[XPS13 9333, Realtek ALC3661, Speaker, Internal] fails after a while

[David Chatterton]

When playing a video via the Videos app, the sound through the internal speakers develops crackles and sometimes disappears completely.

I collected the data for the bug report at the instance that the sound had failed.

Using the Sound panel in Systems Settings to test the sound produces no response.

I have also selected the Volume Control app and attempted to switch the sound using the Configuration tab and switching the built-in audio between Off and Analogue Stereo Output. Sometimes this works and sometimes is does not.

Having left the Videos app running whist typing this, I have noticed that the sound seems to start and stop whilst typing via the keyboard.

I note that the Playback tab in the Volume Control window shows that the sound is being produced by the Videos app (the lower ribbon moves with the sound amplitude).

This bug might be associated with intermittent recognition of the hardware on startup. The Sound window sometimes shows no audio device. At other times, the speakers are given the HDMI menu dropdown but this can be corrected by plugging in a pair of headphones and switching back to the speakers which then show the correct Test Sound legend.

I have noticed several instances of the sound cutting out and cutting back in whilst typing this report as if the interrupts from the keyboard strokes are interrupting the sound connection.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.10
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.16.0-29.39-generic 3.16.7-ckt2
Uname: Linux 3.16.0-29-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.14.7-0ubuntu8
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D3p: david 2288 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: david 2288 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC1D0p: david 2288 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: david 2288 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: Unity
Date: Tue Jan 6 21:15:39 2015
InstallationDate: Installed on 2014-12-11 (26 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140722.2)
PackageArchitecture: all
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA Intel PCH
Symptom_Jack: Speaker, Internal
Symptom_Type: Sound works for a while, then breaks
Title: [XPS13 9333, Realtek ALC3661, Speaker, Internal] fails after a while
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to utopic on 2014-12-11 (25 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 09/11/2014
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: A05
dmi.board.name: 0D13CR
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 8
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: 0.1
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvrA05:bd09/11/2014:svnDellInc.:pnXPS139333:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0D13CR:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct8:cvr0.1:
dmi.product.name: XPS13 9333
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

[ianni67 (ianni67)]

I don't know if my issue is exactly the same but I have severe issues with the same hardware. Sound is often not even detected at boot. The problem seems to be most often triggered by a suspend/resume: the sound disappears and the hardware is not detected any more.
alsa -l returns nothing and alsamixer returns file not found.
Codec is not detected, either.
No messages in dmesg.
Sorry for not providing all the needed documentation.

[David Chatterton (dmchatterton)]

Since upgrading to 15.04, I still experience inconsistent behaviour in the sound system. Sometimes, the system does not detect the speakers at all on boot-up. At other times, the Sound panel shows the HDMI sound in the Settings for Speakers section (although this can be corrected by clicking on the Speakers in the Play Sound Through box.

Currently (under 15.04), plugging in headphones no longer brings up the dialogue box requesting to know what device was plugged into the headphone socket (Stereo Headphones, Headset with microphone or microphone alone). The Headphones appear in the Play Sound Through listing and disappear when the headphones are removed. The sound is directed from the speakers to the headphones if the latter are plugged in. However, now (under 15.04) it is possible to select the Speakers for the sound output even when the headphones are plugged in. This was certainly not the case under 14.10 where the headphones had priority as though the headphone socket was hard wired.

I have just tried plugging a mono microphone in the headphone socket. This causes the headphones to appear in the Play Sound Through box. Unfortunately, the sound has now gone crackly and is not responding to a change of volume control keys. A reboot seems to be called for.

When playing sound from a Video (using the Videos app), the sound can become crackly although it can be restored to normal by exercising the volume control keys (F11 & F12) up and down. If this fails and the sound disappears altogether, it is necessary to reboot although this does not work every time and several reboots are required to restore the sound to normal.

If I use the Volume Control app's Configuration tab to set the Built-in Audio option to Off, the Speakers in the Sound app show Settings for HDMI / DisplayPort Mode as Digital Stereo (HDMI) Output. By clicking on the Speakers in the Play Sound Through box, the Settings for Speakers are restored with the Test Sound button appearing. The Built-in Audio Profile changes from Off to Analogue Stereo Output.

[David Chatterton (dmchatterton)]

Now that the sound system is going through one of its funny moods, plugging in a mono microphone brings up Headphones on the Play Sound Through box although the Speakers can still be selected as Output.

Selecting the Input tab of the Sound panel, the Microphone shows up as an input device (as does a non-existent Headset Microphone). If Microphone is selected, the Input level ribbon seems to indicate sensitivity to sound at the microphone. However, unplugging the Microphone does not remove the Microphone from the Record sound from box. Neither does it remove the Headphones from the Play Sound through box under the Output tab.

I would appreciate if other Dell XPS-13 owners are experiencing similar problems (as Ianni67 above) as this probably confirms the fault as being in the software rather than a generic hardware fault.

[David Chatterton (dmchatterton)]

After a reboot, plugging a headphone extension lead (open circuit) into the headphone socket brings up Headphones in the Sound - Output tab and both Headset Microphone and Microphone in the Input tab. Removing the lead removes the extra microphone from the Input tab and the Headphones from the Output tab. This behaviour seems more logical - except than the volume keys (F11 & F12) have now stopped working! The volume can be adjusted with the cursor on the Output volume slider but the keyboard keys are not working.

Curiouser and curiouser. (After Alice in Wonderland!)

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

Codec: Realtek ALC3661
Address: 0
AFG Function Id: 0x1 (unsol 1)
Vendor Id: 0x10ec0668
Subsystem Id: 0x1028060a
Revision Id: 0x100003
No Modem Function Group found
Default PCM:
N/A
Default Amp-In caps: N/A
Default Amp-Out caps: N/A
State of AFG node 0x01:
  Power: setting=UNKNOWN, actual=UNKNOWN, Error, Clock-stop-OK, Setting-reset
GPIO: io=255, o=255, i=255, unsolicited=1, wake=1

seem related to power

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

20:19:13 david-XPS13-9333 pulseaudio[7977]: [pulseaudio] pid.c: Daemon already running.
Jan 6 20:19:13 david-XPS13-9333 pulseaudio[7980]: [pulseaudio] pid.c: Daemon already running.
Jan 6 20:21:48 david-XPS13-9333 pulseaudio[8578]: [pulseaudio] pid.c: Daemon already running.
Jan 6 20:58:09 david-XPS13-9333 pulseaudio[1523]: [pulseaudio] pid.c: Daemon already running.
Jan 6 20:58:15 david-XPS13-9333 pulseaudio[2301]: [pulseaudio] main.c: User-configured server at {cc26a2cbbf58a8a4a0f3a0e35489ffc9}unix:/run/user/1000/pulse/native, which appears to be local. Probing deeper.
Jan 6 20:58:15 david-XPS13-9333 pulseaudio[2325]: [pulseaudio] pid.c: Daemon already running.

seem auto spawn frequently

[David Chatterton (dmchatterton)]

After experiencing warmer weather and hence a warmer start-up temperature for my laptop, I discovered that the sound system would not work at all and would not respond to a re-boot. In order to prepare the laptop for a possible return under the guarantee, I re-installed Ubuntu 14.04.02 LTS and confirmed the fault by running the built-in diagnostic (selected through the options obtained by holding F12 on start-up). This caused the circuit board to warm up appreciably and, surprise, surprise, the audio system returned to functionality on re-booting. However, its functionality did not remain as the laptop cooled to normal ambient temperature.

I discussed these symptoms with Dell Technical support who offered to send out a Technician (Engineer?) to change the sound board. He arrived the next day and changed the board, explaining that sometimes, very rarely, there might be a dry joint which is impossible to see visually. On switch on, the sound worked perfectly. To date, I have not been able to duplicate any faulty operation whatsoever including starting up from cold (the weather is now cooler) and allowing the laptop to warm up by running the diagnostics or running processor-intensive apps light Flightgear that cause the fan to come on. It would seem that all my previously reported problems were down to a possible dry joint.

Three cheers to Dell Technical support who responded to my query by sending around a Technician who was able to complete the repair. I wish that I had spoken to Technical support earlier although I did not want to be in the situation of having the laptop returned with "No Fault Found" especially when the fault was inconsistent and apparently related to the operating system.

Thanks to all those in this forum who took the time to look at my fault report and to confirm the operation of the software. I now have the laptop running Ubuntu 15.04 and it preforms beautifully. I look forward to the next release

[David Chatterton (dmchatterton)]

I do not seem to find a way to close this bug report. The problem is fixed but does not need (IMHO) any software intervention.