diff --git a/src/android/i_cdmus.c b/src/android/i_cdmus.c
index c5aac8f1..426bc5dc 100644
--- a/src/android/i_cdmus.c
+++ b/src/android/i_cdmus.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 
 UINT8 cdaudio_started = 0;
 
-consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","31",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","18",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 consvar_t cdUpdate  = {"cd_update","1",CV_SAVE, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 
diff --git a/src/djgppdos/i_cdmus.c b/src/djgppdos/i_cdmus.c
index f707add5..2a629ca1 100644
--- a/src/djgppdos/i_cdmus.c
+++ b/src/djgppdos/i_cdmus.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static boolean wasPlaying;
 static int     cdVolume=0;          // current cd volume (0-31)
 
 // 0-31 like Music & Sfx, though CD hardware volume is 0-255.
-consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","31",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","18",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 // allow Update for next/loop track
 // some crap cd drivers take up to
diff --git a/src/s_sound.c b/src/s_sound.c
index 47a95556..76ee4c64 100644
--- a/src/s_sound.c
+++ b/src/s_sound.c
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ consvar_t stereoreverse = {"stereoreverse", "Off", CV_SAVE, CV_OnOff, NULL, 0, N
 static consvar_t precachesound = {"precachesound", "Off", CV_SAVE, CV_OnOff, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 // actual general (maximum) sound & music volume, saved into the config
-consvar_t cv_soundvolume = {"soundvolume", "31", CV_SAVE, soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+consvar_t cv_soundvolume = {"soundvolume", "18", CV_SAVE, soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 consvar_t cv_digmusicvolume = {"digmusicvolume", "18", CV_SAVE, soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 consvar_t cv_midimusicvolume = {"midimusicvolume", "18", CV_SAVE, soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 // number of channels available
diff --git a/src/sdl12/i_cdmus.c b/src/sdl12/i_cdmus.c
index 1eeac370..b3490592 100644
--- a/src/sdl12/i_cdmus.c
+++ b/src/sdl12/i_cdmus.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void SDL_SYS_CDQuit(void)
 
 UINT8 cdaudio_started = 0;   // for system startup/shutdown
 
-consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","31",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","18",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 consvar_t cdUpdate  = {"cd_update","1",CV_SAVE, NULL, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 #ifndef NOSDLCD
diff --git a/src/win32/win_cd.c b/src/win32/win_cd.c
index 4ac1506e..f6c43074 100644
--- a/src/win32/win_cd.c
+++ b/src/win32/win_cd.c
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ static BOOL wasPlaying;
 //static INT     cdVolume = 0;          // current cd volume (0-31)
 
 // 0-31 like Music & Sfx, though CD hardware volume is 0-255.
-consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","31",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","18",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 // allow Update for next/loop track
 // some crap cd drivers take up to
diff --git a/src/win32ce/win_cd.c b/src/win32ce/win_cd.c
index 2b1a8be9..940f59ff 100644
--- a/src/win32ce/win_cd.c
+++ b/src/win32ce/win_cd.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ static boolean wasPlaying;
 //static int     cdVolume = 0;          // current cd volume (0-31)
 
 // 0-31 like Music & Sfx, though CD hardware volume is 0-255.
-consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","31",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
+consvar_t cd_volume = {"cd_volume","18",CV_SAVE,soundvolume_cons_t, NULL, 0, NULL, NULL, 0, 0, NULL};
 
 // allow Update for next/loop track
 // some crap cd drivers take up to