A way to refine Digital Volume stepping between Phone-Bluetooth Speaker?

[DrSpan]

I have a bluetooth speaker next to my bed to sometimes listen to music before sleep.
When i listen at night i listen very very low volume. However i am always having the issue of Digital stepping.
What i mean by that it that in the lowest registers the Volume is either too low or too loud and nothing in between
So before i consider adapters and connecting via 3.5mm cable and volume Knobs i wonder. I understand that in the Hardware domain

especially in the cheaper solutions, a digital volume encoder moves in relatively big steps.
However since we are talking about software i wonder if there is some more elegant way to solve this. One example would be iTunes or probably many other players too
where i can grab the Volume slider with the mouse and do very fine adjustments. I am getting a bit frustrated by the way my iphone-bluetooth speaker jumps in such
big increments.

I would be very thankful on any suggestions

 

[ZolaIII]

There are ways in software to solve this like linear 100 step each 0.5 dB or similar (for example JRiver). However it's to the mercy of OEM's if they will implement such and how good and easy to use it would be. Every OS uses log one's and usually with too little steps tho even when that's not the case it works badly. And hear we are now. On Android 15 it's possible to use combined on device steps and one's on the OS by disabling keep volume constant(in connected BT device settings). It's far from resolving the problem but it helps. Some manufacturers use more OS steps than other, for example Sony. In some cases you have limited 0.5 dB steps in OEM software + OS and encoded in device (for example Hiby W3 II with Blue app 40/0.5 and Android OS). In generally it works better to use OEM software and device one's to set base (limiter) to use OS cuple steps up/down as primary control to get it where you want it.

 

[DrSpan]

There are ways in software to solve this like linear 100 step each 0.5 dB or similar (for example JRiver). However it's to the mercy of IEM's if they will implement such and how good and easy to use it would be. Every OS uses log one's and usually with to little steps tho even when that's not the case it works badly. And hear we are now. On Android 15 it's possible to use combined on device steps and one's on the OS by disabling keep volume constant. It's far from resolving the problem but it helps. Some manufacturers use more OS steps than other, for example Sony. In some cases you have limited 0.5 dB steps in OEM software + OS and encoded in device (for example Hiby W3 II with Blue app 40/0.5 and Android OS). In generally it works better to use OEM software and device one's to set base to use OS cuple steps up/down as primary control to get it where you want it.

Thank you. Will look into these

 

[DrSpan]

There are ways in software to solve this like linear 100 step each 0.5 dB or similar (for example JRiver). However it's to the mercy of OEM's if they will implement such and how good and easy to use it would be. Every OS uses log one's and usually with too little steps tho even when that's not the case it works badly. And hear we are now. On Android 15 it's possible to use combined on device steps and one's on the OS by disabling keep volume constant(in connected BT device settings). It's far from resolving the problem but it helps. Some manufacturers use more OS steps than other, for example Sony. In some cases you have limited 0.5 dB steps in OEM software + OS and encoded in device (for example Hiby W3 II with Blue app 40/0.5 and Android OS). In generally it works better to use OEM software and device one's to set base (limiter) to use OS cuple steps up/down as primary control to get it where you want it.

Ok so today i tried something. I personally use the app JetAudio on my iphone. I like it cause of the Equalizer possibilities.
That said, this app has a Volume Slider style control using which you can theoretically move in very small increments.
However when i tried it at very low volumes i realized that if i move the Slider very slow, millimeter for millimeter there is a point where the Volume clearly Jumps to the next value.
So now i am wondering, where is this limit in resolution coming from? Could it be that my Bluetooth speaker (in this case a Dockin D-Fine 2) does only support
Volume regulation in „big steps“ so it does not matter how precise it seems to be regulated by the JetAudio app as the Speaker itself can only Jump to the next closest value?

 

[ZolaIII]

JetAudio simpli uses iOS encoded steps. However you can use preamp in EQ to get fine grain ±10 dB.

 

[DrSpan]

JetAudio simpli uses iOS encoded steps. However you can use preamp in EQ to get fine grain ±10 dB.

I see. Then my Question is, do BT speakers support fine resolution Volume changes or do they simply do their thing and move in big step increments no matter what signal they get?

 

[ZolaIII]

No everything can be encoded precisely to V in linear steps (that's how preamp for EQ works). If you match your BT speakers to SPL meter and run it from there trough software linear 100 step 50 dB control it will follow it perfectly fine.

 

[somebodyelse]

I see. Then my Question is, do BT speakers support fine resolution Volume changes or do they simply do their thing and move in big step increments no matter what signal they get?

It depends on the speaker. I would expect most current ones to support setting absolute volume 0-255 but older ones may only support relative volume changes with whatever their step size is for up/down. There's also the question of whether your OS exposes this to the end user.

 

[DrSpan]

No everything can be encoded precisely to V in linear steps (that's how preamp for EQ works). If you match your BT speakers to SPL meter and run it from there trough software linear 100 step 50 dB control it will follow it perfectly fine.

Hmm i am afraid that is above my level of expertise in this subject as i don`t follow 100% anymore.
This sounds like a bit too elaborate to me to solve. Till now the best solution would be a Physical cable with a Volume pot tbh.

 

[DrSpan]

It depends on the speaker. I would expect most current ones to support setting absolute volume 0-255 but older ones may only support relative volume changes with whatever their step size is for up/down. There's also the question of whether your OS exposes this to the end user.

Hmm the Dockin does not even have a dedicated app.
I own Dockin D-Fine 2, Soundcore Motion+ , a Bang Olufsen A1 Gen1 and had various Bose speakers but can`t remember any of them offering some finer setting, at least one i could find

 

[ZolaIII]

Hmm i am afraid that is above my level of expertise in this subject as i don`t follow 100% anymore.
This sounds like a bit too elaborate to me to solve. Till now the best solution would be a Physical cable with a Volume pot tbh.

To V as absolute value in incrimental steps by software. Simply said the EQ preamp in Jet Audio will work and it will be accurate.

 

[DrSpan]

To V as absolute value in incrimental steps by software. Simply said the EQ preamp in Jet Audio will work and it will be accurate.

Thank you so much for the input. Will try the Eq method later when at home

 

[somebodyelse]

Hmm the Dockin does not even have a dedicated app.
I own Dockin D-Fine 2, Soundcore Motion+ , a Bang Olufsen A1 Gen1 and had various Bose speakers but can`t remember any of them offering some finer setting, at least one i could find

It's standardised bluetooth functionality so more likely to be built into the OS than to need an app. When it first arrived in Windows in 2018 there were some compatibility problems, with a registry change needed to disable it.

 

[DrSpan]

It's standardised bluetooth functionality so more likely to be built into the OS than to need an app. When it first arrived in Windows in 2018 there were some compatibility problems, with a registry change needed to disable it.

I tried using the slider in control center on my iPhone. It makes no difference what I do the Bluetooth loudspeaker jumps in bigger increments meaning it “waits” until it’s picked up by the slider to the next value. So in my logic, this means it is the Bluetooth speaker that is not sensible enough. Bummer I don’t seem to be able to do anything there.

 

[somebodyelse]

I tried using the slider in control center on my iPhone. It makes no difference what I do the Bluetooth loudspeaker jumps in bigger increments meaning it “waits” until it’s picked up by the slider to the next value.

That seems like an implementation issue in your bluetooth speaker then - the standard doesn't define how the speaker uses the 0-255 control setting. You would need software volume control before it gets sent to the speaker to get finer control.

 

[Multicore]

In Android there's an option to Disable absolute volume in the phone Settings app, once you enable developer options. This makes the volume control on the speaker or headphones independent of the volume control on the phone. This solves the same kind of problem that you have for me.

I know you use iOS but I figured someone here might know or be able to find the equivalent (if it exists) for an Apple phone.

 

[DrSpan]

In Android there's an option to Disable absolute volume in the phone Settings app, once you enable developer options. This makes the volume control on the speaker or headphones independent of the volume control on the phone. This solves the same kind of problem that you have for me.

I know you use iOS but I figured someone here might know or be able to find the equivalent (if it exists) for an Apple phone.

This would be awesome if its possible. Will research this though i dont know if there is hope as ios likes to not allow you to do anything basically unless you are really fit
with software which unfortunately i am not

Thank you for chipping in

 

[DrSpan]

To V as absolute value in incrimental steps by software. Simply said the EQ preamp in Jet Audio will work and it will be accurate.

I tried it. The speaker jumps in big increments so i guess this speaker wont allow more refined settings….