Sound Card Master Audio Channel doesnt impact Output Sound

SigSev · 2025-04-14 19:10:17

Hello Arch Community,

i have a new laptop and thought ill try using Arch Linux for the first time and everything except the audio works like a charm, which was unexpected.
My Problem is that, if i try to change the volume it does not change the real sound that gets played, so 5% and 100% have the same sound volume, i can see in the alsamixer that the "Master" Volume gets changed which has no impact on the audio.
If I change the "PCM" volume in the alsamixer the audio does correctly change.
After a lot of googling and "prompting" chatgpt i can't seem to find the root cause or a fix for this problem.
I dont want to use the "alsamixer" everytime i want to tweak my sound volume, i have volume keys for that

Can someone point me in the right direction or give me some other hint on what i can do ?

> pacman -Qs pipewire
local/kpipewire 6.3.4-1 (plasma)
    Components relating to pipewire use in Plasma
local/libpipewire 1:1.4.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and processor - client library
local/libwireplumber 0.5.8-1
    Session / policy manager implementation for PipeWire - client library
local/pipewire 1:1.4.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and processor
local/pipewire-alsa 1:1.4.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and processor - ALSA configuration
local/pipewire-audio 1:1.4.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and processor - Audio support
local/pipewire-pulse 1:1.4.1-2
    Low-latency audio/video router and processor - PulseAudio replacement
local/pipewire-session-manager 1:1.4.1-2
    Session manager for PipeWire (default provider)
local/wireplumber 0.5.8-1
    Session / policy manager implementation for PipeWire

> pactl list sinks
Sink #63
	State: SUSPENDED
	Name: alsa_output.pci-0000_c4_00.6.analog-stereo
	Description: Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller Analoges Stereo
	Driver: PipeWire
	Sample Specification: s32le 2ch 48000Hz
	Channel Map: front-left,front-right
	Owner Module: 4294967295
	Mute: no
	Volume: front-left: 19660 /  30% / -31,37 dB,   front-right: 19660 /  30% / -31,37 dB
	       balance 0,00
	Base Volume: 65536 / 100% / 0,00 dB
	Monitor Source: alsa_output.pci-0000_c4_00.6.analog-stereo.monitor
	Latency: 0 usec, configured 0 usec
	Flags: HARDWARE HW_MUTE_CTRL HW_VOLUME_CTRL DECIBEL_VOLUME LATENCY 
	Properties:
		alsa.card = "1"
		alsa.card_name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.components = "HDA:10ec0245,1f4ce001,00100001"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		alsa.id = "ALC245 Analog"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xdc6c0000 irq 142"
		alsa.mixer_name = "Realtek ALC245"
		alsa.name = "ALC245 Analog"
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.sync.id = "00000000:00000000:00000000:00000000"
		api.alsa.card.longname = "HD-Audio Generic at 0xdc6c0000 irq 142"
		api.alsa.card.name = "HD-Audio Generic"
		api.alsa.path = "front:1"
		api.alsa.pcm.card = "1"
		api.alsa.pcm.stream = "playback"
		audio.channels = "2"
		audio.position = "FL,FR"
		card.profile.device = "3"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-analog"
		device.id = "46"
		device.profile.description = "Analoges Stereo"
		device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
		device.routes = "2"
		factory.name = "api.alsa.pcm.sink"
		media.class = "Audio/Sink"
		device.description = "Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller"
		node.name = "alsa_output.pci-0000_c4_00.6.analog-stereo"
		node.nick = "ALC245 Analog"
		node.pause-on-idle = "false"
		object.path = "alsa:acp:Generic_1:3:playback"
		port.group = "playback"
		priority.driver = "1009"
		priority.session = "1009"
		factory.id = "19"
		clock.quantum-limit = "8192"
		client.id = "41"
		node.driver = "true"
		node.loop.name = "data-loop.0"
		library.name = "audioconvert/libspa-audioconvert"
		object.id = "63"
		object.serial = "63"
		api.acp.auto-port = "false"
		api.acp.auto-profile = "false"
		api.alsa.card = "1"
		api.alsa.split-enable = "true"
		api.alsa.use-acp = "true"
		api.dbus.ReserveDevice1 = "Audio1"
		api.dbus.ReserveDevice1.Priority = "-20"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:c4:00.6"
		device.enum.api = "udev"
		device.name = "alsa_card.pci-0000_c4_00.6"
		device.nick = "HD-Audio Generic"
		device.plugged.usec = "36782050"
		device.product.id = "0x15e3"
		device.product.name = "Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller"
		device.subsystem = "sound"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:c4:00.6/sound/card1"
		device.vendor.id = "0x1022"
		device.vendor.name = "Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD]"
		spa.object.id = "4"
		device.string = "1"
	Ports:
		analog-output-speaker: Lautsprecher (type: Speaker, priority: 10000, availability group: Legacy 3, availability unknown)
		analog-output-headphones: Kopfhörer (type: Headphones, priority: 9900, availability group: Legacy 4, not available)
	Active Port: analog-output-speaker
	Formats:
		pcm

Lone_Wolf · 2025-04-15 13:37:35

aslamixer is designed to change volumes when alsa is your sound system.

You're using pipewire.
Try using a tool that is designed for/works with pipewire like pavucontrol or pwvucontrol

SigSev · Today 12:58:47

Thank you for your reply, i have tried using the pavucontrol, but its the same result, the volume from 1% to 100% is the exact same.

SigSev · Today 13:01:23

Okay nevermind, the per app volume control works perfectly just my hardware volume buttons dont have an effect, but i can live with that. Thank you very much.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-04-14 19:10:17

Sound Card Master Audio Channel doesnt impact Output Sound

#2 2025-04-15 13:37:35

Re: Sound Card Master Audio Channel doesnt impact Output Sound

#3 Today 12:58:47

Re: Sound Card Master Audio Channel doesnt impact Output Sound

#4 Today 13:01:23

Re: Sound Card Master Audio Channel doesnt impact Output Sound

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