[solved] high noise level with HDA Intel ALC888

[SenatorKane]

Dear Kubuntu community,

after having helped me to get sound in all my applications I hope you will again be able to help me.
I am using a HDA Intel ALC888

aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 0: ALC888 Analog [ALC888 Analog]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: Intel [HDA Intel], device 1: ALC888 Digital [ALC888 Digital]
 Subdevices: 1/1
 Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

which finally works fine with all the applications I use. But what is really bothering is the extremely high noise level. Whenever I crank up the volume to anything above medium volume there is distinct white noise coming through all (front and back) speakers. It is definitely not hardware defect, because I used Ubuntu 9.10 before on the same machine and I did not have that problem back then.
Also the noise starts when the sound driver is loaded during boot.

Any suggestions would be, as always, greatly appreciated, but please try to keep them simple ;-)

Regards

Kane

[oshunluvr]

Re: high noise level with HDA Intel ALC888

Post your computer model and/or motherboard model and chipset (likely ICH9R).

Here is a list of possible options for your sound card:

	ALC883/888
	 3stack-dig	   3-jack with SPDIF I/O
	 6stack-dig	   6-jack digital with SPDIF I/O
	 3stack-6ch    3-jack 6-channel
	 3stack-6ch-dig  3-jack 6-channel with SPDIF I/O
	 6stack-dig-demo 6-jack digital for Intel demo board
	 acer		   Acer laptops (Travelmate 3012WTMi, Aspire 5600, etc)
	 acer-aspire	Acer Aspire 9810
	 medion	   Medion Laptops
	 medion-md2	   Medion MD2
	 targa-dig	   Targa/MSI
	 targa-2ch-dig	Targs/MSI with 2-channel
	 laptop-eapd   3-jack with SPDIF I/O and EAPD (Clevo M540JE, M550JE)
	 lenovo-101e   Lenovo 101E
	 lenovo-nb0763  Lenovo NB0763
	 lenovo-ms7195-dig Lenovo MS7195
	 haier-w66	    Haier W66
	 6stack-hp	    HP machines with 6stack (Nettle boards)
	 3stack-hp	    HP machines with 3stack (Lucknow, Samba boards)
	 6stack-dell    Dell machines with 6stack (Inspiron 530)
	 mitac       Mitac 8252D
	 auto		    auto-config reading BIOS (default)

You would edit /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and add the option(s) like this:

options snd-hda-intel model=6stack-dig

[Snowhog]

Re: high noise level with HDA Intel ALC888

Check the 'simple' things first.

Click on the speaker icon in the system tray and click on Mixer. Check where the PCM slider is at. It is likely set to high. This 'over drives' the output. Try moving it down. You have to find the optimal mix between the PCM and Master settings.

[SenatorKane]

Re: high noise level with HDA Intel ALC888

thank you for you input.

The PCM was indeed set to the maximum level, and while it affects the overall volume of my sound, it does not change the noise level, at all. This only changes, when I change the master, front, or rear channel volume.

But, following a hunch I activated all the channels available and found that the noise is gone, when I turn down "Front Mic Boost", "Mic Boost" and "Mic Boost (capture)".


thanks again

Kane

[Snowhog]

Re: [solved] high noise level with HDA Intel ALC888