I’ve run into a really annoying issue while using Firefox 128 on my Ubuntu 20.04 setup, and I’m hoping someone out there has found a solution. Basically, whenever I’m watching YouTube, the audio levels spike or dip unexpectedly—especially during ads. One minute, the volume is at a comfortable level, and the next, an ad plays, and it feels like my eardrums might burst! It’s like the sound engineers decided to throw caution to the wind and crank it up to 11.
It seriously disrupts the experience, especially if I’m using headphones or if I’ve got the speakers turned up for a movie night. I’ve tried adjusting the volume settings in both the Firefox audio settings and the YouTube player itself, but the problem keeps popping up. It’s not just a minor annoyance; it feels like I’m going on a roller coaster ride every time an ad comes on.
I was wondering if anyone else has encountered this problem? Is it a bug specific to this version of Firefox, or could it be something on my end with the operating system? I’ve played around with some of the audio settings in Ubuntu, like switching between ALSA and PulseAudio, but I can’t say that it helped much.
I’ve checked online and found a few forums where people mention similar issues, but no concrete solutions. It’s hard to believe that I’m the only one experiencing this. I really want to enjoy my YouTube without the fear of a sudden volume blast.
If you’ve faced this issue and managed to find any workarounds or fixes—like browser extensions, user.css tweaks, or even specific audio settings—please share! Or if you’ve got any other suggestions that might help stabilize the audio level during ads, I’m all ears. I just want to get back to enjoying my content without having to jump for the volume control every single time an ad plays! Thanks in advance for any help!
Looks like you’ve hit a real pain point there! I’ve had something similar happen while using Firefox on Ubuntu too. Ads can be ridiculously loud. Here are a few things you could try that might help:
It can be super frustrating dealing with these issues, especially when you’re just trying to enjoy a video. If you find any other fixes or if something works, sharing it back would be awesome! Good luck!
The issue you’re experiencing with volume fluctuations while watching YouTube on Firefox 128 in Ubuntu 20.04 is indeed a known problem that many users face, particularly with ad playback. This phenomenon might be attributed to the audio normalization settings that sometimes fail to function as intended during ad breaks, causing sudden spikes in volume. While you’re correct in trying to adjust the audio settings both in Firefox and the YouTube player, it’s also advisable to check if the audio settings in your system are optimized. You can try using the PulseAudio Volume Control (pavucontrol) to manage audio streams and see if changing the output profile helps stabilize the volume levels.
Another potential solution is to explore browser extensions that can help with volume normalization. Extensions like “Volume Master” or “Audio Equalizer” might provide an additional layer of control over the audio levels, allowing you to set a maximum volume limit or adjust the audio output more finely. Additionally, you could try enabling the “Audio normalization” setting, if available, in YouTube’s playback settings. It might also be worthwhile to check for any updates to Firefox or explore Firefox’s support pages for known bugs that could be causing this issue. Sharing your specific system and browser configurations in community forums can also yield results, as other users may have discovered tailored solutions. Good luck with your quest for a smoother audio experience!