System volume control linearity

[GoogleCodeExporter]

What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. route the output of an application to Soundflower (2ch)
2. route Soundflower to the built-in output
3. adjust the system volume control

What is the expected output? What do you see instead?

Without using Soundflower, the volume sounds proportionately loud to the system 
volume setting, as expected.
However, when using Soundflower, the volume increases exponentially compared to 
the system volume setting, reaching about 80% of the volume by about 30% of the 
volume setting, and then makes little difference for the remainder of the 
volume setting.
Note that the in-application volume control is linear and does not have this 
problem: only the system volume control has this problem.

What version of the product are you using? On what operating system?

Using Soundflower 1.5.2 on an iMac running 10.6.4

Please provide any additional information below.

This problem makes it difficult to set a low volume level, because the first 
step up from silent (using the keyboard volume shortcut) on the volume is 
already quite loud, almost equivalent to about 30% of full volume. Is there 
some way to make Soundflower behave linearly with the system volume setting?

Original issue reported on code.google.com by michaela...@gmail.com on 14 Aug 2010 at 8:25

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I have found a workaround for this issue:

Changed steps to avoid the problem:
1. assume the application has it's output routed to Soundflower
2. route Soundflower to the chosen physical output (using Soundflowerbed)
3. also change the system output device to the same chosen physical output from 
step 2
   (either from the System Preferences Sound pane, or the shortcut from the menu bar sound icon)
4. adjust the system volume control - now linear

The extra step 3 is crucial: each time the Soundflower output is routed to a 
different output (using Soundflowerbed),
the system output needs to be set to the same output device.

If the extra step 3 is not performed, then the system volume control will have 
the linearity problem as described previously.

It doesn't seem to make sense to need to do this when Soundflowerbed is routing 
the audio to the desired output, however, for anyone else having this issue, 
hopefully this workaround will be helpful.

Hope that helps illuminate the issue a little better.

Original comment by michaela...@gmail.com on 28 Aug 2010 at 2:52

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Unfortunately the suggested workaround does not work if the built in output 
does not have a volume control by default, for e.g. HDMI. I was hoping to use 
soundflower to allow me to use the mac's volume controls when using HDMI. It's 
just about working, I suppose, but this issue makes it less than ideal.

Original comment by shabbyr...@gmail.com on 27 Apr 2011 at 9:57

[GoogleCodeExporter]

"This problem makes it difficult to set a low volume level"

I also really like to see some workaround, if i just could edit the sound value 
and dB signal in Audio Devices..
Has anyone see a way to do this?

Original comment by michiel....@gmail.com on 15 Sep 2011 at 10:27

[GoogleCodeExporter]

I seem to be having the same/similar problem. 

I'm using a Mac Mini 2011, and trying to use Soundflower to enable me to 
control the volume output via HDMI to a Sony TV. 

It 'works', but the volume range from softest to loudest seems to be negligible 
:( 

Any help wld be most appreciated :) 

Thanks!!
Nat

Original comment by n...@renyi.net on 3 Oct 2011 at 10:01

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Logarithmic volume controls have been implemented for the upcoming Soundflower 
1.6.

Original comment by t...@electrotap.com on 1 Feb 2012 at 4:43

• Changed state: Fixed

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Really awesome update!

Thanks!!
Michiel

Original comment by michiel....@gmail.com on 9 Feb 2012 at 4:19