U4021QW, Mac Mini M1 Big Sur, cannot change volume

Question

Hi,

I'm unable to control the U4021QW sound volume with my Mac Mini keyboard. I have U4021QW and a Mac Mini M1 Big Sur.

I have set up sound with sound output "U4021QW DisplayPort". I can hear the sound, but no loud control is authorized. I can only turn on or turn of. There is no way to increase or decrease the sound volume.

It's a little bit boring.

Thanks for helping.

jphughan · Accepted Answer

@dcobb013  and @Docrunner  As far as I know, the OS decides whether to present a volume control.  An audio output device can't 'block' the source from adjusting the volume on the signal it's generating.  But like I said above, I've seen cases where the OS does that.  For example, when my phone is connected to my car via Bluetooth, I don't have a volume slider on my phone even though I do have one when connected to other Bluetooth devices.  With the car, my phone sends a fixed volume signal expecting me to manage the volume on my car's head unit.in order to avoid 'dueling' volume controls, where you could potentially have the volume maxed out on your phone and still hear quiet output because the output device's own volume control is low -- or vice versa.  This is the first time I've seen this type of setup on a desktop/laptop OS though, and I agree that it's unexpected and arguably inconvenient to have this implementation in this specific case, but I expect it is by design, specifically by Apple's design.

Docrunner · Accepted Answer

I found the solution. eqMac app solved it! eqMac, Free Audio Equalizer for macOS

DELL-Chris M · Answer

Dell would not know how the Mac Mini M1 keyboard can 'talk' to the U4021QW built-in 9W speakers? Perhaps other Apple users have fix. The manufacturer workaround is press the U4021QW Menu button, go to Audio and change the volume.

jphughan · Answer

@DELL-Chris M Volume controls don't necessarily have to work directly with the speakers. Windows has a volume control that works regardless of whether you're using laptop built-in speakers, external speakers connected via 3.5 mm jack, or an AV receiver that you're connected to over HDMI. Of course in some cases those other devices might have their own independent volume control too, but the OS volume control function should still work. The only cases I know of where that's sometimes not the case is on smartphones when paired to certain types of Bluetooth devices, because in that case the smartphone sends a fixed volume line-level signal knowing that the output device has its own volume control. But I haven't seen that implemented on desktop/laptop OSes. I don't know if the audio for the U4021QW is being carried as USB data or as raw PCM within the DisplayPort signal -- seems like the latter based on the audio output device description -- but either way I would expect an OS volume control to always be available, irrespective of the audio output device in use. That said, if it's NOT available, I would consider that an OS issue, not a display issue. Or maybe a deliberate OS design choice as is the case with the smartphone scenario I mentioned above.

@Docrunner Is the volume control slider in the menu bar even available when you've got the display selected as your audio output device?

Docrunner · Answer

Volume icon is... but no way to slide.. no way to control anything. https://goopics.net/i/2DA0p

dcobb013 · Answer

same here. I'd expect the speakers to just show up and behave like any other USB connected speaker - it's not an 'apple' thing, it's a USB thing, isn't it?

Docrunner · Answer

So, there is no solution atm ?

ngolden · Answer

@Docrunner​ this app will solve your issue with the volume:  MonitorControl

user_bd916a · Answer

@Docrunner​ - These are Spyware Applications.

Monitors

U4021QW, Mac Mini M1 Big Sur, cannot change volume

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