[SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

Exlips3 · 2025-09-13 14:02:18

Hello! I am relatively new to Arch, but I've usually been able to fix my problems with documentation. However, I have a problem on my current laptop. I just bought an ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA403UM_GA403UM), using arch w/ HyprLand and PipeWire, and the audio levels from 1%-40% are the same and very loud; whenever the volume is below 40 it sounds like a muffle filter is on, but it remains very loud. I'm not sure what logs everyone would like to see, so here are some basic ones:

@eclipse$ fastfetch
AUDIO : Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo

Note: for some reason,

pw-cli info

gives me an error, and

pactl info

outputs:

@eclipse$ pactl info
Server String: /run/user/1000/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 35
Server Protocol Version: 35
Is Local: yes
Client Index: 327
Tile Size: 65472
User Name: eclipse
Host Name: archlinux
Server Name: PulseAudio (on PipeWire 1.4.8)
Server Version: 15.0.0
Default Sample Specification: float32le 2ch 48000Hz
Default Channel Map: front-left,front-right
Default Sink: alsa_output.pci-0000_65_00.6.analog-stereo
Default Source: alsa_output.pci-0000_65_00.6.analog-stereo.monitor
Cookie: f93e:70e5

 @eclipse$ aplay -l   
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: NVidia [HDA NVidia], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: Generic [HD-Audio Generic], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: Generic_1 [HD-Audio Generic], device 0: ALC285 Analog [ALC285 Analog]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Here are the kernel and package logs:

6.16.7-arch1-1

 @eclipse$ pacman -Q | grep -E "alsa|pipewire|pulseaudio"
alsa-card-profiles 1:1.4.8-1
alsa-lib 1.2.14-1
alsa-topology-conf 1.2.5.1-4
alsa-ucm-conf 1.2.14-2
alsa-utils 1.2.14-1
gst-plugin-pipewire 1:1.4.8-1
libpipewire 1:1.4.8-1
pipewire 1:1.4.8-1
pipewire-alsa 1:1.4.8-1
pipewire-audio 1:1.4.8-1
pipewire-jack 1:1.4.8-1
pipewire-pulse 1:1.4.8-1

 @eclipse$ systemctl --user status pipewire pipewire-pulse wireplumber
● pipewire.service - PipeWire Multimedia Service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire.service; 
enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Sat 2025-09-13 09:36:31 EDT; 21min ago
 Invocation: 5a8cf9c46b5148aa8e5beaea600447b0
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire.socket
   Main PID: 1042 (pipewire)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 17808)
     Memory: 8.9M (peak: 11.7M)
        CPU: 27.597s
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire.service
             └─1042 /usr/bin/pipewire

Sep 13 09:36:31 archlinux systemd[1030]: Started PipeWire Multimedia Service.

● pipewire-pulse.service - PipeWire PulseAudio
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/pipewire-pulse.servic
e; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Sat 2025-09-13 09:36:35 EDT; 21min ago
 Invocation: 28a8be96386b41408bba9c03d12162ce
TriggeredBy: ● pipewire-pulse.socket
   Main PID: 1499 (pipewire-pulse)
      Tasks: 3 (limit: 17808)
     Memory: 15.4M (peak: 16.2M)
        CPU: 30.058s
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/pipewire-pulse.service
             └─1499 /usr/bin/pipewire-pulse

Sep 13 09:36:35 archlinux systemd[1030]: Started PipeWire PulseAudio.

● wireplumber.service - Multimedia Service Session Manager
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/user/wireplumber.service
; enabled; preset: enabled)
     Active: active (running) since Sat 2025-09-13 09:36:31 EDT; 21min ago
 Invocation: 1483c94817c144cb8a074d5ef50bb841
   Main PID: 1043 (wireplumber)
      Tasks: 6 (limit: 17808)
     Memory: 13M (peak: 14.7M)
        CPU: 1.589s
     CGroup: /user.slice/user-1000.slice/user@1000.service/session.slice/wireplumber.service
             └─1043 /usr/bin/wireplumber

Sep 13 09:36:31 archlinux systemd[1030]: Started Multimedia Service Session Manager.
Sep 13 09:36:32 archlinux wireplumber[1043]: wp-device: SPA handle 'api.libcamera.enum.manager' could not
 be loaded; is it installed?
Sep 13 09:36:32 archlinux wireplumber[1043]: s-monitors-libcamera: PipeWire's libcamera SPA plugin is mis
sing or broken. Some camera types may not be supported.
Sep 13 09:36:32 archlinux wireplumber[1043]: default: Failed to get percentage from UPower: o
rg.freedesktop.DBus.Error.NameHasNoOwner

And heres a journal just in case:

@eclipse$ journalctl --user -xe | grep -i audio
Sep 13 09:36:31 archlinux systemd[1030]: Listening on PipeWire PulseAudio.
Sep 13 09:36:35 archlinux systemd[1030]: Started PipeWire PulseAudio.

Also note that I have set soft-volumes to true in my .conf file. I've re-ran sensors-detect and YES I have sof-firmware installed. Any/all help is greatly appreciated. If I'm missing any logs, just let me know and I'll post them.

Last edited by Exlips3 (2025-09-14 14:01:09)

seth · 2025-09-13 15:12:44

Common generic workaround weird DAC behavior is https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/PipeWi … 30%_volume
Just to be sure, you've https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Advanc … e#Firmware ?
Also what do

amixer
amixer -Dhw:0
amixer -Dhw:1

look like?

Exlips3 · 2025-09-13 15:20:55

Yes i have gone to both of those pages and followed troubleshooting and repairing to the t, and still not working. I've reinstalled sof-firmware and restarted all the associated systemctl services with a lot of reboots.

 @eclipse$ 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 6554 [10%] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 6554 [10%] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch cswitch-joined
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 65536
  Front Left: Capture 6554 [10%] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 6554 [10%] [on]

 @eclipse$ amixer -Dhw:0
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',1
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',2
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',3
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]

@eclipse$ amixer -Dhw:1
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]

seth · 2025-09-13 15:26:03

"Troubleshooting and repairing"?
You're supposed to configure software mixing. If applied, this cannot fail.

Also please post

amixer -Dhw:2

(I missed that there's a 3rd card, sorry)

Exlips3 · 2025-09-13 15:50:13

My wording was not the best, I configured the software mixing with the official arch wiki page, and tried a users special conf for my laptop specifically to no avail.

 @eclipse$ amixer -Dhw:2
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [-65.25dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-65.25dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-65.25dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 70 [80%] [-12.75dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 70 [80%] [-12.75dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Bass Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback [on]
  Front Right: Playback [on]
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]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 63
  Front Left: Capture 13 [21%] [-7.50dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 13 [21%] [-7.50dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'AMP1 ASP1 TX1 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP1 ASP1 TX2 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP1 ASP1 TX3 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP1 ASP1 TX4 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP1 Posture Number',0
  Capabilities: volume volume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Capture channels: Mono
  Limits: 0 - 255
  Mono: 0 [0%]
Simple mixer control 'AMP1 Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 448
  Mono: Playback 400 [89%] [0.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'AMP2 ASP1 TX1 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP2 ASP1 TX2 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP2 ASP1 TX3 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP2 ASP1 TX4 Source',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'None' 'ASP1RX1' 'ASP1RX2' 'VMON' 'IMON' 'ERRVOL' 'CLASSH' 'VDDBMON' 'VBSTMON' 'DSP1TX1' 'DSP1TX2' 'DSP1TX3' 'DSP1TX4' 'DSP1TX5' 'DSP1TX6' 'DSP1TX7' 'DSP1TX8' 'TEMPMON' 'INTERPOLATOR' 'SDW1RX1' 'SDW1RX2'
  Item0: 'None'
Simple mixer control 'AMP2 Posture Number',0
  Capabilities: volume volume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Capture channels: Mono
  Limits: 0 - 255
  Mono: 0 [0%]
Simple mixer control 'AMP2 Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 448
  Mono: Playback 366 [82%] [-8.50dB]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Disabled'
Simple mixer control 'Internal Mic',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
  Capture exclusive group: 0
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [on]
Simple mixer control 'Internal Mic 1',0
  Capabilities: cswitch cswitch-joined cswitch-exclusive
  Capture exclusive group: 0
  Capture channels: Mono
  Mono: Capture [off]
Simple mixer control 'Internal 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 'Internal Mic Boost',1
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 1 [33%] [10.00dB]
  Front Right: 1 [33%] [10.00dB]

seth · 2025-09-13 15:59:38

The master of that card is off? (0%)
What do you actually use as audio output (HDMI speakers, BT headphones, …)?

What does the configuration you attempted actually look like (incl the "users special conf for my laptop specifically") and what's the output of

wpctl status; pw-status

when you're presumably using the sw mixer?

Exlips3 · 2025-09-13 18:03:15

~/.config/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/alsa-soft-mixer.conf

did not exist (?) but i found a similar directory at

/usr/share/wireplumber/wireplumber.conf.d/

and copied and pasted

monitor.alsa.rules = [
  {
    matches = [
      {
        device.name = "alsa_card.name-of-device"
      }
    ]
    actions = {
      update-props = {
        # Do not use the hardware mixer for volume control. It
        # will only use software volume. The mixer is still used
        # to mute unused paths based on the selected port.
        api.alsa.soft-mixer = true
      }
    }
  }
]

into it.

https://forum.manjaro.org/t/pipewire-co … lume/59380
is the forum i used (yes i'm aware it is for manjaro, thought it would be worth a try anyways)

 @eclipse$ wpctl status; pw-status                                    
PipeWire 'pipewire-0' [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, cookie:1932906199]
 └─ Clients:
        32. WirePlumber                         [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1000]
        40. WirePlumber [export]                [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1000]
        66. xdg-desktop-portal-hyprland         [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1288]
        67. pipewire                            [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1408]
        68. waybar                              [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1167]
        69. waybar                              [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1167]
        70. cava                                [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1424]
        78. Blueman                             [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:1163]
        79. Zen                                 [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:9246]
        80. Zen                                 [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:9246]
        81. wpctl                               [1.4.8, eclipse@archlinux, pid:34951]

Audio
 ├─ Devices:
 │      44. Radeon High Definition Audio Controller [Rembrandt/Strix] [alsa]
 │      45. Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller [alsa]
 │      46. HDA NVidia                          [alsa]
 │  
 ├─ Sinks:
 │  *   54. Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo [vol: 0.95]
 │  
 ├─ Sources:
 │  *   55. Family 17h/19h/1ah HD Audio Controller Analog Stereo [vol: 1.00]
 │  
 ├─ Filters:
 │  
 └─ Streams:
        71. cava                                                        
             72. input_FL        < ALC285 Analog:monitor_FL	[active]
             73. monitor_FL     
             74. input_FR        < ALC285 Analog:monitor_FR	[active]
             75. monitor_FR     

Video
 ├─ Devices:
 │      47. USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam               [v4l2]
 │      48. USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam               [v4l2]
 │      49. USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam               [v4l2]
 │      50. USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam               [v4l2]
 │  
 ├─ Sinks:
 │  
 ├─ Sources:
 │  *   62. USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam (V4L2)       
 │      64. USB2.0 FHD UVC WebCam (V4L2)       
 │  
 ├─ Filters:
 │  
 └─ Streams:

Settings
 └─ Default Configured Devices:
zsh: command not found: pw-status

EDIT: Im using the internal speakers on my laptop, I'm not versed enough to know more than that, I'm sorry

Last edited by Exlips3 (2025-09-13 18:05:20)

seth · 2025-09-13 20:04:37

device.name = "alsa_card.name-of-device"

That is a (rather obvious…) placeholder.

pactl list cards

Edit:

device.name = "~alsa_card.*"

will just match all

Last edited by seth (2025-09-13 20:05:36)

Exlips3 · 2025-09-14 00:29:08

I did remove the placeholder and put the “~alsa_card.*”, I responded on my windows so I put the conf from the website and not my system, apologies for not catching that.

Exlips3 · 2025-09-14 00:59:59

I AM AN IDIOT! Thank you for bearing with all this, I appreciate the help. I never actually saved the file and neglected to check if I did. (using nano, forgot to CTRL+O and just force quit). Deepest, deepest apologies. Again, I'm fairly new to arch (about 3-4 month) and man am I kicking myself over this.

seth · 2025-09-14 07:34:42

\o/
Please always remember to mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-09-13 14:02:18

[SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#2 2025-09-13 15:12:44

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#3 2025-09-13 15:20:55

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#4 2025-09-13 15:26:03

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#5 2025-09-13 15:50:13

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#6 2025-09-13 15:59:38

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#7 2025-09-13 18:03:15

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#8 2025-09-13 20:04:37

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#9 2025-09-14 00:29:08

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#10 2025-09-14 00:59:59

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

#11 2025-09-14 07:34:42

Re: [SOLVED] Sound scaling lower than 40%

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