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I have a Dell Inspiron 17r, after a fresh install of 12.10, the subwoofer seems to be not utilized. No sound comes from it and in the Sound Control Panel the settings appear grayed out (see screenshot). How can I activate the subwoofer?

no subwoofer

I tried adding the line

options snd-hda-intel model=dell

in the file /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf and 

enable-lfe-remixing = yes
default-sample-channels = 3

in the file /etc/pulse/daemon.conf, but still doesn't work.

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A promising change to the sound config has been posted here: linuxsagas.digitaleagle.net/2012/11/23/sound-for-inspiron-17r/…, although it doesn't solve the problem yet. – alfC Nov 23 '12 at 21:07
if you need more details - please unaccept the current answer - otherwise it looks like it has been resolved. Thanks. – fossfreedom♦ Nov 24 '12 at 12:45
@fossfreedom: ok, I did, I just wanted some more details. – alfC Nov 24 '12 at 12:54

2 Answers

up vote 2 down vote accepted
+50

Try options snd-hda-intel model=ref in /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf.

Control for subwoofer doesn't work in sound settings but sound can be heard.

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1  
In what file? what is ref? – alfC Nov 13 '12 at 23:39
I tried the change and it doesn't change any setting in the Sound Settings window options. Also, I wouldn't know how to force to play sound with the SB since there is still no Test option. – alfC Nov 23 '12 at 21:09
Based on this post I made some changes until one worked. It is difficult to tell what made it work but basically works now. The changes I remember doing are: in alsa-base.conf, the lines: #options snd-hda-intel model=alc269-dmic\\ options snd-hda-intel model=ref in default.pa the line: load-module module-combine channels=3 channel_map=front-left,front-right,lfe in daemoon.conf, the lines: ; enable-remixing = yes\\ enable-lfe-remixing = yes\\ default-sample-channels = 3\\ default-channel-map = front-left,front-right,lfe I'll accept this answer until figure out the exact changes. – alfC Nov 23 '12 at 21:40
Another problem I am finding with the current configuration is that when the earplugs are connected the subwoofer still can be heard externally. – alfC Nov 24 '12 at 9:16
This answer technically solves the problem. The problem with blocking the subwoofer when headphones are connected is a standing problem. – alfC Nov 30 '12 at 20:54
up vote 2 down vote

I'm not sure this completely answers the question, but maybe it gets 90% there...

First, edit the following file:

sudo gedit /etc/pulse/daemon.conf

Uncommment and change the values of these lines:

enable-lfe-remixing = yes
default-sample-channels = 3
default-channel-map = front-left,front-right,lfe

Second, edit the following file:

sudo gedit /etc/pulse/default.pa

Add the following line to the end:

load-module module-combine channels=3 channel_map=front-left,front-right,lfe

At this point, I hear noise from the Subwoofer in the Test Sound option under the volume control. I can't tell that it comes from the subwoofer though. Maybe this is the way it is supposed to work.

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this exactly the changes that I made before (see comments in adams answer) +1. As you say this is 90% there, the subwoofer now works although with some "chirp" sound (looks digital, not saturation). The bigger annoyance is that when earplugs are connected the subwoofer sound still goes externally. Do you know how to block the subwoofer from producing sound while earplugs are connected? – alfC Nov 28 '12 at 18:32
Try with the line options snd-hda-intel model=ref in alsa-base.conf, this will make the static sound (and actual music) come out from the subwoofer speaker. The problem with blocking the subwoofer when headphones are connected is a standing problem. – alfC Nov 30 '12 at 20:57
Thank you! Adding these edits got the Beats Audio subwoofer working on my HP Envy 17 1090ca! – Jeremy Jan 19 at 20:25

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