Arch Linux

jesusrop

Member

Registered: 2013-10-19

Posts: 14

[solved] Volume adjust problem

Hi all,

I have lost the ability to adjust volume. I use gnome desktop and with the volume keys I can either put it to 0% so it mutes, a very low value like 5% will give me about 50% percent output and any higher value will give me maximum volume.I have played a bit with the settings in the system setting audio page and also with pavucontrol, but have found nothing that altered this behaviour.

pactl stat

Server String: unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 32
Server Protocol Version: 32
Is Local: yes
Client Index: 13
Tile Size: 65472
User Name: jesus
Host Name: estudi
Server Name: pulseaudio
Server Version: 11.1
Default Sample Specification: s16le 2ch 44100Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: alsa_output.usb-Plantronics_Plantronics_BT600_de61e03c1f838048a38b3fc68ec74685-00.analog-stereo
Default Source: alsa_output.usb-Plantronics_Plantronics_BT600_de61e03c1f838048a38b3fc68ec74685-00.analog-stereo.monitor
Cookie: 4f4e:105d

aplay -l

**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: S51 [SB Omni Surround 5.1], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: S51 [SB Omni Surround 5.1], device 1: USB Audio [USB Audio #1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: S51 [SB Omni Surround 5.1], device 2: USB Audio [USB Audio #2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: BT600 [Plantronics BT600], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

amixer (volume set at 0%)

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]

amixer (volume set at 6%)

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 3932 [6%] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 3932 [6%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]

amixer (volume set at 100%)

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 65536 [100%] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 65536 [100%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65536 [100%] [on]

I tried the Pulseaudio troubleshooting about volume adjustment but either I didn't do it well or it didn't work:
/usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/paths/analog-output.conf.common

...
[Element PCM]
switch = mute
volume = merge
volume-limit = 10000
override-map.1 = all
override-map.2 = all-left,all-right
...

Last edited by jesusrop (2018-01-04 15:54:18)

alilleaas

Member

Registered: 2018-01-04

Posts: 2

Re: [solved] Volume adjust problem

This happens to me as well. Not on Arch though, but on both Ubuntu 17.10 and Fedora 27. I found this thread when googling for "linux usb audio volume limited".

My experience is that everything seems to work just fine, except that the volume is limited at aroud 12-15%. The volume silder in pavucontrol works just fine below that level, but at a certain threshold it doesn't change the volume. And the max volume is definitely not the actual max volume, it used to be able to go much louder.

I use a Hegel USB dac which is implemented as a standard USB audio interface. If I plug my headphones into my laptops built in audio output, setting the volume works just fine.

I also tested the same USB dac on my gaming rig that runs Win10 and it works just fine.

This also seemed to start happening after an update. So I assume it's software related.

I haven't tested with other standard USB audio interface devices.

Last edited by alilleaas (2018-01-04 13:04:12)

alilleaas

Member

Registered: 2018-01-04

Posts: 2

Re: [solved] Volume adjust problem

Found this on Reddit. We're not alone, at least.

https://www.reddit.com/r/archlinux/comm … _properly/

Maybe a bug in alsa, since an alsa downgrade + reboot fixed it?

WorMzy

Forum Moderator

From: Scotland

Registered: 2010-06-16

Posts: 11,846

Website

Re: [solved] Volume adjust problem

Welcome to the forums, alilleaas. While your symptoms may be similar, chances are you are running different package versions on Ubuntu and Fedora, and while any eventual solution may work for you too, you should still seek support from the respective communities for those distros as we only support Arch.

jesusrop you say you lost the ability to adjust the volume, which suggests that it used to be adjustable. What changed between then and now? Package updates? Configuration changes? If you roll back the changes (e.g. using ALA snapshots), does the problem still occur?

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jesusrop

Member

Registered: 2013-10-19

Posts: 14

Re: [solved] Volume adjust problem

Hi all,

thanks for your replies. The problem is now solved. It solved itself. I have seen no pulseaudio nor alsa updates. The system was installed fresh on December 26th and no updates to those packages since. I can't say what triggered the issue or what solved it though.

Thanks again!