[N56VZ, Realtek ALC663, Speaker, Internal] crackling audio when playing with volume

[sami]

Hi,

When I play with the "output volume" in the sound settings panel, it sometimes make the sound become completely crushed (noisy, high pitch peaks).
It won't become normal until I set the mode to "Analog Stereo Output" first and then back to "Analog Surround 5.1 output" (or if I restart).

I tried this: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Audio/PositionReporting
In the end, options snd-hda-intel position_fix=1 in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf works perfectly (no crackling audio anymore).
I also tried options snd-hda-intel position_fix=2 and the bug came back.

--> Can you make a fix so it works out of the box ?

Regards.
Sam

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-29.46-generic 3.2.24
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-29-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
AplayDevices:
 **** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC663 Analog [ALC663 Analog]
   Subdevices: 0/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu12
Architecture: amd64
ArecordDevices:
 **** List of CAPTURE Hardware Devices ****
 card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC663 Analog [ALC663 Analog]
   Subdevices: 1/1
   Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: sam 1898 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: sam 1898 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'PCH'/'HDA Intel PCH at 0xf7a10000 irq 47'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC663'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0663,10431477,00100002'
   Controls : 23
   Simple ctrls : 13
CheckboxSubmission: 54021779511d0213081a2b1707bf951c
CheckboxSystem: 4c773cd91921f9618cc2f1893bc1a87a
Date: Thu Aug 23 22:29:46 2012
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 12.04 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120425)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA Intel PCH
Symptom_Jack: Speaker, Internal
Symptom_Type: Volume slider, or mixer problems
Title: [N56VZ, Realtek ALC663, Speaker, Internal] volume slider problem
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 05/11/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: N56VZ.204
dmi.board.asset.tag: ATN12345678901234567
dmi.board.name: N56VZ
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: 1.0
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: No Asset Tag
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.chassis.version: 1.0
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvrN56VZ.204:bd05/11/2012:svnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:pnN56VZ:pvr1.0:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnN56VZ:rvr1.0:cvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:ct10:cvr1.0:
dmi.product.name: N56VZ
dmi.product.version: 1.0
dmi.sys.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
modified.conffile..etc.modprobe.d.alsa.base.conf: [modified]
mtime.conffile..etc.modprobe.d.alsa.base.conf: 2012-08-23T22:27:03.314416

[David Henningsson (diwic)]

Thanks for your bug report. Actually, I think this is already fixed in later kernels.

You can verify this by upgrading your alsa drivers: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Audio/UpgradingAlsa/DKMS

[sami (miaousami)]

Hi David,

indeed I just installed alsa-hda-dkms_0.201208251224~precise1_all.deb and it is fixed.
One last question: do you have any idea of when it will be available in:
- "default" ubuntu kernel 3.2
- vanilla kernel?

Regards.

[David Henningsson (diwic)]

It looks like it is scheduled for the 3.6 kernel, so it won't reach us until 13.04 unless we do an active backport.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us know.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for alsa-driver (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]