[SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

techmanwalker · 2025-07-02 01:18:36

Apparently my laptop (Asus Zenbook Pro 17) has 4 speakers (2 weaker ones in the front and 2 more powerful in the back), but changing the volume only affects the front ones while the others stay at full volume all the time until I turn the volume to 0 to mute them. Changing the volume either on alsamixer or in the Plasma panel does the same thing, and alsamixer shows "HD-Audio Generic" as the driver name.

The only way to change the volume right now is to do it by software, per program, which is very tedious when using many programs/browser tabs at the same time.

Is there any fix? Thank you in advance.

Last edited by techmanwalker (2025-07-02 17:51:11)

seth · 2025-07-02 06:44:12

do it by software, per program

Bind that to the volume key shortcut?

techmanwalker · 2025-07-02 07:10:11

Already done but it still bugs out when I lower the system sounds volume (I'm in KDE with pavucontrol + pipewire), so I was looking for somehow to fix the main issue instead of a workaround like this

seth · 2025-07-02 07:33:04

Ok, what command do you use to set the volume to include the bass speakers and what value gets actually changed?
The problem w/ "system sounds volume" is that this is likely some transient plasma configuration - not sure whether you're gonna be able to configure what *plasma* does there.
The alternative would be to (likely) downmix 5.1 sound into stereo, what of course sucks - is the card detected as 5.1 sound anyway? (or is it some 2.1 sound?

pactl list cards
pactl list sources
pactl list sinks
aplay -lL
amixer -Dhw:0
amixer -Dhw:1

techmanwalker · 2025-07-02 08:30:50

Currently I drag each program's volume like this instead of changing the master volume (as it should work), so the master always holds at 100% so the audio sounds consistent. Either changing the master volume with pavucontrol, Plasma's settings, alsamixer or whatever, the bass doesn't get included.

pactl list cards
pactl list sources
pactl list sinks
aplay -lL
amixer -Dhw:0
amixer -Dhw:1

V1del · 2025-07-02 09:15:07

The bass speaker just has an on and off toggle that you can't increase or decrease volume of anyway. In any case, you're running on the wrong audio profile to include the bass in any capacity. If you want to try a 2.1 or 4.0 upmix you need to switch to the appropriate profile

pactl set-card-profile alsa_card.pci-0000_65_00.6 output:analog-surround-21+input:analog-stereo 
#alternatively, but that also explicitly excludes the bass, from a profile perspective
pactl set-card-profile alsa_card.pci-0000_65_00.6 output:analog-surround-40+input:analog-stereo

techmanwalker · 2025-07-02 09:22:12

Ok, both your commands completely nuked my bass speakers and the audio sounds very weak, I'd like to know how to go back to default or if there is any other profile/potential fix for this?

EDIT: got them back by changing "surround" to "stereo", pro-audio profile doesn't play the bass speakers either

Last edited by techmanwalker (2025-07-02 09:29:13)

V1del · 2025-07-02 10:54:46

Then you need to elaborate on what you actually want. The bass speaker is not explicitly talked to with the standard stereo configuration. It's technically "enabled" but not in a capacity you can actively control and if anything happens with it then this will be some in HW logistics you can't manipulate.

From the mixer topology, the bass speakers are enabled or they're not, they do not have a fine grained volume control.

Last edited by V1del (2025-07-02 11:03:47)

seth · 2025-07-02 11:23:20

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PipeWi … 30%_volume
Ignore the symptoms, you'll likely require software mixing to adjust the bass

techmanwalker · 2025-07-02 17:50:37

Thank you really much, seems work fine now, all the speakers at once. Good day/night.

Marking as solved-

Last edited by techmanwalker (2025-07-02 17:52:37)

Arch Linux

#1 2025-07-02 01:18:36

[SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#2 2025-07-02 06:44:12

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#3 2025-07-02 07:10:11

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#4 2025-07-02 07:33:04

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#5 2025-07-02 08:30:50

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#6 2025-07-02 09:15:07

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#7 2025-07-02 09:22:12

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#8 2025-07-02 10:54:46

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#9 2025-07-02 11:23:20

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

#10 2025-07-02 17:50:37

Re: [SOLVED] Bass speakers not affected while changing volume

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