Low sound in alsa compared to.. ubuntu (intel hda)

skwo · 2011-09-24 21:21:06

Hi I have a Dell Latitude e5410 laptop. Previously I had xubuntu on it, but replaced it with arch linux + xfce. I have very low sound compared to xubuntu. For example at master 30% I stil could hear something relatively well, in Arch I hardly hear something. Everything is un-muted of course.

[skwee@latitude ~]$ lspci | grep Audio
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio (rev 05)
[skwee@latitude ~]$ lsmod | grep snd
snd_hda_codec_hdmi     22092  1 
snd_hda_codec_idt      55175  1 
snd_hda_intel          22122  2 
snd_hda_codec          77927  3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel
snd_hwdep               6325  1 snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                73888  3 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec
snd_timer              19416  1 snd_pcm
snd                    57818  11 snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_idt,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_hwdep,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore               6146  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          7121  2 snd_hda_intel,snd_pcm
[skwee@latitude ~]$ cat /proc/asound/devices 
  2: [ 0- 3]: digital audio playback
  3: [ 0- 0]: digital audio playback
  4: [ 0- 0]: digital audio capture
  5: [ 0- 3]: hardware dependent
  6: [ 0- 0]: hardware dependent
  7: [ 0]   : control
 33:        : timer
[skwee@latitude ~]$ cat /proc/asound/cards 
 0 [Intel          ]: HDA-Intel - HDA Intel
                      HDA Intel at 0xf7d40000 irq 44
[skwee@latitude ~]$ cat /proc/asound/card0/codec* | grep Codec
Codec: IDT 92HD81B1X5
Codec: Intel IbexPeak HDMI

If there is something else you need, please let me know.

Thank you for helping!

brebs · 2011-09-24 21:36:07

I would look through the Ubuntu-specific patches:

http://packages.ubuntu.com/source/natty/alsa-driver
http://packages.ubuntu.com/source/natty/alsa-lib

orschiro · 2011-09-24 21:52:06

We just had something similar.

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=126789

Regards

KimTjik · 2011-09-24 22:11:14

Did you run plane ALSA in Xubuntu as well? If I run plain ALSA with no modifications compared to using Pulse on top there's a very noticeable difference.

skwo · 2011-09-25 05:27:57

brebs How/where I can see the ubuntu specific patches?

orschiro Thanks Ill try this!

KimTjik I dont know, I guess its not plain alsa (dont have xubuntu now to compare). I do remember though that in xubuntu mixer (gui xfce mixer) I had more then one "Sound card" to select from, but in arch I have only one "HDA Intel (Alsa Mixer)". I guess the rest were oss emulations.

[EDIT]
The fix in link provided by orschiro Indeed fixes the volume issue, now event at very low levels (10-20% Master) I still can hear hardly something (like it should be I guess) BUT (why there is always a but? ) The sound quality is horrible, dont know how to describe it.. Its just bad. Any suggestions?

Last edited by skwo (2011-09-25 05:57:55)

brebs · 2011-09-25 08:09:30

I'll give you more of a hint: Look at the file downloads section. One of them includes Ubuntu's patches (in the "debian/patches" directory).

Not saying it's easy, but it's likely to be where the real solution to your volume problem is.

Arch Linux

#1 2011-09-24 21:21:06

Low sound in alsa compared to.. ubuntu (intel hda)

#2 2011-09-24 21:36:07

Re: Low sound in alsa compared to.. ubuntu (intel hda)

#3 2011-09-24 21:52:06

Re: Low sound in alsa compared to.. ubuntu (intel hda)

#4 2011-09-24 22:11:14

Re: Low sound in alsa compared to.. ubuntu (intel hda)

#5 2011-09-25 05:27:57

Re: Low sound in alsa compared to.. ubuntu (intel hda)

#6 2011-09-25 08:09:30

Re: Low sound in alsa compared to.. ubuntu (intel hda)

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