maximum volume

Have you tried Restoring the iPod?

See: How to restore the iPod to factory settings.

From the user manual;
"*Setting the Maximum Volume Limit*
You can choose to set a limit for the maximum volume on iPod classic and assign a combination to prevent the setting from being changed.
*To set the maximum volume limit for iPod classic:*
1 Choose Settings > Volume Limit.
The volume control shows the current volume.
2 Use the Click Wheel to select the maximum volume limit.
You can press Play to hear the currently selected song play while you select the maximum volume limit.
3 Press Play/Pause to set the maximum volume limit.
A triangle on the volume bar indicates the maximum volume limit.
4 Press the Menu button to accept the maximum volume limit without requiring a combination to change it. Or, on the Enter Combination screen, set a combination to require that the combination be entered to change the maximum volume limit.
5 To enter a combination:
- Use the Click Wheel to select a number for the first position. Press the Center button to confirm your choice and move to the next position.
- Use the same method to set the remaining numbers of the combination. You can use the Next/Fast-forward button to move to the next position and the Previous/Rewind button to move to the previous position. Press the Center button in the final position to confirm the entire combination.
Note: The volume of songs and other audio may vary depending on how the audio was recorded or encoded. See “Setting Songs to Play at the Same Volume Level” on page 30 for information about how to set a relative volume level in iTunes and on iPod classic. Volume level may also vary if you use different earphones or headphones.
With the exception of the iPod Radio Remote, accessories that connect through the iPod Dock Connector don’t support volume limits.
If you set a combination, you must enter it before you can change or remove the maximum volume limit.

To change the maximum volume limit:
1 Choose Settings > Volume Limit.
2 If you set a combination, enter it by using the Click Wheel to select the numbers and pressing the Center button to confirm them.
3 Use the Click Wheel to change the maximum volume limit.
4 Press the Play/Pause button to accept the change."

i think i understand what you are saying. I'm having the exact same problem. When I'm trying to sleep I like to turn my music down really far, but with my ipod I can't turn it down past a certain point, even with the volume limit turned all the way down. When I turn down my volume I would like it to go all the way down to mute, but my new ipod doesn't go down that far.

is that your problem??

Yes, i understand the problem and your issue
sounds strange.

I think you did to try to follow the steps
for "removing a limit"
Go to http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303414
clean up and make a new combination. do you by chance
see the "lock" mentioned in the procedure?
let us know. hav'a go;-)day dusk26

yes evie that is the problem

???
That is not the problem you described above.

The maximum volume (as described above) allows you to set the volume so it will not go above a certain point.
So if 10 is the highest the iPod will go, the max volume setting allows you to set it so it will not go above 7 (to whatever you set it to), without a combination.

evie's problem seems to be the volume will not go low/quiet enough.

Me too. THis is buggy as ****. The volume limit feature
1. Will not allow me to set a higher limit (I want max limit to play through other [powered] speakers)
2. Unreliably responds to my pushing "play" or the center button, with different results (e.g. goes to combination, or returns to menu)
3. Will only let me set the sound level lower, which it saves, but will accept no increased setting

After resetting to factory settings, at which point sound max is dead center, the same thing happens.
Ipod classic 80 Gb, now useless for 4th of july barbecue