no sound from laptop until ~30%

LSH · 2025-08-15 08:32:23

BEFORE YOU SAY IT, i have read the manual. ive also read hundreds of forums with solutions that didnt work. the issue is that my laptop's audio is always silent until around 30% volume. i cant make it any lower, otherwise no sound will come at all. fyi im using pipewire on a thinkpad that used to run windows (audio worked just fine on windows). here are the remedies i've tried that havent worked:

- using the `soft-mixer` instead of the `hard-mixer` (see? i read the manual)
- deleting my wireplumber configuration to "use the default configuration" (turned out bad)
- setting `alsa-...-ignoreDB` or whatever it was called to `true`
- using lua files instead of `.conf` files
- reinstalling wireplumber, and everything pipewire related (rebooted after)
- reinstalling the necessary firmware like `sof-firmware` (rebooted after)

NOTE: yes, i restarted `pipewire.service` after each remedy.
also, i think it's something wrong with where i put the `.conf` files at. i tried putting them in `/etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d` and ive also tried putting them in `~/.config/wireplumber`. also `/usr/share/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d`. and ive also tried editing `/usr/share/wireplumber.conf` but that didnt work either.

all of these never worked. ive been at it fixing this problem for DAYS ??? . but i need a solution asap, because i cant stand when someone asks me to turn down the volume and then i cant hear the sound myself.

seth · 2025-08-15 12:27:10

BEFORE YOU SAY IT, i have read the manual. ive also read hundreds of forums with solutions that didnt work.

And have you read https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PipeWi … 30%_volume ?

LSH · 2025-08-15 12:30:37

that's literally where i got the switching from `hard-mixer` to `soft-mixer` remedy. as i said, it didnt work.

LSH · 2025-08-15 12:31:35

seth wrote:

BEFORE YOU SAY IT, i have read the manual. ive also read hundreds of forums with solutions that didnt work.
And have you read https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PipeWi … 30%_volume ?

that's literally where i got the switching from `hard-mixer` to `soft-mixer` remedy. as i said, it didnt work.

seth · 2025-08-15 12:44:10

Please don't bloat the thread with full quotes, bumps or pointless reposts.

Focus on that approach, what does the actual file look like, where did you put it, did you restart wireplumber afterwards (or even better: reboot…) what is the output of

find /etc/systemd -type l -exec test -f {} \; -print | awk -F'/' '{ printf ("%-40s | %s\n", $(NF-0), $(NF-1)) }' | sort -f

and

wpctl status

and "wpctl inspect" for the relevant ID?
Also maybe add https://man.archlinux.org/man/pw-dump.1

Fwwi, https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=57855 on why it's kinda important to provide a postive list of things you've *actually* done instead of generic claims.
"using the `soft-mixer` instead of the `hard-mixer`" could also just mean "chatgpt told me that and I entered `soft-mixer` into some console, but didn't work"

LSH · 2025-08-15 13:56:28

well i figured you'd know what i mean by using the software mixer instead of the hardware mixer but ok.

here's the output for the commands. i didnt include it here since it'd be a mess. so sorry if they are not formatted the way that they're supposed to be i just ran `echo $(command) > file.txt`.

here's the path for my configuration, and its content:
path: /etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/alsa-soft-mixer.conf
content:

monitor.alsa.rules = [
  {
    matches = [
      {
        device.name = "~alsa_card.*"
      }
    ]
    actions = {
      update-props = {
        api.alsa.soft-mixer = true
      }
    }
  }
]

if you'd like, i can elaborate on the remedies ive done. here:
-------------------------------------
- using the `soft-mixer` instead of the `hard-mixer`

> sudo nvim /etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/alsa-soft-mixer.conf
    -> wrote everything that the manual said
> systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-* wireplumber

-------------------------------------
- deleting my wireplumber configuration to "use the default configuration" (someone actually recommended this)

> sudo rm -rf /etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d
(didnt work, had to reinstall wireplumber)
> sudo pacman -Sy wireplumber

-------------------------------------
- setting `alsa-...-ignoreDB` or whatever it was called to `true` (i'll admit, this was from chatgpt)

> sudo nvim /etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/alsa-ignore-db.conf
    -> added `api.alsa.ignore-db = true` to `monitor.alsa.rules[0].actions["update-props"]`
> systemctl --user restart pipewire pipewire-* wireplumber

-------------------------------------
- using lua files instead of `.conf` files
-> literally just converting all of my `.conf` files to lua
-------------------------------------
- reinstalling wireplumber, and everything pipewire related

> sudo pacman -Sy pipewire pipewire-jack pipewire-pulse wireplumber pavucontrol alsa-utils pipewire-audio pipewire-alsa
> sudo reboot now

-------------------------------------
- reinstalling the necessary firmware like `sof-firmware`

> sudo pacman -Sy sof-firmware
> sudo reboot now

-------------------------------------

someone suggested that maybe i didnt install the correct drivers/firmware for audio on a thinkpad. im starting to think that someone is right. do you think it could be something about my drivers or..?

if im being unhelpful im so sorry man its my first time using arch on a thinkpad. on my mac, there was no problem other than the Broadcom driver. im new to this kind of problem, yk?

Last edited by LSH (2025-08-15 13:56:56)

seth · 2025-08-15 14:21:30

I know what you're supposed to have done, but not whether that is what you /have/ done. You'll need to spend some time here, people come up with crazy implements

https://drive.proton.me/urls/F5F9QHTZMW#Dc0EiRH5Q7gG has the complete outputs in a single line… and you also didn't run the inspection.

(find /etc/systemd -type l -exec test -f {} \; -print | awk -F'/' '{ printf ("%-40s | %s\n", $(NF-0), $(NF-1)) }' | sort -f; wpctl status; pw-status; wpctl inspect _ID_HERE_) | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st

Is /etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/alsa-ignore-db.conf still there?

LSH · 2025-08-15 15:30:46

which node should i inspect? or should i inspect all of them? also, i'll format the outputs correctly in just a moment. and yes, /etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/alsa-ignore-db.conf is still there. here's its contents:

monitor.alsa.rules = [
  {
    matches = [
      {
        device.name = "~alsa_card.*"
      }
    ]
    actions = {
      update-props = {
        api.alsa.ignore-dB = true
      }
    }
  }
]

but one question about this .conf, should it be `ignore-db` or `ignore-dB`? or is it case-insensitive?

Last edited by LSH (2025-08-15 15:31:48)

V1del · 2025-08-15 16:00:08

After doing the softmixer config, have you checked that the HW mixer is actually on 100% ? The soft-mixer will not adjust the HW mixers anymore, but if the HW mixer is setup incorrectly then that might still persist (in which case setting that to 100% and running

sudo alsactl store

should fix that for the future) to check the actual mixer use something like amixer -c0 where 0 is the index of the card in question from aplay -l

As for that property, according to the docs it should be api.alsa.ignore-dB and I'm assuming that's the way it should be written.

Also you'd expect the node that corresponds with your internal device that poses the problem.

LSH · 2025-08-15 16:00:53

here's the prettified output. i've also added the inspection file

Last edited by LSH (2025-08-15 16:11:41)

LSH · 2025-08-15 16:08:06

V1del wrote:

have you checked that the HW mixer is actually on 100% ?

how do i check?

V1del · 2025-08-15 16:08:59

I posted how...

LSH · 2025-08-15 16:18:02

man, sorry for being stupid but i cant find which mixer is the hardware mixer. is there an identifier or something? i do see that 'PGA2.0 2 Master' has a 62% volume tho, same for 'Dmic0', it has a 72% volume

Last edited by LSH (2025-08-15 16:21:13)

LSH · 2025-08-15 16:18:59

atp i belong in the newbie's corner XD

seth · 2025-08-15 19:37:35

  {
    "id": 48,
    "type": "PipeWire:Interface:Device",
    "version": 3,
    "permissions": [
      "r",
      "w",
      "x",
      "m"
    ],
    "info": {
      "change-mask": [
        "props",
        "params"
      ],
      "props": {
        "alsa.card": 0,
        "alsa.card_name": "sof-hda-dsp",
        "alsa.components": "HDA:80862812,80860101,00100000 HDA:10ec0257,17aa5088,00100001 cfg-dmics:2",
        "alsa.driver_name": "snd_soc_skl_hda_dsp",
        "alsa.id": "sofhdadsp",
        "alsa.long_card_name": "LENOVO-20TD006LUE-ThinkPadE15Gen2",
        "alsa.mixer_name": "Realtek ALC257",
        "api.acp.auto-port": false,
        "api.acp.auto-profile": false,
        "api.alsa.card": 0,
        "api.alsa.card.longname": "LENOVO-20TD006LUE-ThinkPadE15Gen2",
        "api.alsa.card.name": "sof-hda-dsp",
        "api.alsa.path": "hw:0",
        "api.alsa.soft-mixer": true,
        "api.alsa.split-enable": true,
        "api.alsa.use-acp": true,
        "api.dbus.ReserveDevice1": "Audio0",
        "api.dbus.ReserveDevice1.Priority": -20,
        "client.id": 47,
        "device.api": "alsa",
        "device.bus": "pci",
        "device.bus-path": "pci-0000:00:1f.3-platform-skl_hda_dsp_generic",
        "device.description": "Tiger Lake-LP Smart Sound Technology Audio Controller",
        "device.enum.api": "udev",
        "device.icon-name": "audio-card-analog-pci",
        "device.name": "alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1f.3-platform-skl_hda_dsp_generic",
        "device.nick": "sof-hda-dsp",
        "device.plugged.usec": 3277657,
        "device.product.id": "0xa0c8",
        "device.product.name": "Tiger Lake-LP Smart Sound Technology Audio Controller",
        "device.string": 0,
        "device.subsystem": "sound",
        "device.sysfs.path": "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/skl_hda_dsp_generic/sound/card0",
        "device.vendor.id": "0x8086",
        "device.vendor.name": "Intel Corporation",
        "factory.id": 15,
        "media.class": "Audio/Device",
        "object.id": 48,
        "object.path": "alsa:acp:sofhdadsp",
        "object.serial": 48,
        "spa.object.id": 2
      },

Can you please in future not use google or proton drives or which require people to clickclickclick download the files before reading them?
Thanks

V1del wrote:

check the actual mixer use something like amixer -c0 where 0 is the index of the card in question from aplay -l

Post the outputs of

amixer -c0
amixer -c1
amixer -c2
amixer -D hw:0
amixer -D hw:1

What is the current behavior w/ the software mixer, still immediate drop at 30% or is it too silent overall (or just mute) etc. et pp.?

Not sure whether /etc/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/alsa-ignore-db.conf should™ be there, probably not.
At least not until we figured the behavior of the software volume, tune one variable at a time.

LSH · 2025-08-15 21:09:52

-c0

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 67 [77%] [-15.00dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 67 [77%] [-15.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',1
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',2
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 63
  Front Left: Capture 38 [60%] [11.25dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 38 [60%] [11.25dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Disabled'
Simple mixer control 'Dmic0',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 70
  Front Left: Capture 70 [100%] [20.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 70 [100%] [20.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Dmic1 2nd',0
  Capabilities: cvolume
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 70
  Front Left: Capture 50 [71%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Capture 50 [71%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA1.0 1 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA2.0 2 Master',0
  Capabilities: cvolume
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 80
  Front Left: Capture 50 [62%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Capture 50 [62%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA30.0 30',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA31.0 31',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA7.0 7 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA8.0 8 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA9.0 9 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]

i dont have another card besides c0

-D hw:0

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 67 [77%] [-15.00dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 67 [77%] [-15.00dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: 0 [0%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',1
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',2
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [off]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 63
  Front Left: Capture 38 [60%] [11.25dB] [off]
  Front Right: Capture 38 [60%] [11.25dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Disabled'
Simple mixer control 'Dmic0',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 70
  Front Left: Capture 70 [100%] [20.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 70 [100%] [20.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Dmic1 2nd',0
  Capabilities: cvolume
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 70
  Front Left: Capture 50 [71%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Capture 50 [71%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA1.0 1 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA2.0 2 Master',0
  Capabilities: cvolume
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 80
  Front Left: Capture 50 [62%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Capture 50 [62%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA30.0 30',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA31.0 31',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA7.0 7 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA8.0 8 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'PGA9.0 9 Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 32
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]
  Front Right: Playback 32 [100%] [0.00dB]

the current behavior is just that there is no sound until ~30%. at 30% its the same level as the sound of a mouse. then once it reaches ~70% it gets very loud. anything below 30% is basically just mute.

seth · 2025-08-15 21:37:56

How exactly do you adjust the volume?
How does alsamixer behave? (Also maybe post "aplay -L")

LSH · 2025-08-16 07:36:54

i just use alsamixer to change the volume. alsamixer behaves exactly like how i described in the other post. here's `aplay -L`:

null
    Discard all samples (playback) or generate zero samples (capture)
pipewire
    PipeWire Sound Server
default
    Default ALSA Output (currently PipeWire Media Server)
sysdefault:CARD=sofhdadsp
    sof-hda-dsp, 
    Default Audio Device

seth · 2025-08-16 11:43:20

Nothing here looks off…

amixer -D default

LSH · 2025-08-20 10:17:52

i've decided to give up on this problem, since i found a solution. im now only listening to audio through airpods which have a built-in [volume manager?] that gives proper volume control. i don't listen to audio through my laptop speakers anymore.

seth · 2025-08-20 13:18:08

Feel free to pick up on this anytime - the software mixer not working around this is basically not a thing, so you're
1. either not using the software mixer (but the PW dump doesn't look like that) or
2. however you're controlling the volume doesn't operate on the pipewire mixer but the HW directly

Arch Linux

#1 2025-08-15 08:32:23

no sound from laptop until ~30%

#2 2025-08-15 12:27:10

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#3 2025-08-15 12:30:37

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#4 2025-08-15 12:31:35

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#5 2025-08-15 12:44:10

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#6 2025-08-15 13:56:28

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#7 2025-08-15 14:21:30

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#8 2025-08-15 15:30:46

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#9 2025-08-15 16:00:08

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#10 2025-08-15 16:00:53

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#11 2025-08-15 16:08:06

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#12 2025-08-15 16:08:59

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#13 2025-08-15 16:18:02

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#14 2025-08-15 16:18:59

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#15 2025-08-15 19:37:35

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#16 2025-08-15 21:09:52

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#17 2025-08-15 21:37:56

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#18 2025-08-16 07:36:54

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#19 2025-08-16 11:43:20

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#20 2025-08-20 10:17:52

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

#21 2025-08-20 13:18:08

Re: no sound from laptop until ~30%

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