Arch Linux

stecco

Member

Registered: 2013-07-16

Posts: 40

Frying speakers

Hi there, on my laptop lenovo yoga 3 pro where Arch is happily dual boot with windows10 I recently discovered a problem: certain sounds in linux make fry the speakers, but I hear the same perfectly in windows. I noticed it playing spotify that is installed on both, but the problem also with some games of steam and playing vlc.

I use ALSA and my sound server is PulseAudio.

Any advice, ideas?
Thank you in advance!

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,601

Re: Frying speakers

I assume "Fry" does not mean "permanent damage to the voice coils", but rather means it generates a high pitched buzz.  I suspect that you are clipping someplace.  Install a tool like pavucontrol and ensure that all the settings are mid range -- the input gains, the master output levels, the per application level, etc...  See if that stops it.  Then, if more volume is required, run the master volume up.

As this is a laptop, I assume we are talking about the internal speakers.  These are likely to be analog channels.  Let me know if we are talking HDMI or Bluetooth.  Also, what happens if you use headphones?, or external speakers plugged into the line out?

---

Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistent with the laws of nature -- Michael Faraday
The shortest way to ruin a country is to give power to demagogues.— Dionysius of Halicarnassus
---
How to Ask Questions the Smart Way