Quiet Sound with Logitech ClearChat USB Headset

[Vivianne Langdon]

Binary package hint: pulseaudio

Using a Logitech ClearChat USB headset, the volume is extremely low--I need to turn the volume above 100% in order to hear a song decently. I have two other sound cards which don't experience this problem, and under Windows the headset works just fine.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.10
Package: pulseaudio 1:0.9.22~0.9.21+stable-queue-32-g8478-0ubuntu19
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.35-22.32-generic 2.6.35.4
Uname: Linux 2.6.35-22-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
AlsaVersion: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Driver Version 1.0.23.
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC2: gavin 1427 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC2D0p: gavin 1427 F...m pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC1: gavin 1427 F.... pulseaudio
Card0.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:0 'SB'/'HDA ATI SB at 0xf7ff4000 irq 16'
   Mixer name : 'Realtek ALC887'
   Components : 'HDA:10ec0887,10ec0887,00100202'
   Controls : 35
   Simple ctrls : 20
Card1.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:1 'CA0106'/'Audigy SE [SB0570] at 0xec00 irq 22'
   Mixer name : 'CA0106'
   Components : ''
   Controls : 35
   Simple ctrls : 18
Card2.Amixer.info:
 Card hw:2 'Headset'/'Logitech Logitech USB Headset at usb-0000:00:12.1-2, full speed'
   Mixer name : 'USB Mixer'
   Components : 'USB046d:0a0c'
   Controls : 6
   Simple ctrls : 2
Date: Mon Sep 20 22:53:20 2010
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.10 "Maverick Meerkat" - Beta amd64 (20100901.1)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: pulseaudio
dmi.bios.date: 03/26/2009
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0501
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: M4A78 PLUS
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.:bvr0501:bd03/26/2009:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnM4A78PLUS:rvrRevX.0x:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[wensveen (wensveen)]

A have same problem, also with a Logitech ClearChat USB. The problem is, probably, that the default ALSA settings are too low. I could fix the problem by starting alsamixer in a terminal and setting the volume to 91% (or 100%). After that the pulseaudio mixer setting of 100% was very loud :)

[wensveen (wensveen)]

"A have same problem"? Jeez. I meant "I have the same problem". Sorry.

[Raymond (superquad-vortex2)]

-41.dB is quite low

Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch pswitch-joined penum
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 44
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-41.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-41.00dB] [on]

does PA find the correct volume control ?

you need to post the output of pa server

pulseaudio-k; pulseaudio -vvvvv

[David Fraser (davidf)]

I have the same problem with the same headset, and this looks like a duplicate of #514032 - try fixing the base volume on the usb device with alsamixer to confirm

[Phill Coxon (phill-getresults)]

I had this problem (extremely quiet Logitech USB headset) which was fixed after applying increasing the base volume in alsamixer. Plenty of volume available in PulseAudio after that.

Thank you for the fix.

A bit frustrating though - how is the average user supposed to know / work around the fact that the "volume control" applet for PulseAudio is only part of the solution for controlling USB sound card volume?

[David Henningsson (diwic)]

This has been quirked in Natty so that PulseAudio controls the right volume.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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