[SOLVED] Intermittent sound on 3.5 mm jack

tulu · 08-13-2022, 12:25 PM

Hi everybody. I have a new Dell Inspiron 3910 computer running Debian Bullseye with the Gnome desktop doing a dual boot with Windows 11. I'm using the kernel from backports

Code:

$ uname -r
5.18.0-0.bpo.1-amd64

so that my sound, wifi, and bluetooth work. The sound on the 3.5 mm jack in the back is intermittent. By that I mean when I run the Gnome sound test sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Same with running

Code:

$ aplay /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav

Same with running a video. However once the video starts if the sound works it doesn't seem to cut out. I once ran a video for 45 minutes without interruption.

Headphones on the front 3.5 mm jack seem to work fine. Connecting my TV with HDMI using the TV speakers works fine. Connecting my soundbar via bluetooth works fine. It's just the 3.5 mm jack in the back that has problems.

I once installed Ubuntu for a day to see if it would work and the jack does work on Ubuntu. It seems to work with Windows 11. I had a chance to use a different pair of speakers while on Debian and the problem persisted.

I have a thread on forums.debian.net if anyone is interested but as of yet no one has a solution.

https://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=152359

I can't find any pattern or anything that causes it. It seems to be random. Sometimes the sound will work after reboot and sometimes not.

Here's some information.

Code:

$ aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: CS8409/CS42L42 Analog [CS8409/CS42L42 Analog]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 9: HDMI 3 [HDMI 3]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 10: HDMI 4 [HDMI 4]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 11: HDMI 5 [HDMI 5]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 12: HDMI 6 [HDMI 6]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 13: HDMI 7 [HDMI 7]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 14: HDMI 8 [HDMI 8]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 15: HDMI 9 [HDMI 9]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 16: HDMI 10 [HDMI 10]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 17: HDMI 11 [HDMI 11]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

Code:

$ cat /proc/asound/card*/codec* | grep Codec
Codec: Cirrus Logic CS8409/CS42L42
Codec: Intel Alderlake HDMI

Code:

$ pacmd list-sinks
1 sink(s) available.
  * index: 0
	name: <alsa_output.pci-0000_00_1f.3.analog-stereo>
	driver: <module-alsa-card.c>
	flags: HARDWARE HW_VOLUME_CTRL LATENCY DYNAMIC_LATENCY
	state: RUNNING
	suspend cause: (none)
	priority: 9039
	volume: front-left: 56174 /  86%,   front-right: 56174 /  86%
	        balance 0.00
	base volume: 65536 / 100%
	volume steps: 64
	muted: no
	current latency: 2.47 ms
	max request: 0 KiB
	max rewind: 0 KiB
	monitor source: 0
	sample spec: s16le 2ch 48000Hz
	channel map: front-left,front-right
	             Stereo
	used by: 2
	linked by: 2
	configured latency: 2.51 ms; range is 0.50 .. 2000.00 ms
	card: 0 <alsa_card.pci-0000_00_1f.3>
	module: 6
	properties:
		alsa.resolution_bits = "16"
		device.api = "alsa"
		device.class = "sound"
		alsa.class = "generic"
		alsa.subclass = "generic-mix"
		alsa.name = "CS8409/CS42L42 Analog"
		alsa.id = "CS8409/CS42L42 Analog"
		alsa.subdevice = "0"
		alsa.subdevice_name = "subdevice #0"
		alsa.device = "0"
		alsa.card = "0"
		alsa.card_name = "HDA Intel PCH"
		alsa.long_card_name = "HDA Intel PCH at 0x6003230000 irq 176"
		alsa.driver_name = "snd_hda_intel"
		device.bus_path = "pci-0000:00:1f.3"
		sysfs.path = "/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.3/sound/card0"
		device.bus = "pci"
		device.vendor.id = "8086"
		device.vendor.name = "Intel Corporation"
		device.product.id = "7ad0"
		device.form_factor = "internal"
		device.string = "front:0"
		device.buffering.buffer_size = "384000"
		device.buffering.fragment_size = "192000"
		device.access_mode = "mmap+timer"
		device.profile.name = "analog-stereo"
		device.profile.description = "Analog Stereo"
		device.description = "Built-in Audio Analog Stereo"
		module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
		device.icon_name = "audio-card-pci"
	ports:
		analog-output-lineout: Line Out (priority 9000, latency offset 0 usec, available: yes)
			properties:
				
		analog-output-headphones: Headphones (priority 9900, latency offset 0 usec, available: no)
			properties:
				device.icon_name = "audio-headphones"
	active port: <analog-output-lineout>

Code:

$ lsmod | grep '^snd' | column -t
snd_hda_codec_hdmi        77824   1   
snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl     16384   0   
snd_sof_intel_hda_common  114688  1   snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl
snd_sof_intel_hda         20480   1   snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof_pci               24576   2   snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl
snd_sof_xtensa_dsp        16384   1   snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof                   192512  2   snd_sof_pci,snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_sof_utils             20480   1   snd_sof
snd_soc_hdac_hda          24576   1   snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_hda_ext_core          36864   3   snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda
snd_soc_acpi_intel_match  65536   2   snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl
snd_soc_acpi              16384   2   snd_soc_acpi_intel_match,snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_soc_core              331776  4   soundwire_intel,snd_sof,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda
snd_compress              28672   1   snd_soc_core
snd_hda_codec_cs8409      36864   1   
snd_hda_codec_generic     98304   1   snd_hda_codec_cs8409
snd_hda_intel             57344   5   
snd_intel_dspcfg          32768   2   snd_hda_intel,snd_sof_intel_hda_common
snd_intel_sdw_acpi        20480   2   snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_intel_dspcfg
snd_hda_codec             176128  5   snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_cs8409,snd_hda_intel,snd_soc_hdac_hda
snd_hda_core              110592  9   snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_codec_cs8409,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_ext_core,snd_hda_codec,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_soc_hdac_hda,snd_sof_intel_hda
snd_hwdep                 16384   1   snd_hda_codec
snd_pcm                   147456  11  snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,soundwire_intel,snd_sof,snd_sof_intel_hda_common,snd_compress,snd_soc_core,snd_sof_utils,snd_hda_core
snd_timer                 45056   1   snd_pcm
snd                       114688  19  snd_hda_codec_generic,snd_hda_codec_hdmi,snd_hwdep,snd_hda_intel,snd_hda_codec,snd_sof,snd_timer,snd_compress,snd_soc_core,snd_pcm

Code:

$ lspci -knn
0000:00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:4650] (rev 05)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
0000:00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:4692] (rev 0c)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915
0000:00:04.0 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:461d] (rev 05)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: proc_thermal_pci
	Kernel modules: processor_thermal_device_pci
0000:00:0e.0 RAID bus controller [0104]: Intel Corporation Volume Management Device NVMe RAID Controller [8086:467f]
	Subsystem: Dell Volume Management Device NVMe RAID Controller [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: vmd
	Kernel modules: vmd, ahci
0000:00:14.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7ae0] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: xhci_pci
0000:00:14.2 RAM memory [0500]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7aa7] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
0000:00:14.3 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7af0] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device [8086:4070]
	Kernel driver in use: iwlwifi
	Kernel modules: iwlwifi
0000:00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7ae8] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: mei_me
	Kernel modules: mei_me
0000:00:17.0 System peripheral [0880]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:09ab]
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
0000:00:1a.0 System peripheral [0880]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:09ab]
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
0000:00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7aba] (rev 11)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
0000:00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7a86] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
0000:00:1f.3 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7ad0] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
	Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel, snd_sof_pci_intel_tgl
0000:00:1f.4 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7aa3] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c_i801
0000:00:1f.5 Serial bus controller [0c80]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7aa4] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
0000:01:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 15)
	Subsystem: Dell RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: r8169
	Kernel modules: r8169
10000:e0:17.0 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7ae2] (rev 11)
	Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0ad3]
	Kernel driver in use: ahci
	Kernel modules: ahci
10000:e0:1a.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation Device [8086:7ac8] (rev 11)
	Kernel driver in use: pcieport
10000:e1:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Micron Technology Inc Device [1344:5404] (rev 03)
	Subsystem: Micron Technology Inc Device [1344:1100]
	Kernel driver in use: nvme
	Kernel modules: nvme

My username is donald.

Code:

$ groups
donald cdrom floppy sudo audio dip video plugdev netdev bluetooth lpadmin scanner

I appreciate any help you could give.

tulu · 08-13-2022, 01:13 PM

Also on second thought I think I may have posted in the wrong forum. Could a mod move it to a better forum if that would be advantageous or proper? Thanks!

tulu · 08-13-2022, 01:41 PM

Code:

$ sudo dmesg | grep audio
[sudo] password for donald: 
[    4.923221] snd_hda_intel 0000:00:1f.3: bound 0000:00:02.0 (ops i915_audio_component_bind_ops [i915])
[    5.026919] snd_hda_codec_cs8409 hdaudioC0D0: autoconfig for CS8409: line_outs=1 (0x25/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0) type:line
[    5.026923] snd_hda_codec_cs8409 hdaudioC0D0:    speaker_outs=0 (0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[    5.026924] snd_hda_codec_cs8409 hdaudioC0D0:    hp_outs=1 (0x24/0x0/0x0/0x0/0x0)
[    5.026924] snd_hda_codec_cs8409 hdaudioC0D0:    mono: mono_out=0x0
[    5.026925] snd_hda_codec_cs8409 hdaudioC0D0:    inputs:
[    5.026925] snd_hda_codec_cs8409 hdaudioC0D0:      Mic=0x34

tulu · 08-16-2022, 11:33 AM

I've run off to Ubuntu. Thanks everyone for looking at this!

business_kid · 08-19-2022, 12:42 PM

Hello tulu,

On 3.5mm Jacks, Beware that there are 2, 3, & 4 pin varieties. The usual combinations are:

4 pin - for mobile phones earphones with mic.
3 pin - for earphones (left/right & earth)
2 pin - Microphone (signal & earth).

There are a few(6?) thin strands of multicore cable going to a clamp or solder joint, and breakage just beyond the jackplug is common because flexing happens most there. Oftem individual strands break at different places, so you get a 'maybe' cable: Maybe it works, maybe not.

There are adapters that take a 4 pin headset and have a 3pin & 2pin lead from them.

3.5mm sockets hold up reasonably well if you don't abuse them.

I've had so much hassle from Bluetooth that I never use it. IBM dreamed that up as a hyper-secure protocol back in the day. They imagined it being used by the Chairman of the Board in a bank to circulate the new safe combination to an inner circle. In fact, if it works as designed nobody gets anything. Current implementations drive a coach & four through the security to send stuff. Good luck with that.

tulu · 08-19-2022, 04:09 PM

Thanks.

tulu · 02-25-2023, 02:10 PM

Turns out that the problem is solved in the 6.1 kernel. It's odd. Sound worked in the 5.15 kernel downloaded from kernel.org and compiled on my computer but then it seems that something went awry with later kernels only to be fixed in the 6.1 kernel.