Hi, everyone,

I have a fresh install of Mint 19.1 MATE on a Dell Inspiron 660 desktop, Core 15-3340. All is running great, except that my speakers, which include a separate subwoofer, sound like tin cans. They sound fine in Windows 7, and I can occasionally get them to work for a single session, but it's back to tin cans after a reboot. I am getting no bass from the subwoofer.

The sound device shows as Conexant SmartAudio HD in Windows, and as Conexant CX20641 in Gnome ALSA Mixer (which I installed on a suggestion from the Mint help chat when posing this question). Hardware details here:

https://pastebin.com/znAxnDke

The only times I have been able to get bass from the speakers was when I would switch the configuration profile from Analog Stereo Duplex to Analog Stereo Output (the only two options available), but that has only worked a few times, despite numerous reboots. My hardware list also shows HDMI audio, but I am not using it, and it's disabled - my speakers only have a stereo jack input.

If anyone could offer suggestions, I'd sure appreciate it. The maddening part of this is the inconsistency of the results from making the same changes. I have been unable to find any specific Linux drivers for this device.

Thanks!

Well you're not alone: https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2173886

The last poster on the above thread appeared to find a solution. Perhaps you can get that working for you?

Woohoo, thanks - you're my hero! That Ubuntu forum had a link to a Gentoo forum, and a thread mentioning a tool called "hdajackretask." I searched the Package Manager, and found a GUI for that tool. A little fiddling, and I was able to assign that jack to "Internal speaker," install boot override so the change will survive reboots, and voila - bass in all its low-frequency glory!

Thanks again!

Subwoofer would imply a 2.1 stereo system. The fact that you get any sound says that you have a working driver. And that you've gotten lucky with it, means your configuration is possible. With pulseaudio, sometimes you have to disable and then enable again a device to get an already working device working again. Beyond that you're looking at some fancy jackd and routing (calf plugin), or a .asoundrc of a custom sort. Normally the .1 is a 3rd channel, of frequencies below 150Hz. I'm not sure how you're doing that if your only connection point is a 1/8" / 3.5mm jack. Ourside of a sub with a built in filter so it only tries to play the sounds it's good at.

It's always nice to be a hero. Glad you got it working!

If you want, you can mark the thread as "Solved" (see "Thread Tools" at the top of the thread).

Yeah, I'm guessing the system has a filter built in, and isn't a true subwoofer - an overused term. It's an Altec Lansing set I picked up, geez, probably 20 years ago at Costco. It has a volume controller that plugs into the woofer, and the main treble speakers plug into it as well.

I have a GNX 2000 system that I got in the late 90s like that. Still a decent set of speakers. Just dated, yellow with age, and the volume pot crackles when you turn it.