Ubuntu
alsa-driver package

[XPS 13 9370, Realtek ALC3271, Headphone Out, Right] Static/Electric background noise when volume is not muted

Bug #1809856 reported by David Koplik
12
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
alsa-driver (Ubuntu)
Won't Fix
Undecided
Unassigned
linux (Ubuntu)
Won't Fix
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

Whenever I plug in my Sennheiser HD1 Wired headphones with mic, I start hearing a static/electric (some internal?) sound if the volume isn't muted. Something similar occurs with my other earbuds with mic, just much quieter and less noticable. It works fine on Windows 10 running on the same machine, and on my Android phone. I don't notice is when something is playing, but the frequency of the sound changes when I play something, then pause it, the background noise will sound slightly different.
This is from an installed Ubuntu 18.10. I have tried booting 18.10 Live USB and 18.04.1 LTS Live USB, and the issue still occurs. I have tried playing with alsamixer and pavucontrol settings, and nothing fixed this background noise.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 18.10
Package: alsa-base 1.0.25+dfsg-0ubuntu5
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.18.0-13.14-generic 4.18.17
Uname: Linux 4.18.0-13-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.10-0ubuntu13.1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: davidkoplik 1891 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Wed Dec 26 20:17:59 2018
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-12-26 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 18.10 "Cosmic Cuttlefish" - Release amd64 (20181017.3)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=xterm-256color
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: alsa-driver
Symptom: audio
Symptom_AlsaPlaybackTest: ALSA playback test through plughw:PCH successful
Symptom_Card: Built-in Audio - HDA Intel PCH
Symptom_Jack: Black Headphone Out, Right
Symptom_PulsePlaybackTest: PulseAudio playback test successful
Symptom_Type: High background noise, or volume is too low
Title: [XPS 13 9370, Realtek ALC3271, Black Headphone Out, Right] Background noise or low volume
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 11/04/2018
dmi.bios.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 1.6.3
dmi.board.name: 0F6P3V
dmi.board.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.board.version: A00
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Dell Inc.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnDellInc.:bvr1.6.3:bd11/04/2018:svnDellInc.:pnXPS139370:pvr:rvnDellInc.:rn0F6P3V:rvrA00:cvnDellInc.:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.family: XPS
dmi.product.name: XPS 13 9370
dmi.product.sku: 07E6
dmi.sys.vendor: Dell Inc.

See original description
Revision history for this message
David Koplik (davidkoplik) wrote :
David Koplik (davidkoplik)
description: updated
Revision history for this message
Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt) wrote :

Thank you for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. This particular bug has already been reported and is a duplicate of bug 1654448, so it is being marked as such. Please look at the other bug report to see if there is any missing information that you can provide, or to see if there is a workaround for the bug. Additionally, any further discussion regarding the bug should occur in the other report. Feel free to continue to report any other bugs you may find.

Revision history for this message
Ubuntu Kernel Bot (ubuntu-kernel-bot) wrote : Missing required logs.

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. While running an Ubuntu kernel (not a mainline or third-party kernel) please enter the following command in a terminal window:

apport-collect 1809856

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
assignee: nobody → Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)
Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Please see if this kernel helps:
https://people.canonical.com/~khfeng/lp1809856/

Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng)
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
assignee: Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) → nobody
Revision history for this message
Chris (forgetso) wrote :

Hi Kai-Heng Feng,

Do you have a link to a process that I can use to test your patch? Many thanks.

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Download those files into a new directory, cd to the directory and run `sudo dpkg -i *deb`.

Revision history for this message
Chris (forgetso) wrote :

Hi Kai-Heng Feng, I successfully applied the patch, thanks. Now when the headphones are plugged in there are a few seconds of hissing before it goes quiet. If I change the volume, the hissing returns and stops after around 3-5s. If I play some music and then stop the music, the hissing returns and eventually stops after around 10s. Is this the expected behaviour?

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Seems like it goes away as soon as the audio gets runtime suspended.

Is the original issue solved or somewhat alleviated?

Revision history for this message
Chris (forgetso) wrote :

It seems this was a red herring. I was testing on battery power which is why the audio was being runtime suspended. The hissing remains constant when the laptop is plugged in.

Revision history for this message
Kai-Heng Feng (kaihengfeng) wrote :

Sorry for asking this again - is the original issue solved?

Revision history for this message
Chris (forgetso) wrote :

No. The issue remains.

Revision history for this message
Hui Wang (hui.wang) wrote :

When there is noise, please do a test:

sudo hda-verb /dev/snd/hwC0D0 0x1b SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x0 #if the noise disappear?
sudo hda-verb /dev/snd/hwC0D0 0x1b SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x20 #restore the original value

sudo hda-verb /dev/snd/hwC0D0 0x1d SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x0 #if the noise disappear?
sudo hda-verb /dev/snd/hwC0D0 0x1d SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x20 #restore the original value

thx.

Revision history for this message
Chris (forgetso) wrote :

This noise disappears when running this command.

sudo ./hda-verb /dev/snd/hwC0D0 0x1d SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x0

The noise returns when running this command.

sudo hda-verb /dev/snd/hwC0D0 0x1d SET_PIN_WIDGET_CONTROL 0x20

Thanks!

Revision history for this message
Hui Wang (hui.wang) wrote :

Ok, thanks.

I will contact Realtek to find the root cause.

Revision history for this message
Hui Wang (hui.wang) wrote :

Please install and test this deb under 4.18 kernel:

sudo dpkg -i oem-xxxx.deb
reboot
do the test to see if there is noise or not.

After testing, if want to uninstall the deb:
sudo dpkg -P oem-audio-hda-daily-dkms
reboot

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

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

Changed in alsa-driver (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Chris (forgetso) wrote :

Hi Hui Wang, sorry it has taken me so long to test this. I installed your patch and noticed the following things:

1. I **think** the noise is less than before although still present.
2. The commands in your test instructions now make no difference (https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/alsa-driver/+bug/1809856/comments/12)

Please let me know if you need any further detail.

Revision history for this message
Daniel van Vugt (vanvugt) wrote :

Thank you for reporting this bug to Ubuntu.
Ubuntu 18.10 (cosmic) reached end-of-life on July 18, 2019.

See this document for currently supported Ubuntu releases:
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Releases

We appreciate that this bug may be old and you might not be interested in discussing it any more. But if you are then please upgrade to the latest Ubuntu version and re-test. If you then find the bug is still present in the newer Ubuntu version, please add a comment here telling us which new version it is in and change the bug status to Confirmed.

Changed in alsa-driver (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Won't Fix
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Won't Fix
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