Arch Linux

Aqualung

Member

Registered: 2025-09-07

Posts: 48

[Resolved] Low audio volume

I am not really happy with the sound volume I get on my Arch system. I guess I wouldn't be writing about this if I didn't have anything to compare it to, but fortunately I do: For a while back I ran Aeon, and the volume (and sound in general) was amazing. What could be going wrong? Am I missing any drivers? Here is some data about my audio setup:

[dad@DadsGram ~]$ pactl info
Server String: /run/user/10002/pulse/native
Library Protocol Version: 35
Server Protocol Version: 35
Is Local: yes
Client Index: 125
Tile Size: 65472
User Name: dad
Host Name: DadsGram
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.usb-Hidizs_Hidizs_S9Pro_Hidizs-S9Por-00.analog-stereo
Default Source: alsa_input.usb-046d_Logitech_BRIO_CE968A70-03.analog-stereo
Cookie: 4ef8:3c71

[dad@DadsGram ~]$  aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: S9Pro [Hidizs S9Pro], device 0: USB Audio [USB Audio]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: sofhdadsp [sof-hda-dsp], device 0: HDA Analog (*) []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: sofhdadsp [sof-hda-dsp], device 3: HDMI1 (*) []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: sofhdadsp [sof-hda-dsp], device 4: HDMI2 (*) []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: sofhdadsp [sof-hda-dsp], device 5: HDMI3 (*) []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: sofhdadsp [sof-hda-dsp], device 31: HDA Analog Deep Buffer (*) []
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 2: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

[dad@DadsGram ~]$ amixer -Dhw:0
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',1
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono: Playback 87 [69%] [-20.00dB]

Any help appreciated.

P.S.: Here's what pact list cards says, and here's what pact list sources says.

Last edited by Aqualung (2025-09-16 14:37:59)

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,158

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

First things first, is the Hidizs S9Pro actually the relevant device?
The PCM is "only" at 70%, have you tried to ramp that up?

And then we need to quantify this:

not really happy with the sound volume … the volume (and sound in general) was amazing

By "volume" do you actually mean the dB or do you mean the 5.1 impression?

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

Aqualung

Member

Registered: 2025-09-07

Posts: 48

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

First things first, is the Hidizs S9Pro actually the relevant device?

Yes, the Hidizs S9Pro is the relevant one.

The PCM is "only" at 70%, have you tried to ramp that up?

The big question is, how do I do that?

By "volume" do you actually mean the dB or do you mean the 5.1 impression?

The db.

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,158

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

amixer -Dhw:0 sset PCM 100%

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

Aqualung

Member

Registered: 2025-09-07

Posts: 48

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

amixer -Dhw:0 sset PCM 100%

Not sure why this doesn't seem to work:

[dad@DadsGram ~]$ amixer -Dhw:0 sset PCM 100%
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
[dad@DadsGram ~]$ amixer -Dhw:0
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 127 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',1
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 127
  Mono: Playback 87 [69%] [-20.00dB]

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,158

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

Try

amixer -Dhw:0 sset PCM,1 100%

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

Aqualung

Member

Registered: 2025-09-07

Posts: 48

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

Try

amixer -Dhw:0 sset PCM,1 100%

Awesome! Thanks! Is there a GUI tool that'll allow me to monitor and set these values?

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 75,158

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

The GUI stuff will likely just operate on libpulse or pipewire, but

alsamixer -Dhw:0

will get you a TUI.
Ideally you won't have to touch this, though, since https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Advanc … nd_systemd re/stores the alsa settings?

---

How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

Aqualung

Member

Registered: 2025-09-07

Posts: 48

Re: [Resolved] Low audio volume

will get you a TUI

Awesome, thanks!