Only external microphone records audio on Lenovo Yoga 9i

phro · 2021-02-08 21:19:02

I have noticed the curious behavior of my Arch installation of only recording audio when an external microphone is plugged into the audio jack. When no microphone is plugged in, any attempts at recording yield silence. In particular, running

arecord

with a microphone plugged in yields what one would expect, whereas when solely relying on the internal microphone, the produced audio file is completely mute.

I have currently installed both PulseAudio and Alsamixer, and have been following as many troubleshooting pages as I can. In particular:

Following the ALSA mixer internal microphone troubleshoot only suggested adding an option to the snd-hda-intel module, which I already have set.
In case it is not an issue of muting, but rather of low volume, I have added the following line to the end of /etc/pulse/default.pa :
```
  set-source-volume 1 300000  
```
I have installed the packages sof-firmware and alsa-ucm-conf.
In alsamixer, there is no mention of an "internal microphone" under the Capture pane, yet under the Playback pane, the relative volumes of "Headphone" and "Speaker" will toggle as I (un)plug the external headphones/microphone.

When I run the following according to the PulseAudio troubleshooting page:

  $ systemctl --user stop pulseaudio.socket
  $ systemctl --user stop pulseaudio.service
  $ pulseaudio -v

The following output occurs when unplugging/ plugging in the external microphone (respectively):

  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Successfully enabled deferred volume.
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Hardware volume ranges from -178.00 dB to 0.00 dB.
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Fixing base volume to 0.00 dB
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Using hardware volume control. Hardware dB scale supported.
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Using hardware mute control.
  I: [pulseaudio] sink.c: Changed port of sink 1 "alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo" to analog-output-speaker
  I: [pulseaudio] module-device-restore.c: Restoring volume for sink alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.
  I: [pulseaudio] module-device-restore.c: Restoring mute state for sink alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Successfully enabled deferred volume.
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Hardware volume ranges from -178.00 dB to 0.00 dB.
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Fixing base volume to 0.00 dB
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Using hardware volume control. Hardware dB scale supported.
  I: [pulseaudio] alsa-sink.c: Using hardware mute control.
  I: [pulseaudio] sink.c: Changed port of sink 1 "alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo" to analog-output-headphones
  I: [pulseaudio] module-device-restore.c: Restoring volume for sink alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.
  I: [pulseaudio] module-device-restore.c: Restoring mute state for sink alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.

As recording audio is possible, this appears to be an issue with the system
detecting the internal microphone(s) (this model has two internal microphones,
one located on either side of the webcam).

The output of

arecord -l

is

  **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
  card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC298 Analog [ALC298 Analog]
    Subdevices: 0/1
    Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

This output is unaffected by plugging in a microphone.

Any help is appreciated.

V1del · 2021-02-08 23:11:50

amixer -c0
pacmd list-sources
pacmd list-source-outputs

while attempting to record?

phro · 2021-02-09 02:02:27

The result of

amixer -c 0

with no headphones:

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono: Playback 80 [63%] [-23.50dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-63.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-63.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
  Front Right: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',1
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',2
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',3
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',4
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'Beep',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 127
  Front Left: Capture 127 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 127 [100%] [30.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Enabled'
Simple mixer control 'Digital',0
  Capabilities: cvolume
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 120
  Front Left: Capture 60 [50%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Capture 60 [50%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Loopback Mixing',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Disabled'

With headphones, the only difference is in the first few lines:

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono: Playback 109 [86%] [-9.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-63.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-63.50dB] [off]

The output of

pacmd list-sources

is unchanged by plugging in the
headphones, and is given by:

3 source(s) available.
    index: 0
  name: <alsa_input.hw_0_0>
  driver: <module-alsa-source.c>
  flags: HARDWARE DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
  state: SUSPENDED
  suspend cause: IDLE
  priority: 9030
  volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
          balance 0.00
  base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
  volume steps: 65537
  muted: no
  current latency: 0.00 ms
  max rewind: 0 KiB
  sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
  channel map: front-left,front-right
               Stereo
  used by: 0
  linked by: 0
  configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms
  module: 5
  properties:
    alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
    device.api = "alsa"
    device.class = "sound"
    alsa.class = "generic"
    alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
    alsa.name = "ALC298 Analog"
    alsa.id = "ALC298 Analog"
    alsa.subdevice = "0"
    alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
    alsa.device = "0"
    alsa.card = "0"
    alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
    alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0x604b118000 irq 176"
    alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
    device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1f.3"
    sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0"
    device.bus = "pci"
    device.vendor.id = "8086"
    device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
    device.product.id = "06c8"
    device.product.name = "Comet Lake PCH cAVS"
    device.form_factor = "internal"
    device.string = "hw:0,0"
    device.buffering.buffer_size = "352800"
    device.buffering.fragment_size = "176400"
    device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
    device.description = "Built-in Audio"
    device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone-pci"
  * index: 2
  name: <alsa_input.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo>
  driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
  flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
  state: SUSPENDED
  suspend cause: IDLE
  priority: 9039
  volume: front-left: 65540 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65540 / 100% / 0.00 dB
          balance 0.00
  base volume: 6554 /  10% / -60.00 dB
  volume steps: 65537
  muted: no
  current latency: 0.00 ms
  max rewind: 0 KiB
  sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
  channel map: front-left,front-right
               Stereo
  used by: 0
  linked by: 0
  configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms
  card: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1f.3>
  module: 21
  properties:
    alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
    device.api = "alsa"
    device.class = "sound"
    alsa.class = "generic"
    alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
    alsa.name = "ALC298 Analog"
    alsa.id = "ALC298 Analog"
    alsa.subdevice = "0"
    alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
    alsa.device = "0"
    alsa.card = "0"
    alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
    alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0x604b118000 irq 176"
    alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
    device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1f.3"
    sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0"
    device.bus = "pci"
    device.vendor.id = "8086"
    device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
    device.product.id = "06c8"
    device.product.name = "Comet Lake PCH cAVS"
    device.form_factor = "internal"
    device.string = "front:0"
    device.buffering.buffer_size = "352800"
    device.buffering.fragment_size = "176400"
    device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
    device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
    device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
    device.description = "Built-in Audio Analog Stereo"
    module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
    device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
  ports:
    analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority 8700, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
      properties:
        device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
  active port: <analog-input-mic>
    index: 3
  name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo.monitor>
  driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
  flags: DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
  state: SUSPENDED
  suspend cause: IDLE
  priority: 1030
  volume: front-left: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB,   front-right: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
          balance 0.00
  base volume: 65536 / 100% / 0.00 dB
  volume steps: 65537
  muted: no
  current latency: 0.00 ms
  max rewind: 0 KiB
  sample spec: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
  channel map: front-left,front-right
               Stereo
  used by: 0
  linked by: 0
  configured latency: 0.00 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms
  monitor_of: 1
  card: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1f.3>
  module: 21
  properties:
    device.description = "Monitor of Built-in Audio Analog Stereo"
    device.class = "monitor"
    alsa.card = "0"
    alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
    alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0x604b118000 irq 176"
    alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
    device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1f.3"
    sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0"
    device.bus = "pci"
    device.vendor.id = "8086"
    device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
    device.product.id = "06c8"
    device.product.name = "Comet Lake PCH cAVS"
    device.form_factor = "internal"
    device.string = "0"
    module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
    device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"

Finally, in both cases, the output of

pacmd list-source-outputs

is:

0 source output(s) available.

V1del · 2021-02-09 07:44:09

If list-source-outputs doesn't show anything you are recording outside of pulse, what are you using here to test whether the mic works? But you should in general check if it starts to work if you unmute the Mic control

amixer -c0 set 'Mic',0 on
amixer -c0 set 'Mic',0 100%

Last edited by V1del (2021-02-09 08:23:27)

phro · 2021-02-09 14:42:12

I have been testing both with arecord and by seeing whether firefox can grab my audio. After turning the amixer Mic on, in both cases I am still only able to hear sound with the headphones plugged in.

Is there an issue with both pulse and alsa installed simultaneously?

Arch Linux

#1 2021-02-08 21:19:02

Only external microphone records audio on Lenovo Yoga 9i

#2 2021-02-08 23:11:50

Re: Only external microphone records audio on Lenovo Yoga 9i

#3 2021-02-09 02:02:27

Re: Only external microphone records audio on Lenovo Yoga 9i

#4 2021-02-09 07:44:09

Re: Only external microphone records audio on Lenovo Yoga 9i

#5 2021-02-09 14:42:12

Re: Only external microphone records audio on Lenovo Yoga 9i

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