TURN IT UP TO 11! (No, wait, 12.)

[toythatkills]

When you adjust the volume on a television, or something, do you find that you have to turn it to an even number (or possibly a multiple of five) because otherwise you feel a bit weird about it?

Further, if a volume bar doesn't have numbers on it, does it really bother you that you can't be sure the volume is set to a "right" number?

Whenever I mention this there are always loads of people that say "me too," and I wonder how common it is, is it actually normal, and where does it even come from? How can so many people that have never encountered one another have devised the same strange quirk?

Once, I was watching TV with my mum and she turned it up to 17 or something and then left it there. I just wanted to shout "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

[rmoxon]

I'm a bit like that.

Its a masisve problem for me too becuase the speakers I have set up to my TV dont display a number anywhere and I usualy have no idea what the last volume it was set too is, so I have to turn it all the way down, and then count in my head as I turn it back up to an even number.

[Dogg Thang]

No. That's just weird. Also, every TV show, Blu-ray, whatever, seem to have volume at differing levels so there is no one number for my TV volume. It's always shifting.

[toythatkills]

No. That's just weird. Also, every TV show, Blu-ray, whatever, seem to have volume at differing levels so there is no one number for my TV volume. It's always shifting.

Yeah, mine too. But it always shifts to an even number, or a five!

[Brad]

I used to require even number til about a year ago.

A worse problem is the constant need to adjust volume even during the same tv show or movie!

[Neon Ignition]

Nope, though I get certain figures in my head. My TV calculates volume as out of 100 with 17 being my sweet spot

[Dogg Thang]

A worse problem is the constant need to adjust volume even during the same tv show or movie!

Yeah, I especially have that problem when the kids are in bed. Turn up that whispery dialogue and then BOOM, an explosion that rocks the house. Turn it down, then they start whispering again.

[Brad]

Yes! Movies are the worst. In a cinema it's fine because no one's going to complain but there ought to be a 'I live in a semi-detached house and it's gone 10pm' audio track on new DVDs and Blu-Rays.

[Darwock]

I don't need even numbers, I need multiples of 5. 10, 15, 20, 25 etc.

EXCEPT back in the days when I watched 24 I would always set it to 24 during the show. I don't even know why I did that, it just seemed like the perfect volume.

[abigsmurf]

God I hate poor volume levelling in movies.

There was a trend for mumbly action films for a while, hopefully it's gone for good.

There's a shipment of drugs coming in, we need to get ou...*BOOM*

And of course porn:

*huff* *huff* *huff* oooooh ahh ahhh AHHHHH AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH

[Number45]

As a rule of thumb, I stop turning it up when I get moaned at (and then a little more when nobody's paying attention again).

[112]

Isn't this boadering on OCD though?

Its kind of like not truning the volume up to a certain number as it has illfated events attached to it socially, ala 13 or 6 or 4 etc...

Tis true about all electrical devices setting their own rules on what level of volume is considered standard... There will be an APP out for it soon im sure

112

[Dirty Sanchez]

Nope, just turn it up/down until it's the right level, for a film the amp is behind a door so I've no idea waht the number is anyway.

What is annoying is the deliberate volume change that occurs when an advert comes on. It's done to turn your attention to the screen if you have the tv on as background noise - gits. My TV doesn't have an auto level function but if it did I'd be using it for sure.

[briareos_kerensky]

I voted yes because I tend to set volume to an even number on TV sets, but I've found myself to set the volume as I need it ignoring numbers (or sliders) more often than not.
It doesn't apply at all on mobile devices and to car stereos...or any kind of setting related to screen calibration, it's just between me and TV volume.

[koopatroopa90]

I used to always have my old TV on 10, but with the new one I just turn it up until it sounds right. I do like being told what number the volume is on though (or being able to gauge a dial by the little indent), despite the fact you clearly judge the volume by ear.

there ought to be a 'I live in a semi-detached house and it's gone 10pm' audio track on new DVDs and Blu-Rays.

I live in a small block of flats but agree completely. Watched Robin Hood the other night and that was really bad. A mode where the music and voice are the same volume (or voice louder?) would be great, we just end up using the subtitles...