Arch Linux

ltn

Member

Registered: 2022-09-30

Posts: 6

ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

So i installed arch to my Macbook Air 2017 as my main system by following arch wiki and this guidelines, and it works perfectly fine, except for some weird audio issues.
So the problem is that i can't set a Master volume other than 0%. Using ALSA/pulseaudio and, if it would be helpful, awesome wm for graphics.

[user@host ~]$ amixer
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 5841 [9%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65535 [100%] [on]
[user@host ~]$ 
[user@host ~]$ amixer sset 'Master' 100%
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono: Playback 65536 [100%] [on]
[user@host ~]$ 
[user@host ~]$ amixer
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 5841 [9%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65535 [100%] [on]

In pavucontrol the animation shows the sound works, so pulseaudio takes the audio stream, and this is really strange for me.

There are my devices list:

[user@host ~]$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: CS4208 Analog [CS4208 Analog]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 1: CS4208 Digital [CS4208 Digital]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: HDMI [HDA Intel HDMI], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Can't find the solution for maybe 1-2 weeks. Noob at linux, so the solution can be as stupidly as possible.

boban_dj

Member

Registered: 2015-03-17

Posts: 150

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

the command is:

amixer set Master 5%+

not "sset"
when you run alsamixer can you set the master volume?

Last edited by boban_dj (2022-09-30 17:36:29)

ltn

Member

Registered: 2022-09-30

Posts: 6

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

[user@host ~]$ amixer
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 5841 [9%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65535 [100%] [on]
[user@host ~]$ 
[user@host ~]$ amixer set Master 5%+
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono: Playback 3277 [5%] [on]
[user@host ~]$ 
[user@host ~]$ amixer
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 65536
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 5841 [9%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 65535 [100%] [on]

When i open alsamixer, the Master volume at 0 and i can change it, but when i restarting alsamixer, the volume at 0 again. The sound doesn't appears while i changing the volume in alsamixer.

boban_dj

Member

Registered: 2015-03-17

Posts: 150

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

Maybe read the alsa wiki again to debug your issue. maybe: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Advanc … on_startup
or setting the default card: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Advanc … sound_card

Last edited by boban_dj (2022-09-30 18:30:09)

ltn

Member

Registered: 2022-09-30

Posts: 6

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

This issue is not seems like auto-mute or default card problems.

I've dumped the debug info via alsa-info.sh and it seems all right. Will check more debugging info later.

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,263

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

Use pulseaudio tools to set your volumes, like pavucontrol/pactl, don't try to mix that with alsamixer/amixer. They will trip over each other.

Also remove your .asoundrc and install pulseaudio-alsa instead.

Last edited by V1del (2022-10-01 00:36:05)

ltn

Member

Registered: 2022-09-30

Posts: 6

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

So i removed .asoundrc and installed pulseaudio-alsa. The Master volume in amixer seems fine now, but the sound doesn't appeared.

[user@host Discord]$ amixer
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]

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,263

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

yes because you should in general not use ALSA tools to manipulate pulseaudio state. Install pavucontrol, change your volumes there, these should stick.

ltn

Member

Registered: 2022-09-30

Posts: 6

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

In pavucontrol the animation shows the sound works, so pulseaudio takes the audio stream, and this is really strange for me.

Checked all pavucontrol settings, but all seems good.

There are two possible places where the sound can't go on: pulseaudio->alsa or alsa->sound card.

Is there any good way to check if the alsa gets the sound?

Also thank you for your replies.

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,263

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

Check the actual real device with

amixer -c0

maybe also post

pacmd list-sinks

If you manipulate the volume does it work but you just need to set it again on boot? After fixing the volume try running a

sudo alsactl store

ltn

Member

Registered: 2022-09-30

Posts: 6

Re: ALSA always sets the Master volume back to 0%

There are all seems ok too.

[user@host ~]$ amixer -c0
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]
[user@host ~]$ 
[user@host ~]$ pacmd list-sinks
1 sink(s) available.
  * index: 0
	name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1b.0.analog-stereo>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: SUSPENDED
	suspend cause: IDLE
	priority: 9039
	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 request: 0 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 0
	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: 1 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1b.0>
	module: 7
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "CS4208 Analog"
		alsa.id = "CS4208 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 0xc1614000 irq 75"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1b.0"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "8086"
		device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
		device.product.id = "9ca0"
		device.product.name = "Wildcat Point-LP High Definition Audio Controller"
		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-output: Analog Output (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: unknown)
			properties:
				
	active port: <analog-output>

I do not need to manipulate the volume after booting, these settings i posted are settings after reboot.