Sudden loudness when plugging in headphone

A more detailed bug report, since Play Store does not have a reply feature:

A recent update to the free version overrides the volume to a fixed 50% on headphone connect (and changing this volume is a paid feature), which is extremely loud and deafening. The only workaround was to reset manually the volume afterwards each time (a tedious and annoying task), or disable or uninstall the app altogether.

This occurred after the trial period was over without having used the custom volume feature, and did not resolve via an app cache/data reset.

Scenario:
- Playing music with built-in player at minimum volume with headphones plugged in
- Unplug headphone (music is now paused)
- Replug headphone
- Volume is now at some high setting, presumably 50% but cannot confirm because volume indicator still shows minimum, and using volume buttons increments/decrements starting from the previous minimum value
- Press play to resume music
- Ow my ears.

Alternate scenario:
- If Wired Headset behavior has music pause and continue checked, then the above scenario only happens for a split second (a sudden short but loud burst of sound) before the volume returns to the expected normal value

App settings:
- Free version post-trial
- Service: ON - Foreground
- Media audio: Let App Decide
- Notification behavior - All unchecked
- Wired Headset behavior - (Wired Headset detection and microphone checked)

Attempted workaround:
- Installed Hearing Saver app, but this did not work as SoundAbout's setting seemed to have priority
- Disabling the SoundAbout service resolved the issue
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Galaxy S3 with Android 4.1.2 stock ROM

I will take a look tomorrow. If it is reading the setting after the trial period it should be an easy fix.

1) Have your tried a newer Beta version? They are here:
https://soundabout.forumotion.com/f8-download-beta-versions

2) Does this behavior happen with multiple music players? I try Google Play music, Pandora, Tune-In Radio, just to be sure it's not something to do with the media player.

This occurs in the beta for the default media player but Google Play music appears unaffected.

However, this issue has never occurred for previous versions for at least half a year since I started using the app.

My default player is Google Play music.  If the app is turning up the volume do to that setting being left over it should pop up the volume slider and display a toast message saying "Volume changed to Plug-in Volume setting".

I tried running the trail version, setting the "Plug-In Volume" to ON and the "Plug-in volume" to 50%.  That worked. I turned down the headset volume to about 10% manually.    I then ran the app as if the trial had expired and plugged in the wired headset.  The volume stayed at 10% and did not go up to 50%.

When the trial expires, and no pro version is installed the app tries to clear out any settings so that this doesn't happen.  

Maybe your phone got our of sync somehow.  If you want to try, you can install the Beta, then go into Manage Apps, Find SoundAbout, click on it, then clear cache, clear data and force stop.

See if it is OK after a clean data wipe.

The beta version of the app has been force-stopped and cleared of its cache and data, but the problem still persists and seems to only affect the built-in music player for reasons unknown.

I have code that mutes while switching the audio. I'm wondering if the muting is affecting the volume for the default media player. I will have to put in a setting to turn muting ON/OFF so we can see if that is the issue.

Can you try the latest Beta I just uploaded. I took out he mute code completely to see if it was the cause.

Beta versions:
https://soundabout.forumotion.com/f8-download-beta-versions

This change in the beta completely resolved the issue for me.  There is no more sudden increase in loudness for the built-in media app independent of volume control.

Rolling back to the Play Store version, I have been able to reproduce the issue with the built-in app.

However, I noticed an oddity that relates to this:

The built-in volume control as well as other volume widgets show changes to the volume when plugging and unplugging the headphones.  There seems to be two sets of volume settings for {ringer, media, voice, alarm} depending on whether headphones are plugged in.  If the unplugged media volume is muted, this bug cannot be reproduced.  When the plugged media volume is muted, the bug results in a volume a bit louder than the unplugged volume, unless it is also muted -- in which case there is no sound.  Increasing the unplugged volume increases the volume linearly during the bug, as if the resulting volume in the built-in media app became overridden with a value that is a bit more than the unplugged volume when the bug occurs.

The built-in media player might have been caught off guard due to the mute and read the wrong volume.

Yes, it seems to be a timing issue with muting, switching to another audio output and then un-muting.  I took the muting code out in the Beta to get rid of the issue in the next release.

Thanks for the help!

I will update the Play Store review accordingly, and support your excellent work through purchasing the pro version.  Cheers.

Great, thank you.