asus n550jv audio problem: no sound from notebook' speakers

Question

Ubuntu 13.10.

The problem is: the internal speakers don't work. I have no problem when I'm using the headphones. There is no hardware issue since in windows 8 everything works perfectly(external subwoofer included).

I tried to modify /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base.conf but I can't find the correct model to put into:

 options snd-hda-intel model=

The file HD-Audio-Models.txt doesn't contain the model for ALC668. Then I found out that this method may not be so useful because the information in https://help.ubuntu.com/community/HdaIntelSoundHowto is outdated.

I also played with alsamixer -V all command but I had no success.

Some info:

:~sudo aplay -l
**** List of PLAYBACK Hardware Devices ****
card 0: MID [HDA Intel MID], device 3: HDMI 0 [HDMI 0]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: MID [HDA Intel MID], device 7: HDMI 1 [HDMI 1]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 0: MID [HDA Intel MID], device 8: HDMI 2 [HDMI 2]
  Subdevices: 1/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0
card 1: PCH [HDA Intel PCH], device 0: ALC668 Analog [ALC668 Analog]
  Subdevices: 0/1
  Subdevice #0: subdevice #0

:~$ sudo lspci -v | grep -A7 -i "audio"
00:03.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller (rev 06)
    Subsystem: Intel Corporation Device 2010
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 52
    Memory at f7a14000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
    Capabilities: [60] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit-
    Capabilities: [70] Express Root Complex Integrated Endpoint, MSI 00
    Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
--
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
    Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 11cd
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 53
    Memory at f7a10000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
    Capabilities: [60] MSI: Enable+ Count=1/1 Maskable- 64bit+
    Capabilities: [70] Express Root Complex Integrated Endpoint, MSI 00
    Capabilities: [100] Virtual Channel

PS info

:~$ amixer -c 0
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',0
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',1
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]
Simple mixer control 'IEC958',2
  Capabilities: pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Mono: Playback [on]

:~$ pacmd dump-volumes
Welcome to PulseAudio! Use "help" for usage information.
>>> Sink 0: reference = 0:  76% 1:  76%, real = 0:  76% 1:  76%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0:  76% 1:  76%, save = yes
    Input 8: volume = 0: 100% 1: 100%, reference_ratio = 0: 100% 1: 100%, real_ratio = 0: 100% 1: 100%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, volume_factor = 0: 100% 1: 100%, volume_factor_sink = 0: 100% 1: 100%, save = no
Source 0: reference = 0: 100% 1: 100%, real = 0: 100% 1: 100%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0: 100% 1: 100%, save = no
Source 1: reference = 0:  16% 1:  16%, real = 0:  16% 1:  16%, soft = 0: 100% 1: 100%, current_hw = 0:  16% 1:  16%, save = yes

:~$ amixer -c 1
Simple mixer control 'Master',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pvolume-joined pswitch pswitch-joined
  Playback channels: Mono
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono: Playback 78 [90%] [-6.75dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Headphone',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Speaker',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 87
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
  Front Right: Playback 87 [100%] [0.00dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'PCM',0
  Capabilities: pvolume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 255
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 253 [99%] [0.40dB]
  Front Right: Playback 253 [99%] [0.40dB]
Simple mixer control 'Mic',0
  Capabilities: pvolume pswitch
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Playback 0 - 31
  Mono:
  Front Left: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
  Front Right: Playback 0 [0%] [-34.50dB] [off]
Simple mixer control 'Mic Boost',0
  Capabilities: volume
  Playback channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: 0 - 3
  Front Left: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
  Front Right: 3 [100%] [30.00dB]
Simple mixer control 'Capture',0
  Capabilities: cvolume cswitch
  Capture channels: Front Left - Front Right
  Limits: Capture 0 - 63
  Front Left: Capture 0 [0%] [-17.25dB] [on]
  Front Right: Capture 0 [0%] [-17.25dB] [on]
Simple mixer control 'Auto-Mute Mode',0
  Capabilities: enum
  Items: 'Disabled' 'Enabled'
  Item0: 'Enabled'

Answer 1

I've got the same laptop Asus N550JV and faced the same issue as yours.

While booting, I chose 3.11.0.12-generic kernel from the "advanced options for Ubuntu" and sound started to work just fine.

I rebooted and used the newer standard kernel and now it's surprisingly working.

Try that.. hope it will help .

Answer 2

Same happened to me. Sound only worked with an updated kernel (3.11.0.12). I just waited for the official Ubuntu update. However, after upgrading it again to 3.11.0.14 or .15, speakers stopped working. After doing what Bassam suggests, I got my speakers sound back.

For those of you trying to enable the subwoofer output, I recommend you to follow these guides:

• Ubuntu-es - External subwoofer in Asus N550JV - Chip ALC668 (in Spanish)
• Keep hungry - ASUS N's subwoofer in Ubuntu 13.10 (in Spanish too)

They worked fine for me.

Answer 3

I've got the same laptop, and same problem. I installed the new kernel 3.12 and now my speakers are working. Im running xubuntu 13.10.

The following link gives and explanation on how to upgrade kernel, and a warning that this may cause other problems:

"We have to warn you from the get-go. Canonical does not recommend updating your Linux kernel to other versions than the ones provided on official channels. This is not a totally safe procedure and you might have problems afterwards, even system failures. On the other hand, you might get better performance from your system."

http://news.softpedia.com/news/How-to-Install-Linux-Kerrnel-3-12-in-Ubuntu-13-10-397013.shtml