Plex Server their HTPC when really, it’s not, but serves the purpose I guess. If you’re using an HTPC and have an appropriate sound card in it, are sending it’s audio and video to the TV, you can make use of the built in Windows Audio Enhancements - designed for use with HTPCs oddly enough and your world is very different.

If you’re using a PC as a box to run Plex on - not actually a HTPC - not actually hooked up via a wire(s) to an input on the TV - there’s no way to use any of the Windows Audio Enhancements because Plex basically bypasses all of that. There is probably some very technical reason for doing it - or Plex is too busy developing things that annoy the hell of me to spend time figuring that bit out. Your guess is as good as mine.

I do have my Plex Server Box connected to my TV via wire(s) - for those times when nothing I do will fix DTS (Dedicated to Sound - or Dedicated to Silence? You tell me) and I have to employ Windows Enhancements and VLC/PMP/OpenPHT/Plexweb/etc., to watch something so badly encoded in the Audio Department it’s impossible to enjoy.

As my parting shot - when audio evolves to the point and has to be so advanced that it no longer falls into the range of Human Hearing I kinda think it’s time to step it back a notch or two. I’ve been listening to Stereo Audio since LONG before ‘Magic Carpet Ride’ by Steppenwolf and I have to tell ya that’s pretty much what I require of my audio. There’s a speaker for each earhole and I’m good with that.

If the gain is such that it wiggles the speaker cones creating sound waves and those waves reach my eardrums - let’s call it a day and a job well done.

:slight_smile:

1 Like
13

Thanks for all the information unfortunately it’s just above my knowledge level.

14

@thach1ef said:
Thanks for all the information unfortunately it’s just above my knowledge level.

Nonsense.

My dumbest Cat showed me how to use Xmedia Recode in 5 minutes.
The smart one helped me write that Handbrake Guide that’s in my signature.

lol

15

My solution, Use the old plex home theater. It’s never let me down , tried and true. I’m having the same issue discussed in the threads above and I have not been able to find an answer. I refuse to tear my system apart To fix an issue that is only happening with Plex media player and Plex media player only. Right now I am using the old plex home theater because Although it has Some faults, It reliable for the most part And right now it’s the Fix for this volume issue.

2 Likes
16

That’s weird - since PMP is one of the few (only?) Plex Apps that has volume leveling… provided you activate it from the TV View Mode.

18

I as able to resolve my issue with low volume via the plex media center application. The root cause of this is still unknown but I think something in the appdata folder or in the plex related registry keys got screwed up. My fix was uninstalling plex media center using revo uninstaller. Using a tool like this not only removes the program and its install folder, it completely removes all traces of the program such as related registry keys and cache folders. There are other programs that do the same thing however I have had such luck much luck using revo uninstaller in the past. If you fear that your system files will be damaged by this process please create a restore point and/or backup your registry.

2 Likes
19

This may or may not pertain to the issue at hand, but it solved my issue and is easy to check. Also, I realize I’m necro’ing this thread, but it’s still the first thing that pops up in google so it’s still relevant apparently.

If you right click on the sound icon in the lower right, and choose “Open Sound Settings”.
Then scroll down and click on “App volume and device preferences”, it will bring you to a page where windows sets app specific sound volumes. Try checking the volume for the app that’s playing your video. If it’s low, you can manually increase it and it may help resolve your problem.

20

You come off as a ■■■■■. Litteraly zero help and only condescencion. So, do you have anything relevent to add? any actual help?

2 Likes
21

Could you people please respond in english like your talking to 5 year olds, or is PLEX just for developers and computer programers?