​Please see below for a detailed explanation from our chief engineer:

 

“All audio devices follow a master volume level graph created by the acoustic teams that specifies how loud the system will be at each and every volume level step, as well as how many volume level steps there should be. Typically, master volume level graphs are exponentially curved, which means that as the volume levels get higher, the increase in volume level for each incremental volume level step gets bigger. There is a common misconception that volume increases are linear, meaning that whether the volume level is at 10dB or 80dB, the magnitude of volume level increase when the user moves the volume level up by 1 step is the same. However, this is not true. Our perception of sound/loudness automatically adjusts to the volume level that we are listening at. For example, if you are listening at a high volume level, e.g. above 85 dB, the volume level needs to increase by a larger magnitude (at least 3-5dB) for you to hear an audible difference. On the other hand, if you are listening at a low volume level, e.g. 30dB, a volume increase of a smaller magnitude will already be noticeable.

 

In this new firmware, the exact same master volume level graph as the first firmware has been used. The maximum volume level, which is the number 100 on the LED indicator, is exactly the same in terms of loudness as the previous firmware. The difference is that for volume levels between 20 and 50 on the previous firmware, which is the most common volume level range people listen to, we have broken them down into a higher number of volume level steps with finer increases in magnitude. This allows listeners to meticulously find and adjust the volume level precisely based on their preference, minimizing the chances of them facing the problem of having a volume level that is too soft but a volume level increment that is too large, making them unable to attain the desired volume level. Also, there are now 2.5x more volume steps than before. The volume number on the LED indicator now makes increments of 2, instead of 5. This means that there are now 50 volume steps. Previously, there were only 20.

 

As a reference, volume level 25 on the previous firmware is about 36 to 40 on the new firmware. Volume level 50 on the previous firmware Is about 62 to 66 on the new firmware. And volume 75 on the previous firmware is about 82 to 86 on the new firmware. The increase in the number of steps now allows a finer audio control that caters more to normal daily listening volume levels. As for any audio that is higher than volume level 75 on the previous firmware (75 to 100), we have enhanced it to 7 steps, ranging from 86 to 100 on the new firmware. Eventually at volume level 100, the loudness is exactly the same as the previous firmware.”