Just added "options snd-hda-intel position_fix=1" (without the quotes) to /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and the problem seems to be corrected altough "hda-intel: spurious response 0x0:0x0, last cmd=0x000000" log entries keep appearing in the messages file. The idea was taken from http://www.alsa-project.org/main/index.php/Changes_v1.0.22_v1.0.23#HDA_Intel_driver
Just added "options snd-hda-intel position_fix=1" (without the quotes) to /etc/modprobe. d/alsa- base.conf and the problem seems to be corrected altough "hda-intel: spurious response 0x0:0x0, last cmd=0x000000" log entries keep appearing in the messages file. The idea was taken from http:// www.alsa- project. org/main/ index.php/ Changes_ v1.0.22_ v1.0.23# HDA_Intel_ driver