I agree that the idea has some definite merit. While we can always come up with workarounds for any problem (such as hopping to an empty input or an input with a source that's not turned on to make the volume change, assuming the current source can't be paused), they are still workarounds. We'll have to see what the Outlaws come up with next time, won't we?

Personally, I want the volume buttons to un-mute. That's a good way for things to work when you have no way of telling if you are on mute, or your volume is at zero. Otherwise, you would have to hit mute, try to raise the volume a bunch, then if that didn't work, hit mute again and try to raise the volume a bunch.

I'm with MeanGene on this one. A Mute circuit should be independent from the volume. A feature that might be nice tied to the volume would be an attenuation circuit. When you hit the attenuation button volume would drop back say 20dB and any adjustment to the volume would then pickup at that point.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a meta control either on the back of the box or via the Menu that lets you change the behavior of the Mute button: setting A (Full Mute): nothing unsets the mute function except the mute button; setting B (Partial Mute): nothing unsets the mute function except the mute button or the volume control. Seems like there are valid reasons for both behaviors, so why not have the behavior user settable?

How about if the remotes came with a mute buttom that lit up and/or was depressed when on? Maybe including a music symbol with a line through it on screen, given that the OSD would be available through all inputs (see my first post). I am assuming you can't see the blinking amber lite on the pre/pro as in the case of the 950.

In addition another choice you don't have is being able to not change the volume to un-mute the system. You may think un-muting through the volume key is saving a key press by not having to hit the mute button again. But you actually need to raise or lower the volume 1 dB and then hit the volume adjustment again to bring it back to the level you had it before, thus requiring you to hit the key pad twice to un-mute instead of once for the un-mute button.

I find it interesting to try and solve this issue in a way that would work for everyone. There are options that could be missed by a single person and this discussion has brought some of them to light. I hope the people that could change this are reading and use this information to make their products better.

Let's see if we can consolidate a list of know attributes we would like the Mute button to have or not have. Please feel free to add/edit this list.

• Ability to identify if the system is muted in a variety of ways.
• Ability to change volume without un-muting.
• Ability to select pre-set volume levels while muted.
• Ability to configure all of this to your own desire.

Thinking some more about it. In addition to the other requests, how about a setting that allows a gradient level increase of volume when un-muting. I have to explain it this way. When you mute the sound it goes all the way off immediately. Then when you un-mute the sound it starts out 5 dB lower and slowly increases back to the original level in say 2 or 3 seconds. This would be a little easier on the ears and equipment.

mene gene .. go with a soundproofed HT room then you wont bother anyone !! JK .. i understand your point.. i like units that when muted if you push mute again it goes where it was but if you use volume up from mute it starts at a way lower output level .. actually my alpine head unit does this .. so if you are rocking and push mute as long as you hit vol up or down it doesnt go back to the rocking level ...

My Alpine unit works the same way, it really is just a 20dB attenuation for the mute. I also think the units should have a silent mute.