Windows 10: Windows 11 Media Player audio slider wont adjust volume.

when using the Default Media Player the volume slider does nothing to actually change the volume. The regular master volume slider Still works but all other sliders, including the app sliders in the volume mixer do not work or do anything to change the volume.

:)

 

Changing volume using Windows 10 volume slider vs changing volume in media player

Windows 10 volume slider:

This is the main slider which controls overall volume of your PC.

VLC player & Spotify

These and other similar programs volume sliders control itself volume.

Example:

if you decrease volume or mute within media player then you are modifying that specific player sound; Not entire PC. Which means, Those settings won't applied on Windows Notification System OR other media players and they can play sounds.

And if you modify Windows 10 volume like "mute it" then all sounds will be muted. (Including media player, notification and other sounds)

In Short:

• Windows 10: Global settings and will effect all sounds (players, notifications etc)
  
• Media Players: Specific player settings
  

Hope it helps

 

Changing volume using Windows 10 volume slider vs changing volume in media player

Usually, none, because the players just pass through the audio(after necessary decoding due to the codec, not the amplitude). On a separate note, there would have been a difference if the audio was fed directly into an internal/external DAC (sound card) because of better noise ratio.

Yes. Media player amplifies only your songs and its inherent noise signals. But the OS will amplify all the inputs, of which media player is only one. We have the default Windows sound engine that gives the sound notifications, and potentially many more, like chrome that opens up a channel. So, Windows will amplify your song and all the noise that come from other inputs. The final effect is not that bad because most inputs are designed such that when there is no sound output, it closes the path, thereby avoiding noise. Also, for a user, it is more convenient to handle just one volume control.

The OS changes the amplitude of all audio being routed through the sound card. OS knows the absolute high and low that your sound card supports - so can better judge the feasible levels and gradations.

It decodes, reduces amplitude, and sends to the OS.

1. We set the media player volume at 150% and windows at 10%. Quality
   is bad, volume would be low (because end result would be 15%). VLC
   artificially amplifies the signals using interpolation, thereby
   adding noise.
   
2. We set the media player volume at 10% and windows at 90%. Quality
   is fine, volume would be low (because end result would be 9%).
   Neither the media player or the OS messes with the actual signal,
   hence no losses.
   
3. We set the media player volume at 90% and windows at 10%. Quality
   is fine, volume would be low (because end result would be 9%).
   Neither the media player or the OS messes with the actual signal,
   hence no losses.
   
4. Some media players like Windows Movies etc. uses the latest Windows
   SDKs and hence hands over all the volume change inputs directly to
   the OS through SDK. So when you move the voume slide inside the
   Windows Movies, the OS slider also moves. This is an optimal
   solution, since it reduces one step of pass through.
   
5. When the volume at high levels like 70% above will sound worse
   usually, but the culprit is the speaker system that cannot handle frequencies at that amplitude. Neither the OS, nor the media player is the issue.
   

 

Changing volume using Windows 10 volume slider vs changing volume in media player

What are the differences in the quality of sound output when the volume is changed in the following environments:

• Windows 10 volume slider in bottom-right corner
  
• Media program such as VLC player when playing a music file
  
• Media program such as Spotify when streaming music
  

Is there any difference between the 3, e.g., would turning down the volume using Windows 10 volume slider be any different from turning down the volume using the VLC inbuilt volume slider?