diff --git a/client/player/alsa_player.cpp b/client/player/alsa_player.cpp
index 9d2fe5b8..688a1c0e 100644
--- a/client/player/alsa_player.cpp
+++ b/client/player/alsa_player.cpp
@@ -41,10 +41,10 @@ AlsaPlayer::AlsaPlayer(boost::asio::io_context& io_context, const ClientSettings
         if (settings_.mixer.parameter.empty())
             mixer_name_ = DEFAULT_MIXER;
         else
-            utils::string::split_left(settings_.mixer.parameter, ':', mixer_name_, tmp);
+            mixer_name_ = utils::string::split_left(settings_.mixer.parameter, ':', tmp);
 
         // default:CARD=ALSA => default
-        utils::string::split_left(settings_.pcm_device.name, ':', mixer_device_, tmp);
+        mixer_device_ = utils::string::split_left(settings_.pcm_device.name, ':', tmp);
         LOG(DEBUG, LOG_TAG) << "Mixer: " << mixer_name_ << ", device: " << mixer_device_ << "\n";
     }
 }
@@ -229,6 +229,7 @@ void AlsaPlayer::initMixer()
 
 void AlsaPlayer::initAlsa()
 {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex_);
     unsigned int tmp, rate;
     int err, channels;
     snd_pcm_hw_params_t* params;
diff --git a/client/player/player.cpp b/client/player/player.cpp
index 1bc22af6..bdba9855 100644
--- a/client/player/player.cpp
+++ b/client/player/player.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include "common/aixlog.hpp"
 #include "common/snap_exception.hpp"
 #include "common/str_compat.hpp"
+#include "common/utils/string_utils.hpp"
 #include "player.hpp"
 
 
@@ -51,7 +52,8 @@ void Player::start()
         playerThread_ = thread(&Player::worker, this);
 
     // If hardware mixer is used, send the initial volume to the server, because this is
-    // the volume that is configured by the user on his local device
+    // the volume that is configured by the user on his local device, so we shouldn't change it
+    // on client start up
     if (settings_.mixer.mode == ClientSettings::Mixer::Mode::hardware)
     {
         double volume;
@@ -128,7 +130,7 @@ void Player::adjustVolume(char* buffer, size_t frames)
 void Player::setVolume_poly(double volume, double exp)
 {
     volume_ = std::pow(volume, exp);
-    LOG(DEBUG, LOG_TAG) << "setVolume poly: " << volume << " => " << volume_ << "\n";
+    LOG(DEBUG, LOG_TAG) << "setVolume poly with exp " << exp << ": " << volume << " => " << volume_ << "\n";
 }
 
 
@@ -138,7 +140,7 @@ void Player::setVolume_exp(double volume, double base)
     //	double base = M_E;
     //	double base = 10.;
     volume_ = (pow(base, volume) - 1) / (base - 1);
-    LOG(DEBUG, LOG_TAG) << "setVolume exp: " << volume << " => " << volume_ << "\n";
+    LOG(DEBUG, LOG_TAG) << "setVolume exp with base " << base << ": " << volume << " => " << volume_ << "\n";
 }
 
 
@@ -152,10 +154,22 @@ void Player::setVolume(double volume, bool mute)
     }
     else if (settings_.mixer.mode == ClientSettings::Mixer::Mode::software)
     {
-        if (settings_.mixer.parameter == "poly")
-            setVolume_poly(volume, 3.);
+        string param;
+        string mode = utils::string::split_left(settings_.mixer.parameter, ':', param);
+        double dparam;
+        try
+        {
+            if (!param.empty())
+                dparam = cpt::stod(param);
+        }
+        catch(...)
+        {
+            throw SnapException("Invalid mixer param: " + param);
+        }
+        if (mode == "poly")
+            setVolume_poly(volume, param.empty() ? 3. : dparam);
         else
-            setVolume_exp(volume, 10.);
+            setVolume_exp(volume, param.empty() ? 10. : dparam);
     }
     else if (settings_.mixer.mode == ClientSettings::Mixer::Mode::script)
     {
diff --git a/client/snapclient.cpp b/client/snapclient.cpp
index b4a7824a..767ead87 100644
--- a/client/snapclient.cpp
+++ b/client/snapclient.cpp
@@ -310,8 +310,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
         settings.player.mixer.mode = ClientSettings::Mixer::Mode::software;
         if (mixer_mode->is_set())
         {
-            string mode;
-            utils::string::split_left(mixer_mode->value(), ':', mode, settings.player.mixer.parameter);
+            string mode = utils::string::split_left(mixer_mode->value(), ':', settings.player.mixer.parameter);
             if (mode == "software")
                 settings.player.mixer.mode = ClientSettings::Mixer::Mode::software;
             else if ((mode == "hardware") && hw_mixer_supported)
diff --git a/common/utils/string_utils.hpp b/common/utils/string_utils.hpp
index 03428702..d713acb6 100644
--- a/common/utils/string_utils.hpp
+++ b/common/utils/string_utils.hpp
@@ -114,6 +114,14 @@ static void split_left(const std::string& s, char delim, std::string& left, std:
 }
 
 
+static std::string split_left(const std::string& s, char delim, std::string& right)
+{
+    std::string left;
+    split_left(s, delim, left, right);
+    return left;
+}
+
+
 
 static std::vector<std::string>& split(const std::string& s, char delim, std::vector<std::string>& elems)
 {