Sound Only From Right Speaker after Upgrade

[Lonnie Lee Best]

After upgrading from Ubuntu 12.04 to Ubuntu 12.10, my laptop's sound will only come from its right speaker (despite that the balance is centered).

ALSA Info:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=c964bb7dd7d08f5e86818c56533dc519c45291fd

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

seem no headphone jack kcontrols for two headphones

0.028| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Probe of element 'Desktop Speaker' failed.
( 0.028| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Probing path 'analog-output-headphones'
( 0.028| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Probe of jack 'Front Headphone Jack' succeeded (not found)
( 0.028| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Probe of jack 'Headphone Jack' succeeded (not found)

Node 0x0a [Pin Complex] wcaps 0x400183: Stereo Amp-In
  Amp-In caps: N/A
  Amp-In vals: [0x00 0x00]
  Pincap 0x0000173f: IN OUT HP Detect Trigger ImpSense
    Vref caps: HIZ 50 GRD 80
  Pin Default 0x0321101f: [Jack] HP Out at Ext Left
    Conn = 1/8, Color = Black
    DefAssociation = 0x1, Sequence = 0xf
  Pin-ctls: 0xc0: OUT HP VREF_HIZ
  Unsolicited: tag=01, enabled=1
  Connection: 4
     0x15* 0x16 0x17 0x1e

Node 0x0d [Pin Complex] wcaps 0x400183: Stereo Amp-In
  Control: name="Speaker Phantom Jack", index=0, device=0
  Amp-In caps: N/A
  Amp-In vals: [0x00 0x00]
  Pincap 0x0000003f: IN OUT HP Detect Trigger ImpSense
  Pin Default 0x90170110: [Fixed] Speaker at Int N/A
    Conn = Analog, Color = Unknown
    DefAssociation = 0x1, Sequence = 0x0
    Misc = NO_PRESENCE
  Pin-ctls: 0x40: OUT
  Unsolicited: tag=00, enabled=0
  Connection: 4
     0x15 0x16 0x17* 0x1e

Node 0x0f [Pin Complex] wcaps 0x400183: Stereo Amp-In
  Amp-In caps: N/A
  Amp-In vals: [0x00 0x00]
  Pincap 0x00000037: IN OUT Detect Trigger ImpSense
  Pin Default 0x0321101f: [Jack] HP Out at Ext Left
    Conn = 1/8, Color = Black
    DefAssociation = 0x1, Sequence = 0xf
  Pin-ctls: 0x40: OUT
  Unsolicited: tag=02, enabled=1
  Connection: 4
     0x15 0x16* 0x17 0x1e

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

unlike other dell laptop, the user manual did no mention support of surround 51

but alsa driver seem allow surround40

did pulseaudio allow you to select surround 4.0 ? since there is no "Surround Playback Volume" control

 0.037| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Looking at profile output:analog-surround-40
( 0.037| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Checking for playback on Analog Surround 4.0 (analog-surround-40)
( 0.037| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Trying surround40:2 with SND_PCM_NO_AUTO_FORMAT ...
( 0.038| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Managed to open surround40:2
( 0.038| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Maximum hw buffer size is 185 ms
( 0.060| 0.022) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Set buffer size first (to 3528 samples), period size second (to 441 samples).
( 0.060| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Profile output:analog-surround-40 supported.
( 0.061| 0.000) I: [pulseaudio] (alsa-lib)control.c: Invalid CTL surround40:2
( 0.061| 0.000) I: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Unable to attach to mixer surround40:2: No such file or directory
( 0.061| 0.000) I: [pulseaudio] alsa-util.c: Successfully attached to mixer 'hw:2'
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Removing path 'analog-output' as it is a subset of 'analog-output-speaker'.
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Available mixer paths (after tidying):
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Path Set 0xe16e20, direction=1
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Path analog-output-speaker (Speakers), direction=1, priority=100, probed=yes, supported=yes, has_mute=yes, has_volume=yes, has_dB=yes, min_volume=0, max_volume=64, min_dB=-100099, max_dB=0
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Element Master, direction=1, switch=1, volume=1, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x7ffffffffffff, n_channels=1, override_map=yes
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Element Headphone, direction=1, switch=1, volume=3, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x6, n_channels=2, override_map=no
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Element Speaker, direction=1, switch=1, volume=1, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=4, required_absent=0, mask=0x3600000000f66, n_channels=2, override_map=yes
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Element PCM, direction=1, switch=0, volume=1, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x3600000000f66, n_channels=2, override_map=yes
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Element IEC958, direction=1, switch=2, volume=0, volume_limit=-1, enumeration=0, required=0, required_any=0, required_absent=0, mask=0x0, n_channels=0, override_map=no
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Jack Headphone, alsa_name='Headphone Jack', detection unavailable
( 0.061| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Jack Front Headphone, alsa_name='Front Headphone Jack', detection unavailable

( 0.080| 0.000) D: [pulseaudio] alsa-mixer.c: Looking at profile output:analog-surr...

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

Under All Settings > Sound > Speakers > Mode

Analog Surround 4.0 Output is a selectable option, but "Analog Stereo Output" is selected.

Pulse Audio too, allows me to select surround, and it seems to work about the same, but either way, sound is only coming through my right speaker; that's the issue.

Again, I didn't have this issue in Ubuntu 12.04, but do now in 12.10.

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

When I do this command for (HDA Intel) 0:
speaker-test -c 2 -D plughw:0 -t sine

Only through my laptop's right-internal-speaker do I hear sound. The left one doesn't output sound.

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

if it work in ubuntu 12.04 .

 boot from a ubuntu 12.04 live cd and obtain the output of alsa-info.sh

take a diff of the two outputs

check whether the speaker connect to the same dac as ububtu 12.04

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

I tried the 12.04 Live CD, and I was surprised that the problem remained.

Then I tried using the Ubuntu 10.04.2 Live CD. From it audio came from both speakers.

Here's the alsa-info of the speakers working perfectly in Ubuntu 10.04.2:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=c633ff994562edbb21f2d9bdefae40b8c5c68c05

and here's them not working in Ubuntu 12.10:
http://www.alsa-project.org/db/?f=c964bb7dd7d08f5e86818c56533dc519c45291fd

Previously, I attached the Pulse Audio Log of the speakers NOT working in 12.10.

Now, this attachment is the Pulse Audio Log of them WORKING in Ubuntu 10.04.2

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

Would you believe that Windows 8 does the same thing? Older version of windows and linux play audio out of both speakers, but later OSs don't.

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

If I plug in head phones, I can hear audio from both channels. But if an file only plays audio from the left channel I can't hear anything without my head phones:
http://superuser.com/questions/537068/avi-convert-stereo-to-mono

[Daniel Letzeisen (dtl131)]

It looks like there's a possible BIOS fix on Dell's site: http://www.dell.com/support/drivers/us/en/19/DriverDetails?driverId=R302080
"Fix Lojack malfunction issue."
Lojack = Left output jack?

[Daniel Letzeisen (dtl131)]

Please disregard my previous comment. Lojack is an anti-theft system.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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

[Jason Silver (jasonsilver)]

For me it's exactly the same but only the left speaker works-- I've had this problem since a recent upgrade about two months ago approximately.

I've tried the alsamixer and everything seems to be configured correctly.

Headphones work as expected.

[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.

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

That's ok. I've had 8 years to acclimate myself to right-speaker-only audio. At this point, I wouldn't have it any other way!

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

I'm so sorry that your issue went unnoticed for so long Lonnie. The backlog we've accrued here is truly unfortunate.

Are you really still experiencing this issue?

[Lonnie Lee Best (launchpad-startport)]

No Marcus. I was just teasing. All is well. Thanks for your concern.

[Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson)]

I thought you may have been but didn’t want to assume ;) Thank you for the update.