Audio output balancing

#The disclosure is related to consumer goods and, more particularly, to methods, systems, products, features, services, and other elements directed to media playback or some aspect thereof.

#Options for accessing and listening to digital audio in an out-loud setting were severely limited until in 2003, when SONOS, Inc. filed for one of its first patent applications, entitled “Method for Synchronizing Audio Playback between Multiple Networked Devices,” and began offering a media playback system for sale in 2005. The Sonos Wireless HiFi System enables people to experience music from virtually unlimited sources via one or more networked playback devices. Through a software control application installed on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, one can play what he or she wants in any room that has a networked playback device. Additionally, using the controller, for example, different songs can be streamed to each room with a playback device, rooms can be grouped together for synchronous playback, or the same song can be heard in all rooms synchronously.

#Given the ever growing interest in digital media, there continues to be a need to develop consumer-accessible technologies to further enhance the listening experience.

#Features, aspects, and advantages of the presently disclosed technology may be better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

#FIG. 1 shows an example media playback system configuration in which certain embodiments may be practiced;

#FIG. 2 shows a functional block diagram of an example playback device;

#The drawings are for the purpose of illustrating example embodiments, but it is understood that the inventions are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality shown in the drawings.

#Embodiments described herein involve balancing of outputs from playback devices playing audio content in synchrony. The playback devices may be two or more playback devices of a media playback system that have been configured as a synchrony group (two or more playback devices configured to play audio content in synchrony), stereo paired playback devices, a consolidated player, or any combination thereof. Discussions of example media playback systems, example playback devices, and example configurations of playback devices of the media playback system may be found below in sections II.a.-II.d.

#Typically, playback devices of the media system have acoustic limits. Acoustic limits of a playback device may be generally described as a maximum playback volume of the playback device before the acoustic output quality of the playback device begins to deteriorate. The acoustic limit of a playback device may vary over an audio playback frequency range of the playback device. In discussions herein, an acoustic limit of a playback device may also account for electric limits or other operational limits of the playback device. Accordingly, a limiter may be implemented on the playback device to attenuate input signals above a playback volume threshold such that the output of the playback device is capped at a certain volume level, thereby improving the acoustic output quality of the playback device. In one example, an amplifier gain control of the playback device may be implemented as the limiter. In such a case, a gain value of the playback device may be capped such that an input signal is not amplified beyond the playback volume threshold of the playback device. The limiter may be a dynamic limiter such that the gain value cap may be dynamically adjusted according to amplitudes of the input audio signal. Other example limiter implementations may also be possible.