Low Sound Volume Fix

[wizard]

Here's the 24th topic in the Helping new users series

Thanks
wizard

********************************Draft230128 ************************
This topic assumes you are using one of the recommended distros or remasters.
This is an advanced topic. ...

Low Volume Fix
rev 230128

If you are using Puppy without external speakers you may find that the sound volume is low. This is often the case with Laptop computers. Note that laptop computer speakers are quite small, usually 1/2-5/8 inch (12-16mm) diameter and can be easily damaged if played at high volume. Here are methods to boost your audio.
These only apply to Puppy Linux versions that use ALSA sound (most).

General – adjust volume levels
-open the Terminal
-type: retrovol
-press Enter
Adjust the Master and PCM controls to maximum and test the sound

Adding boost:
Method 1 – create a Pre-Amp setting in retrovol (also see Method 1 notes below)
-run audio-boost.pet (installs /etc/asound.conf)

audio-boost.pet

(464 Bytes) Downloaded 52 times

-reboot
- play a sound file
-reboot (it may take several reboots before the Pre-Amp shows)
Adjust Pre-Amp:
-open the Terminal
-type: retrovol
-press Enter
-scroll down to the bottom of retrovol to find Pre-Amp
-adjust level
CAUTION: adjust slowly and test, to much Pre-Amp will distort the audio

pre-amp.jpg (12.63 KiB) Viewed 635 times

Method 2– adjust all levels in alsamixer (working in Fossapup64 9.5, Friendly-Fossa64, Dpup Stretch 7.5)
Open alsamixer:
-open the Terminal
-type: alsamixer -D equal
-press Enter
-increase all settings, try 72 first, then test
Note: use up/down arrows to adjust, right/left arrows to change bars

alsamixer.jpg (44.83 KiB) Viewed 635 times

Method 1 Notes:
audio-boost.pet installs the file /etc/asound.conf and is configured for a system sound card running as: card 0, device 0. This is the most common configuration. You can check your system as follows.
-open a Terminal window
-type: aplay -l (lower case L)
-press Enter

The first card line should should list card 0 and device 0. If the card is not zero you may have to edit the card line in /etc/asound.conf.

Here is the content of asound.conf.

Code: Select all

#! /bin/bash
pcm.!default {
type plug
slave.pcm "softvol"
}

pcm.softvol {
type softvol
slave {
pcm "dmix"
}
control {
name "Pre-Amp"
card 0
}
min_dB -5.0
max_dB 20.0
resolution 6
}  

Need more help? Join the forum and post your questions in Beginners Help.

[mikewalsh]

@wizard :-

I do feel we ought not to overlook the built-in options that pizzasgood coded into Retrovol all those years ago.....'Linear', 'Logarithmic' & 'Exponential'.

Like many here I, too, had issues with getting audio loud enough to be useful. Experimenting with those options in Retrovol was all it took for me; merely switching from 'Linear' (the default, OOTB setting) to 'Logarithmic' was all that was required. After that, there was no need for any of the above workarounds that have been mentioned many times over the years.

I daren't try 'Exponential'! If it's as much of an increase over 'Logarithmic' as that setting is over 'Linear', I'm afraid I'll blow my speakers.....

It's always worth a try, before embarking on anything else......and is yet another reason why Retrovol is so worthwhile as the default Puppy volume control/audio mixer.

Mike.

[williwaw]

...... Retrovol is so worthwhile as the default Puppy volume control/audio mixer.

Mike. ;)

I suggested fossapup recently for a family member and had to remotely (by phone), trouble shoot her issues with configuring sound.
Having both retrovol and alsa present created a confusing situation for my niece, (who btw makes no claims to being geeky, but nevertheless is quite adept at making OS configs to meet her needs) I was at a loss to offer an explanation as to why both programs were needed, or which one to use or prefer, just to get her sound working reliably. After she got her sound card working it seems she needed to configure alsa before retrovol would work in spite of retrovol being the most apparent program presented to her on the desktop.

How would you have advised the new user and explained the difference?

Does the inclusion of both programs cause more problems for the average intended puppy user than is needed?

[wizard]

@mikewalsh
Hi Mike, have seen that mentioned, but when I tested with Fossapup64 9.5 on my hardware the Linear, Logrithmic, Exponential settings only changed the rate at which the volume increased, but did not increase the maximum volume available.

I also tested the Alsa Sound Wizard procedure which has been posted several times and found that it too did not increase the maximum volume available.

soundwizard.jpg (21.65 KiB) Viewed 575 times

The only methods I've tested to date that work are the two above.

Thanks
wizard

[mikewalsh]

@wizard :-

It must be a hardware thing. You're not the first who's said that changing these options doesn't increase the volume for them. The flip-side of this is that many others have also said it works the same for them as it does for me.

I guess the old saw is as true as ever. Use whatever works for YOU. There's no hard & fast "rules" about any of this.....and Linux is flexible enough to permit arriving at the desired outcome by many & varied routes!

--------------------------------------------

@williwaw :-

The point is well taken. It IS confusing, but I'll try to briefly explain what I understand of Linux audio (which ain't much, but is what I've gleaned, bit-by-bit, over a number of years).

We all know that PulseAudio, and more recently Pipewire, have claimed to make managing the audio experience in Linux much more "user-friendly", yes? What 99% of people that advocate these two conveniently overlook is that both are, in a sense, nothing more than finer-grained GUI 'front-ends' for controlling ALSA itself. Because make no mistake, ALSA is - and always will be - very definitely in the background.

ALSA is the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture. It straddles both "user-space" AND "kernel-space", interfacing directly between the kernel and your hardware, at the same time permitting ALSA-specific utilities to directly control much of the base functionality. It's a recognized PITA to configure directly, hence a good part of the reason why PulseAudio & Pipewire exist in the first place.

To the best of my knowledge, replacing ALSA with something else would entail massive amounts of extra work for the kernel development teams, necessitating large sections to have to be completely rewritten.....ALSA is that tightly-integrated into the kernel at many different levels. That's why those that are frustrated with direct ALSA controls have concentrated more on making the user-experience easy to both understand, and to use, by creating these front-end 'control' utilities than in trying to replace ALSA itself. The latter would be a mammoth undertaking.

To me, this is what pizzasgood did with Retrovol; he was just trying to create a simple, easy-to-use & understand combined volume controller/mixer utility that fitted in with the way Puppy does things. To my way of thinking, he succeeded magnificently.

ALSA will always be there in the background. Retrovol, PulseAudio & Pipewire are merely different ways to control it at the user-interface, without needing a master's degree in programming.

Much of the above may not be entirely accurate. I'm just a layman, trying to explain things in terms that I DO understand.....but I hope that gives you a slightly better understanding of the rat's-nest that masquerades as Linux audio!

Mike.

[williwaw]

ALSA is the Advanced Linux Sound Architecture. It straddles both "user-space" AND "kernel-space", interfacing directly between the kernel and your hardware, at the same time permitting ALSA-specific utilities to directly control much of the base functionality. It's a recognized PITA to configure directly, hence a good part of the reason why PulseAudio & Pipewire exist in the first place.

Mike. ;)

Does "ALSA-specific utilities" include alsa-mixer? I actually meant alsa-mixer when I wrote "alsa" above.

Alsa-mixer just doesn't seem that difficult. Is it simply most users are put off with ncurses , or do these other wrappers do more?