Bad sound with Arch...

big_gie · 2005-04-04 21:00:47

Hi,

I've been using Arch for a couple of times and really like it! My prefered distro for the moment.

Anyway, the only thing not working really nice is the sound. For a reason I can't explain its really ugly. It seems like no bass is going thrue the speakers. I can hear some sounds in the music I've never heard before, some small instruments playing in the background but now they seems on the foreground...

I've used the wiki (http://wiki2.archlinux.org/index.php/Al … 0at%20once) about multiple sound output using artsd. So I'm using this to run amarok:
/opt/kde/bin/artsdsp -m amarok

Even setting amarok to use xine engine did the same thing (I'm not using kde, I'm on XFCE4)

I've read something about blacklisting a module here http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php? … ight=sound so I've put "snd-intel8x0m" in /etc/hotplug/blacklist so at next reboot I'll see if it changed something.

I have a laptop equiped with a AC97 sound card. Here is the ouput of lsmod:

# lsmod | grep -i snd
snd_intel8x0m          18628  1
snd_intel8x0           33600  5
snd_ac97_codec         76152  2 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0
snd_pcm_oss            53920  0
snd_mixer_oss          20352  3 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                94728  5 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              26116  1 snd_pcm
snd                    54884  14 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore              10336  3 snd
snd_page_alloc          9732  3 snd_intel8x0m,snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
#

Anyone having a suggestion for this?

thanx

phrakture · 2005-04-04 21:04:13

yeah thr problem is probably the snd_intel8x0m/snd_intel8x0 modules - you don't need the "m" version - blacklist it if you're using hotplug.
You can also remove it w/o rebooting by using "rmmod snd-intel8x0m"
see if that helps

big_gie · 2005-04-04 21:25:51

Thanx phrakture.

I've unloaded the module. I think it made a difference but I'm not sure. I'll post back if the problem persist.

Thanx!

puntmuts · 2005-04-04 21:30:17

Try to adjust the controls using alsamixer. See if that makes a difference.

phrakture · 2005-04-04 21:30:30

The weird thing is, that if I load the "m" module, I get no sound at all... I'm kinda suprised you're getting results...

if something still goes wrong, can you try using something besides arts? maybe esd or raw alsa....?

big_gie · 2005-04-05 10:25:54

@puntmuts
I've tryed alsamixer but it didn't change anything, only the colume.

@phrakture
I tryed amarok using the xine engine, but I get the same result as using arts as the engine. Bug I think it did make a difference from not loading the "m" module... Since my speakers wasn't the best at the begining, its kind of hard to see if its the software or only the speakers!

big_gie · 2005-04-05 10:33:39

After some attentive listening, the problem seems to still be there... I hear some instruments I can't hear normally. I've tryed amarok with xine, gstreamer and arts. Xmms does the same thing....

phrakture · 2005-04-05 15:04:04

hmmm did you try the hardware? I'd check speakers first if you have another set somewhere (or even try headphones in the speaker jack) then possibly try another sound card.... I've never had a sound issue with the intel-8x0 module...

Kern · 2005-04-05 15:26:50

whilst agreeing with Phrak, try headphones to spearate hardware prob from software, are the speakers external / USB types.?

i had *theee mooost bloody awful sound* having bought some new el-cheapo usb speakers. think they picked up noise from the motherboard, thus masking bits of the music.

i wouldnt mind, but, they're not even heavy enough to make a decent book-end.

consigned to the bin.

Gullible Jones · 2005-04-05 20:23:17

Do you have the CD audio turned all the way up? That can cause background noise on some sound hardware (e.g. Via onboard audio).

RedShift · 2005-04-05 20:50:44

big_gie wrote:

After some attentive listening, the problem seems to still be there... I hear some instruments I can't hear normally. I've tryed amarok with xine, gstreamer and arts. Xmms does the same thing....

What do you mean with "instruments that weren't there before"? Have you connected your speakers the right way? (check the polarity).

big_gie · 2005-04-05 22:15:15

@phrakture
Its a laptop, and I only took it once or twice to the librairy since I've installed arch. I'm pretty sure the hardware is ok.
When I connect earphones, I get the same result as the computer's speakers.

@Gullible Jones
Yes the cd volume was at max. I've put it to middle, closed xmms, rerun xmms, and same thing...

@RedShift
The computer is a laptop so I don't have to connect physicly myself the speakers...
The effect is kind of weird. It seems like some frequencies are more amplified then others. So when I play an mp3 file, there is a place in the song where a particular instrument plays. But, maybe because of the frequency being different and being more amplified, when that particulary intrument plays I can hear its louder compared to the rest of the song then it should be...

Tomorow I'll play the mp3 from a mp3 player to see if it could be the file... I don't think so but its worth the try...

phrakture · 2005-04-05 22:26:39

hmmm, wow... ok that sounds odd... can you try booting in knoppix or something (archie!) and see if you get the same results?

big_gie · 2005-04-06 06:42:15

Ok, I'll try this.

Before arch I was on gentoo and the sound was ok...

iphitus · 2005-04-06 11:14:08

the m module is the Modem speaker... So your sound is being routed via the modem, then to the speakers, hence the shitty quality.

Put: snd-intel8x0 and snd-pcm-oss in your ~/etc/rc.conf in the modules line, they are the correct modules to use.

big_gie · 2005-04-06 11:56:02

Those two modules are already loaded via /etc/rc.conf:

MODULES=(!usbserial !ide-scsi nvidia snd-intel8x0 snd-pcm-oss i8k)

lsmod gives me:

Module                  Size  Used by
vmnet                  26148  12
parport_pc             28484  0
parport                36808  1 parport_pc
vmmon                 103564  0
ndiswrapper           127412  0
eth1394                21384  0
ohci_hcd               22280  0
rtc                    13112  0
ohci1394               34564  0
ieee1394              108472  2 eth1394,ohci1394
b44                    22660  0
mii                     5248  1 b44
ehci_hcd               35592  0
usbhid                 46336  0
uhci_hcd               31888  0
usbcore               122104  6 ndiswrapper,ohci_hcd,ehci_hcd,usbhid,uhci_hcd
tsdev                   7744  0
evdev                   9472  0
i8k                     6416  0
snd_intel8x0           33600  2
snd_ac97_codec         76152  1 snd_intel8x0
snd_pcm_oss            53920  0
snd_mixer_oss          20352  1 snd_pcm_oss
snd_pcm                94728  3 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss
snd_timer              26116  1 snd_pcm
snd                    54884  10 snd_intel8x0,snd_ac97_codec,snd_pcm_oss,snd_mixer_oss,snd_pcm,snd_timer
soundcore              10336  1 snd
snd_page_alloc          9732  2 snd_intel8x0,snd_pcm
nvidia               3915964  14

filoktetes · 2005-04-06 14:04:10

I've also had some very nasty sound when PCM or Master has been turned too high.
Just another suggestion out from the air

Arch Linux

#1 2005-04-04 21:00:47

Bad sound with Arch...

#2 2005-04-04 21:04:13

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#3 2005-04-04 21:25:51

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#4 2005-04-04 21:30:17

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#5 2005-04-04 21:30:30

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#6 2005-04-05 10:25:54

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#7 2005-04-05 10:33:39

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#8 2005-04-05 15:04:04

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#9 2005-04-05 15:26:50

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#10 2005-04-05 20:23:17

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#11 2005-04-05 20:50:44

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#12 2005-04-05 22:15:15

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#13 2005-04-05 22:26:39

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#14 2005-04-06 06:42:15

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#15 2005-04-06 11:14:08

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#16 2005-04-06 11:56:02

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

#17 2005-04-06 14:04:10

Re: Bad sound with Arch...

Board footer