Asus P54G1T-M LX, Intel HDA Realtek ALC887-VD Very low sound

[Damir Tadich]

Changed computer mobo to Asus P54G1T-ML X and installed fresh 12.04 Kubuntu.
The sound can be barely heard with the speaker volume turned up to maximum.
It is probably issue with the Realtek ALC 887 codec, since there is miriad of problems in linux with that codec in combination with Intel and Nvidia HDA cards.

I have tried following:
- change card models in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf to: auto, 3-stack, asus etc. as stated in "HD-Audio-Models.txt" with no success (the ALC887 codec is just not listed anywhere)
- install of alsa dkms drivers didn't change anything, sound is still very low
- removing pulse audio also didn't change anything except that Kmix in that case clearly states for playback device "Intel HDA Realtek ALC 887" card, while with pulse audio it states "Built-in Audio Analog Stereo", sound remains the same
- also have tried with some asound.rc configs but it didn't help either
- in alsamixer everything is unmuted and turned up

Alsa info here: http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=44b26f5cd37f33bfef2871ff1fd250301bdb5364

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-32.51-generic 3.2.30
Uname: Linux 3.2.0-32-generic x86_64
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.24.
ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu13
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: damir 1606 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: damir 1606 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/timer: damir 1606 f.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfeaf8000 irq 43'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC887-VD'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0887,10438445,00100302'
   Controls : 42
   Simple ctrls : 22
Date: Mon Oct 15 11:55:07 2012
InstallationMedia: Kubuntu 12.04.1 LTS "Precise Pangolin" - Release amd64 (20120820.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=
 TERM=xterm
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA Intel
Symptom_Jack: Green Line Out, Rear
Symptom_Type: Volume slider, or mixer problems
Title: [System Product Name, Realtek ALC887-VD, Green Line Out, Rear] volume slider problem
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 07/27/2011
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0902
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: P5G41T-M LX
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev X.0x
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0902:bd07/27/2011:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnP5G41T-MLX:rvrRevX.0x:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer
mtime.conffile..etc.modprobe.d.alsa.base.conf: 2012-10-15T11:48:39.574714

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

Oct 15 10:33:37 xaser pulseaudio[1599]: [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: ALSA woke us up to write new data to the device, but there was actually nothing to write!
Oct 15 10:33:37 xaser pulseaudio[1599]: [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Most likely this is a bug in the ALSA driver 'snd_hda_intel'. Please report this issue to the ALSA developers.
Oct 15 10:33:37 xaser pulseaudio[1599]: [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: We were woken up with POLLOUT set -- however a subsequent snd_pcm_avail() returned 0 or another value < min_avail.
Oct 15 10:49:11 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:11 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:11 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:11 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:12 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:12 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:12 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:12 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:12 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument
Oct 15 10:49:12 xaser pulseaudio[1601]: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to load mixer: Invalid argument

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

it seem that you created a sofvol "master" volume control

control.42 {
  iface MIXER
  name Master
  value.0 255
  value.1 255
  comment {
   access 'read write user'
   type INTEGER
   count 2
   range '0 - 255'
   tlv '0000000100000008ffffec1400000014'
   dbmin -5100
   dbmax 0
   dbvalue.0 0
   dbvalue.1 0
  }
 }

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [191.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [191.00dB] [on]

Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [pulseaudio] protocol-native.c: Final latency 200.00 ms = 80.00 ms + 2*20.00 ms + 80.00 ms
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Requested volume: 0: 21450% 1: 21450%
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: in dB: 0: 191.00 dB 1: 191.00 dB
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Got hardware volume: 0: 100% 1: 100%
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: in dB: 0: 0.02 dB 1: 0.02 dB
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Calculated software volume: 0: 21336% 1: 21336% (accurate-enough=no)
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: in dB: 0: 190.98 dB 1: 190.98 dB
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.104| 0.000) [alsa-sink] sink.c: Volume not changing
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.111| 0.006) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Requested volume: 0: 21450% 1: 21450%
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.111| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: in dB: 0: 191.00 dB 1: 191.00 dB
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.111| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Got hardware volume: 0: 100% 1: 100%
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.111| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: in dB: 0: 0.02 dB 1: 0.02 dB
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.111| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: Calculated software volume: 0: 21336% 1: 21336% (accurate-enough=no)
Oct 15 11:55:24 xaser pulseaudio[1606]: ( 0.111| 0.000) [alsa-sink] alsa-sink.c: in dB: 0: 190.98 dB 1: 190.98 dB

[Damir Tadich (darthmyr)]

Thank you Raymond for insight and help with this problem.

The softvol master volume must have been from a try with asound.rc config, but it didn't help.
Here is updated alsa-info script without asound.rc:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=ab5362501881befcdaee94e44278820d43bf92f1

Meanwhile, in order to test sound, I have tried severeal live distros including: Ubuntu/Lubuntu 12.10, Mint, Crunchbang and the result is the same: no sound or sound that is very low with a lot of noise.

Tried to update alsa to 1.0.25 following this tutorial: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1681577
but that also failed, resulting with "no driver to compile".

Don't know what else to try, and cannot believe that after more than 7 years with Linux now when I finally have completely Intel based computer the sound is making this much trouble.

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

>> Something wild is merged in his system. It has a wrong "Master"
>> control without suffix. Also a strange "Pre-Amp" control is found
>> there, too. The string doesn't fix in kernel or alsa-lib codes at
>> all.

> The softvol master volume must have been from a try > with asound.rc
config, but it didn't help.
> Here is updated alsa-info script without asound.rc:
> http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=ab5362501881befcdaee94e44278820d43bf92f1

> Meanwhile, in order to test sound, I have tried
> severeal live distros including: Ubuntu/Lubuntu 12.10,
> Mint, Crunchbang and the result is the same: no
> sound or sound that is very low with a lot of noise.

> Tried to update alsa to 1.0.25 following this tutorial:
> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1681577
> but that also failed, resulting with "no driver to compile".

> Don't know what else to try, and cannot believe that
> after more than 7 years with Linux now when I finally
> have completely Intel based computer the sound is
> making this much trouble.

it is not easy to remove the softvol since it is recreated by "alsactl
restore" and you still have those softvol controls and a 191dB Master
playback volume

there must be a bug in alsa lib when you have a stereo softvol master and a
mono virtual master playback volume

when both softvol without suffix "playback volume" ,
the capability of pre-amp is volume(global) but master is pvolume

Amixer output
!!-------------

!!-------Mixer controls for card 0 [Intel]

Card hw:0 'Intel'/'HDA Intel at 0xfeaf8000 irq 43'
  Mixer name: 'Realtek ALC887-VD'
  Components: 'HDA:10ec0887,10438445,00100302'
  Controls : 43
  Simple ctrls : 22
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [191.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [191.00dB] [on]

Simple mixer control 'Pre-Amp',0
  Capabilities: volume penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 5
  Front Left: 5 [100%]
  Front Right: 5 [100%]

control.32 {
comment.access 'read write'
comment.type INTEGER
comment.count 1
comment.range '0 - 64'
comment.dbmin -6400
comment.dbmax 0
iface MIXER
name 'Master Playback Volume'
value 64
}

control.40 {
comment.access 'read write user'
comment.type INTEGER
comment.count 2
comment.range '0 - 255'
comment.tlv '0000000100000008ffffec1400000014'
comment.dbmin -5100
comment.dbmax 0
iface MIXER
name 'PCM Playback Volume'
value.0 255
value.1 255
}

control.42 {
comment.access 'read write user'
comment.type INTEGER
comment.count 2
comment.range '0 - 5'
comment.tlv '0000000100000008fffffe0c000001f4'
comment.dbmin -500
comment.dbmax 2000
iface MIXER
name Pre-Amp
value.0 5
value.1 5
}
control.43 {
comment.access 'read write user'
comment.type INTEGER
comment.count 2
comment.range '0 - 255'
comment.tlv '0000000100000008ffffec1400000014'
comment.dbmin -5100
comment.dbmax 0
iface MIXER
name Master
value.0 255
value.1 255

[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.]