Volume increases when skipping songs

Question

This volume phenomenon started after updating my iPod to iOS 5.1.
When I'm playing a song (let's use an example: "Some Nights" by Fun.) and I decide to skip to the next song (to "We Are Young" by Fun.), pressing the skip/next button will cause the next song to jump considerably in volume. It's as if I increased the volume about 20%! It's extremely odd and really annoying. The volume does not jump if you select the next immediate song from a track list (in the album, playlist, etc.), and is not affected by hitting the back button to go to a previous song. Also, volume will stay at the increased level if you continue to select tracks with the skip/next button. The volume returns to normal if you use the back button like I mentioned earlier.
While this doesn't necessarily affect the overall functionality of my iPod, it's severely annoying and scares the crap out of me when I'm sitting in my car and I decide to skip a song.
I kinda doubt there's an actual potential solution to this besides restoring or deactivating/reactivating Sound Check, but if there are any other people who are also experiencing this... then we can all suffer together!
p.s. I've dealt with this volume issue since iOS 5.1, but even after installing 5.1.1, the issue remains.

Answer 1

I have also noticed this same issue, too. I have actually been noticing a slightly different facet of it, though. For one thing, I am already aware that I (we) can adjust individual sound volume levels (under Settings, for each track). But what I've also noticed is, whenever I do this (lower the volume level for a particular track(s)), not only does the "new" setting not register until the track is played again, but in fact, I actually have to play a short part of the track, then forward to the next track in the playlist, and then go back to the previously adjusted track, in order to hear the drop in volume.
I am really getting tired of this. I am especially getting tired of having to adjust the volume on my iPod Touch (4th Gen --- with very high quality earphones) every few songs of a playlist. And, I also concur with the previous poster, who claims the sudden increase in volume destroys his eardrums --- mine too. I hate it. Apple, please get a FIX for this issue, ASAP!!!!!  It's (evidently) not just a few of us who are experiencing it, it seems to be everyone who has updated to iOS 5.1.1.
Message was edited by: Louis8ball