root42Nov 28
Continuing on my #linuxmint #imac saga: Mint uses #Pipewire as its audio server. This is a very confusing project. I stopped using desktop Linux when Alsa was standard, and Pulseaudio was JUST becoming a thing. Pipewire seems to be yet another layer. I wonder if any of those config files will allow me to pin the PCM and speaker channels to 74% and only make the master volume accessible...?
The documentation is not geared towards end users...
Show threadroot42

I finally managed to create a workaround for my distorted sound on the #apple 2013 #imac running #linuxmint:

1. Set PCM volume and save (check before if card 0 is correct):
amixer -c 0 sset 'PCM' 224
sudo alsactl store

2. Edit /usr/share/alsa-card-profile/mixer/paths/analog-output.conf.common to ignore the PCM volume setting.

This way the volume key will ONLY change the master volume. No more distortion.

Dec 2 at 9:50amWeb
Show threadRichie RichDec 2
@root42 Wow! That sounds great. ☺️ (literally and figuratively) - I think it was a lot of pain fiddeling this out. Thanks for sharing!
Show threadroot42Dec 2
@RichieRich my only gripe: I want to have the -6dB set somewhere in the ALSA sound configuration if possible, so I can get rid of the amixer call. But where can I configure this…?
Show threadRichie RichDec 2
@root42 Oh, I don't know actually. Maybe you can set an ENV variable for your sound driver module or there is an option in alsa config file that's undocumented. Just guessing. It's a very specific use case, so I'll have to pass on helping.
Show threadroot42Dec 2
@RichieRich I just tried "sudo alsactl store", and it seems to store the settings permanently. Wherever that ends up...