YouTube Music adds 'Consistent Volume' to maintain steady audio levels across tracks
In recent years, music streaming platforms have focused on improving user experience by addressing technical issues such as volume differences between tracks. One of the latest innovations from YouTube Music is the "Consistent Volume" feature, which is designed to normalize volume across tracks and reduce jarring differences in volume when switching from one song to another. This feature not only improves listening comfort but also brings YouTube Music in line with other major streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music.
What is Consistent Volume?
Consistent Volume is a feature that automatically “normalizes volume across tracks,” so that the volume between songs becomes more uniform. This means that users will no longer experience sudden volume spikes when a song with a louder mastering is played after a quieter song. This feature builds on the functionality of a similar feature in the main YouTube app, known as "Stable Volume".
According to reports, this feature is especially useful when users are listening to playlists or mixes of songs from different sources. With Consistent Volume, users can enjoy smoother transitions between songs without having to constantly adjust the volume manually.
How Does This Feature Work?
This feature works by applying an audio normalization process, which adjusts sound levels so that all tracks have a consistent volume. This normalization is usually done based on industry standards such as LUFS (Loudness Units Full Scale). For example, YouTube is known to normalize audio to a level of -14 LUFS. If a recording has a level higher than -14 LUFS, the volume will be lowered. However, if a recording has a lower level, such as -16.7 LUFS, the volume will not be raised, but rather remain at its original level.
This approach ensures that tracks with more subtle mastering do not lose their sound details, while tracks with louder mastering do not annoy the listener with too high a volume.
How to Enable Consistent Volume?
Enabling this feature is very easy. Users just need to open the YouTube Music app on their Android or iOS devices, and they will find a new option called "Consistent Volume". By tapping on this option, users can turn volume normalization on or off quickly, without the need to search for additional settings.
Benefits of Consistent Volume Feature
- A More Comfortable Listening Experience: By reducing the volume difference between songs, users can enjoy their playlist without interruption.
- Better Control over Volume: This feature gives users better control, especially for those who often listen to music in low-noise environments, such as while working or sleeping.
- Compatibility with Modern Technology: This feature utilizes modern audio normalization technology, which is also used by other streaming platforms.
Critiques and Challenges
While this feature is widely praised for its benefits, there are some criticisms worth noting. Some users report that automatic normalization can “destroy” the original dynamics of a particular recording, especially if the song has a wide dynamic range. Also, users who prefer to control the volume manually may feel that this feature reduces flexibility.
However, YouTube Music seems to have taken this into consideration by providing an option to disable the feature if desired. In addition, some third-party tools, such as Stereo Tool, can also be used to adjust volume normalization according to user preferences.
Conclusion
The Consistent Volume feature in YouTube Music is a significant step forward in improving the music listening experience. By normalizing the volume across tracks, it brings a more consistent and comfortable experience to users. While there are some challenges with audio dynamics, the flexibility to enable or disable this feature makes it a well-balanced solution.
As audio technology evolves, features like this will likely become standard across all music streaming platforms. For YouTube Music users, Consistent Volume is a feature worth trying to improve the quality of their listening sessions.
