A method comprising: accessing, on a machine-readable medium, stored audio data comprising a most recent audio level of an audio output device; determining, using one or more processors, if the most recent audio level is above a reference threshold value; in response to determining that the most recent audio level is not above the reference threshold value: setting a current audio level output by the audio output device to the most recent audio level; and in response to determining that the most recent audio level is above the reference threshold value: setting a current audio level output by the audio output device to the reference threshold value; incrementally increasing the current audio level of the audio output device by an incremental value; and either detecting a user interrupt received via a controller communicatively coupled to the audio output device; and in response to detecting the user interrupt, stopping the increasing of the current audio level; or determining the current audio level of the audio output device has been increased to a value corresponding to the most recent audio level; and in response to determining the current audio level has been increased to the value corresponding to the most recent audio level, maintaining the current audio level. accessing, on a machine-readable medium, stored audio data comprising a most recent audio level of an audio output device; determining, using one or more processors, if the most recent audio level is above a reference threshold value; in response to determining that the most recent audio level is not above the reference threshold value: setting a current audio level output by the audio output device to the most recent audio level; and in response to determining that the most recent audio level is above the reference threshold value: setting a current audio level output by the audio output device to the reference threshold value; incrementally increasing the current audio level of the audio output device by an incremental value; and either detecting a user interrupt received via a controller communicatively coupled to the audio output device; and in response to detecting the user interrupt, stopping the increasing of the current audio level; or determining the current audio level of the audio output device has been increased to a value corresponding to the most recent audio level; and in response to determining the current audio level has been increased to the value corresponding to the most recent audio level, maintaining the current audio level. setting a current audio level output by the audio output device to the reference threshold value; incrementally increasing the current audio level of the audio output device by an incremental value; and either detecting a user interrupt received via a controller communicatively coupled to the audio output device; and in response to detecting the user interrupt, stopping the increasing of the current audio level; or determining the current audio level of the audio output device has been increased to a value corresponding to the most recent audio level; and in response to determining the current audio level has been increased to the value corresponding to the most recent audio level, maintaining the current audio level.