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kmix and other programs that allow user to control sound volume behave a bit strange. That is because they use linear scale. But human ear perceives the change of sound level in logarithmic scale. It's a good practice (used in many programs) to compensate it by using non-linear volume scale. I've noticed that the best way is to use SQRT():

Volume = SQRT( current_slider_position / max_slider_position )

it would be great if you'd do this in the future versions

Please only post problems relating to the KDE Community Forums in the "Forum Feedback & Help" Forum. Moved to Graphics & Multimedia.

The volume control should be logarithmic, all modern O.S. use log volume scale.

I think this would be better if converted to a Brainstorm.

This is true.

Moreover, don't know if it is related but when kmix master channel level is set to minimal, the sound is not off.
This was working fine with KDE3.5 with the same hardware.

L_V wrote:This is true.

Moreover, don't know if it is related but when kmix master channel level is set to minimal, the sound is not off.
This was working fine with KDE3.5 with the same hardware.

I have the same problem, but also with alsamixer, so I don't thing this is kmix fault, but who knows...

If the problem also occurs with ALSAMixer, then the problem is a change in the behaviour of ALSA, which KDE does not have control over.

FWIW, Phonon supports getting volume in both logarithmic scales and linear scales, so switching to changing volume with a logarithmic scale should be pretty trivial in any Phonon based app.

Since this is a feature request I moved it to brainstorm, and changed the title to reflect the desired feature rather than the problem.

As for the idea, I think doing it in logarithmic is the best solution. Since humans percieve things on a logarithmic scale (everything, not just sound), it would be better to use that.

I agree, it should be logarithmic.
PS..
Some studies show that even more precise approximation of human hearing scale is based upon Fibonacci Sequence of numbers.

I'm confused, mostly because I don't understand logarithms , so could someone explain what it means that humans perceive the world logarithmically?

That said, I'm for UIs that approximate the way humans actually work, so I voted for it

Angel Blue01 wrote:I'm confused, mostly because I don't understand logarithms , so could someone explain what it means that humans perceive the world logarithmically?

A simple explanation is that if you increase the volume linearly (say from 1% to 10%) your ear will hear it only twice as loud than before, instead of ten times.
I hope I was clear:)

Good idea! Please implement that!

I didn't really liked that linear behaviour since I'm using KDE. And slowly it's really starting to annoy me...

Because of the linear behaviour, the lower part of the volume bars become really useless.
From the half to the lower end, it's just the difference between very very very quiet and completely no sound...

Thanks!
kolAflash

I would like to know why is voting locked?
Has Phonon nothing to do with this?

Hi,
I have probably a relevant issue. When I set the Master channel in Kmix to let's say 51% then Alsamixer shows 20 so the global volume is to low. I have to set the volume in kmix to at least 80 and then i got only few steps in kmix to get the maximum volume. I guess this is probably the logarithmic stuff discussed here.
But then when using pulseaudio I get volume control in kmix nicely equal to the one in alsamixer. Is this an expected behaviour or not? More about my issue I've been discussing here: viewtopic.php?f=225&t=109454. I would therefore appreciate some confirmation whether this logarithmic stuff was implemented. Thanks.