Same here in Dell Vostro 1520 lspci | grep Audio 00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 82801I (ICH9 Family) HD Audio Controller (rev 03) apt-cache showpkg alsa-base Package: alsa-base Versions: 1.0.22.1+dfsg-0ubuntu3 ... dmesg | grep HDA [ 18.630421] HDA Intel 0000:00:1b.0: PCI INT A -> GSI 22 (level, low) -> IRQ 22 [ 18.630459] HDA Intel 0000:00:1b.0: setting latency timer to 64 [ 18.708109] input: HDA Digital PCBeep as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/input/input10 [ 18.720686] input: HDA Intel Mic at Ext Front Jack as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input11 [ 18.720778] input: HDA Intel HP Out at Ext Front Jack as /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1b.0/sound/card0/input12 I have checked all volumes with alsamixer, this is the amixer output amixer Simple mixer control 'Master',0 Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum Playback channels: Mono Limits: Playback 0 - 64 Mono: Playback 56 [88%] [-6.00dB] [on] Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0 Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right Limits: Playback 0 - 64 Mono: Front Left: Playback 45 [70%] [-14.25dB] [on] Front Right: Playback 45 [70%] [-14.25dB] [on] Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0 Capabilities: pvolume pswitch penum Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right Limits: Playback 0 - 64 Mono: Front Left: Playback 63 [98%] [0.75dB] [on] Front Right: Playback 63 [98%] [0.75dB] [on] Simple mixer control 'PCM',0 Capabilities: pvolume penum Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right Limits: Playback 0 - 255 Mono: Front Left: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB] Front Right: Playback 255 [100%] [0.00dB] Simple mixer control 'Front Mic',0 Capabilities: cvolume penum Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right Limits: Capture 0 - 3 Front Left: Capture 3 [100%] [30.00dB] Front Right: Capture 3 [100%] [30.00dB] Simple mixer control 'Front Mic Jack Mode',0 Capabilities: enum Items: 'Mic In' 'Line In' Item0: 'Mic In' Simple mixer control 'Mic',0 Capabilities: cvolume penum Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right Limits: Capture 0 - 3 Front Left: Capture 2 [67%] [20.00dB] Front Right: Capture 2 [67%] [20.00dB] Simple mixer control 'Capture',0 Capabilities: cvolume cswitch penum Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right Limits: Capture 0 - 15 Front Left: Capture 12 [80%] [18.00dB] [off] Front Right: Capture 12 [80%] [18.00dB] [off] Simple mixer control 'Digital',0 Capabilities: cvolume penum Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right Limits: Capture 0 - 120 Front Left: Capture 102 [85%] [21.00dB] Front Right: Capture 102 [85%] [21.00dB] Simple mixer control 'PC Beep',0 Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined penum Playback channels: Mono Limits: Playback 0 - 3 Mono: Playback 0 [0%] [-18.00dB] [off] I have played around with no success as adviced by several forums and bug report with the snd-hda-intel model, according to ALSA-Configuration.txt there are several options applicable to dell laptops (but none specific to Vostro line, that could be the cultprit). sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf change the model, such as: options snd-hda-intel model=dell-3stack then: sudo alsa force-reload no success !