Dolphin now has a tiny little mute button when I play an mpv file. That mpv instance also has a mute button. Either button will mute the audio. I kind of don't mind it on mpv there's a logic to being able to mute an audio application, but it's an indirect association to have dolphin mute the audio playing from mpv and on top of that it's duplicated. Now I have several places where I could have turned off audio and not know why I don't have sound (which has happened). Does anyone know a setting either gui or config file entry where I can tell my panel icons not to have a mute button?

I found it, I'll answer my own question in case someone else is searching for it.

Right click on the panel to "configure icon only task manager", uncheck "Mark applications that play audio".

I don't know if it's an icon only task manager feature or if it's generally a task manager feature.