System gets slow when playing sound

sollidsnake · 2012-06-05 01:35:46

I have arch linux installed on my laptop and it works fine for all tasks. Except when I play some sound. If I'm listening to music and I increase the volume higher than 60% the applications starts to freeze, the load average rises and everything gets slow. It gets back to 'normal' if I pause the music or decrease the volume. If I use an external speaker that doesn't happen.
My computer is a dell inspiron 14 intel i5 2nd generation 4gb ram. It is a decent computer so I think we can say it is not a horsepower issue.

Any clues?

sonoran · 2012-06-06 05:20:50

Useful clues that might get you some help:

1) What window manager and/or desktop environment did you install?
2) What sound system are you using - alsa, pulseaudio, oss4?

Additionally, the Forum - like the Almighty - helps those who try to help themselves. Have you read the Wiki pages for 1 & 2? Searched the Forum? Google?

sollidsnake · 2012-06-06 14:58:01

sonoran wrote:

Useful clues that might get you some help:
1) What window manager and/or desktop environment did you install?
2) What sound system are you using - alsa, pulseaudio, oss4?
Additionally, the Forum - like the Almighty - helps those who try to help themselves. Have you read the Wiki pages for 1 & 2? Searched the Forum? Google?

1- It happens on any DE or WM. Even without X running
2- I tried alsa and pulseaudio. It is the same on booth.

Yes, I agree. I'm posting here as my last resort. I'm having this issue since I bought this laptop 6 months ago and I always have been searching for an solution, without success. I'm not that guy who ask for help on the first problem that happens without trying to fix it by himself. I know the arch way and I agree with it

Inxsible · 2012-06-06 15:08:30

check your logs to see whats happening. dmesg and Xorg logs would be where I would start.

Also you mentioned that there is no problem with external speakers -- that would indicate no problem with the software, but your laptop speakers itself. If you still have the warranty, have them checked out.

sollidsnake · 2012-06-06 22:20:11

Inxsible wrote:

check your logs to see whats happening. dmesg and Xorg logs would be where I would start.
Also you mentioned that there is no problem with external speakers -- that would indicate no problem with the software, but your laptop speakers itself. If you still have the warranty, have them checked out.

I'm not sure what exactly I should look for but I checked dmesg and xorg logs but I found nothing relevant. About the warranty, my laptop came with windows 7 installed by default so it will just cover issues with windows 7.
I was thinking in emulate the laptop sound as a external speaker. Something like make the computer think the laptop speaker is an external speaker or a headphone. I don't know if that is possible or nonsense, but I can't think anything else.
here are the logs if you want to look at
https://gist.github.com/2885150

Arch Linux

#1 2012-06-05 01:35:46

System gets slow when playing sound

#2 2012-06-06 05:20:50

Re: System gets slow when playing sound

#3 2012-06-06 14:58:01

Re: System gets slow when playing sound

#4 2012-06-06 15:08:30

Re: System gets slow when playing sound

#5 2012-06-06 22:20:11

Re: System gets slow when playing sound

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