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RTF

Member

Registered: 2004-04-26

Posts: 27

Scratchy ALSA sound in low register

I'm using an original SBLive!(emu10k1) card from 1998. The sound is audible and clear in *most cases*. However, any sound using strong bass becomes scratchy and broken up. This doesn't seem to be a common problem, and the sound is fine under Windows and IIRC also in OSS(when using LiveCD distros) but I'm wondering if there are any configuration options I could try before filing a bug report.

Xentac

Forum Fellow

From: Victoria, BC

Registered: 2003-01-17

Posts: 1,797

Website

Re: Scratchy ALSA sound in low register

You could always try turning the bass down in alsamixer.

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RTF

Member

Registered: 2004-04-26

Posts: 27

Re: Scratchy ALSA sound in low register

Yeah, I tried messing with the bass but that doesn't really help, it just makes the scratchy parts softer.

Also tried the new alsa driver update that was just posted to pacman. No difference. I guess I'll have to file a report...

leejpar

Member

From: Texas, USA

Registered: 2004-05-28

Posts: 51

Website

Re: Scratchy ALSA sound in low register

I have the same problem with the ALSA sound output being distorted/scratchy with 2.6.6 kernel & sync'd to "current".   

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Linux Registered User #337161
'It's free. It works. Duh.'" - Eric Harrison

leejpar

Member

From: Texas, USA

Registered: 2004-05-28

Posts: 51

Website

Re: Scratchy ALSA sound in low register

I think the scratchy sound problem is directly relelated to the EMU10K1 PCM sliders being set less than to 100%. Perhaps we were under-driving the pre-amp and over-driving the output signal. Anyway my scratchy sound problem cleared up after runnimg "alsaconf" which presets all volume levels; of which I had to turn down to zero the AC97 due to a high pitched squeal sound! The end result was deep base like I have on my FC2 box running ALSA. I then ran "alsactl store" to save the settings. I also have "alsactl restore" in rc.local.

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Linux Registered User #337161
'It's free. It works. Duh.'" - Eric Harrison

RTF

Member

Registered: 2004-04-26

Posts: 27

Re: Scratchy ALSA sound in low register

I fixed my problem with new speakers XD I eventually realized that the problem was mostly because mine were $15 cheap and getting old(5 years now?). Things sound great with the new Altec Lansing 2.1 set.

I have a new problem now with some sounds(but not others) getting cut off but I think I might've fixed it by just throwing more buffer memory at ALSA. Not sure yet