Arch Linux

hasir

Member

Registered: 2024-01-21

Posts: 8

[SOLVED]Weird volume issue

Hello everyone! I am a beginner for linux and English, plz understand me ;-)

My volume is muted when I turn it to 17%. In other words, 18% volume somehow means 1%. And in fact, 18% volume sounds like 1% on Windows to me.
I try to read the "pipewire" page on arch wiki, but seems that there is nothing that can help me.  It is mentioned in this page that the usb audio output device will not have sound until the volume reaches 30%, but I am using built-in audio output device.

One thing I would like to add is that when I use bluetooth headphones, the volume behaves very normally. I don't know what other information needs to be provided, if there is any needed, please point it out and I will add it!

So does anyone have some suggestions? Thanks!

Last edited by hasir (2024-03-17 15:13:26)

ewaller

Administrator

From: Pasadena, CA

Registered: 2009-07-13

Posts: 20,642

Re: [SOLVED]Weird volume issue

What desktop environment / window manager are you using?
You may want to install pavucontrol and use it's GUI to explore your sound system.  I have a feeling the built in audio is not turned all the way up.

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hasir

Member

Registered: 2024-01-21

Posts: 8

Re: [SOLVED]Weird volume issue

What desktop environment / window manager are you using?
You may want to install pavucontrol and use it's GUI to explore your sound system.  I have a feeling the built in audio is not turned all the way up.

Thank for reply! My desktop environment is KDE. Here is more info in settings:

Software:
    KDE Plasma Version: 6.0.2
    KDE Frameworks Version: 6.0.0
    Qt Version: 6.6.2
    Kernel Version: 6.7.9-zen1-1-zen(64-bit)
    Graphics Platfrom: Wayland
   
I have tried to use pavucontrol to explore my audio device. I got the same result, that is, the volume is directly muted when the volume is below 18%.
But one thing I care about is that when my front left is maintained at 18%, my front right will produce sound even though the volume is lower than 18%, and vice versa.
Through this, I know that 18% is not the lowest volume. If both of them are below 18%, all of them will be muted.
This only happens when I use pavucontrol to adjust the volume, and when I play around with this using kde's system volume settings the results are different. Regardless of the front left or front right, as long as its volume is lower than 18%, it will be muted.

Geez, it's not easy to express this. I hope I can make it clear.

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,230

Re: [SOLVED]Weird volume issue

Percentages usually don't mean much, chances the Windows driver and the Linux driver use a different step count basis. You could disable hardware volume control entirely and/or ignore the DB values ALSA reports.

FWIW as a test if you check the actual mixer controls the device gives you with e.g.

alsamixer -c0 #Where the 0 is the card in question, as presented from an aplay -l listing, both of these tools are in alsa-utils

do you have multiple "knobs" for the same end goal, e.g. a Master and a PCM/Speaker and can those individually get lower than 18% ? What pipewire/pulseaudio do here is aggregate controls for the same purpose and control them in some calculated steps that might sometimes be off for certain devices.

FWIW for some proper checks, can you post embedded in code tags the outputs of

aplay -lL
amixer -c0 #or the correct index like above
pactl list cards
pactl list sinks

hasir

Member

Registered: 2024-01-21

Posts: 8

Re: [SOLVED]Weird volume issue

Percentages usually don't mean much, chances the Windows driver and the Linux driver use a different step count basis. You could disable hardware volume control entirely and/or ignore the DB values ALSA reports.

FWIW as a test if you check the actual mixer controls the device gives you with e.g.

alsamixer -c0 #Where the 0 is the card in question, as presented from an aplay -l listing, both of these tools are in alsa-utils

do you have multiple "knobs" for the same end goal, e.g. a Master and a PCM/Speaker and can those individually get lower than 18% ? What pipewire/pulseaudio do here is aggregate controls for the same purpose and control them in some calculated steps that might sometimes be off for certain devices.

FWIW for some proper checks, can you post embedded in code tags the outputs of

aplay -lL
amixer -c0 #or the correct index like above
pactl list cards
pactl list sinks

Thank you sir. I've find a way to solve my problem, though it may be not perfect. Anyway this is almost the only thing I can do so far ;-)

hasir

Member

Registered: 2024-01-21

Posts: 8

Re: [SOLVED]Weird volume issue

Alright, I've find a possible way to solve this issue though it can be not perfect.

This is the address of solution: https://askubuntu.com/questions/511250/ … w-20-14-04

For those lazy people:
Run this in you terminal:

pavucontrol

And choose Configuration option, then choose Pro Audio as your device.
It will give me(or you) a smooth way to adjust my volume. You can also use alsamixer to set your "dB" to max. You will need this, otherwise your device of sound will be quieter when volume goes low.

Thank you to those guys who want to help me. You guys are wonderful!

V1del

Forum Moderator

Registered: 2012-10-16

Posts: 25,230

Re: [SOLVED]Weird volume issue

Yes but that can have some other stipulations, this sounds like something where you could just configure to ignore the HW volume/just use software volume for the pipewire control, but if the pro profile works you can use that