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Psilobite's avatar
Psilobite
Roku Guru
3 years ago

Audio Volume Modes (Volume Leveling) don't work correcrly on new Roku Ultra 2022

I recently tried to upgrade my Roku Ultra 2017 (4660X) with a Roku Ultra 2022 (4802X).

I purchased at Amazon (shipped and sold by Amazon) - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09T4VZDYV/

(I noticed that the Roku Ultra 2022 was much lighter in weight than the Roku Ultra 2017. I didn't weigh them, but it is quite noticeable.)

Everything went fine with setting up the Roku Ultra 2022 until I started playing media, in **any** channel or application, and the behavior of the sound was **very** different than the Roku Ultra 2017.

I have a stereo soundbar, so the connection goes from HDMI on Roku -> HDMI on TV, then Toslink Digital Audio Fiber Optic output on TV -> Toslink input on the soundbar. I configured both Roku's exactly the same way, with Audio set to "Stereo".

There are three sound leveling settings: "Leveling", "Night", and "Off".

On the Roku Ultra 2022, no matter what leveling setting I use, the audio sounds like it has a "pumping" effect going on, like the volume is being gain ridden slightly up and slightly down constantly. It does this even if leveling is set to "Off".

What's worse, for me, is that the sound leveling settings behave VERY differently on the Roku 2022, than they do on the 2017. On the Roku Ultra 2017, I usually use the "Night" leveling setting. This gain rides the volume up on audio that is very low, and rides it down on audio that is very high. This is what I prefer, because it evens audio out and makes it more audible all of the time, without affecting dynamic range too much. "Leveling" seems to only make the sound quieter, so that the volume would have to be turned up to hear the loudest sounds at a consistent level, but then quiet sounds would still be very quiet.

On the Roku Ultra 2022, both of the sound leveling settings for "Leveling" and "Night" seem to be working the same way. They both just seem to either have no effect, or they both just make all sounds quieter... almost like the "Night" mode isn't working at all on the Roku Ultra 2022.

This was a show stopper for me. I disconnected the Roku Ultra 2022 and put the Roku Ultra 2017 back. I can't have the audio like this.

Can anyone confirm if this is correct behavior? Is the audio supposed to behave differently on the Roku Ultra 2022 as compared to the Roku Ultra 2017?

(I didn't include a problem report because this is general behavior of the system itself.)

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4 Replies

  • Psilobite's avatar
    Psilobite
    Roku Guru
    3 years ago

    I apologize for not including detailed information in my original post; this takes time.


    Issue: Swapped Roku Ultra 2017 with Roku Ultra 2022. On the Roku Ultra 2017, the "Night" Volume Mode raises the volume of quiet audio, and lowers the volume of loud audio. On the Roku Ultra 2022, the "Night" Volume Leveling does not raise the volume of quiet audio, and either lowers the volume of loud audio or doesn't do anything.

    The end result for the Roku Ultra 2022 is that I would have to manually and continuously increase the volume for quiet audio, then manually and continuously decrease the volume when the audio gets louder again. For the Roku Ultra 2017, I can "set it and forget it" for the most part as the Night Volume Mode does this job automatically.

    Audio Configuration: Roku HDMI Out -> TV HDMI In, TV TOSLINK Fiber Optic Audio Out -> Soundbar TOSLINK Fiber Optic Audio In.

    Audio Mode / Digital output format: Stereo

    - Roku device models, serial numbers, device IDs, and software OS/versions
    Roku Ultra 2017
    Device Model: 4660X - Roku Ultra
    Serial Number: YJ00A4777475
    Device ID: CK386A777475
    GC version: 9.1.4.3
    Software OS/Version: 12.0.0 Build 4168-46
    -----------------------------------------
    Roku Ultra 2022
    Device Model: 4802X - Roku Ultra
    Serial Number: X01000H9HP8C
    Device ID: S0DA2299HP8C
    Software OS/Version: 11.5.0 Build 4312-C2


    - Does this issue occur on a specific channel? If so, what channel and what version/build is the channel
    The issue occurs system wide on all channels.


    - Tracker ID when this issue occurs (when you see this issue occur, press the Home button 5 times, followed by the Back button 5 times and provide us with this ID)
    Rebooted units, went in to Hulu, played "Flux Gourmet" trailer on Hulu (same video on each unit), cycled "Volume Mode" to all three settings, let video play to completion on "Night" Volume Mode.

    Roku Ultra 2017: 75-138-525 (Timestamp: 2023-04-07T04:45:16Z)
    Roku Ultra 2022: 8C-138-514 (Timestamp: 2023-04-07T04:34:33Z)


    - Steps to reproduce the issue you are seeing

    • Hook a Roku Ultra 2017 up to a stereo soundbar. My specific signal path is: Roku HDMI Out -> TV HDMI In, TV TOSLINK Fiber Optic Audio Out -> Soundbar TOSLINK Fiber Optic Audio In.
    • Settings -> Audio -> Audio Mode -> "Stereo", Settings -> Audio -> Digital output format -> "Stereo".
    • Go into any channel, pick a video with quiet audio, and play it. Recommended: "Flux Gourmet" trailer on Hulu.
    • On Roku Remote, press "*" and set Volume Mode to "Night". You should hear the audio volume go up. Set the Volume Mode to "Off". You should hear the audio volume go down.
    • Swap the Roku Ultra 2017 with a Roku Ultra 2022. Keep soundbar volume the same and don't touch anything else.
    • Settings -> Audio -> Digital output format -> "Stereo".
    • Go into the same channel and play the same audio from above ("Flux Gourmet" trailer on Hulu).
    • On Roku Remote, press "*" -> "Sound Settings" -> and set Volume Leveling to "Night". The audio volume does not go up or get louder, like it did with the Roku Ultra 2017. Set the Volume Mode to "Off". The audio level stays the same. Cycle between "Night" and "Off" and "Leveling" and you should hear no difference in the audio level.

    The end result for the Roku Ultra 2022 is that I would have to manually and continuously increase the volume for quiet audio, then manually and continuously decrease the volume again when the audio gets louder again. For the Roku Ultra 2017, I can "set it and forget it" for the most part as the Night Volume Mode does this job automatically.


    Screenshots:

    Roku Ultra 2017, Volume Mode:

     

    Roku Ultra 2017, Audio Mode:

     

     

    Roku Ultra 2022, Volume Leveling:

     

    Roku Ultra 2022, Audio Mode:

     

    • keltx's avatar
      keltx
      Reel Rookie
      2 years ago

      **EDITED 07/05/2023** Audio Volume Mode (Volume Leveling) is now working. Also, we experienced very brief audio drops every few minutes on MAX (HBO Max) channel. Our soundbar registered the audio drops. But, after a Roku System Restart, the audio drops stopped. So, as of now, our Roku Ultra 2022 (4802X) is functioning properly. 

      _________________________________________________________________________

      **POSTED 07/02/2023 - DELETED ROKU DEVICE & AUDIO CONFIGURATION INFO**

      Due to our Roku Ultra 2017 (4660X) experiencing audio issues as of the OS 11.5 update ([OS 11.5] Roku Ultra pops and glitches) and, other than a temporary rollback to OS 11.0, no "fix" was found. So, when our Roku Ultra 2017 (4660X) auto updated to OS 12.0 the audio issues returned. To avoid further frustration, we upgraded to the new Roku Ultra 2022 (4802X) and the audio issues we had with our Roku Ultra 2017 (4660X) were eliminated. 

      Now, we are experiencing the same Audio Volume Mode (Volume Leveling) issue as Psilobite. I'm not going to repeat what they wrote because their post is very detailed and accurate as to the Volume Leveling being non-existent with the new Roku Ultra 2022 (4802X). We noticed it immediately when we tried switching to the "Night" mode and nothing happened. Also, the new Roku Ultra 2022 (4802X) volume is much lower overall, so we must turn it up higher compared to the Roku Ultra 2017 (4660X).

      • Psilobite's avatar
        Psilobite
        Roku Guru
        11 months ago

        BUMP

        I tried swapping the Roku Ultra 2022 back, and despite it being a year later and the OS now being updated to version 13, the audio issue remains as described above.

        Roku Ultra 2017 just works perfect.

        Roku Ultra 2022... for example, if I try to watch a movie on Amazon, dialog is so low I can't hear it so I turn it up... now loud sounds like engines, explosions, Godzilla, etc. are now so loud it shakes my house. Doesn't matter if I select "Night" or "Leveling", I don't hear any difference between these two modes. "Off" is probably the best I can make anything work, and it's unacceptable for my needs.

        How does no one else have this problem? What are other people doing who are using Roku with soundbar/subwoofer setups, especially for nighttime viewing?

        I know the Roku 2017 isn't going to be supported much longer... in fact the reason I swapped back is because I have 150 channels and the Roku 2017 hasn't received a single update (channel or system) in over a week.