Well, it worked! Thanks for the solution (and sorry it took me several
days to actually try it). The PCM volume seems to change
logarithmically compared to the linear volume slider, but this may
have been the behavior in 9.04 too and I just didn't notice. In any
case, sound is at least normal now.

On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 6:27 PM, Adam Guthrie < ispiked@gmail.[redacted] > wrote:
> Ricket,
>
> Just because you tell PulseAudio not manage the volume of LFE does not
> mean it will stay at one audible volume. Raising/lowering the
> Master/PCM control will still cause the LFE to become more/less loud,
> it just won't change its level in alsamixer.
>
> For example, I currently tell PulseAudio to ignore my Front and Side
> volume controls. If I open up alsamixer and press my volume keys
> up/down the loudness of my music still changes, but the levels of the
> Front and Side controls in alsamixer stay fixed.
>
> I think you can mirror 9.04 configuration by making the following
> changes to /usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/paths/analog-output.conf:
>
>  [Element Master]
>  switch = mute
> -volume = merge
> +volume = ignore
>  override-map.1 = all
>  override-map.2 = all-left,all-right
>

>  [Element LFE]
>  switch = mute
> -volume = merge
> +volume = ignore

>  override-map.1 = lfe
>  override-map.2 = lfe,lfe
>

> Then go into alsamixer and bump up your Master and LFE volume levels
> to 100%, just like you did in 9.04. You'll might need to save these
> settings using:
>
> `alsactl -f asound.state.mine store 0; sudo mv asound.state.mine
> /etc/asound.state'
>
> Then restart PulseAudio by logging out/in. PulseAudio should now only
> mess with PCM when you press the volume keys on your laptop, just like
> it did in 9.04.
>
> Ubuntu 9.04 actually used PulseAudio, it just didn't tie mixer
> controls together like it does in 9.10. Apparently one of the
> developers thought this would be a good idea  and added it this summer
> (see https://tango.0pointer.de/pipermail/pulseaudio-discuss/2009-June/004229.html ).
>
> Good luck,

> Adam

>
> On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 11:28 AM, Richard Carter < rwcarter@ncsu.[redacted] > wrote:
>> Well, none of these suggestions quite worked...
>>
>> Alex, the PerfectSetup wiki entry didn't say much except how to get
>> certain applications using PulseAudio instead of their default audio
>> systems.
>>
>> Yanglei, I did install the mixer and it shows the volumes as before
>> but the underlying problem is how to configure the volume control to
>> change the PCM channel and not the master.
>>
>> Adam, I feel like that's a step in the right direction, but I don't
>> want my LFE to stay at one volume, I actually want it to be
>> controlled.
>>
>> Let me try to explain again. This is how it used to be:
>> Three channels: Master, PCM, LFE. Ubuntu 9.04 defaulted to the volume
>> keys controlling the Master channel. So I would go into volume, put
>> both Master and LFE at 100%, and set the keys to control the PCM
>> channel. Apparently "Master" means my 2 stereo speakers and "LFE" is
>> of course the mono subwoofer, and then PCM is like a master of the two
>> volumes, so it worked perfectly. Well 9.10 goes back to controlling
>> the Master channel and simultaneously tweaking LFE and PCM in odd
>> increments, and now the Sound control panel has completely changed:
>> http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/579/screenshot001tsc.png - Default
>> Mixer Tracks is where I'd highlight the PCM and then the volume would
>> be set to control the PCM. How do I do that now?
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 8:04 AM, Daniel Marcus < danielm.nc @ gmail.com > wrote:
>>> What mixer are you using? As far as I know, Pulse does not control that kind
>>> of volume, that is done by ALSA still, at a driver level. I know KMix should
>>> still show each individual device (once you enable that channel to display).
>>>
>>> Pulse should just identify itself to programs, and sit between them and ALSA
>>> to handle mixing and such. It also can do a few other cool things (networked
>>> sound!). Also, if you are in KDE and still having problems, just defer Pulse
>>> to ALSA if you like a la Phonon.
>>>
>>> Positively,
>>> Daniel S. Marcus
>>> Omni Impact Small Business Services
>>> Phone: (XXX) 926 9624
>>> Business: daniel@omniimpact.[redacted]
>>> Personal: daniel@d-site.[redacted]
>>> Website: http://omniimpact.com
>>>
>>>
>>> On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 7:56 AM, Adam Guthrie < ispiked@gmail.[redacted] > wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Right click on the Speaker icon in your notification area and go to
>>>> the Hardware tab. You should be able to select some Analog Surround
>>>> [...] Profile that matches your laptop's sound card. On the output tab
>>>> you should now have controls for Balance, Fade and Subwoofer. Try
>>>> turning down the subwoofer.
>>>>
>>>> If this doesn't work, there is a way you can tell PulseAudio not to
>>>> control the LFE control; i.e. make it not be dependent on the Master
>>>> volume. Go to /usr/share/pulseaudio/alsa-mixer/paths/ and edit
>>>> analog-output.conf. Find the section for [Element LFE] and make the
>>>> following change:
>>>>
>>>> [Element LFE]
>>>> switch = mute
>>>> volume = ignore
>>>> override-map.1 = lfe
>>>> override-map.2 = lfe,lfe
>>>>
>>>> Logout and log back in to restart PulseAudio.
>>>>
>>>> This will allow you to change the volume level in alsamixer without
>>>> PulseAudio resetting it when you change the Master volume.
>>>>
>>>> Hope this works.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Adam
>>>>
>>>> On Mon, Nov 2, 2009 at 12:58 AM, Richard Carter < rwcarter@ncsu.[redacted] > wrote:
>>>> > So I've never understood the differences between OSS and ALSA, but now
>>>> > 9.10 throws another one into the mix, PulseAudio (which apparently
>>>> > sits on top of ALSA?).
>>>> >
>>>> > My laptop has a small "subwoofer" in it - it makes a very noticeable
>>>> > difference in sound quality, and I quite like it. In past versions of
>>>> > Ubuntu, the mixer had Master, PCM, and LFE (low-frequency emitter);
>>>> > the latter being the subwoofer. Master controls my two normal
>>>> > speakers' volumes, LFE controls the subwoofer, and PCM acts as a sort
>>>> > of master between the two. So, I would turn Master and LFM to 100%,
>>>> > and then hook my volume buttons to the PCM, and everything would be
>>>> > great.
>>>> >
>>>> > Now I can only control Master, and my LFE is always set to loud. This
>>>> > means that only one notch above muted, my main speakers are inaudible
>>>> > but my LFE speaker is blaring. There's nothing in the volume control
>>>> > other than left/right balance.
>>>> >
>>>> > When I run alsamixer -c 0 in terminal, I can see the PCM and the LFE,
>>>> > but I have no idea how to configure it like I used to, so that volume
>>>> > up/down buttons control the PCM.
>>>> >
>>>> > So anyway, with all this said, does anyone know how to allow the new
>>>> > audio system to see and control my LFE as well as my speakers?
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>> > Thanks,
>>>> > Ricket
>>>> >
>>>
>>>
>>
>